Another Ebay rule change!

[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.

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by 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.

Exactly.

Actually, they would prefer you don't list your reprints AS reprints............because that would only serve to discourage bidding on that item. It's for our own good you see.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by Doug

Maybe they should do something useful and ban phrases like [...] "I don't know if it's original, but it doesn't say reprint anywhere on the card".

This wording actually already is banned though, thanks to Ebay's unusable policies/help site, I can't find the specific citation for you.

Tabe

[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?

[slidekellyslide]

It doesn't matter what your rules are ebay's rules supersede any rules you put on your auction. Ebay made a rule last year that supposedly went into effect in December that all seller must offer refunds on returns and that the buyer gets 14 days to return the item after they receive it. Oddly though on their listing site you can still choose "no returns" and you can even choose 3 day/7 day/14 day returns. Even with all that if someone paid with paypal they can pretty much return an item within 60 days. This happened to me with a remorseful buyer who made a paypal claim more than 30 days after he received the item and almost 6 weeks after the item ended. My auction stated 7 day returns.


On an unrelated note to all that this morning I had a discussion with a fellow who unbeknownst to me was blocked and was ticked off about it...he emailed me and told me that I sold something for way less than it was worth because he was blocked from bidding. This guy is not on my blocked bidder list so he must have at least 2 non paying bidder strikes in the last 12 months..I just changed that last week. I asked him if he has any strikes against him and he is very evasive...he wants my phone number for some reason. Creepy.

[drc]

By the same token, I allow international bidders because as a seller I don't want to be turning down bids.

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by drc

By the same token, I allow international bidders because as a seller I don't want to be turning down bids.

I would say at least 10% of my bidders are international...you have to allow them to bid if you are serious about making money on ebay. However I did have to amend my rules to actually state that I will not mark any item sold on ebay as a "Gift". Rarely do I get asked to do that, but it happens.

[slidekellyslide]

Just got this email from ebay a few minutes ago...lots of rule changes heading this way.

=======================================

Spring Seller Update

Dear southst9:

Your commitment to great service is paying off! With eBay growing at double-digit rates, you now have access to more than 100 million active buyers. Updates coming this spring will help keep those growing ranks of online shoppers coming your way, help get your listings in front of the right buyers, protect your track record, and boost your efficiency.

Free pictures coming in July!

Your upfront cost of selling on eBay is going down again! Now, starting July 2, on top of listing up to 50 items Auction-style FREE each month, you'll get FREE pictures for all your listings , both Auction-style and Fixed Price. You can upload up to 12 pictures per listing and all 12 pictures will be free—including free zoom and enlarge! Listings with lots of great quality photos sell more, so start loading up now.

Updates to the eBay Top-rated seller program mean more attention for your great listings.

Ecommerce standards for service have evolved in the three years since the eBay Top-rated seller program was first introduced, and savvy merchants have adapted to compete. Now the Top-rated seller program will also evolve to keep pace.

Starting in June, Top-rated sellers will need to have tracking information uploaded to eBay within their stated handling time on 90% or more of their transactions with US buyers. As of June 1, the 20% final value fee discount and greatest average boost in Best Match will go to those listings from Top-rated sellers that include 1-day handling and a minimum 14-day return policy with a money-back refund option. Your listings without these two services will still have the Top-rated seller badge and some boost in Best Match but will not earn the discounts or the highest average boost in Best Match.

You already upload tracking information, so you're on track to keep your Top-rated status. To keep the maximum benefits, add the combination of 1-day handling and a minimum 14-day return policy with a money-back refund option to as many of your listings as possible.

As an extra reward for adding these in-demand services now, from March 1 to May 31, you'll get a bonus 5% discount off your final value fees—along with your current 20% discount—for all listings with 1-day handling and 14-day or longer returns with a money-back option. Act now to take full advantage of this bonus discount!

Safeguards for your hard-earned performance record

New seller protections help ensure your performance record is an accurate reflection of your great service:

Get an automatic 5-star Detailed Seller Rating (DSR) for Communication when you specify same-day or 1-day handling, upload tracking information by the end of the next business day, and no communication is needed between you and the buyer.

Feedback left for a transaction where the buyer had an unpaid item recorded will be automatically removed.

Earlier this year, eBay started displaying an automatic message on the View Item page to buyers outside the US regarding customs-related delays and customs duties. Because of this, any Feedback from international buyers that only references customs issues will qualify for Feedback removal.

Updates to boost your efficiency and profitability

Manage your business policies from one handy location. Opt in to a new way to create and manage custom payment, shipping, and return policies and apply them to listings quickly and easily.

Streamline returns: An optional new way to manage returns virtually automates the process according to the terms you specify. Your buyer simply clicks a link in My eBay to print a pre-paid shipping label. When you get the item back, simply click a button to issue the refund. Your final value fees are automatically refunded.

Return options retired: When sellers accept returns, buyers expect a reasonable timeframe and the ability to get their money back. As of May 2, the 3-day and 7-day and "Merchandise credit" and "Exchange" options will be retired for new listings and relistings. As always, you can still specify "No returns accepted" but note that offering a good return policy can help your sales.

