Defect rate - from bad to worse

For those who have not seen this new eBay fiasco - here it is.

 

 

New way to measure performance rewards sellers providing great service

  • Starting with the August 20 monthly seller evaluation, a new measure, the transaction defect rate ("defect rate"), will replace the current four individual detailed seller rating requirements in evaluating seller performance. This new rating may impact your status.
  • The defect rate is simply the percentage of a seller's successful transactions that have one or more of the following transaction-related defects, the top predictors that a buyer will leave eBay or buy less:
    • Detailed seller rating of 1, 2 or 3 for item as described
    • Detailed seller rating of 1 for shipping time
    • Negative or neutral feedback
    • Return initiated for a reason that indicates the item was not as described
    • eBay Money Back Guarantee (previously known as eBay Buyer Protection) or PayPal Purchase Protection case opened for an item not received or an item not as described
    • Seller-cancelled transactions
  • Starting with the August 20 evaluation, to meet eBay's minimum standard, sellers can have up to a maximum 5% of transactions with one or more transaction defects over the most recent evaluation period. A maximum 2% will allow a seller to qualify as an eBay Top Rated Seller. The  same requirements apply both to your Global and US seller performance  standards.
  • The defect rate won't affect your status until you have transactions with defects with at least 8 different buyers (at least 5 different buyers to impact Top Rated status) within your evaluation period.
  • Just as today, sellers can have a maximum of 0.3% of eBay Money Back Guarantee or PayPal Purchase Protection closed cases without seller resolution over the most recent evaluation period. That means the buyer opened the case, you weren't able to resolve it, the buyer reached out to eBay or PayPal to review it, and eBay found you responsible.
  • Just as today, sellers with 400 or more transactions over the past 3 months will be evaluated based on the past 3 months and sellers with fewer than 400 transactions will be evaluated based on the past 12 months.

In general, the lower your defect rate, the better your position in Best Match search results

  • By focusing squarely on what matters most to buyers, the new transaction defect rate allows eBay to recognize and reward sellers who consistently deliver the great service buyers expect—and to identify and respond to the experiences that erode confidence and drive buyers away.
  • If you maintain a low defect rate, eBay will reward you with an enhanced position in Best Match search results, so your track record for great service can pay off in more visibility and potential sales.
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Old enough to know better. Young enough to do it again. Crazy enough to try
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Defect rate - from bad to worse

a little off topic, I have just heard from a buyer who made a not received case a couple of months ago, I refunded the payment and the case closed.  She said she was surprised that after I made the refund I took it back (she is saying this 2 months later!!)....I told her that it is showing in paypal as refunded and the case only closes when refund is processed...and to my knowledge once you refund a payment you can't get the money back.  Does anyone know anything about refunds?  Also where in ebay can I view closed cases, I usually can only see the hyperlink when I have an active case. 

Message 41 of 219
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Defect rate - from bad to worse

If you purchase items on your selling id that are similar to what you sell, then yes..you would be considered a competitor although I can't say that a low rating given by you would be removed in all cases. But it would be best to have a separate buying id.


If someone wasn't using their selling id to buy there probably isn't an easy way to figure out if they are a competitor although if someone seems to continually be buying, there's a change they sell too. I don't know if customer service would help you figure out if they bought and sold...likely not.

Message 42 of 219
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Defect rate - from bad to worse

the only time I've ever seen a "competitor" is someone who bought a bunch of liquid embroidery canvasses from me and then sold them in her store.  I didn't care since I got my money and she had a huge inventory and probably clientele that would pay more.

Never followed up if any sold...LOL

Message 43 of 219
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Defect rate - from bad to worse

forgot to say, I don't think I have given ANY sellers low ratings ever, in fact in my 15 years on ebay I think I've only given a negative 2 or 3 times

Message 44 of 219
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Defect rate - from bad to worse

follow up to the refund question, she has sent another emails saying she's not well, made many mistakes and apologized for the error.  So the refund did go through, still would like to know if you can undo a refund, I know if you make a payment to someone it can go unclaimed and you can cancel if you are the recipient and the money goes back to the sender.

Message 45 of 219
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Defect rate - from bad to worse


@isis1313 wrote:

So the refund did go through, still would like to know if you can undo a refund, I know if you make a payment to someone it can go unclaimed and you can cancel if you are the recipient and the money goes back to the sender.


I've only had to do this once, quite some time ago, and I can't recall what the actual procedure was.  I'd suggest you call Paypal and ask them to walk you through it.  I understand their CS is pretty good.

Message 46 of 219
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Defect rate - from bad to worse

will call them if it ever comes up again, thanks for the info

Message 47 of 219
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Defect rate - from bad to worse

News flash from a mostly buyer, extremely casual seller, I do not give a poop (not even two poops) about your "awesome seller" rating.  ALL I care about is feedback.  This rating is more a peeing contest between you all here and you might do best to stress less and enjoy life more.  Peace.

Message 48 of 219
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Defect rate - from bad to worse

this is not a contest it is financial.  If we lose our top seller/power seller status we also lose our final fee discount, which when you pay over $600 a month in fees it is nice to get about $50.00 off.  

Message 49 of 219
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Defect rate - from bad to worse

Because you are a casual seller, the eBay rating system sellers may mean nothing to you. But for most sellers, the new defect system is important. All these sellers want is to understand the system to avoid problem with their ability to sell and thus minimize having issues. These sellers also want to point out potential flaws in the system from past experiences. eBay often reads such topics on the eBay.com USA forums for feedback on the change to tweak the system before it is implemented. (The eBay.ca forums have little or no influence because they are so small.)

 

You as a buyer may use feedback to judge a seller to buy from but the seller rating system provides you with a list of sellers to buy from who are probably better sellers than most when you search for an item. So indirectly it is important to you as a buyer how this system works.

