ebay for business - Autumn Seller Release

[lm-entertainment]

hi everyone,

just thought i'd post some interesting news which appeared in the ebayforbusiness email newsletter which was released today just in case some people don't get it for one reason or another. there's some "interesting" changes coming - some which i'm sure we expected, and others we may not have - but it seems that ebay is moving more than ever towards a buyer-friendly market. 

the interesting changes are: 

Returns Changes

We’re highlighting buyer-friendly returns policies by enabling buyers to filter search results to only show sellers who offer free 30- or 60-day returns. We’re removing the option to offer 3-, 7- and 14-day returns. You’ll still have the option to not accept remorse returns. When: Starting August 2017 What to do: Update your returns policy to offer 30- or 60-day returns and consider offering free returns. If you currently offer 3-, 7- or 14-day returns, your Good 'Til Cancelled listings will automatically be moved to 30- day returns in September.

Introducing ParcelPoint Returns

We’ve partnered with ParcelPoint to provide an easy, new return solution for buyers and sellers. The service is fully trackable with 1,300 extended hours drop-off locations around the country and the option for your buyer to choose courier pick-up to return the item back to you. When: May 2017 What to do: Consider using ParcelPoint next time you facilitate a return.

Contact Information and Links Policy Changes

To protect you on the off-chance something goes wrong while selling and to keep transactions on eBay, we no longer allow you to include contact details such as your phone number or email address. We’re also updating our links policy to limit the types of links allowed on listings. When: September 2017 What to do: Update any affected listings now to remove your contact details or any non-compliant links.

eBay Catalogue Enhancements

To help provide a consistent buying experience and enable a faster and more accurate listing process, eBay uses images provided by our sellers in our catalogue. eBay’s catalogue is made available to sellers for use in listings on eBay sites. It also provides images that illustrate product browsing pages on eBay. Sellers will no longer be able to opt out of sharing their images with the catalogue, and all images that you make available to eBay will be considered for possible inclusion in the catalogue. When: July 2017 What to do: If you don’t want your images to be included in eBay’s catalogue, you should remove them from your listings.

[digital*ghost]

I just want to go on record as saying...

Not. Happy. eBay. >_>

The two things that stick in my craw are the changes to return polices, where I either have to offer 30 or 60 day returns, or no returns at all - eBay, I want to give my buyers the option to return things, I am happy to give my buyers the option to return things, but in my categories 30 days is way too long. 

And the changes to image policies, where any photo I upload can be taken by eBay and included in their catalogue for other sellers to use - you can no longer opt out of this. I spend a lot of time on my images, I have stock images at my disposal a lot of the time, but I wanted my own and I didn't spend all that time to give away the fruits of my labour. Also not happy that I have a less than 2 months to update all of my photos but now I will be watermarking every image I have. 

I know when it comes to this, I may as well be screaming into the void, but scream I shall, for a short while anyway. 

[go-tazz]

They are going to make changes in the near future: http://sellercentre.ebay.com.au/sr17-1

Returns changes.

ParcelPoint returns.

Seller standards.

Rate tables.

The Branded packaging we already know about.

Promoted listings.

Category changes.

Mandatory sizes.

Contact information and Links changes,(You'll no longer be allowed to share contact information in your

item descriptions, images, eBay Stores or seller profiles).

Buyers and sellers should always use eBay messaging tools, such as My Messages or Best Offer, to communicate with each other. Sharing contact information in listings often leads to transactions being taken off eBay. This is against our policies, and limits our ability to protect you in case something goes wrong.

That's working real well with pick up items going by the ones that have come to the boards complaining that

eBay is claiming that they are trying to sell off site according to eBay after they sent buyers pick up

information),

Catalogue Enhancements.

Active Content,(that we already know about).

So expect a lot more "stuff ups" and problems on this site as they make changes,

From what I've seen/checked it's not going to help me at all,

[the4masters2013]

Oh y giddy aunt!!

I am just getting my head around things and now there is more to do.

No sure if I need the painkillers or the vodka.....

[maranock]

Seems that it is going to make it harder for pick up items, especially items that need to be inspected first.

[go-tazz]

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@maranock wrote:

Seems that it is going to make it harder for pick up items, especially items that need to be inspected first.

---

Somewhere along the track they will probably "suggest" that seller that have pick up items are better of

listing on Gumtree,(they will then make it harder still to list pick up items on eBay or do away with them

on this site so that they "force" sellers to list them elsewhere),

They can't rip of those sellers on postage so they may feel that they are missing out,

[rocket2retro]

Re Images in Cataogue. So eBay arre actively encouraging sellers NOT to take a photo of the actual item their selling-but rather rip off someone elses similar photo. How can that be a good thing and they say in tthe blurb this will make it more 'accurate. Nothing 'accurate' about using a photo of someone else's item to sell your own item.

Im sure their beloved buyers will be really happy when the item turns up different to the one in the photo.

Furthermore their statement, that to avoid this by simply removing the photos from your listings, is simply ridiculous. You have to have an image to even list an item (or are they suggesting you steal someone elses photo for you listing that others can steal?)

[brerrabbit585]

I'd like to know whether they can legally use and distribute our pictures. Don't the pictures legally belong to the person who took them?

It means that one seller does all the hard work and their competitors all use their pictures and reap the benefits.

[lm-entertainment]

i'd go with the painkillers AND the vodka 

[porcelain_dolls_by_me]

Think you will find that once you upload them to EBay then you agree they belong to EBay to use as they wish