Your seller performance is below standard

[momoftwingles2]

Hi All,

Yes, I received two e-mails from our boss today. The first one states:

Alerts
•Your performance is below eBay standards in USA.

***Ship promptly and manage buyer expectations***
Shipping promptly means buyers get their item more quickly and are more satisfied.
- Include handing time in your listing to set buyers' expectations.
- Provide updates to the buyers once the item has shipped, including any tracking information (if available).

And, the second one stating that my listings will receive lower standing in search results.

I don't know how much lower I can get when I'm already at the bottom of the list most times! *LOL*

In my Dashboard it states: Your buyer satisfaction rating is Good
A buyer satisfaction rating of Good ensures that you are eligible for eBay incentives. And, one of those incentives is a one way ticket to the corner for timeout if I don't behave!

eBay US is on target though! I am the kind of seller that they want to shut down! I have been on eBay 10 years come this September. Currently I have 3980 feedback and have NEVER had a neutral or a negative. I have 19152 left for me. Yes, my buyers are UNHAPPY! I have never had a PayPal case against me. (Except that ghost one in PayPal that not even PayPal knows why it's there!) I have never had a case filed against me for anything!

The fact is....I'm in Canada! And, it is my US buyers that are hurting my business because they just fail to realize that Canada is not a part of the US.

I sell low cost scrapbooking items and I charge full price for shipping. The shipping charges within my listings are shown as PER ITEM but I actually weight and invoice each one of my customers' packages individually. And, they are always thrilled about the shipping cost and when they receive their items they write and tell me that they are shocked how quickly they received their items! And, that they noticed the postmark is the same day as the day they paid...except in those cases where they have paid on a Friday night through the weekend or on a holiday.

Yes, I am the proverbial bad seller out there! I am the one that is giving eBay a BAD NAME! And, all I can say is IF I'M AS BAD AS THAT RED TRIANGLE SAYS I AM....I would like to see what a REALLY BAD SELLER IS! I've thankfully never had that experience!

Oh, well....I must be doing something right! In December I had more than 4000 listings and now I'm at 1186 listings. And, no...I've not ended the listings....they were sold!

I find it ironic that my US customers are the one's who are hitting me and I say this becuase on the US Power Sellers list THEY WHINE AND COMPLAIN about their fellow Americans who hurt their DSR's regarding shipping time!

It's sad when I have sold a quantity of over 3000+ items that I am not meeting eBay's expectations. Thankfully these 3000 + items have brought in an equal number of sales elsewhere so my stock is dwindling down thanks to the suggestions from this board!

Okay....thanks for letting me vent! I had a RED MARK against me and I guess I'll look at it for the next month. Hopefully they will not take my premium store away. If they do then I'll close immediately without warning!

Now to watch GLEE from last night and get in a better mood!

Have a good one everyone! Those Americans can be tough and I say that lovingly because...I'm an American!

Susan
momoftwingles2

[craftycatsattic]

Sorry about that Susan. I know those things can get under your skin. I've realized though that it's usually only one very picky buyer that gets you and it usually drops off pretty quicky when your better buyers chime in with their feedback. I've worked very hard to make my buyers aware that shipping costs more than just the cost of a stamp and usually get good results but every now and then I get dinged.

I do find though that my US buyers are wonderfully understanding. You have to make sure they realize their item is being shipped from Canada. When I send my shipping confirmations, my email header reads "Your items have been shipped from Canada".

Canadians have been harsher on me though, but I got around that last year by putting a sticky note next to their shipping costs, gently pointing out that shipping costs over and above the label include GST, PST and may include packaging costs.

Just keep plugging away. It will pass.

Enjoy your Glee! We were watching the Habs battle the Capitals tonight...no cheering up for us there!

[westernstargifts]

That really stinks Susan. I am really getting tired of eBay and all of their ridiculous new rules and changes. When they had those red bars in the dashboard I would feel just the way you mentioned...that I was bad, bad, bad and should be sent to the corner because my DRS's had dropped 1/10 %...even though they were still all over 4.9.

