eBay dictating again!

[designers*n*more]

I've had several buyers complaining that the must use I immediate payment when trying to buy items. I don't have this payment method as a setting as I offer local pick up with cash on pick up.

i wrote to eBay asking why buyers are getting immediate payment messages. This was the response.....

we currently implementing a new process in eBay which we call Retail standards. Its goal is to reduce Unpaid item cases by 80%. With this new process, we have a threshold of 650 AUD which applies to single quantity fixed price items:

• If an item is above $650, buyers will be taken to the Commit to Buy screen where they can then continue to checkout and complete their transaction.
• If an item is below $650, buyers will have to pay for items immediately.
• If the buyer is purchasing two items collectively priced above $650, Retail Standard will apply and they will be taken to the Commit to Buy screen where they can continue to checkout to purchase both items.

Surely as the seller it is my choice as to Whether I want immediate payment or not? This forces PayPal or Paymate or the likes and stops the option of Pay on Pick Up. 

I guess the only way around this is to accept the immediate payment, refund it and ask the buyer to pay cash! 

[digital*ghost]

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@brerrabbit585 wrote:

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Your model might work for a seller with lots of small items or where people buy a lot of items together, or in certain other cases, but it's still not going to work for a lot of sellers.  You mightn't lose in the long run but a lot of us would, or else our buyers would feel ripped off and would be more inclined to feel like ripping us off in return (by saying the item didn't arrive).  No way do I want to invite that sort of thing!  I prefer my buyers to know exactly what things will cost and so far it seems to be working.

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If I thought what works for me was the solution for everyone, the first thing I posted would have been:

"Hey guys, why don't you all do this!?"

Instead of:

"Hey guys, why not have a think how you might work with eBay's tools?"

I posted it as an example of how I solved my problems with postage calculation, and I consider buyers not being able to see postage costs for any size of order up front, and pay for said order straight away, to be one of those problems. 

[brerrabbit585]

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@digital*ghost wrote:

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@brerrabbit585 wrote:

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Your model might work for a seller with lots of small items or where people buy a lot of items together, or in certain other cases, but it's still not going to work for a lot of sellers.  You mightn't lose in the long run but a lot of us would, or else our buyers would feel ripped off and would be more inclined to feel like ripping us off in return (by saying the item didn't arrive).  No way do I want to invite that sort of thing!  I prefer my buyers to know exactly what things will cost and so far it seems to be working.

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If I thought what works for me was the solution for everyone, the first thing I posted would have been:

"Hey guys, why don't you all do this!?"

Instead of:

"Hey guys, why not have a think how you might work with eBay's tools?"

I posted it as an example of how I solved my problems with postage calculation, and I consider buyers not being able to see postage costs for any size of order up front, and pay for said order straight away, to be one of those problems. 

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I'm sorry but "Hey guys, why not have a think how you might work with ebay's tools" is no better than saying why don't we all do the same as you.  It's just as offensive because it infers that we haven't bothered to put any thought into it, or that we're too dumb to do so.  Some of us have given it a lot of thought and there is just no way to work around it with what we sell!  

If you can find a solution for your items, I'm happy for you, but please don't insinuate that the rest of us may be able to find a solution if we put some effort into it.  

[twyngwyn]

There have been numerous posts on this topic....I will try & find some...hopefully they're not on the Powersellers board

[twyngwyn]

I remember having this issue, combined postage, refunding excess...rang Ebay, who refunded my extra FVFs.

Asked them if they had employed more staff as ALL sellers in the 'know' would be ringing & doing the same....think that was sometime last year. Seems this might be their way of 'fixing' problem 😞

[twyngwyn]

here's an oldie

http://community.ebay.com.au/t5/Selling/Combined-postage-now-that-eBay-charges-Final-value-feed/td-p...

[twyngwyn]

more recent:

http://community.ebay.com.au/t5/Selling/Just-venting/m-p/2076030#M156621

[character_parties_aus]

There is a simple solution to some of the points Digital Ghost raises. It's called the law of averages or "you win some you lose some"

Problem solved.

Next!

[digital*ghost]

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@brerrabbit585 wrote:

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I'm sorry but "Hey guys, why not have a think how you might work with ebay's tools" is no better than saying why don't we all do the same as you.  It's just as offensive because it infers that we haven't bothered to put any thought into it, or that we're too dumb to do so.  Some of us have given it a lot of thought and there is just no way to work around it with what we sell!  

If you can find a solution for your items, I'm happy for you, but please don't insinuate that the rest of us may be able to find a solution if we put some effort into it.  

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Ok, so from this I can take it that the answer to the question I proposed in my first post is that you would have no choice but to stop selling on eBay entirely if immediate payment was required, with the current limitations, glitches and tools available, because that's what unworkable means.

I simply suggested that people think about what their solutions might be if they had no choice. The idea is to get people (who are doing so) to stop thinking "what I want / need to do is impossible", to start thinking "how can I make this fit what I want / need to do?".

I've acknowledged my thoughts and ideas don't suit / fit / appeal to everyone (I never expect them to), and I've acknowledged the question itself doesn't solve all the problems because some of them are inherent in eBay's system, regardless of payment and postage options a seller uses.  There's absolutely no need to feel personally insulted by something like that - if it doesn't apply to you, it doesn't apply to you, but you're not the only poster on the boards, and therefore not the person I'm aiming to (potentially) help take a different approach to things. Do I have to preface general commentary with "no offence intended to anyone reading this who has run through all the options already" - if so, I'll just make it my sig. 

Solutions don't have to be ideal - lord knows on eBay they often can't be, they don't have to fit an exact mold of expectations, needs and wants, they just have to work well enough.