eBay

automationsurplusinc · ‎05-11-2011

We sell new used and surplus automation parts, and have isues with ebay's policies regarding international trade. Where can we send a E-mail complaint about ebay and their policies? We keep getting low stars ( 4 instead of 5) for shipping and handling from buyers from the USA who think that our shipping costs are too high.

Firstly, We do not charge a handling fee and

Secondly use UPS connect to quote prices.

There seems to be an amazing number of Americans who think they can ship a 5 lb package from Canada for $10 and pay no brokerage or duty. We cannot even send the same package in Canada for $10. Inorder to address US buyers concerns we agreed to ship via Canada Post....ARgh it takes on average 2-4 weeks to ship anything Canada Post to the Anywhere in the USA at any level. Snail mail would be quicker.

Ebay needs to look at the star ratings given when it concerns an international transaction.

Our hands are tied!!! UPS makes the charges along with US customs when the items land in the USA.

We Canadian sellers ($500K a year just on our store) are being discriminated against unfairly.

How can we get Ebay to address this serious flaw in their policies. Please address. Thanks Aesurplusinc.

Ebay has moved on from its early days of a garage sale mentality, and many businesses use Ebay as part of their sales strategy, many to quite some success. It is about time ebay recognised this loyalty and trend in business especially in this time of economic stress and listened to the seller.

We do not want to rip anybody off, we sell quality merchandise and upto 90% off and only expect to be treated fairly with respect and consideration.

Aesurplusinc

pierrelebel · ‎05-11-2011

Your post raises several good points, shared by many high volume sellers on eBay.

Until eBay changes its policies (it will not 😞 ), I would like to make three specific suggestions that may help you.

1) Post your terms within your description, not as a separate link (and correct the misinformation about HST and delete the liability disclaimer)

2) Leave feedback upon receipt of payment instead of stating feedback will be left upon receipt of same.

3) List with your actual location (Cambridge, Ontario), not the generic Ontario, Canada

pierrelebel · ‎05-11-2011

One more small thing.

In your store, you have selected to present your listings starting by the lowest priced. The front page shows "cheap" stuff (priced under $5). Not a good idea.

Much better to show your best (and most expensive) "stuff" on the home page using the "sort by highest price first" .

femmefan1946 · ‎05-11-2011

pierre raises a good point.

It could be worthwhile trying to see if those low DSRs are coming from your low value sales or from your higher price items.

Although we know that shipping cost has nothing to do with value, buyers emotionally react to paying more for shipping than for the item itself. It may be that those cheap items are not worth selling,

You may also try using the "lowest fee" workaround to reduce your FVF and thus your shipping costs.

If your item sells to the USA, your FVF will be based on the LOWEST of the first domestic shipping service OR the actual amount paid by your buyer.

So if your item has Free Canadian Shipping (like that's gonna happen) and $10 shipping to the USA, your 9% FVF would be based on the Free Shipping. If shipping domestically is $15 (to your postal code) and your US buyer actually pays $10, your FVF will be based onthe actual $10 payment.

There is going to be a lot of shakeout with this new fee.

And then eBay will make another annoying change.:^O

zarzuella · ‎05-11-2011

I read your shipping terms, and to be honest I'm not suprised that buyer are confused:

SHIPPING DETAILS

IF YOU HAVE A UPS ACCOUNT NUMBER WE CAN PUT THE SHIPPING CHARGES UNDER YOUR ACCOUNT NUMBER. MAKE SURE TO PUT IT IN THE EBAY NOTES MESSAGES AREA WHEN PURCHASING THIS ITEM. OR SEND US A MESSAGE THROUGH EBAY. THIS IS ONLY FOR UPS, WE DO NOT USE FEDEX

For Domestic orders, we offer UPS Ground and other UPS services only. For International orders USPS Priority mail only. USPS may sometimes be cheaper on smaller items, but UPS is more reliable, and supplies you with a tracking number, whereas USPS does not. For these reasons, WE ONLY USE UPS DOMESTICALLY. If you need to use FedEx you must set up all paper work and pick up on your end.

We do not use USPS Flat Rate Boxes.

This reads as if you are a US seller.

And BTW, you can indeed add the DC# to the buyer record when using USPS.

sheepgal54 · ‎05-11-2011

Some buyers just think 4 stars is good. I get lots of those even after educating buyers as to how the star system works. It really isn't the actual shipping cost or the time it takes you to get it moving. I often send items same day but the mail system takes a week or more and I get 3 or 4 stars for shipping time, Ebay won't change it because if you get 5 stars then you get higher discounts from Ebay. It is simple economics.

snoopwiz · ‎05-12-2011

Not trying to oversimplify this ongoing issue. I just don't forsee eBay offering Canadian (or other country's) any special concessions in this matter. I have always found that by being up front with ship costs and estimated delivery times in a prominent location within your listing, I just do not have issues with low s & h or ship time DSR's. Making the buyer actually have to "work" to find this info by (gasp) having to click another tab just may be working against you. I've said it before, will say it again. Simply Manage Your Customers Expectations. Put yourself in the drivers seat, lay it all out there for your buyer. Perfect solution? Nah. Has it always worked for me? Uh Huh!

