US TRS Status, beyond frustrating!

[threebears63]

Hi all,

I lost my US TRS status a few months back after being fooled into thinking that I didn't need to bother with the tracking requirement because it wasn't going to affect me, since I am in Canada. Then of course it was sprung on us that we weren't going to lose our discount but we were indeed going to lose the TRS badge and boost in search. Of course that was only mentioned after it was too late to do anything about it.

Well, once I lost it, my sales took an immediate nosedive to about one third of what they had been. I had to close my store because it was no longer worthwhile. So, I thought that's okay, I will just use the free listings for awhile and be diligent with the tracking. So, I have shipped every single sale to the US with a shipping label printed on PayPal and uploaded the required number within the one day handling time.

I was a bit dismayed to see my rating in March showing that I had only uploaded tracking with 89% of my items. I found it hard to believe but thought maybe I accidentally missed something. But today, I went and had a look at how my numbers were shaping up for April and couldn't believe it when it showed only 83% of items shipped with tracking. 

So, I decided to have a much closer look and downloaded the report and couldn't believe what I read. The offending listings were from two buyers only, one lives in CANADA and the other customer lives in the UNITED KINGDOM. What the heck?!

To make matters worse, they were orders that contained multiple items and ebay broke the sales up and counted each individual item against my count even though they were shipped together as one order on one invoice and paid for with one payment by these buyers, not to mention that they were NOT shipped to the US. 

This has got to be one of the most crooked things I have ever seen. When ebay said they were going to start keeping track of this, I assumed they had some kind of software that would accurately keep tabs on this, I didn't think I was going to have to police it myself.

I now feel like I have to double check every "offending" listing for the last several months. Not that I think it will do any good, I know I won't be able to get anyone on the phone who can help me because they never understand what I am talking about.

Apparently I am just not getting my US TRS badge back and with it the boost in search, without it, I am just wasting my time.

I am completely disgusted and defeated!

Heather

[rose-dee]

Hi "threebears" -- Are you sure there isn't some other reason you lost the U.S. TRS?  I may be confused, but I thought Canadian sellers weren't required to meet the same tracking requirements as U.S. sellers.  This is copied from the page on TRS qualification:

"US Top-rated EligibilityStarting June 1, the annual sales requirement for Top-rated status on eBay.com will be lowered from $3000 to $1000.US sellers and most international sellers who list on eBay.com will be required to upload tracking on at least 90% of their listings in order to qualify for the program. But because tracking is significantly more expensive and less widely available for Canadians , sellers registered in Canada can still qualify as Top-rated in the US program even if they are not able to meet the 90% tracking requirement.." 

Also, I would think you'd still hold onto your Global TRS even if the tracking were an issue, as the requirements are less stringent. 

I see you're selling sewing patterns and offering free shipping, so I assume when you say you shipped every item to the U.S. with tracking, you mean Light/Small Packet.  The "tracking" #s for SmPkt (really just a confirmation #) should upload automatically, and if you manually input the Light Packet "tracking" #, it's right there on the item, so the eBay system should be picking them up. 

Are you registered on eBay.com by any chance?  If so, the system would see you as a U.S. seller even if you are living/working in Canada.  Maybe this is the explanation, as the U.S. tracking requirements are more stringent. 

Something seems odd here -- perhaps it would be worth calling eBay and persisting until you get to speak to an "account manager".  I found they are somewhat more informed and fluent in English than most of the so-called customer service people.

Best of luck with this.  Maybe someone else has a better idea what the problem could be.

[threebears63]

Hi Rose,

Thanks for your reply. I am registered on ebay.ca. I do offer free shipping but only domestically due to ebay's policy regarding paying fvf on the cost of the item plus shipping.

All of my specs are on target for TRS status in the US, my sales figures and volume are good (for now), good DSR's and feedback score, one day handling time, long money back return policy etc etc. the only thing it shows that is a problem is the tracking requirement.

I can't quote the passage for you regarding when ebay decided that it didn't matter if you were Canadian, if you didn't upload tracking you would lose your TRS badge and boost in search, but you still get the 20% discount on fvf. 

The passage you quoted from ebay was correct initially, but a few months later after the higher ups debated it, they decided Canadians did not deserve any special treatment.  My TRS badge disappeared from my listings on .com back sometime around November, and I haven't been able to get it back.

This is just making me wonder how many other Canadian sellers have lost their TRS badge on .com due to sales that are somehow being misread by ebay as US sales.

If I hadn't taken the time to download that tracking report and actually read it, I would have assumed that I was doing something wrong. But I knew that 83% tracking number was way off, I have been diligent in using the labels and uploading the required numbers.

When I read the report, the reason I immediately knew something was wrong was the buyer it was showing for most of the offending listings is one of my best customers, she has shopped with me from the start and she shops often and I knew off by heart that she lives in BC Canada, but just to double check I got out the invoices. So that made me curious and I went and got out the invoices for the other buyer it was showing and sure enough, she lives in England.

So, what is going on here? Is ebay using the US as a default location? Is the assumption that if you are registered on .com you live in the US?  

