Another Ebay rule change!

[scmavl]

I'm still miffed about ebay telling me a couple of weeks ago that I can only now sell $500 per month. After being a member for a 2+ years and having 100% feedback. Nice job, ebay. Way to alienate your customers.

[ibuysportsephemera]

Hi Dave,

Do you know when they started this policy, or when they will begin enforcing it?

Thanks,

Jeff

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by ibuysportsephemera

Hi Dave,

Do you know when they started this policy, or when they will begin enforcing it?

Thanks,

Jeff

No idea Jeff. I never saw an announcement and I just stumbled upon it last night, by accident when I edited a typo in one of my listings.

I have a statement in big, bold letters at the bottom of my listings which basically says, "If you don't like my shipping rates, please do not bid. They are clearly stated in the auction."

It was something I added, mainly in frustration. I'll change it to be a bit less blunt I guess.

Apparently Ebay is getting complaints because bidders don't like to read descriptions anymore. Even if they are in big, bold letters.

[ibuysportsephemera]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

No idea Jeff. I never saw an announcement and I just stumbled upon it last night, by accident when I edited a typo in one of my listings.

I have a statement in big, bold letters at the bottom of my listings which basically says, "If you don't like my shipping rates, please do not bid. They are clearly stated in the auction."

It was something I added, mainly in frustration. I'll change it to be a bit less blunt I guess.

Apparently Ebay is getting complaints because bidders don't like to read descriptions anymore. Even if they are in big, bold letters.

Thanks Dave...My template includes the words Policies, etc. although no threats or negatives towards buyers (although I would like to ). Just wanted to make sure I don't need to change my template.

Regards,

Jeff

[novakjr]

Ebay is pretty much over-stepping their boundaries, BUT they ARE trying to make sure you get the most out of your auctions. Not because they give a crap about you though, but because they give a crap about their percentage and fees.. There shouldn't be anything wrong with sellers having their own standards or rules, but then again, ebay doesn't care. You're the one taking the risk, and not them.

[slidekellyslide]

Ebay placed restrictions on me two months ago after a good 6-7 year run as a seller with ZERO negative feedbacks...and last month they stripped me of my top seller rating and my 20% discount because in the last three months I've gotten three 1 or 2 DSR ratings for 'communication'. So three of my buyers who felt I didn't communicate well enough with them cost me $170 last month. It's exasperating..I've scaled waaayyy back on my selling this month. Maybe I'll go back to my regular listing habits when I get my 20% discount back. I don't understand why ebay wants to kill off auctions and become more like Amazon...there's already a site like that and it's called Amazon.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

Ebay placed restrictions on me two months ago after a good 6-7 year run as a seller with ZERO negative feedbacks...and last month they stripped me of my top seller rating and my 20% discount because in the last three months I've gotten three 1 or 2 DSR ratings for 'communication'. So three of my buyers who felt I didn't communicate well enough with them cost me $170 last month. It's exasperating..I've scaled waaayyy back on my selling this month. Maybe I'll go back to my regular listing habits when I get my 20% discount back. I don't understand why ebay wants to kill off auctions and become more like Amazon...there's already a site like that and it's called Amazon.

I found this post doing a search on 'top-rated' seller, trying to see if anyone else was getting weird results with ebay's program.

I lost mine today because of three 1 or 2 DSR ratings for shipping costs. Very, very ridiculous as I LOSE money on shipping every time I run straight auctions, and my BIN's are almost always 'free shipping'. I also had two bad ratings for shipping speed, which is laughable - I ship the day I'm paid, unless the post office is closed. I really hate to even guess why this happened, as none of the guesses are pleasant to think about, but the end result is the same...

...BIN's with free shipping. No more of the take-it-up-the-rear straight auctions which, by the way, nail you for 11% of the first $50...unless you are a top-seller.

Just venting. Off to lunch.

[drc]

My experience is the USPO can be slow these days, and the buyer will sometimes blame the seller for the USPO's delay.

