New changes to the eBay user agreement
 

I just read the new updates to eBay's user agreements. If I am understanding it correctly, I think that the third change on the list, may have a big effect on how sellers list their items. It will make it risky to list more new items at the end of the month when you have other items ending before the month ends that eBay may automatically relist and charge you insertion fees. It may be good for buyers because it should reduce the amount of high priced items that are listed, but sellers will have to watch carefully, and cancel auctions just prior to their ending to avoid more fees.

I copied and pasted the changes below for your review. Would appreciate any of your thoughts on the matter.

Best regards,

Joe

Key updates to the eBay User Agreement:

We've made it clearer how we address attempts to bypass our policy on Offers to buy or sell outside eBay.

We may scan and block member-to-member messages sent through our platform to prevent fraud or violations of our polcies.

We may automatically renew your fixed-price listings unless your listing sells out or you cancel your listing.

If you use our product catalog information in your listing, we may update this information in your listing when we update our catalog.

We've made some changes to our company structure that are reflected in the eBay entities you are contracting with when using eBay.

Yeah, that one stood out to me to. I list very few "Good Till Sold" listings. Just a few I keep going so my listings don't just drop off the map if I'm in a slow listing period. I'd rather decide myself when to start a new round of "Buy It Nows".......and yes, it can definitely impact on your free listings for the month.

They've also decided they can steal your photos from you and spread them around to other sellers by putting them in the Ebay catalog. You can't opt out of that anymore.

The Amazonification of Ebay continues.

All of the limitations, shipping rules and fees of Amazon, with none of the infrastructure.

Then of course the ghosting of messages due to Ebay's fear of having a few pennies taken out of their pockets. Half the messages I get from customers through the Ebay system I can't even figure out a way to respond to without getting some sort of warning for sending an unauthorized message back to them.

I also don't do GTS listings. I guess they are trying to trap unaware sellers with 'gotcha' fees, like banks do.

Bastards...

Yeah, it is strange. I paid for an auction last week and the seller contacted me on the fourth day asking when I was going to pay. I tried to respond, but it took four tries, because ebay kept saying I was violating something or other in my message. Is it my fault that the seller's paypal account was his email address? Sigh...

Here is an explanation for this update (We may automatically renew your fixed-price listings unless your listing sells out or you cancel your listing.) from an ebay rep on one of the ebay selling boards:

"This applies only to fixed price listings created through the new quick listing tool. It will apply mostly to first-time and occasional sellers we've identified."


I take this to mean that if you DO NOT use the new quick listing tool, this problem of items being relisted against a seller's will can be avoided. The rest of this explanation is still quite vague.

So they're only going to try and get away with it, with newbies who don't know any better. Why doesn't that surprise me.

"first-time and occasional sellers we've identified"...........jesus, why don't they just call them what every other crook calls them....."Marks".

It really wouldn't effect newbies, unless the newbies go in selling hundreds of items as GTS. I do GTS a lot, but with my 50 free listings each month it doesn't effect me.

You'll have to be cognizant if you turn over your inventory month after month, and you sell a lot, but if you're a small time seller it really won't effect you.

Here is some further q/a from an ebay rep about this:

What qualifies an occasional seller?

A seller who has sold up to 25 items in the past 12 months.



Which Fixed price items will be impacted?

All items listed using the quick listing tool. (Not turbolister or any other business selling tools)



Does this apply to Good ‘Til Cancelled?

Yes.

Will identified sellers be notified of the auto relists on their items?

Sellers will receive the existing Good 'Til Cancelled email.


How many times will they relist?

Good 'Til Cancelled items are relisted every 30 days. Not aware of there being a limit on the number of times the item will relist.





How will Fixed Price listings of a shorter duration (ex. 10 day) be impacted?
They will not be impacted. Members listing items through the quick listing tool do not have the ability to choose a duration for a fixed price listing. That listing form automatically defaults to have the duration be Good 'Til Canceled for fixed price listings.This is live now. Here's a screenshot of the tool:

Sell_on_eBay.png



What purpose is served for Ebay to auto renew a FP listing set up by the seller to be a 30 day or less listing?

Members listing items through the quick listing tool do not have the ability to choose a duration for a fixed price listing.



Suppose I list an item for 7 or 10 days. The item does not sell. Well it really is in a sense canceled, correct? So it goes into my unsold items list. Do you mean I have to go into my unsold items list and cancel? I really don't understand how this works? Or do you mean I have to cancel the day before the listing ends?
Members listing items through the quick listing tool do not have the ability to choose a duration for a fixed price listing. The above scenario is not possible.

What if they do not want the item to be relisted after the listing ends because of their personal schedule...vacation, medical reasons, etc. ?

The seller will need to manually end the item.



Why was this important change added to the User Agreement, but not featured in the Seller Update, as well where it would be accompanied by a FAQ section?

As this is only specific to certain sellers that use the quick listing tool.

How will listings through FileExchange, TurboLister or another third party app be affected?

These listings will not be impacted.