topic Re: Top Rated Seller Plus in Selling

Top Rated Seller Plus

catsnknots — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 00:44:00 GMT

The following service standards need to be included for a listing to qualify as Top Rated Plus:

Free postage to Australian Buyers

0 or 1-day handling time

Express postage option offered

30-day money back returns or better.

What are the benefits?

A Top Rated Plus badge in your listings and search results page

Increased search and site visibility.

Can Ebay not make it any harder for us in Australia... ok if you can post from OS and not pay the right price because we pick up that slack.

Re: Top Rated Seller Plus

catsnknots — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 00:44:45 GMT

http://sellercentre.ebay.com.au/top_rated_plus/FAQs

Re: Top Rated Seller Plus

cq_tech — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 00:50:17 GMT

Is this a joke, or what? 😮

What are the "benefits" of having to pay FVF on the entire sale amount, as well as offering an unprotected (for Paypal purposes) method of postage (i.e. express)?

Re: Top Rated Seller Plus

party_buzz — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 01:17:24 GMT

Disgusting just another slap in the face!

Cant offer FREE shipping in Australia cost of shipping is through the Roof

1 Pack of Party Cups wholesale is $2.75 sell for $5.95 and Shipping is now $7.95? How the heck can you ship that FREE? + eBay & Pay Pal fees and no Tracking for PayPal'

This is aimed at weeding out the small guy opening the doors for the big guys

I work hard at shipping same day or next day and still my postage time is BAD"

I am placed so far back in search results i am making very little sales.

Not to mention how do you get a higher score when a lot of people don't leave feedback

I also noticed in searching products yesterday with all the new search changes it took me over 30 minutes just to get Australia's items i was searching to show up it didn't matter how many times i clicked Australia Only it would bring up O/S seller products saying none in Australia but i knew for a fact what i was searching is in Australia i have them in my watch list. I was getting very different results each time. So frustrating'

Re: Top Rated Seller Plus

digital*ghost — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 01:20:53 GMT

They are trying to make eBay sellers offer things that will help them compete with individual sites (they even refer specifically to one that is currently advertising a lot which offers free express postage and 100-day returns). Obviously, it doesn't matter that these things aren't viable, sometimes impossible, for a lot of eBay sellers.

Express can qualify for seller protection quite easily, if you use own packaging, or process it through C&S - not that I think these changes are - as eBay seem to - "for the greater good", just that the option is there.

30-day returns is asking too much from a lot of businesses, IMO.

Re: Top Rated Seller Plus

bigbrickshop — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 01:40:58 GMT

We will not be changing postage options, handling times or return policies to 'earn' the Plus badge. In the categories we list in I doubt many other sellers will change either so we shouldn't lose many positions in Best Match results.

If they were to offer TRS Plus benefits of FVF and postage discounts like in the US then that would be another matter.

Re: Top Rated Seller Plus

emeraldtarpon — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 02:00:47 GMT

Harvey Norman and his greedy mates,in collaboration with the Aust Govt,ebay etc have finally been able to hand you your s**t on a plate with a cherry on top.

These latest moves by Ebay will kill the 'BUYERS' advantage and cover the GST that Norman and his mates wanted on on-line sales from overseas etc.

DISGUSTING.

Re: Top Rated Seller Plus

motherbear2003 — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 02:01:00 GMT

I thought April 1 had passed:|:|

Re: Top Rated Seller Plus

bling_bling311 — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 02:29:43 GMT

we'll be quitting ebay. We've just had the postal increases, and now this = the final straw 😞

Re: Top Rated Seller Plus

authenticity813 — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 02:36:31 GMT

What a joke? So I'll sell a book for $5.00, offer Free Postage and it will cost ME $11.70 to send it to the buyer???? (if the book is over 500g)!!! Who on earth would want to be part of this crap?? 😐

Re: Top Rated Seller Plus

bestbuyaus — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 02:40:28 GMT

eBay tell us to update our listings and as a result we must amend selling prices to include shipping. (Surprise surprise shipping is in fact NOT FREE and is ultimately paid for by the purchaser with an added 7% surcharge to cover eBay's final value fee on the included, NOT FREE, shipping. The correct term to use would be SHIPPING INCLUDED as FREE SHIPPING is untrue and misleading)

When we adjust selling prices to include the so called FREE SHIPPING I assume our item will lose its ranking in the search results and go to the bottom.