Anonymous · ‎05-19-2011

I was the unhappy recipient of two (two!) low DSRs for shipping cost over the past week, enough to push me out of the Top Rated Seller category at the next appraisal. These DSRs were a surprise, since I had taken pains to simplify and reduce shipping charges on many listings, and on each and every listing had clearly stated A) how shipping was calculated, and B) that combined shipping (free for second item) was in force. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I had already put the store on vacation as a result of the looming postal strike, so I spent today changing every single listing to "Free Shipping" ... this, of course, entails changing the description, the price, and the shipping details both domestically and internationally. (Thank goodness for bulk editing.) Some listings I removed, as some things will have to be re-listed in lots or groups in order to justify the Free shipping -- but I'll work on that next week.

It seemed pretty obvious to me that TRS status wasn't going to last too long, given that I ship things of all different sizes, weights, and values all over the world -- and there's always, eventually, going to be someone with a hint of buyer's remorse, or an axe to grind, or something. But I honestly did think that I'd have the discount longer than it looks like now 😞

My sympathies to all Canadian sellers who have or are currently struggling with shipping DSRs. I honestly don't know what more we can do.

femmefan1946 · ‎05-19-2011

I've come to the conclusion that any seller who counts on the TRS discount to make a profit is fooling herself.

I am trying to look on it as a nice bonus and making sure that my pricing is such that I make my profit over the procurement cost of the item plus the eBay/PP fees when sold.

Mostly I win.

And when I get that 20% bonus, I tend to blow it on another Dooney and Burke bag.

aneverydaygoddess · ‎05-19-2011

I don`t get nailed as much on the shipping costs as I do for the shipping time. My problem is also with U.S. buyers who simply cannot grasp where Canada is in proximity to their location. It is typically buyers in Florida, New York and similar locations that think it should take a week for their item to arrive.

And even though I enclose a note with item and include a disclaimer in my email notifying the buyer of shipping that asks them to consider that shipping time is when I shipped it, which is always within 2 business days of receipt of payment, and not how long it takes the post office to deliver, I still get dinged.

And I continue to get emails from eBay essentially telling me to clean up my act or I will experience some limitations. I`ve already lost my TSR and I really don`t know if I can get it back unless I stop shipping to the US.

Even though if they bothered to look at my feedback, they would see comments that predominately praise me for my fast shipping times.

It`s funny, all of my international buyers in Australia and the U.K. understand shipping times, it is U.S. buyers that are unaware.

So I too have closed my store in anticipation of a postal strike, I simply cannot afford to receive more low shipping DSRs.

And frankly, I will spend the down time giving careful consideration as to whether I open it back up. It just doesn`t seem worth it to me anymore. I`ve lost all of my motivation to sell and it has become more of a chore than an enjoyable pass time.

pierrelebel · ‎05-19-2011

"I don`t get nailed as much on the shipping costs as I do for the shipping time...."

With annual DSR averages of 5.0, 5.0, 4.9 and 4.9, I frankly do not understand the problem. These are well above average and clearly show you seldom "get nailed".

ecbluestar · ‎05-19-2011

With new new global standards for seller evaluation starting in May 2011 is not going be bonus only.

"Starting May 20, new standards based on global sales, will focus on low DSRs instead of DSR averages. This change will help sellers who offer great buying experiences get the visibility they deserve in the marketplace. The new thresholds are based on all transactions and have been adapted to sellers who sell both domestically and internationally. A new "Above Standards" status will also be created and will be a requirement to qualify for the PowerSeller program. Both Above Standard and Standard seller performance levels have the same requirements for the rates/counts of 1s and 2s on DSRs. However, Above Standard also requires a minimum average DSR of 4.40 across all four DSRs, as well as 100 or more transactions over the past 12 months."

Anonymous · ‎05-20-2011

I've come to the conclusion that any seller who counts on the TRS discount to make a profit is fooling herself. And when I get that 20% bonus, I tend to blow it on another Dooney and Burke bag.

You are absolutely correct, femmefan -- that is the way we should look at the 20% discount on FVFs. I guess I'll have to re-train myself to consider the discount (if ever I see it again) as the icing, not the cake.

What is I do worry about is the impact of those 3 low DSRs on the whole Best Match/search result/mumbo-jumbo of how one's listings appear to potential buyers ... obviously the more pristine one's record of feedback and DSRs, the better. I mean, I have a vested interest in making my customers happy because that makes me more money (as well as satisfying my Woody Allen-esque neurotic need for validation, I suppose ;-)).