Top Rated Sellers...New Rating Style Coming.

[war-digs-it]

Well, they are narrowing down and separating the great and the really good sellers that pay the bay plenty of money selling their wares. The newsletter I just received stated that the ratings will now be per a "defect rating"? Now you don't only have to ship by yesterday before the item was purchased but you have to make sure your buyers are really nice people that leave positive feedback on your every transaction on all counts.

The letter I received stated I would no longer be "top rated" as of August due to my ratings not being within 2% of highest seller stats. I think a lot of top sellers are gonna get a kick in the .... and for no reason except the general public thinks that a hundred pound item should ship for no more than a dollar and cost no more than a couple dollars.

Oh well, that will take some pressure off trying to be great and now I can sell some garbage and not give a hoot.

 

[sliverofsilver]

they told me i should be okay as i will still fall in the max.5% range
is there gonna be a fee for that also

 

[war-digs-it]

Spring Seller Update: New performance standards will affect your status

Dear warrenwardog1:

This summer, seller performance standards are being updated to reward those sellers most responsible for keeping buyers on eBay.

Starting with the regularly scheduled monthly seller evaluation on August 20, a new measurement, your transaction defect rate, will replace the current four detailed seller rating requirements used to evaluate your seller performance.

Your defect rate is simply the percentage of your transactions over the most recent evaluation period with one or more of the top predictors that a buyer will leave eBay or purchase less, such as an opened eBay Money Back Guarantee case, a return because the item wasn't as described, or negative or neutral feedback.

Based on the last seller evaluation on February 20, your defect rate is expected to be higher than the 2% maximum allowed for Top Rated Sellers.

Start now on improvements needed to lower your rate so you can regain your Top Rated status after the new requirements take effect August 20.

A low defect rate is important. It indicates that your buyers consistently receive the item they expect, when they expect it. Buyers won't see your defect rate. But in general, the lower your defect rate, the better your position in Best Match search results.

As a Top Rated Seller today, you've shown your commitment to providing great service. We appreciate that and we're here to help. We've arranged for an exclusive, one-on-one session with an eBay Outreach expert who can help get you back to Top Rated status as

 

[war-digs-it]

I only accept close friends or family referring to me as a "defect", those are fighting words!

 

[clovis97]

Wow...just wow. On one hand, I can't believe that ebay is doing this.

On the other hand, I wonder what has taken them so long.

As a buyer, I am increasingly getting ticked at sellers who are too lazy to describe what they are selling, or too interested in cheating someone. I've been buying a ton of stuff on ebay. Most sellers are good, but the few that are bad are making it bad for everyone.

I don't care if you've never touched a Lionel train in your life...but you couldn't notice that the front end of the train was falling off the engine? How about the seller who just used ultra clear pictures to show how nice something was, but then sent me a totally different Lionel tower? Or how about the guy that neglected to tell me that the main gears were stripped totally out of a tool, and another part had DEEP gouges in it? Or the item that I received today had parts that were totally burned out, but carefully hidden in the listing pictures.

But as a seller, I am none too happy about the "no hassle returns until Jan. 31". So now, you can buy a vintage Lionel train engine from me on November 1, run it November, December and all of January, and then return it on Jan. 31?? And if the e-unit or motor goes bad in those 90 days, which they can do on a 70 year old train, I have to accept the return??

 

[war-digs-it]

There are sellers that suck and others that strive to describe the item properly. If the item is not tested it should be described as for parts or repair. I have never described an item as perfect or without some issue unless it was perfect and tested. The only time I did not give a full refund was for was a Mercedes grill NIB that was shipped 2 months before contact asking for a refund.

 

[mkulltra]

Who the hell comes up with this stuff at ebay?! Do they have a team there that sits around deciding unnecessary changes to make? I say if it aint broke, dont fix it.

So now I lose my top seller status that i've mantained because they decide randomly to change the requirements. I'm done caring about it now.

I guess i'm just being "entitled" again...

 

[Tallone]

I guess I must be doing something right...

Great news for you: You're on track to be Top Rated.
Starting with the regularly scheduled monthly seller evaluation on August 20, a new measurement, the transaction defect rate, will replace the current four detailed seller rating requirements used to evaluate your seller performance.

Your defect rate is simply the percentage of your transactions over the most recent evaluation period with one or more of the top predictors that a buyer will leave eBay or purchase less, such as an opened eBay Money Back Guarantee case, a return because the item wasn't as described, or negative or neutral feedback.

I'm happy to report that as of the last seller evaluation on February 20, you're on track to meet the 2% maximum defect rate required be a Top Rated Seller.

