eBay Spring Seller Release

[michelleoz@ebay.com]

The place to post your comments or questions about Spring Seller Release.

[twyngwyn]

see this thresd:

http://community.ebay.com.au/t5/eBay-Announcements-and-Seller/eBay-Spring-Seller-Release/m-p/2093051...

[go-tazz]

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@phorum_junkie* wrote:

Thank goodness I will probably be giving up selling by the end of March.

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The way it's going you might have a "few" others doing the same,

[kopenhagen5]

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@imastawka wrote:

What on earth is their reasoning for getting rid of watermarks?

That leaves image theivery right open.

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I think it is all to do with running eBay on smaller servers. (cost cutting)

Get the site down to bare minimums so it runs faster and easier to maintain.

[lm-entertainment]

you've basically summed up my thoughts on the spring seller release tazz. 

really though, it should be called the "spring buyer release" - because it be frank, there's nothing in there that's too appealing to sellers.

it really is laughable - the "guaranteed delivery" initiative says that buyers want their items delivered within 4 days - yet, in most cases, australia post won't deliver a standard parcel within that timeframe anyway.

the kicker for me is highlighted in the screenshot i've attached - if the item arrives late, the seller gets to return the item at the cost of the seller for a full refund. basically, making "change of mind" returns compulsory should you opt into the program; simply because the item wasn't delivered in the required timeframe. 

i love the line below it also where it says that ebay will handle the customer service to ease the burden on sellers. they can't handle their own customer service problems, i'd hate them to be destroying my business for me! 

*end rant* 

[digital*ghost]

I haven't processed everything yet, so there's a good chance I'll be back with more questions and comments, but the first two on my mind...

Auto-acceptence of change of mind returns where the buyer pays return postage....

Just, why was this even deemed necessary? I'm happy to accept most of the COM returns that are initiated, but eBay are eliminating the ability for me to make an executive decision based on individual circumstances. What protections for me, as the seller, are you going to have in place when you accept a COM return on my behalf, and the buyer hasn't actually met my conditions for COM returns? I require items to be in unused condition, with all packaging in tact for a buyer to be eligible change of mind returns - why aren't you allowing me to ensure the buyer is eligible, and what options will I have if what I receive back is opened and damaged? 

Also, the inactive listings policy - I can deal (begrudgingly) with the no sales in 12 months one, but it also says "are unlikely" to have a sale in 12 months. How is eBay going to determine that? Jeepers, I have a lot of specialty items that have a niche market, which sell once in a while, does eBay not recognise the value of listings like those? Atrraction is a fairly important part of retail - do you think stores that set up elaborate windows and displays of unique, specialty items are doing that because they think the stuff on display will consistently sell like hot cakes...or, could it be in the realm of possibilty that they draw attention to that store (and in this case, ebay in general), boosting traffic and consequently sales on other items? 

I get no say in which COM returns I'll accept, and eBay is also going to start curating my listings...? Am I running my own business, or what? 

[lane-ends]

Does using sell similar rather than relist circumvent inactive listing policy?

[digital*ghost]

Hmm...

What happens if eBay ends one of my "inactive" listings, then someone contacts me asking to buy it? It'll happen, of that I am sure.

Will I get slapped if I relist it?  

Will I get slapped for trying to sell off ebay, even though I was actually trying to sell on eBay? 

[springyzone]

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@lm-entertainment wrote:

you've basically summed up my thoughts on the spring seller release tazz. 

really though, it should be called the "spring buyer release" - because it be frank, there's nothing in there that's too appealing to sellers.

it really is laughable - the "guaranteed delivery" initiative says that buyers want their items delivered within 4 days - yet, in most cases, australia post won't deliver a standard parcel within that timeframe anyway.

the kicker for me is highlighted in the screenshot i've attached - if the item arrives late, the seller gets to return the item at the cost of the seller for a full refund. basically, making "change of mind" returns compulsory should you opt into the program; simply because the item wasn't delivered in the required timeframe. 

i love the line below it also where it says that ebay will handle the customer service to ease the burden on sellers. they can't handle their own customer service problems, i'd hate them to be destroying my business for me! 

*end rant* 

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The new policies would worry me too if we were still selling the way we were a decade ago. Nowadays I am mainly a buyer.

But I had a look at your screenshot and I suspect the biggest worry is not going to be change of mind return labels. You're right, ebay is basically making it compulsory if sellers opt into the program and some buyers will take up that offer. But still, it does require buyers to return the item and most will still want to keep it. 

What will be much more problematical I think will be the free $10 voucher buyers can get if an item is late.

Let's face it, what buyer wouldn't love that. They get to keep the item plus get paid for their inconvenience. I presume even a day late would qualify.

What will happen is buyers who now may give a day or so's leeway on arrival dates will be watching like hawks in case they can make a claim.

I noticed ebay said the buyers will either be refunded their postage cost (by seller) or else will be given a $10 voucher (by ebay) if the item was sold with free postage & arrives late.

What that screams to me is that sellers who join this scheme will feel under pressure to offer 'free postage'.

And the scheme may be voluntary now but it won't be for very long. That's what i predict anyway. I give it 2 years to come in across the board.

[lm-entertainment]

so true springy - my biggest fear also is that those that don't opt in to the delivery guarantee program will have their listings buried deep in the search results.

[the4masters2013]

I received an email yesrerday outlining new policies.

Gotta love the guaranteed delivery times..within .2, 3, or 4 days.

If I can't get a letter sent from one side of town to the other side any quicker than 1 week, how does eBay excpect anyone to get an item delivered within that ridiculous time frame across Australia????

I can guarantee delivery. Just not sure when it will turn up. The item may sit in one of the "black holes" for a week.

This is one thing I won't be opting into.

I can just see  huge problems for sellers coming up.