[CW]

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

I don't understand why ebay wants to kill off auctions and become more like Amazon...there's already a site like that and it's called Amazon.

So true, and how ironic. Somebody now needs to fill the online auction void. I'm surprised nobody has come out with a site that mimics the "old" eBay.

[drc]

The irony would be if amazon starts an auction site like the old ebay,

[39special]

Another reason I don't sell on ebay anymore!

[Jewish-collector]

I don't like sellers having rules & policies. As a relatively new seller, I keep it simple. I don't have any rules. I just describe the item.

[xdrx]

Originally Posted by novakjr

Ebay is pretty much over-stepping their boundaries, BUT they ARE trying to make sure you get the most out of your auctions. Not because they give a crap about you though, but because they give a crap about their percentage and fees.. There shouldn't be anything wrong with sellers having their own standards or rules, but then again, ebay doesn't care. You're the one taking the risk, and not them.

From a buyer's perspective I'd certainly prefer standardized rules. I don't want to have to read the fine print of every ad I look at to make sure there are no unusual terms or conditions. In fact, it is my understanding that a seller's rules don't supersede eBay's anyway, so it really just seems to be added confusion and increased potential for disagreements.

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by xdrx

From a buyer's perspective I'd certainly prefer standardized rules. I don't want to have to read the fine print of every ad I look at to make sure there are no unusual terms or conditions. In fact, it is my understanding that a seller's rules don't supersede eBay's anyway, so it really just seems to be added confusion and increased potential for disagreements.

I have almost no rules at all on my auctions...the only thing my auctions state after the description is "Payment is due within 5 days of auction end." What else is there to add? Most everyone knows ebay's rules supersede anything the seller states so why bother?

[barrysloate]

About a month ago I was bidding on a collection of coins listed on ebay. The seller included a phrase something to the effect of, If you added these coins up individually they would have a catalog value of around $3200. Ebay shut the auction down. Apparently you cannot mention catalog value, that it violates some rule. Does anybody know why?

[mdschulze]

I used to put in my listings, "I leave positive feedback as soon as I receive payment. If you are one of the many that do not leave feedback after a positive transaction, please do not bid on my items". I received the same response from Ebay after I tried to relist an item with that wording.

Additionally, I do not understand why ebay won't change the feedback system all together. If I sell an item with no complaints from the buyer within 30 days after the transaction, then I should automatically get a generic positive if the buyer is too lazy to leave feedback. I have sold about 250+ items and I've only recieved about 50% feedback from the total buyers.
JMO!! -Mike

[Doug]

Maybe they should do something useful and ban phrases like "I found it in grandpa's attic" and "I don't know if it's original, but it doesn't say reprint anywhere on the card". I guess by eBay logic you aren't allowed to discourage bidding, but you are allowed to use misleading statements to encourage it.

[dstudeba]

Originally Posted by mdschulze

I used to put in my listings, "I leave positive feedback as soon as I receive payment. If you are one of the many that do not leave feedback after a positive transaction, please do not bid on my items".

I realize this is an old post, but I have never heard of this kind of policy. I will be happy to sell to the highest bidder regardless of whether they leave feedback or not. Is feedback that important to people that they are willing to lose customers and money over it?

[irishdenny]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

About a month ago I was bidding on a collection of coins listed on ebay. The seller included a phrase something to the effect of, If you added these coins up individually they would have a catalog value of around $3200. Ebay shut the auction down. Apparently you cannot mention catalog value, that it violates some rule. Does anybody know why?

Just a thought...

Might it have to do with promoting sales from another venue other than ebay? You know, pointing you in the catalogs direction vice "The ebay way".

Or maybe it's just because... "They said So!"

[DaClyde]

Someone should organize a month long boycott of eBay, where a large group of sellers move all of their listings to sites like onlineauction.com or bidstart.com. See if eBay even notices. If they don't want to be the premier auction site anymore, then sellers should take their business elsewhere.