May 29th Weekly Board Hour

[kalvin@ebay.com]

Bonjour Canadian eBayers!

Bryan & I will be your hosts for the next 60 minutes - send those questions our way 🙂

[pocomocomputing]

Tracked packet is available and calculating the rate correctly. Still some glitches but it does work.

eBay said that they would look into the overcharging and credit back sellers who overpaid.  What is the status of these refunds?

[rose-dee]

Good afternoon!  I just posted this on the "bugs and issues" thread, but thought I'd repeat it here it you could address this subject directly.  There still seems to be some confusion over this particular issue.  Thanks!

"Kalvin, I recall an exchange between some sellers and the "Pinks" a few weeks ago where the question of what was an "acceptable" tracking # for purposes of TRS (especially US TRS status) was discussed.

I believe one of the "Pinks" confirmed that even a tracking number such as those issued for Light/Small Packet was valid for meeting the uploaded tracking requirements for TRS even though we all know the "tracking" # issued for Light/Small Pkt is really just confirmation of purchase.  Since my own U.S. TRS status shows 100% uploaded tracking so far, and I frequently use Light/Small Pkt to the U.S.A., I'm assuming this was the case, at least up until recently.

Has anything changed with regard to what is and isn't considered a valid tracking number for TRS purposes?  I do understand that no actual tracking is involved with these services.   Thanks!"

[kalvin@ebay.com]

Tracked packet is available and calculating the rate correctly. Still some glitches but it does work.

eBay said that they would look into the overcharging and credit back sellers who overpaid.  What is the status of these refunds?

Hi pocomocomputing,

We definitely haven't forgotten - still in the process of figuring out the details of those refunds. As soon they're processed, an announcement will be made to this effect. 

[pocomocomputing]

eBay third party applications on eBay.com are not available on eBay.ca? From a previous weekly session, I was told that the application developer must make the app available on eBay.ca.

These applications are available on eBay.com and not on eBay.ca other than the eBay listing Analytics. The ability to subscribe to these third party applications seems to be governed by the eBay site a seller is registered to.

Why can't I subscribe to these apps if I log into eBay.com and list from eBay.com?

[kalvin@ebay.com]

Good afternoon!  I just posted this on the "bugs and issues" thread, but thought I'd repeat it here it you could address this subject directly.  There still seems to be some confusion over this particular issue.  Thanks!

"Kalvin, I recall an exchange between some sellers and the "Pinks" a few weeks ago where the question of what was an "acceptable" tracking # for purposes of TRS (especially US TRS status) was discussed.

I believe one of the "Pinks" confirmed that even a tracking number such as those issued for Light/Small Packet was valid for meeting the uploaded tracking requirements for TRS even though we all know the "tracking" # issued for Light/Small Pkt is really just confirmation of purchase.  Since my own U.S. TRS status shows 100% uploaded tracking so far, and I frequently use Light/Small Pkt to the U.S.A., I'm assuming this was the case, at least up until recently.

Has anything changed with regard to what is and isn't considered a valid tracking number for TRS purposes?  I do understand that no actual tracking is involved with these services.   Thanks!"

Hi rose-dee,

Let me reach out to Raphael on this one and have him reply to the thread for clarification.

Thanks,

[pocomocomputing]

I posted back in a weekly session that there is a forum bug that loses changes to a reply when you preview and go back and edit and then post.  All changes are lost.

It still happens on occasion but I am not able to reproduce it at will. So I cannot send eBay a report on this.

I have noticed when reading these forums that other posters occasionally say they lost their changes also. So I assume it happens occasionally to them.

I know that browsers (FireFox, Chrome, Internet Explorer) are constantly updating their code and these changes can cause issues to eBay and other web sites.

Is this issue at least know to the forum developers (Liveworld)? Very annoying to have proofread a reply and edit with corrections only to have it post the unedited version.

[kalvin@ebay.com]

eBay third party applications on eBay.com are not available on eBay.ca? From a previous weekly session, I was told that the application developer must make the app available on eBay.ca.

These applications are available on eBay.com and not on eBay.ca other than the eBay listing Analytics. The ability to subscribe to these third party applications seems to be governed by the eBay site a seller is registered to.

Why can't I subscribe to these apps if I log into eBay.com and list from eBay.com?

Hi pocomocomputing,

Which ones were you specifically interested in? I'm not well-versed on these, and just digging around for info, there looks to be an option to contact the developer directly - have you tried reaching out to see if this can be made available for eBay.ca?

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/sell/applications-directory.html#contact

[kalvin@ebay.com]

I posted back in a weekly session that there is a forum bug that loses changes to a reply when you preview and go back and edit and then post.  All changes are lost.

It still happens on occasion but I am not able to reproduce it at will. So I cannot send eBay a report on this.

I have noticed when reading these forums that other posters occasionally say they lost their changes also. So I assume it happens occasionally to them.

I know that browsers (FireFox, Chrome, Internet Explorer) are constantly updating their code and these changes can cause issues to eBay and other web sites.

Is this issue at least know to the forum developers (Liveworld)? Very annoying to have proofread a reply and edit with corrections only to have it post the unedited version.

Hi pocomocomputing,

These issues that can't be reproduced are tough - not much to go on when we try & report them to LiveWorld... I realize it's an annoyance for the time being, but we're at the mercy of this specific issue being 100% consistent before we can make a formal report 😞 

[pjcdn2005]

Re Poco's comment on changes to posts getting lost...

This might be a coincidence but the only time that the changes to a post have disappeared has been if I edit, then preview and then post. If I edit, preview, then go b

[rose-dee]

Kalvin, if I can follow up on an earlier question -- you mentioned eBay.ca was considering dropping the ability of both parties in a transaction to leave FB where a cancellation of a transaction was accepted.  Is there a planned date that this will be implemented?  Or is it still on the drawing board? 

