Hello,
Having been with eBay from the very start in Australia I have to say the recent changes are probably the poorest I have ever seen in regard to a functioning business alter processes for the worse.
They are enough to have me use Facebook marketplace for first time, and begin to wind down 8 active eBay trading accounts.
A perfect example of a management team touching parameters that need not have been touched, possibly just to justify their positions. *(noting recent decline in eBay share price)
* members forced to register for eBay managed payments. Noting that eBay is trying to function as a financial entity in Australia I also see that when payments received they claim funds "available" , and advise sellers to send items.
The difference with PayPal or standard bank accounts is that those funds are NOT available to the seller, so are held with eBay or going through processing times.
I wouldn't mind those days of interest % on the multi millions held in Cayman island bank accounts, or similar.
I understand PayPal also had processing time to bank account however both the PayPal account and the linked bank account are owners personal accounts, that they chose to open and operate.
When I receive a payment to PayPal I can use those funds to purchase immediately, so comparing PayPal transfer to linked bank account transfer time to eBay's is not entirely correct. This is part why PayPal funds are paid whereas eBay managed payment fees would then have to be considered VERY EXPENSIVE standard bank fees.....but I'm sure they have pages of 'policies' explaining why the fees are justified.
So how long will it be until the Financial Ombudsman's service steps in ?
~and during this vent I do know there's one underlying issue .....GREED~
I recall when eBay Australia pushed that PayPal payment receipting was compulsory for all sellers. They did that until relevant Aus. govt dept. stopped them.
They may have also owned PayPal at that time but probably not now ????
* so now we have forced upon us the 'new format' Sellers can choose to opt out of seller hub and then they are given a new set of eBay web pages to get their heads around, pages that have some pretty serious functional flaws. I do say forced as I have been one of those users that have given my opinion on certain changes over the years but don't really think there was any use in doing so. I'm also old enough and tired enough to know that a Philippine call centre support staff member really doesn't care too much one way or the other.
Some examples of issues with new formats :
eg : no 'all listing tab' that gives a quick and concise overview or selling items, unsold, sold etc .....now replaced with a vastly different layout in 'overview' page.
-no bulk relist option as before so when selling approx. 200 items EVERY single one has to be relisted individually.
I'm sure there's work arounds but over the years, as service and support has gone from local phone support , then to o/s phone and chat, and further downward to chat only at certain times.....(and I will be honest some quite useless chat support too most of the time), these latest changes are just about enough to warrant use of other online selling formats only.
Over the years I have seen the gradual decline in free functionality on eBay , thus persuading sellers to sign up for subscription services to get what they used to get for free - a clear example of this was seller reporting information that is essential for tax time. These pages and information dwindled over time to point that if you wanted eBay's assistance at tax time you better be ready to pay for it...(and I know they still offer some 'info' , but that's probably due to legal requirements not out of trying to conduct easier business of mutual benefit ).
ok, so that's my vent for today...better things to do 🙂
