TRS and Premium Badging…!!!

[5kazam]

I’ve just received another email from eBay telling me to update my listings in accordance with their Premium Badging Service and the benefits (??!!) of TRS.  Apart from the fact that I couldn’t care less about either, I am wondering if part of eBay’s long term agenda is that it will become mandatory.  It’s sort of like eBay’s ‘Business Policies’, you can ‘opt out for now’, but how long before sellers can’t.

Within my own category, Australian Pottery, I can clearly list why I can’t/won’t ‘update’.  And I am quite sure there are a lot of other categories that fit similar criteria.

30 day return : I source all my items on the secondary market.  A buyer will know upon opening their package if (i) item not as described (ii) damaged.  If I offered 30 day return that could only constitute change of mind or buyer has damaged item, if said buyer wanted a return/refund.  So it is definitely not acceptable.

Free postage/express post : This one really gets to me.  If I send a package (up to 22kgs) to Metropolitan Melbourne the postage is $8.95.  If I send it to WA, NT, Q’ld (in particular) the minimum would be $13.40 (soon going up), if I could package the item into a mailing bag.  Multiple items (boxed) could, and have been, $40-$50.  If I tried to factor this into my listing prices I wouldn’t have any sales.  (And I agree with comments on other threads about eBay and FVF’s on this issue).  And in spite of what eBay thinks, buyers DO expect postage to be added to their purchase (at least certainly in my category).  My pottery will not slip into an envelope allowing me to add $3.00 to the item and offer free postage.

Same day/1 day postage :  I usually do post the day I receive payment from my buyer (depending on what time of day the payment is made).  But just sometimes a hiccup can occur.  My listings say 2 business days for postage – which I don’t think is unreasonable.  There is only me, I’m not a store, I don’t have employees.

I believe I already offer my buyers PREMIUM service, with good communication, and ensuring their packages get to them in the same condition they left my place.  My feedback will attest to that.

What I am attempting to get over, is that eBay needs to get it into their heads that eBay, with all its categories and sub-categories, is not a ONE SIZE FITS ALL.  For eBay to continually email about ‘upgrading listings’, gives me the impression of ostriches.  

[digital*ghost]

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@ozfalcon2801 wrote:

Are you making the assumption that the buyer is stupid?

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A buyer doesn't have to be stupid to be under the impression that there is a genuinely free postage service, just ignorant of reality. 😉 It hasn't happened to me, but I know that some sellers have had requests from buyers to use the mystical "free postage" (and I just want to make it clear that there is a distinction between requesting free post, i.e. remove the charge but knowing someone still pays for it, and requesting a seller send via free postage). 

For all intents and purposes, "free post" is not a myth from the buyer's perspective, anyway. It's rare, but some sellers do provide postage free of charge. Yes, it costs them, but if their items would cost exactly the same no matter where it was bought and whether it was posted or not, and the full purchase price is offered as money back for things like change of mind returns etc, then postage has been free for the buyer. 

eBay is unlikely to switch to "postage included" for the simple reason that it will then make buyers question what eBay don't want them to, or at least don't currently provide the tools for sellers to facillitate - i.e. how can I get combined postage discounts on postage included items?

[diecastcarsvicki]

eBay is unlikely to switch to "postage included" for the simple reason that it will then make buyers question what eBay don't want them to, or at least don't currently provide the tools for sellers to facillitate - i.e. how can I get combined postage discounts on postage included items?

good points.

[wehavethatau]

It isn't dishonest.

It is just pure marketing.

Why do sellers list things at $14.99 instead of $15.00? Because it sounds better. Why say free postage when it is really included in the sale price? Because it sounds better.

If I can have my item listed as free postage and have it cheaper than a competing seller's price of adding their sale price and postage cost together, then I win. It makes my item look far more attractive than theirs and I get the sale.

All eBay has done is put a little marketing gimmick in place to attract buyers to making a purchase and encouraging sellers to make their items look more appealing by not charging postage. It isn't dishonest, the buyer isn't stupid. If you look at my store, I've slapped FREE POSTAGE all over my store and listing and am taking full advantage of doing something that other sellers are not.

When it comes to eBay changes like this, it is simply a matter of sink or swim.

[5kazam]

It would be relatively simple in your category (DVD’s) to offer free postage, as your product is pretty much the same size, and they do not weigh much.  However you would have to have a very low initial outlay, and high sales volume to justify it.

It is not possible in my category, nor would it be in many others.  All my items are different shapes and weights, and all have to be carefully boxed.  Depending on finished box size, and where it is going, determines the postage cost.  If I sell, for eg., an item for $19.50 that weighs over 1kg, and offered ‘free postage’ :  posting to Melbourne $8.95, to WA minimum $13.40 (mailing bag).  Then deduct FVF and PayPal fees – where’s the profit?  There isn’t any.  And none of us list items for sale to end up making a loss.  As I said in my OP eBay is NOT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL.

Others have said on this and other threads that they’ve gone down the Premium track and have not noticed any difference in sales, can’t find their items in BM, etc.  It seems a bit like the ‘100 free listings’ offer – random.  Some get lucky in the queue and others miss out. 

My personal opinion about TRS, PBS and the different coloured stars you get when you reach XX feedback, is reminiscent of being in grade 1  or 2 at Primary School, when the teacher stuck little stars on your ‘good’ work.  As a 5 or 6 year old, you got a bit gooey about it, but at my age I’m over it.

[centralcoastmma]

Hardly any of my competitors even bother with TRS+ and the only time it is an issue is when international sellers are put into the fray and even then it is hardly an issue. It is great when your competitors don't bother with it as you don't feel the need to do it. I meet the criteria on everything bar free postage as i don't mind doing express and a 30 day money back guarantee makes no difference to me and i feel it makes my buyers more comfortable. I just don't see the good in free postage as it is clearly bs. That said, i am sick of ebay hitting me with email after email asking me to go ahead and add free postage to all my items.The only benefit i can see is that customers can't give you low DSRs for postage. Postage costs me 6.95 plus 15c for the stachel. I charge 7. When factoring in Paypal my actual postage costs are 6.95 + 0.15 + 0.17 = 7.27 which means i actually undercharge on postage. Despite that i have a few 3s and 4s for Postage Costs and one 1 in the past 3 months. One customer felt that my $7 postage charge was too much. One more of these points and i loose my TSR and any associated benefits. To be perfectly fair postage charges as a category shouldn't exist. When a buyer buys something from you they agree to the final price and therefore shouldn't be able to complain.

[best.buys]

just hit the reply button and tell ebay you would be happy to use free post and if they would send you 500 Australia Post free post vouchers you will begin selling that way immediatly.

[5kazam]

That would make me a Happy Jan,  and my buyers would be thrilled.  Imagine how many more sales I would make...!!!

[5kazam]

Just received an email from eBay requesting me to pick a reply as a 'solution'.  I don't think there was one, was there?? - as we were all agreeing to disagree with eBay's ideology on 'what buyers expect from sellers'.

Anyone want to take a stab??  Or will I just continue to hit the delete button each time another one comes through.

[digital*ghost]

I'm just hoping that my mum was right and if I ignore them long enough, the notifications that I have to update all my listings to comply with TRS+ will go away (eBay are just really just insecure, but I believe in positive reinforcement, so they get my lunch money when they do something good  ).