 

Why post such a narrow view on the topic in such a rude manner? Your comment was interesting from a buyer view but no need to post in that manner.

 

 

Message 50 of 219
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Defect rate - from bad to worse

More questions.

 

More things to discuss

 

on Wednesday

Message 51 of 219
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Defect rate - from bad to worse

Ha, I didn't realize there was a discount involved, my bad.  :s  It's no surprise eBay is trying to make more money.

Message 52 of 219
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Defect rate - from bad to worse

It wasn't rude.  Maybe saucy, maybe salty.  I had a point, as a buyer I don't  care about that rating, take it or leave it but I had no idea there was a discount attached to it.  Forgive me for not being able to discern between the legitimate and illegitimate whining on an internet message board.  Sometimes it's tricky.

Message 53 of 219
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Defect rate - from bad to worse


@hocotatefreight2 wrote:

It wasn't rude.  Maybe saucy, maybe salty.  I had a point, as a buyer I don't  care about that rating, take it or leave it but I had no idea there was a discount attached to it.  Forgive me for not being able to discern between the legitimate and illegitimate whining on an internet message board.  Sometimes it's tricky.


not just a discount, but search placement and more. Losing my top rated will cost over $1000 per year, but it gets worse. If things go sideways you can get limited, suspended or kicked off ebay. Fact is, you could have 100% positive feedback and get kicked off ebay for too many defects. 

 

The problem is that ebay doesn't tell the buyer anywhere. They make it sound as if it's a great way to communicate with the seller. But it goes far beyond just constructive criticism. Ebay acts upon that with incentives, search ratings, limits, suspensions and bannings.  

 

 

Message 54 of 219
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Defect rate - from bad to worse

I had 2 cancellations - "buyer changed their mind" - I got 2 defects! Ridiculous ..  ;-(

Message 55 of 219
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Defect rate - from bad to worse

A buyer from Brazil filed an INR claim a few weeks ago. I refunded his money immediately. Then the next day he emailed me to say that he had received it that day and would like to repay me. So I sent him a new invoice and he paid me. So it all went perfectly. He was an honest buyer. But now, that claim is showing up as a defect. It's ridiculous!! How can I get rid of that defect?

Message 56 of 219
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Defect rate - from bad to worse


@gillian1023 wrote:

A buyer from Brazil filed an INR claim a few weeks ago. I refunded his money immediately. Then the next day he emailed me to say that he had received it that day and would like to repay me. So I sent him a new invoice and he paid me. So it all went perfectly. He was an honest buyer. But now, that claim is showing up as a defect. It's ridiculous!! How can I get rid of that defect?


You can't. I had 4 identical cases - buyers wanted only to know when the item will arrive. All cases were open before the scheduled arrival, all were closes a few days later. 4 defects!

Message 57 of 219
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Defect rate - from bad to worse

In the past month I have had 4 buyers who did not receive their packages.  Three opened a case immediately resulting in 3 defects.  The 4th did not open a case but I issued a full refund since it had been a month since I had shipped.  That is also counted as a defect.  Then a buyer left a neutral feedback without contacting me first.  In all of the years we have had top rated sellers I have lost that status only once, for 1 month, right at the beginning.  I am now at the 1.44% level for defects which are beyond my control.

 

My point is, that you can go rapidly from no defects to losing TRS and possibly the ability to sell on eBay when hit with a streak of bad luck....beyond your control.

 

Another interesting aspect of this is the conversation I had with my postal clerk today.  I asked him if there was a problem with shipments sent out last month, in particular Mar. 14 as 3 of those packages were shipped on that day. He whispered to me that there are a lot of disgruntled employees at CP these days and hinted that they might be holding it up somewhere on a 'work to rule' type of action.  He gave me a number to call CP to complain.  All packages were Light Packet so they won't be able to do much but if they are receiving enough complaints something may be done about it....one can only hope.  It cost me over $120.00.

 

 

Message 58 of 219
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Defect rate - from bad to worse

we've always been at the mercy of buyers.  I have many times talked to ebay about the ease that buyers can do damage to a seller's account....and their response was...if there's a lot of problems all of a sudden it means the seller isn't doing their job properly.   Sure, if I see a seller has a lot of negatives saying that they've canceled items and refunded -they probably need better inventory control but when you relist something many times it reverts to the original amount listed and not the current amount.  I ran into trouble with this in the last sale for 30 days, when I did variation listings and relist them they put back the totals that were originally there so you have to go into the variations to remove them, if a seller doesn't think to do that -down the road there will be missing items.  But when it's a matter of a buyer thinking they should have gotten 2 pillowcases, opens a case, realizes their error, closes the case AND buys the second pillowcase why should I be faulted for that transaction.  Sure feedback is being addressed more now but  with these defects we are going to be penalized regardless if it's our fault or not.  When will ebay get behind the sellers and only make us responsible for things that we can control.  If they don't have sellers there's nothing for buyers to buy.  Personally I think they want to get rid of the top seller discounts and would tick off a lot of sellers if they suddenly stopped the program, they've already penalized US sellers that don't do 90% of tracking, so now it's another onslaught.

Message 59 of 219
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Defect rate - from bad to worse


@38e_avenue wrote:

I had 2 cancellations - "buyer changed their mind" - I got 2 defects! Ridiculous ..  ;-(


Those buyer-requested cancellations shouldn't have resulted in defects -- if they have, you might want to try to get eBay to look into this.  Only transactions cancelled by the seller for the reason that "I ran out of stock" or "I sold the item to another buyer" should produce a defect. 

 

I expect, like every major shift eBay makes, their system is going to be making errors, and those errors need to be pointed out.

Message 60 of 219
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