Great to amend listings to include shipping in cost and see all your listings loose their ranking immediately.

No doubt sales will then drop to almost zero.

Also as freight varies so much across Australia on any item over 500gms it is not possible to set a selling price that covers shipping especially on larger items where the price can vary by 600% depending on delivery area.

Seems to be a very poorly thought out policy change for many reasons.

Re: Top Rated Seller Plus

digital*ghost — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 02:45:31 GMT

I'll be keeping my items for sale.

I won't be offering free postage, been there, done that (more than once), sold less than ever before.

I won't be offering 0-1 day handling time, I make custom items and I also like to keep estimated delivery dates within the realm of reason.

I won't be offering 30 day money-back returns, I believe people have the sense to know much sooner than that if they want to keep an item.

I do not currently expect the lack of Top Rated Plus on my listings to greatly or adversely affect my sales, but if it does, I'll deal with it then. 😉

Re: Top Rated Seller Plus

catsnknots — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 04:33:28 GMT

I am so pleased I am not the only one thinking these things.

I am lucky.. I can sell a few of my clothing items that actually fit in a small A5 envelope... I can incorporate the free postage price into the cost of the items..

I hope that brings people to my store.. they then hopefully buy other stuff.

Re: Top Rated Seller Plus

peterrandrews — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 04:38:09 GMT

I'll offer free postage as soon as Australia Post does.

Re: Top Rated Seller Plus

shepherdsrule — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 04:56:55 GMT

I'll offer free postage as soon as Australia Post does.

😄

Re: Top Rated Seller Plus

bbwspares — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 05:41:56 GMT

I have found recently using a full rate mailing account is alot, and i mean alot cheaper than C&S and my customers are really happy with the way it is done, my packaging could be better, but ive let my packers know this.

Everyday i just fill out the sheet which gets charged to an account and my items are shipped asap.

I know alot will tell me its not right because its not registered. but it works.

Re: Top Rated Seller Plus

britcomm62 — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 06:09:38 GMT

30 day return period....what the?? How do you reclaim your ebay seller fees. In the UK the return period is 14 days. This is one of the worst decisions ever made by eBay. I predict some of these policies will be reversed in the future. Remember when they 'retired' the Basic Shop just under a year ago. That policy did not last

Re: Top Rated Seller Plus

2*much*cute*stuff — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 06:42:36 GMT

I'm not changing a thing. I don't believe that I'd be any higher in Best Match if I did anyway, as that's been proven not to be the case time and time again. There's no way I'm offering free postage, because there's no such thing (and it's time buyers really realised that!). I already offer Express and I only get approx 10-20 buyers a YEAR ask for that option. And with the recent price hike, I expect that to drop to even less. And there's no way I'm offering 30 day returns. I am so over all these changes though. So over. 😞

Re: Top Rated Seller Plus

appletreeaaa — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 08:22:29 GMT

Since I lost my TRS this month , my sales have dropped about 80 % on the same time last year yet I have more items listed than last year and this is my worst month ever .

I guess , I am like most other sellers , I am not selling here to play a rating game but to sell items hopefully at a profit and to get the items to the buyer as described and in a fast time .

If the postage cost has been added to the total cost of a item , it is not free postage but it is a postage included price .

To qualify for free postage the item should cost the same it the buyer picks up the item or if it is posted .

If someone sells an item for only $2 and the postage is $13 and the item is listed as $15 with free postage , then the seller is paying commission on $15 instead of $2 which is a huge difference .

Re: Top Rated Seller Plus

gregh0209 — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 08:26:52 GMT

EBAY has yet again provided further proof of it's knee jerk management Style a couple of months ago basic store retired and now its back and now for it's latest dose of stupidity FREE POSTAGE. Where can you get free postage. The answer is you can not. EBAY are only doing this so they can "rake off' a higher final value fee by having the postage included in the price. If they ever want to kill of a business this is exactly the way to do it. Combined postage is something I offer and customers really appreciate the saving even if only minor in some situations. How can you offer combined postage discounts if the"free postage" is included in the item sale price. EBAY by it's own statement have said that collectibles is a huge growth area (hence new higher final value fees) and they want US to offer a 30 day return on collectibles??. This type of merchandise is easily ruined in the hands of fools why would you offer anyone 30 days to ruin it and then be able to return it?. What about copyright of music? You can't tell me there will not be those that purchase the burn their own copy and then myteriously return it within 30 days. Once again corporate greed getting the better of common sense.