I don't think that most sellers have the time to check to see where the buyer is registered, all we are concerned with is where to ship the package.

Something is seriously flawed. Whatever computer program ebay is using to follow the tracking requirements should be set up to check the ship to location not the site registration of the buyer. I would imagine there are many buyers all over the world that may be registered on .com but that doesn't mean they live in the US, and it doesn't mean the package is being shipped to the US.

I also think it is very wrong that multiple item invoices count as one toward your score if you upload tracking and if you don't upload tracking the items are separated and count individually against your score. VERY WRONG, a small child could probably tell them that is cheating!

This is like betting against the casino, you are not going to win.

Well, I am going to bite the bullet and get on the phone with them.

Heather

[pierrelebel]

"I don't think that most sellers have the time to check to see where the buyer is registered, all we are concerned with is where to ship the package."

I totally agree.

The same problem exists with PayPal.  A few years ago, I had a large purchase from a Toronto area collector who paid through PayPal.  Imagine my surprise when the fee charged by PayPal included 1.00% "cross border" fee.

After sending inquiries to senior management at PayPal, the answer came dows as follows: the buyer was registered in the UK before moving to Canada five years earlier and the fee (extra 1.00%) is calculated based on the country of registration, not where the goods are shipped.

"...but a few months later after the higher ups debated it, they decided Canadians did not deserve any special treatment."

That is correct.  It happened in April 2012 when the policy exempting Canadians from tracking were overridden by eBay Inc (the big boys in San Jose) without any mention anywhere.

And life does go on.

[pjcdn2005]

Heather, If you don't have any luck on the phone, you could ask the reps about this on the board during the weekly board session at 1p.m. eastern on Wednesdays. Or, I think that if you wrote Kalvin@ebay.com that he would have someone look into why buyers not in the U.S. are counting against you.

I also think it is very wrong that multiple item invoices count as one toward your score if you upload tracking and if you don't upload tracking the items are separated and count individually against your score. VERY WRONG, a small child could probably tell them that is cheating!

Lots of sellers in the U.S. have had that same problem and lost their TRS because of multiple items going to one address. It does say in the TRS plus info that you have to make sure that each item in a multiple order has a 'tracking' number (or says something similar) so it's unlikely that ebay will do anything in cases like that.

A head's up for Rose...they no longer automatically download the small packet numbers. They stopped that sometime in the last couple of weeks.

[rose-dee]

A head's up for Rose...they no longer automatically download the small packet numbers. They stopped that sometime in the last couple of weeks.

Yes, come to think of it, you're quite right.  I've been shipping a lot with Expedited and Xpresspost lately, so I hadn't noticed it this past week, but there was one the week before that I had to input manually, and I thought it was just a glitch.  Oh joy, another little helpful touch gone...

I'm so glad I picked up on this particular string.  My eyes have been opened concerning TRS.:O 

The paragraph I quoted earlier on TRS qualification came straight off the eBay site that same day, but then I should know by now from past experience that eBay doesn't keep its important information updated on their own site.  I do dislike having to get these bits of critical details "over the garden fence" so to speak -- this information should have been readily accessible.  It seems to me that eBay has been rather cagey where the TRS programme was concerned -- the programme parameters were never all clearly set out and easily verifiable, as Heather has discovered. 

Well, I suppose what with DSRs on shipping costs, slower sales, and now inscrutable tracking requirements, I'd better get used to the idea that my TRS badge will suddenly and apparently without reason disappear one day. 

Heather -- I'd be interested to know what sort of eventual response you get on this subject.

[catnip2002]

I had a TRS once... Lost it due to a customer in Japan claiming he did not recieve his item, ebay has since removed that mark from me, but I have given up even trying to maintain one now and am finding myself using facebook and other sites that can bring me almost as much as I would get on ebay. So now restricting most of my sales on ebay to items I think would do better and no longer worrying about the fees, I just calculate what I hope to actually clear on any item less the fees whatever they maybe and no longer caring about savings on the fees.

Just not worth the hassle any longer JMO

[rose-dee]

If I understand what Heather has been saying, not only have the US TRS policy requirements changed, but the % calculation on tracking is being 'watered down' by being mixed with non-US shipments? 

I'm wondering if the reason this issue hasn't yet happened to some sellers (like me) is because the statistical averaging hasn't yet caught up because the policy change was relatively recent. 

Does anyone have a link (or something from the Pinks) on the actual current policy re TRS requirements, both US and Canadian? 

PJ -- I seem to recall you recently mentioned something in another string about US shipping requirements for TRS being 4 delivery days (on top of tracking).  Or was this information in another context entirely?  If that's the case, it would make US TRS almost unachievable for Canadian sellers.

It's ridiculous for eBay to leave old, out-of-date policy information on their customer support pages.  Surely they could put up a notice "Policy Under Review" or some such thing.  Where else are we supposed to go for current, accurate information?  Or is the whole idea not to give us too much detail on TRS?  This really is something that should be brought up in one of the Wed. discussions, and I may do so if I'm available this week.

