Ebay New Seller Performance Standards Coming

[diggummup]

2014 Spring Seller Update: Seller standards update

eBay Seller Information Center: 2014 Spring Seller Update: Seller standards update

 

[palidin20603]

For me, it means staying out of certain categories like used clothing, too many returns. It is what it is, later this summer I will start looking into Amazon FBA for new stuff. We will all need a second avenue to sell on soon. HH

 

[danloop]

Hope this filters out the drop shippers. Never understood how anyone could legally sell something they don't yet own in an auction; online or not.

 

[Ursus]

Just read my news letter I received from eBay and clicked on the link to check out the new Seller Dashboard, to check out how it affects my Top Seller Rating. At least eBay make it clear how many categories you can get screwed over in! I had 4 strikes out of a possible 5. The thing that shocked me was two "item not as described" cases, which both of those were just simple returns (which I offer 14 days on about anything, as long as it is returned as sold). Both buyers thought that they had to do that, when they could have just emailed me to work out the returns!

I agree with others - the possibility of losing my Top Rated status that I have held and protected for the last two or three years may seriously be threatened, if only by the ignorance of the casual eBay buyer!

 

[diggummup]

Sellers Probe New Dashboard and Defect Rates in eBay Webinar


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[TD="width: 380"]Sellers Probe New Dashboard and Defect Rates in eBay Webinar

[SIZE=-1]By Julia Wilkinson
EcommerceBytes.com
April 24, 2014[/SIZE][/TD]
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As usual, there was no shortage of seller questions in eBay's latest webinar, "Getting the Most out of your New Seller Dashboard." Hosted by Mary Windishar, and featuring eBay Director of Global Trust Brian Burke and eBay Senior Manager, Standards Kristi Diemoz, the event began a review of the new standards for top-rated seller, which is a maximum defect rate of 2%. (It's 5% for all sellers).
Burke addressed some of sellers' main concerns at the outset, such as the extended returns option of 90 days for the coming holiday season, emphasizing that sellers can choose what inventory that they want to include in this, and saying that in September eBay will roll out a tool for that. He also explained the new standards included dings for neutrals and DSR threes, another change unpopular with sellers, because eBay found that buyers leaving those ratings purchased less.
He also advised sellers to only open cases when they are confident that eBay will rule in their favor. And there was a rundown of the coming dates of the new standards, including May 1, when the three-month evaluation cycle for the new standards begins.
A short video demonstrated the new seller dashboard, and slides drilled down into what the defect reports look like. As of last week, sellers can run reports on transactions with defects, Diemoz said. On April 29, these would be just going forward, not retroactive. Your projected status is there, along with a breakdown by defect type, which Dieomoz thought was "most helpful."
Diemoz said sellers can either open or save their eBay defect report, and stressed that although more than one "X" may show in different columns, they don't count as defects if they're both for the same transaction. The transaction defect report is updated every 5 to 7 business days, she said, but she noted that the preview is updated daily.
Some sellers had told Diemoz that they had refunded a buyer, but it still showed up as a defect in their dashboard, she said. She emphasized that if an item is not as described, even if the buyer is refunded, it shows up as a defect.
Patterns, Trends and Tips
"We never expect everything to go perfectly," Diemoz said, but throughout the presentation she emphasized that the main thing for sellers was to look for "patterns and trends." She said eBay shipping labels were "a great tool" because they do lot for you, including all the tracking uploading.
A few tips she gave: if you're selling used items, make a very good description of any flaws, specify the correct condition, and use all available item specifics.
"It's also very important now for sellers to review their listings in a mobile format including phones and tablets," she said. In terms of feedback, "try always answer any member questions within 24 hours. Be proactive; tell buyers when there is an issue."
PayPal Transactions Count
Diemoz said sellers should always use the eBay cancellation process. She noted that eBay also tracks PayPal transactions, so even if they see a refund given via PayPal, that may count as a defect.
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"It's also very important now for sellers to review their listings in a mobile format including phones and tablets," she (Diemoz) said.

My question is why, why is it "very important now"? Is that going to be the next requirement for sellers? To have mobile internet capabilities?

 

[diggummup]

Just read my news letter I received from eBay and clicked on the link to check out the new Seller Dashboard, to check out how it affects my Top Seller Rating. At least eBay make it clear how many categories you can get screwed over in! I had 4 strikes out of a possible 5. The thing that shocked me was two "item not as described" cases, which both of those were just simple returns (which I offer 14 days on about anything, as long as it is returned as sold). Both buyers thought that they had to do that, when they could have just emailed me to work out the returns!

I agree with others - the possibility of losing my Top Rated status that I have held and protected for the last two or three years may seriously be threatened, if only by the ignorance of the casual eBay buyer!

I hear you. The buyers probably didn't even know they opened a case against you. Ebay has it set up that way now. If you aren't careful you will open a case against someone before you realize it, just by sending them a message about the item you just purchased. How do I know? Because I did it when they first implemented it last year. It's another one of ebay's bright freakin ideas.