New same-day handling time option. Let buyers know you ship the same day for orders received by your specified cut-off time.

USPS® First-Class Package service reclassified from Expedited to Standard. Take advantage of the savings this service offers, while setting the right delivery expectations for your buyers.

A message on the View Item page alerts buyers to the possibility of extended delivery time for items with longer than 3-day handling.

New requirements for pictures. High-quality pictures can make all the difference in enticing a buyer to choose your item over the rest. Starting this fall, all listings will be required to have at least one picture, and all photos must be at least 500 pixels on the longest side and cannot have added borders or text (watermarks okay).

Best Match using more information to get your listings in front of the right buyers. eBay's default sort order will begin looking at more information—including information in your item description—to evaluate items for ranking. Item Specifics, product codes like UPCs and ISBNs, brand, part numbers, and other descriptors will be increasingly important.

Removing more duplicate listings. Reducing duplicate listings in search results has made it easier for buyers to find what they're looking for and significantly increased sales for many sellers. Now Auction-style listings with the Buy It Now option will be considered duplicates to Fixed Price listings or to other Auction-style listings with the Buy It Now option for identical items.

Category and other updates

Electronics: Listing with the eBay catalog will be expanded to more categories, including DVD & Blu-ray Players, Home Theater Receivers, Home Speakers & Subwoofers, Home Theater Systems, and Home Theater Projectors.

Motors: Some listing features will be retired—Border, Highlight, Featured Plus!, and Listing Icon in Parts & Accessories and Motors Home Page Featured in Motors Vehicles.

Category and Item Specific updates:As always, changes to categories and item specifics are included with the rest of seller updates. Find out if your listings are affected.
Clothing, Shoes & Accessories
Coins
Computers & Networking
Consumer Electronics
eBay Motors
Home & Garden
Toys
Jewelry & Watches (Category adjustments in Watches only)
More information
Get details on the 2012 Spring Seller Update.
Use the Seller Checklist to stay on top of important dates.
Find out how you can update your listings quickly and efficiently with bulk editing tools.
For additional insight, you're also invited to talk with members of my staff during the next two days on a special discussion board we've set up for this purpose. Join me and other leaders from eBay in a Town Hall meeting on February 29, 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. PST.
As always, thank you for selling on eBay.

Sincerely,
Michael Jones
Vice President
Merchant Development

=================================================

[drc]

I half-seriously wonder if it's eBays attempt to increase profits by cutting discounts to sellers.

Though I mostly think they're trying to get sellers in alignment for the the big push to be like amazon.

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by drc

I half-seriously wonder if it's eBays attempt to increase profits by cutting discounts to sellers.

Though I mostly think they're trying to get sellers in alignment for the the big push to be like amazon.

Nah, Ebay is just "evolving" to keep pace with the savvy merchants.

They're just thinning out the herd a bit more.

I think I need an aspirin.

I may have to kiss goodbye to that 20%. It's becoming harder and harder to keep up.

[thetruthisoutthere]

I believe that someone write earlier that Ebay wanted emulate Amazon's business model. The irony being that Amazon looks like it's wanting to become the old Ebay business model allowing sellers to list Mickey Mantle forgeries like the one below with a TTA (Ted Taylor) COA.

Amazon-200.jpg

Amazon-201.jpg

Amazon-202.jpg

[basesareempty]

"Get an automatic 5-star Detailed Seller Rating (DSR) for Communication when you specify same-day or 1-day handling, upload tracking information by the end of the next business day, and no communication is needed between you and the buyer."

I like this a lot as a seller. I cannot stand needy buyers who want to send you 5 emails within 10 minutes of the auction ending about the exact minute their item is being shipped.Then they track the item the whole way and let you know the progress and if you do not respond to each email they bang you with 1's or 2's for communication. I would rather pay for postage with Ebay shipping within 1 business day and Ebay automatically sends the buyer an email on your behalf thanking them for their purchase and giving them a tracking number. I do not need to know about their Aunt's Back problems or be put on their Christmas card list.

[thetruthisoutthere]

Originally Posted by basesareempty

"Get an automatic 5-star Detailed Seller Rating (DSR) for Communication when you specify same-day or 1-day handling, upload tracking information by the end of the next business day, and no communication is needed between you and the buyer."

I like this a lot as a seller. I cannot stand needy buyers who want to send you 5 emails within 10 minutes of the auction ending about the exact minute their item is being shipped.Then they track the item the whole way and let you know the progress and if you do not respond to each email they bang you with 1's or 2's for communication. I would rather pay for postage with Ebay shipping within 1 business day and Ebay automatically sends the buyer an email on your behalf thanking them for their purchase and giving them a tracking number. I do not need to know about their Aunt's Back problems or be put on their Christmas card list.

I hear ya, Bob. I'm not a big seller at all; and when I do sell, I simply ask that the buyer pay within seven (7) days. But I get a kick out of the buyer who doesn't pay until day 10 or 11 and then they want to know "Will it ship today?" PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!