[rose-dee]

Almost needless to say...no FB/DSRs in a cancellation situation would be a very good thing! 😉

[kalvin@ebay.com]

Kalvin, if I can follow up on an earlier question -- you mentioned eBay.ca was considering dropping the ability of both parties in a transaction to leave FB where a cancellation of a transaction was accepted.  Is there a planned date that this will be implemented?  Or is it still on the drawing board? 

Still on the drawing board with this one, no updates there.

[rose-dee]

A completely different topic:

I list on eBay.ca exclusively.  if I were to show "Free Shipping" to Canada on selected items, is the "Free Shipping" badge going to show up when U.S. customers look at those listings (whether they look at them on .com or .ca)?  I would like to know this in advance, to avoid confusion and customer disappointment. 

If the badge will show up in both cases, then I will have to consider which specific items I can afford to offer free shipping on, both to Canada and to the U.S.   

[pocomocomputing]

International Site Visibility

In the SYI listing form online, in the International shipping section, there is this line

If you want your items to be visible to buyers from Australia, the United Kingdom, or the United States you'll have to offer an international shipping service  Learn more

Learn more help content is below

Listing your item on international eBay sites

To sell an item on an international eBay site, you'll need to choose a shipping option for that country. That lets buyers in that country know how much shipping will cost if they buy the item.

You can choose a flat rate for each of the countries, or let the shipping calculator determine approximate shipping costs based on the destination and size and weight of the package.

To have an item show up on Australia, the US, and the UK eBay websites, you'll need to choose a shipping service and cost for these countries. Selecting Worldwide as your international ship to location will usually cover these countries. However, we recommend providing shipping services and costs to each country to provide a better buying experience.

If you make the item available to Australia, your item may appear in the Items from eBay international sellers section of the search results page on eBay.com.au.

If you make the item available to the US, you'll automatically get default search placement for most categories on the eBay.com site.

If you make the item available to the UK, your item may appear in the Items from eBay international sellers section of the search results page on eBay.co.uk. If you purchase the international site visibility listing upgrade, you'll get default search placement on eBay.co.uk.

Suggestion: Make an upgrade option similar to the UK upgrade for Australia. This UK upgrade (fee) is on the second page of the SYI form. Better still, allow both sites for the current price of the UK only upgrade.

[bryan.ca@ebay.ca]

A completely different topic:

I list on eBay.ca exclusively.  if I were to show "Free Shipping" to Canada on selected items, is the "Free Shipping" badge going to show up when U.S. customers look at those listings (whether they look at them on .com or .ca)?  I would like to know this in advance, to avoid confusion and customer disappointment. 

If the badge will show up in both cases, then I will have to consider which specific items I can afford to offer free shipping on, both to Canada and to the U.S.   

Hi Rose-Dee

Two items to consider: First, the items won’t appear shippable unless you specify shipping to the US. Second, if specify shipping is set for US customers to Free then yes it will show as Free otherwise it will appear as a cost for them or if no is set then shipping is not specified message will appear.

[pjcdn2005]

Still on the drawing board with this one, no updates there.

I do think that in some cases, a buyer should be able to leave feedback when a transaction is cancelled. One case would be when the transaction is cancelled because the seller is out of that product. Or, there are cases of when a seller raises the shipping price after purchase...or gives the buyer a shipping price via message but then refuses to send an invoice so that the buyer can pay. In cases like that, it does provide a negative buying experience so the buyer should be able to comment. 

In the first case, I realize that mistakes happen so perhaps a negative shouldn't be allowed but there should be some way for a buyer to let other buyers know that this happened otherwise, no one will know if it is a recurring problem.

JMO

[bryan.ca@ebay.ca]

International Site Visibility

In the SYI listing form online, in the International shipping section, there is this line

If you want your items to be visible to buyers from Australia, the United Kingdom, or the United States you'll have to offer an international shipping service  Learn more

Learn more help content is below

Listing your item on international eBay sites

To sell an item on an international eBay site, you'll need to choose a shipping option for that country. That lets buyers in that country know how much shipping will cost if they buy the item.

You can choose a flat rate for each of the countries, or let the shipping calculator determine approximate shipping costs based on the destination and size and weight of the package.

To have an item show up on Australia, the US, and the UK eBay websites, you'll need to choose a shipping service and cost for these countries. Selecting Worldwide as your international ship to location will usually cover these countries. However, we recommend providing shipping services and costs to each country to provide a better buying experience.

If you make the item available to Australia, your item may appear in the Items from eBay international sellers section of the search results page on eBay.com.au.

If you make the item available to the US, you'll automatically get default search placement for most categories on the eBay.com site.

If you make the item available to the UK, your item may appear in the Items from eBay international sellers section of the search results page on eBay.co.uk. If you purchase the international site visibility listing upgrade, you'll get default search placement on eBay.co.uk.

Suggestion: Make an upgrade option similar to the UK upgrade for Australia. This UK upgrade (fee) is on the second page of the SYI form. Better still, allow both sites for the current price of the UK only upgrade.

Thanks for the feedback, we will consider all recommendations.

Bryan

[rose-dee]

Hi Bryan -- yes, on selected items I intend to show a shipping cost for the U.S., but free shiping for Canada . 

So if I understand you, if the above factors apply, Canadian buyers on eBay will see the "Free Shipping" badge, and U.S. buyers looking on eBay.com will not? 

[pjcdn2005]

On a similar note...There really is no obvious course that a buyer can follow when a seller does raise the shipping price. The buyer can refuse to pay of course but then many worry about getting an unpaid item strike. I have no idea what a solution would be..just wanted to mention it. 🙂