Even though eBay says it is sticking with its promise to sellers that opened cases will no longer count. "When a buyer contacts you about an issue, even though a case is automatically opened in the Resolution Center, the case will not impact your seller performance rating or Top Rated Seller status. Only cases that are escalated to eBay for review and are resolved in favor of the buyer will count." I don't believe it, I think the system is too easily faulted and I think they are full of bs.

I really don't care anymore about ebay and all of the damn tweaks they are always doing. They are like a bunch of crackheads that can't sit still for one second. I will continue to do things the way I always have. If my top rated status gets removed then so be it.

 

[Paleo_joe]

ebay is in love with mobile. Wall Street likes mobile, and ebay's goal is to increase their stock price.

I do see a good number of auctions that aren't set up for viewing on phones. If the pictures are hosted externally or it's one of those third-party templates with dancing baloney and flashing lights and 16 different fonts in wild colors, it can hurt that auction as far as someone trying to view it with a phone.

That being said, for a while, when I had time, I was searching for "posted by ebay mobile" to find deals on ebay in certain categories that I would buy an item and then resell it right back on ebay. If someone is listing with their phone, they aren't going to have good descriptions and photos, and so as sellers they get screwed.

 

[diggummup]

ebay is in love with mobile. Wall Street likes mobile, and ebay's goal is to increase their stock price.

I do see a good number of auctions that aren't set up for viewing on phones. If the pictures are hosted externally or it's one of those third-party templates with dancing baloney and flashing lights and 16 different fonts in wild colors, it can hurt that auction as far as someone trying to view it with a phone.

That being said, for a while, when I had time, I was searching for "posted by ebay mobile" to find deals on ebay in certain categories that I would buy an item and then resell it right back on ebay. If someone is listing with their phone, they aren't going to have good descriptions and photos, and so as sellers they get screwed.

I just noticed on my "April Seller Newsletter" that it says 22.03% of my sold items were purchased from a mobile device.
I never realized there were that many people buying stuff off of their phones or Ipads on Ebay. I guess because I don't use mine for it. I forget that some people have their phones surgically attached to their a**es, lol.

 

[2ndisbest]

I just noticed on my "April Seller Newsletter" that it says 22.03% of my sold items were purchased from a mobile device.
I never realized there were that many people buying stuff off of their phones or Ipads on Ebay. I guess because I don't use mine for it. I forget that some people have their phones surgically attached to their a**es, lol.

Ya, I was at 18% and I use external pictures. My external pictures are auto enlarged. As a person who checks other auctions for identifying purposes I hate the ebay pictures. They can be a pain int he ass when zooming in. If you are looking at my stuff on a mobile you need to hit the "description" tab to see my pictures.

I remember someone saying once, if it has a barcode list it on amazon. I might have to start doing that.

 

[NJcigarman]

Got this today by email.







Dear iphufoth:

As we approach the August 20 evaluation date when the new seller performance standards take effect, we're writing to let you know about a special protection in place for sellers like you who are evaluated on your transactions over the past 12 months. The protection is designed to ensure your selling is not restricted due to defects acquired prior to March 11, 2014, before we first announced they would be counted.

You'll be protected through the March 20, 2015 seller evaluation from selling limits or restrictions as a consequence of falling below eBay's minimum standards strictly because of one or more of the defects that were not previously counted in standards that you received prior to March 11, 2014: opened cases, detailed seller ratings of 3 for item description, returns because the item was not as described, negative or neutral feedback, or seller-cancelled transactions*.

Note this special protection is designed to protect you from the consequences of falling below eBay's minimum standards. It does not apply to Top Rated Seller status and benefits or prevent your listings from being lowered in search. But it will give you extra time to continue selling and meet the new minimum standards.

Once the new seller performance standards go into effect, we will send you a notification when this protection is applied to your account.

In the meantime, be sure to become familiar with the new seller performance standards and get an up-to-date preview of your progress in your seller dashboard. From your dashboard you can also run a report, updated weekly, of all your transactions with defects to help you pinpoint where you need to focus. Just close the preview to find the link to the report on your regular dashboard.

And we're here to help. You can contact us using this priority link to eBay Customer Support if you have questions.

Sincerely,
eBay Selling Team

*Note this special 7-month protection won't apply if you would have fallen below standard anyway based on the defects currently counted in today's seller performance standards: detailed seller ratings of 1 and 2 for item description, ratings of 1 for ship time, going above the 0.3% maximum percentage of eBay Money Back Guarantee cases closed without seller resolution. Nor will it apply if you have 400 or more transactions over a 3-month period and are subsequently evaluated on a 3-month look-back period.