Congratulations—your low defect rate means that your buyers consistently receive the item they expect, when they expect it. Buyers won't see your defect rate, but in general, the lower your defect rate, the better your position in Best Match search results.

So keep up the good work—you're in a great position to reap the rewards of more visibility and potential sales.

 

[clovis97]

Who the hell comes up with this stuff at ebay?! Do they have a team there that sits around deciding unnecessary changes to make? I say if it aint broke, dont fix it.

I've often wondered the same thing.

Sometimes, I've thought "This is just like an episode of The Office, except it takes place at a international corporation instead of a small regional."

 

[Atlanta Mi Dave]

I guess I must be doing something right... Great news for you: You're on track to be Top Rated. Starting with the regularly scheduled monthly seller evaluation on August 20, a new measurement, the transaction defect rate, will replace the current four detailed seller rating requirements used to evaluate your seller performance. Your defect rate is simply the percentage of your transactions over the most recent evaluation period with one or more of the top predictors that a buyer will leave eBay or purchase less, such as an opened eBay Money Back Guarantee case, a return because the item wasn't as described, or negative or neutral feedback. I'm happy to report that as of the last seller evaluation on February 20, you're on track to meet the 2% maximum defect rate required be a Top Rated Seller. Congratulations—your low defect rate means that your buyers consistently receive the item they expect, when they expect it. Buyers won't see your defect rate, but in general, the lower your defect rate, the better your position in Best Match search results. So keep up the good work—you're in a great position to reap the rewards of more visibility and potential sales.

I got the same report, but at this point in time do I really care anymore? I'm tired of jumping through hoops because eBay keeps coming up with all this stupid stuff.

 

[diggummup]

I got the same report, but at this point in time do I really care anymore? I'm tired of jumping through hoops because eBay keeps coming up with all this stupid stuff.

Same here. I like the added holiday season extended return they added too...

• With the new extended holiday return policy, you give buyers until January 31 to return any item purchased between November 1 and December 31.
• You can choose to add a holiday return policy to all or just some of your existing listings and add it when you list. The January 31 return date will be displayed automatically to buyers only during the months of November and December.
• The holiday returns option will be available to all sellers in September, in time to update your listings before the peak selling season.
• The extended holiday return option will be required for any listing to qualify for Top Rated Plusbenefits from November 1 through December 31.

Really? So now we have to offer returns for like up to 90 days, no questions asked? 2 weeks is one thing, 3 months is something entirely different. I guess I will not be in their elite club after this coming November. What a joke.

 

[deserdog]

I read the information about returns, I did not see anything about no questions asked. I did see if the item was not as described, then it could be returned.

I think the other changes will actually be a good thing. They cannot count shipping charges and communication against you. Only can count shipping time and item description. So if you get your stuff mailed quickly, and have good descriptions, your rating should go up.

I was sort of pissed off about having to redo a lot of my auctions, but it helped boost my listings to the top or very near the top.. For instance, I have a tiki tumbler on now, there are 286 other tiki tumblers on. Mine is the first page, 7th one. And all I did was change the way my auction was designed.

 

[Tallone]

I supposed it's nice that ebay still considers me "Top Rated" but, frankly, I could not care less. I don't even know what the criteria are for getting that designation so I'm sure as hell not going to bust a hump to try to meet whatever new standards ebay has put in place. I figure people will still buy from me if I offer good merchandise at a fair price - my ebay status notwithstanding.

 

[cyberdan]

Who the hell comes up with this stuff at ebay?! Do they have a team there that sits around deciding unnecessary changes to make? I say if it aint broke, dont fix it.

I was going to say that

I am sure ebay has a special team hired to only come up with changes.
It they do not think up something new and different they are not doing their jobs and will get fired.

 

[clovis97]

I am none too thrilled about the 90 return policy. Not. At. All.

At the same time, I received 4 items today in the mail, all purchased on ebay:

1. Item is okay.
2. Item stinks to high heaven with mildew. You are one of the premier postwar Lionel sellers in the world, and you can't tell me the catalog smells like it has been in a basement for 60 years?? The catalog was sold as MINT NEVER USED.
3. Precision tool set. Advertised as "used a couple of times." Used a couple of times to gnaw screws out of wood? Thanks for mentioning the severely damaged parts.
4. Train engine: Advertised as "a nice old original." What original paint? You mean the the two coats of new Rustoleum over the old 60 year old paint?

I am thinking about filing INAD on at least two of these items, which is costing ebay time and money if they have to get involved in a dispute.

If I were just the average Joe, and not buying to flip, I'd be TICKED.

Most of my ebay buys are good and positive, but there is a real percentage of sellers who are either lazy or greedy, and often both.