I had a buyer leave me a neutral today because it took 5 whole business days to get to the U.S. It was a case in which he paid on Friday evening. He states in the feedback that he paid the same day but he actually did not pay until the next evening. He had emailed me asking where it was and I sent him a polite reply explaining that CP is closed on weekends and that it was shipped from Canada. So he received it the next day and left a neutral.

If its any consolation, I just finished completing another survey from eBay on one of my other id's. I love when they send them because I get to tell them what I really think of their new policies.

It sounds as though your closing out sales are going well. Good luck with the rest of them.

Judy

[momoftwingles2]

I didn't get dinged on shipping costs! I was dinged on shipping time. And, in my original info e-mail that I send out through BT Pro I have a picture of a Canadian flag as well as the words...YOUR PURCHASE IS BEING SHIPPING FROM CANADA! And, I have in the letter the suggested shipping timelines from Canada per Canada Post. HOWEVER, I add on a few extra days for cushion so that when the majority of my buyers receive their package they are thrilled because it is sooner than anticipated!

And, when I send my invoice...I state shipping is via CANADA POST.

And, when I send out my THANK YOU and YOUR ITEMS HAVE BEEN SHIPPED e-mail through BT...that BIG BRIGHT CANADIAN FLAG is there once again! You can't miss it! And, I state what shipping method was used and give them the same information regarding shipping.

However, it is buyers FORGETTING that we are in Canada and that Canada is not a part of the US!

For eBay to suggest that I need to put shipping information in my listings....I know they have not ever read my listings and that's it's just a form letter that they send because of a buyer, any buyer.

However, what irks me and always silently has is the fact that the DSR system can make or break a seller because of buyers who for one reason or another do not take the rating system seriously!

I for one would LOVE to buy from ME! I know that I am a great seller with some of the best customer service out there!

I ship via AIR. I will not offer free shipping when my items are priced at $1.00 for clearance reasons!

Shipping weight is shipping weight! And, that is the funny thing....they are not dinging me on shipping costs...but on time!

I honestly ship the same day and or next if they pay after 3 PM. (Our post office closes at 4 PM). I make one run per day to the post office which is 20 miles away from my home so actual shipping plus $1.00 for handling....I don't think is bad at all!

I PVR'd GLEE last night while I was at a figure skating board meeting. Our girls love that show and think it is so funny that I got them hooked on it!

Thank goodness for GLEE since I don't have a rink to go to and watch our girls skate until August! It's a calm place and takes all the stress away! Mind you I'm not the one falling on my butt trying to land a double!

Have a great night!
Susan
momoftwingles2

[momoftwingles2]

Hi Judy,

Yes! I love those surveys as well and I'm brutally honest on them...pros and cons!

Yes! Yes! Yes! Sales are great and I love it even more when they are elsewhere! Shelf after shelf of product is disappearing! Kaitlyn, MacKenzie and Emi come up to my office every day after school and they can see the difference! My office is getting bigger and bigger and bigger! Yeah!

Your neutral, Judy....yet another unwarranted rating because 5 days is great for shipping time!

Susan
momoftwingles2

[surplusdealdude]

ebay was glitch city this past week - are you sure it's not an error?

I refunded shipping in paypal a couple of days ago - paypal refunded the entire order instead and my buyer called to mention that he was refunded, then charged the total amount again! (It corrected itself later this evening)

If your dashboard says you're in the green, I'd ignore the letter.

If it wasn't an alert in your Mymessages, it might be somebody playing a bad prank as well (did it have a link in the email?)

[momoftwingles2]

Hi surplusdealdude,

The e-mails were in My Messages as well as sent to me at my regular e-mail account...with my name and eBay ID included. They were official.

In my seller Dashboard I have GREEN for the following:

Policy compliance: HIGH
Buyer satisfaction: GOOD
Account status: CURRENT

Then I have TRS status for UK, Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

And then I have the RED TRIANGLE that says: YOUR SELLER PERFORMANCE IS BELOW STANDARD!

Go figure!

Now I know why I never used a red pen when I grading paper for all the years that I taught school!

Susan
Standing in the corner BUT FEELING NO SHAME!

[momoftwingles2]

One more tid bit of information on my dashboard.