 

[diggummup]

Sorry to bring up an old thread but I just wanted to know how many of you who had a "top rated seller" status before the new "standards" still have it? I for one do not. Haven't changed anything that I do. I was a top rated seller every year since it started in 2009? I believe. I used to like eBay, now it's a joke if you are a part time seller.

 

[cyberdan]

I am still what they call a "power seller" don't get any discounts tho. guess I am not powerful enough.
But, I did get an email from fleeBay about a month ago saying "we fixed some feed back star ratings (don't know what they are really called) that buyers left so you could keep power seller rating" don't remember exactly what they did but I guess they added stars to keep my seller ratings up to 4.9/5

 

[bdsawyer]

I also got that email telling me how they "Protected" my account. There protection was giving me automatic 5 stars for shipping time when I uploaded tracking in 1 day. They made it sound as if I was doing something wrong and they were nice enough to save my account status.
I lost my top seller status after the new standards, and now I have it back. Like many people have said, I feel like Ebay is trying to distance itself from the antiques/collectibles market to try and compete with amazon, which hurts the many small business owners and part time dealers.

 

[Keppy]

I am just a run of the mill seller.. But i have bought from some top rated sellers and they were not top rated to me .. so now i just buy from most anyone .. Top rated to me when i see it means nothing to me..

 

[diggummup]

I am just a run of the mill seller.. But i have bought from some top rated sellers and they were not top rated to me .. so now i just buy from most anyone . Top rated to me when i see it means nothing to me..

When it comes to buying, it means nothing to me either actually. For me personally, my top rated status translated to approximately $30-$35 a month in average savings on my monthly fees. It's not much but it helped. My complaint is that I have done absolutely nothing different since the changes, that I haven't been doing already since the programs inception. Yet I lose the status I had for 4+ years anyway.

I too have received messages about how they "protected my account" What a joke. They didn't do a damn thing out of the ordinary that shouldn't have been done in the first place. All they did was follow their own protocol. Don't piss on my shoe and tell me it's raining.


I lost mine because of 1- cancelling a transaction. I sold an item that had been listed for several months (a $5.99 mini Cadillac lighter) it finally sold and I couldn't find it so I cancelled the sale after I refunded the buyer. 2- The other reason is for another cheap azz item, 3 gag type matchbooks that I sold for $4.99. It took a month before they showed as "delivered". I have a defect on there for an "item not received". Never knew a thing about it till recently. If not for those two things I would still have my top rated seller status and still be getting my discount. Except for the neutral feedback I received from another idiot recently because the vintage expired Kodak film that he bought (expired in 1962) had an odor to it when he opened it. They were unopened and sealed. No messages about it, just a neutral fb.

I recently filled out one of those surveys that ebay "pops up" at you. I gave them a piece of my mind about their new seller performance bullshiz and told them how I feel about eBay over the last few years as it gradually tries to transform into another Amazon (which they will never be). F 'em. I did this as a hobby for fun. It's not too fun anymore. I think it's time for a new hobby, I'll still looking for gs treasures and such and still sell on ebay, but I won't be listing as much on there anymore. I have lost all respect for eBay and the way they treat sellers. I think it's time to hit the local antiques and collectible shows market with my goods.

 

[NJcigarman]

I still have mine but you have to stay on top of everything. I made a mistake with a listing and put the wrong photo in the listing. Buyer requested return and refund. It was my mistake so I told her keep the product and refunded her money. Get the thank you from ebay BS, but then I got a defect. You definitely can't work with a customer and cancel a transaction. They must request the cancellation or your hit with a defect. If you refund any money for any reason without the buyer canceling the sale it is defect. They list it as item out of stock.

 

[trdhrdr007]

The wife used to handle the ebay division. Work picked up for her late last year so I had to start doing it myself. I got TRS status in August & have been happy with the reduced fees. I'm not happy with the way "defects" are given & think the system needs a total overhaul.

 

[JustinNH]

I still have it. At 0.84%... so, knock on wood, I have some room... I saved almost $120 in fees with it and 1 day/returns accepted.

 

[trdhrdr007]

The process is really screwed up. According to ebay rules you can only get one "defect" per transaction. In most cases once the buyer goes through the ebay system to ask a question, make a complaint, and/or request a refund you get a defect. At that point where is the motivation for the seller to make the buyer happy? I've always believed in going the extra mile to keep the customer happy because it's not only the right thing to do it's also good for business & will continue to do so.......but I can see where some people might not be motivated to bend over backwards to make the customer feel good if they have been screwed from the get go.

It's obvious that in any business there will eventually be an issue like slow delivery, item broken in transit, wrong color/size or whatever. You should be judged on how you handle the issue & not the issue itself.

 

[trdhrdr007]

It doesn't matter if the seller promptly resolves a dispute. Defects are awarded based on the mere existence of an issue. For example, the shipping company loses or damages an item, the buyer asks for a refund through the system, seller gives the refund, buyer is happy & leaves positive feedback.......AND the seller gets a defect.