Selling CDs $10.00 and under - EBAYs new tracking number initiative..

[vinylspacerecords]

I sell a lot of CDs that are around $10.00 sometimes less... We have tracking numbers on items over $20.00. but not on items under $20... We sell hundreds of CDs a month and very rarely have issues with items that do not arrive... if a CD without tracking does not arrive we refund the buyer..

EBAY has a new tracking initiative that seems will greatly disadvantage my business... as the cheapest option for posting CDs through Australia Post is $4.50 with tracking which is double what we currently pay for postage.. EBAY is saying that businesses that do not upload tradcking will be put lower in searches etc... 

Is there anyone else out there in the same / similar boat? how are you looking to deal with these coming changes? I may be mis-reading or misinterperating the notice.. ??

I would appreciate any replies on the matter

Cheers

[joz15au]

@Digi, you are probably right, time will tell I guess. It's is very hard to add tracking cost for items that are only a couple of dollars in value which will affect a lot of stamp sellers, as many collectors only make small purchases, adding to their collection over time. I think a lot of buyers will be lost and it's all very well to say well they're not spending much anyway, but over time it adds up.

[joztamps]

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@joz15au wrote:
It says: "If you don't upload valid tracking on a trackable postage service, you may see your listing affected in search and/or your payments being delayed." Wouldn't that mean if you have selected the Australia Post untracked letter option in your listing that it is not a trackable postage service and therefore it wouldn't apply? That's how I interpreted it. If that's not correct then they should take the untracked option away.

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Joz (cool name, by the way), your interpretation is plausible, but incorrect.

The search penalty has been in place since October, when the Spring Seller Update expressly said

If you use an untracked postage service (e.g. Untracked Australia Post Domestic Letter):
- Your listings may show longer Estimated Delivery Dates to manage buyer expectations
- Your listings may be placed lower in search results

[digital*ghost]

If it's already in place, I can't really see the point of including it in the newest seller release, though.

They introduced that eBay code in the address line so buyers would still get tracking updates even if it wasn't uploaded to eBay, and they don't provide seller protection if tracking isn't uploaded within stated handling time, so I think they have a bit of a bug bear about sellers advertising trackable services but not giving the number to buyers. 

[joz15au]

Joz, yes, I was thinking more about the delayed payment bit which hasn't happened as yet and they don't actually say it will happen if you use an untracked service. If they do go down that road it will be very unfair I think. Affected store subscribers will be paying the same fees as other stores but will be getting a far inferior service. Personally the longer estimated delivery dates and lower search results hasn't really affected my sales. You are probably in a similar situation where you have a number of regular buyers so they still buy anyway, and I could live with a 21 day hold on funds because after the first period deposits would then be coming in regularly, but I just feel it is unwarranted, especially when I am flat out having 2 INRs in a year and they are usually on tracked items anyway.

[oz-e-seller]

I'm mostly low price high volume sales too. How do I plan to deal with the changes? Just roll with it and see how it goes, not much else to be done really. Can't put prices up to tracked parcel price unless the entire market does and even then I doubt many would pay it. Delayed payments is annoying but wouldn't bother me too much as I have a decent buffer and cash flow to cover it.

[gec2002]

Much of what are low price (<$20) items sold on eBay would be classified as discretionary spending items (eg CDs and DVDs) and as such  are quite price sensitive.  From my own experience for your items to sell you need to be amongst the lowest prices.  Sure occasionally you sell something that is over the going rate but mostly its a race to the bottom.  For the odd, rare or uncommon CD or DVD a few extra dollars won't matter but for the run of the mill CD or DVD even a $1 will mean yours can sit there for a long time.  Buyers today are much smarter on the ins and outs of online buying and how to search out the cheapest price.  eBay may do what they say but the impact on medium to large sellers I believe will be minimal.

Further complicating the picture is Promoted Sales, if Medium to Large sellers do find they are being penalised in terms of exposure even when paying for Promoted listing, that little eBay earner (Promoted Listings) could be adversely impacted.