[By %] [By count] Based on your 3-month ratings
Item as described 0.50% or (2) 0.00% (0)
Communication 0.50% or (2) 0.00% (0)
Shipping time 0.50% or (2) 1.45% (14)
Shipping and handling charges 0.50% or (2) 0.00% (0)

And, I honestly am not one who places blame...I usually accept and hold myself responsible for what I do.

And, since I mail out the same and or next day....I HOLD eBay responsible for this mess! They have NOT educated their buyers as to what Shipping Time means so sadly...I do not get a discount. I receive letters from eBay telling me how bad I am.

When in fact...eBay needs to look towards the west and walk and keep walking until they fall into the Pacific!

Okay....now I'm done venting as I have customers to take care of!

Have a good one!
Susan

[surplusdealdude]

You're not the only one that's reported this. See here;

http://forums.ebay.ca/topic/Selling-On-Ebay/Can-Anyone-Please/500048194&#msg600696925

ebay has rules for buyers that leave positive feedback and a low DSR and those DSR's can be removed.

I would suggest that you call PS support and report those 14 low DSR's - they might be able to remove them.

[momoftwingles2]

Morning surplusdealdude,

Thanks for this information. I will most definitely call them this morning and will report back what they tell me!

Susan
momoftwingles2

[surplusdealdude]

I think the authority for the DSR thingy is in the announcements, btw.

And you might want to contact the other seller as well - if you can show a pattern, it'll have more impact.

Might want to wait a day, too - something tells me we're going to have more reports on this.

[momoftwingles2]

Okay. I'll wait and see who else is complaining about this before phoning eBay.

I most certainly appreciate your help!

Susan
momoftwingles2

[jakeeangel]

And, I honestly am not one who places blame...I usually accept and hold myself responsible for what I do.

And, since I mail out the same and or next day....I HOLD eBay responsible for this mess! They have NOT educated their buyers as to what Shipping Time means so sadly...I do not get a discount. I receive letters from eBay telling me how bad I am.

When in fact...eBay needs to look towards the west and walk and keep walking until they fall into the Pacific!

I'm really sorry to hear of your troubles and I wholeheartedly agree with you - eBay is to blame! But so are stupid people. I ship once a week and have a 5 business day handling period noted in my listings and say it in my emails. People still don't get it.

I've had discussions with some buyers as to why I don't put in my listing specifically what day I go to the US. LOL um....for several actually.

1 - for safety and security I'm not saying that I'm leaving my house empty on a specific day.

2 - it's not always the same day

3 - life happens! I get sick, I get called in to work, the hubby gets sick, car troubles, weather etc.

Sheesh!

((((hugs)))) to you Susan!

[pierrelebel]

Susa - Why don't you bring the problem to the attention of Rodney on CTS this morning at http://forums.ebay.ca/topic/Canada-Town-Square/Rodney-Ebay-Canada/600035736&#msg500883261

[westernstargifts]

When in fact...eBay needs to look towards the west and walk and keep walking until they fall into the Pacific!

:^O

[surplusdealdude]

With all of the earthquakes on the Ring of Fire recently, that might be in the process of being taken care of.

[pjcdn2005]

Susan, could all 14 of those low ratings be from one buyer? If so, they are only supposed to count one rating..at least that is what I've heard.

[momoftwingles2]

Susan, could all 14 of those low ratings be from one buyer? If so, they are only supposed to count one rating..at least that is what I've heard.

You know...I don't know!

I tried calling support today but was put on hold for so long that I had to end my call. However, I will try again tomorrow! I'll ask this question and see if I get an answer!

Susan
momoftwingles2

[surplusdealdude]

Another seller with your problem just popped up, Susan.

http://forums.ebay.ca/topic/Selling-On-Ebay/Your-Seller-Performance/500048205#1272093087193

21 low DSR's.

[surplusdealdude]

And you might want to consider if another seller is deliberately sabotaging you, too.

That possibility has turned up in a report by one of the other sellers with DSR problems - flaktrap ( who has posted 2 threads about it).

recped has also outlined a situation where he was attacked by another seller.

I'm beginning to think this may not be an accident.X-(