You know what I think?  EBay has bitten off more than it (and its computer programmers and managers) can chew with so many significant, radically different and far-reaching changes in one short period.  Just my humble opinion mind you... 😞

[rose-dee]

I thought I'd copy this here -- it's in a small box on my US TRS summary under the "Tracking Requirements" section:

"Canadian sellers don’t need to meet the tracking upload requirement to receive the US Top-rated Seller Final Value Fee discount. Learn more "

I don't yet have US TRS status because I haven't quite had enough US sales in the past 12 months to qualify, but the tracking doesn't seem to be a problem.  Mine says "100% tracking uploaded within stated handling time". 

This is the case even though I know a large portion (probably more than 50%) of those tracking #s were Light/Small Pkt, which we all know do not have true tracking #s.  The stated requirement to meet US TRS is 90%, so I assume the "old" policy is still in effect, and that once I get sufficient annual transactions, I'll qualify for US TRS. 

All very odd.  Is this perhaps yet another case of the site not being properly updated to reflect current policy?  I believe the same problem exists with the annual $ sales amounts for TRS as opposed to Power Seller, which has apparently never been corrected (they've had months to fix that one!). 

[pierrelebel]

"Canadian sellers don’t need to meet the tracking upload requirement to receive the US Top-rated Seller Final Value Fee discount. Learn more ""

It is important to click on the "learn more" to fully understand how the policy applies to Canadian sellers.

Qualifying for Additional Search Boost on eBay.com

Sellers who have achieved the US eTRS designation can attain additional boost for any given listing if:

The listing offers 1-day handling. The listing offers a return policy allowing a minimum of 14 days and a money back option. The seller has uploaded tracking on 90% of their listings during the prior evaluation period.

Although Canadians can qualify for the US-top rated program without meeting the 90% tracking requirement, Canadians will still need to meet the 90% requirement in order to achieve this additional search boost.

You can read more details about the changes to the US Top-rated seller program on eBay.com.

As before, Canadian sellers who can achieve either the US eTRS designation on eBay.com OR the Global eTRS designation will receive the full 20% final value fee discount on their listings, whether they prefer to list on eBay.com or eBay.ca.

Also as before, Canadians that qualify as US eTRS will receive the program badge on their listings and be promoted in search on eBay.ca, even if they haven't met the Global eTRS requirements. But only sellers who qualify as US eTRS will be badged and promoted on eBay.com.

[tobyshitzu]

Why even give a second thought to the US TRS badge?

Stats from ebay q1

"Top Rated Sellers (TRS or eTRS) were 42% of eBay's US GMV and their SSS was up 17%.  "

http://ebaystrategies.blogs.com/ebay_strategies/page/2/

up 17%, of course USA ebay overall reported...16% up.  So a negligible better performance but no way to know if that was caused by other factors like increasing listings at a faster rate or the fact all the really bad sellers are non TRS

You can't tell on .com anymore but can see the % of listings on .ca with TRS.  Its not necessarily the same % as it would be on .com but searches I've checked are a considerably higher % of listings with TRS then the sales share they report.  eg video game listings on .ca are around ~55% TRS. badged.  Big sellers like toysrus go on and off TRS about every other month, which makes no difference to the rate of fb from sales received

As long as you get the discount the badge isn't worth much

[pierrelebel]

"As long as you get the discount the badge isn't worth much"

You have expressed that opinion before and I respect it,  It may be related to what you sell.

However, I feel very differently in a category such as "Stamps" which is growing at the low annual rate of 3% (according to the link your supplied). For years eBay has trained buyers to favour TRS and sales of stamps by Canadians on eBay.com have been negatively affected by the lack of icon on search result pages.

[pjcdn2005]

PJ -- I seem to recall you recently mentioned something in another string about US shipping requirements for TRS being 4 delivery days (on top of tracking).  Or was this information in another context entirely?  If that's the case, it would make US TRS almost unachievable for Canadian sellers.

It had nothing to do with TRS. It was regarding the automatic 5 star that one can get for shipping time but the 4 day delivery is one of the requirements.

[tobyshitzu]

Its not opinion, its ebay's own numbers

Id be pretty certain stamps were the least effected category on all of ebay.  About 107k "canada stamps" listings on .com.  About 1/3 are by Americans

Eyeballing the 33k american listings Id say fewer then 10% of the USA located(or ~3% overall since it would be near impossible for non Americans to qualify) are TRS

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=canada+stamps&LH_PrefLoc=1&_pgn=2&_skc=50&rt=nc 

With ~90% of American listings not even getting the discount let alone the badge. I can't see that having a mere 3% of listings having a little "TRS" badge makes any difference to anyone.  "paper" sellers were the one place Americans whined as much as Canadians about the tracking thing due to the huge postal increase required for tracking.  Of course the stamp dealers want to mail using their own stamps instead of labels

Only 6 of the 50 highest priced American located "Canada stamps"  listings have TRS even though they'd obviously use tracking for $5k-20k items http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sop=16&_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=canada+stamps&LH_PrefLoc=1