Defect rate - from bad to worse

[rosscd57]

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.

[cumos55]

Took another look and found the discussion about the Seller Update on eBay.com

entitled 

A MUST READ FOR ALL EBAY SELLERS AUGUST SELLER UPDATE

http://community.ebay.com/t5/2014-Spring-Seller-Update/A-MUST-READ-FOR-ALL-EBAY-SELLERS-AUGUST-SELLE...

This discussion on eBay.com has been edited....

2938 messages...   and 6381 views  

as of May 5, 2014..... 5:00 PM CDT

There is also a concern with respect to eBay's  predicted delivery date....too tight a date... Buyer expects delivery on that date... and then opens a case one day after expected delivery date

Seller has no control on delivery date, on damaged parcels, on lost parcels... yet a case gets opened, and becomes a defect. 

There is so much going on... The moderator of that discussion  had lots of hard work.

If eBay is paying attention  some form of adjustment might be forthcoming... perhaps... maybe..... and... more

[recped]

Mr. E., I think the DSR system, as flawed as it was, was more forgiving toward sellers than this system will be.

Speaking for myself I completely agree, the few times in the past that I lost TRS would not have happened under the new rules.

I have a question for the dedicated who are still posting to this thread......what is the preview showing as your current defect rate?

I asked this on the US boards and it turned out that the most vocally opposed to the new system would still easily qualify for TRS.

[cumos55]

Personally I am not opposed to the old ... the DSR...or the new ... the defects.

I have no problem.....

I have made adjustments over the years... and it is those adjustments that have protected my standing on eBay, and will continue to do so.

However, there are others that are unhappy....  and see a difficult future

It is like stated previously... eBay is looking at the people that play the system..... and are doing better than they should be....

Also

That long discussion on eBay.com is there for eBay to view....  There are concerns that must be addressed...

Not for me.. but for others..

Our biggest problem as Canadian sellers is tracking and how easily a seller can be hit with a defect   following the principle of ask a question-open a claim

I have been protected with the use of tracking... and my one big claim of ... Item Not Received... had no tracking.

As Canadian sellers  we must speak up individually and collectively as a group....and we must understand what options are available  if something is defined as a defect  and ... should not be...

[tobyshitzu]

this low volume id is 1.76% defective with 3.  One the person said they left a low dsr by mistake, 1 is the neutral (though the buyer was interested in buying more), and one must have been a 3 for item that I don't know what transaction it would have been.  Other higher volume  ids are a lower %, but includes one from a buyer that left 4 negs/neutrals out of their first 10 fb left (for time), and an open case from a foreign buyer using a USA reshipper who has now left dozens of fb  comments about "item not received".  I can easily see losing TRS for 2%/at least 5.  I can't see ever hitting 5% though.

Of the 3 on this id, only 1 counted for punishment under the old scheme and it might have been able to be removed with the buyer saying it was a mistake.  Since I had never gotten a 1-2 for described before I figured it didn't matter

[Anonymous]

When one of US sellers asked me if I want to pay additional $1.00 for tracking number for the item to be shipped by Lettermail or First Class which I bid and won for $1.99, I am totally puzzled as to why Canada Post cannot offer tracking number for $1.00 for small air packet, or even lettermail like USPS do?

It would make sense for Canada Post to offer $1.00 for tracking number for any mail service even for lettermail or air small packet because they have tracking equipment now!  I would prefer to pay additional $1.00 for any mail service to ship my items than paying Tracket Packet or  Expedited to USA.  Note: I am a Canadian seller and use Honeybed only for community boards.

If we want insurance, we use Tracket Packet, Expedited or XpressPost.  Does it make sense?

Another thing why the heck does eBay NEEDS TO PENALIZE us with new insane policy like defect, etc?  Why are they working so hard to hurt us as sellers.  It has nothing to "make us sellers provide better service to our buyers"!!  We already have done our good jobs and we don't need eBay tell us how to run our business!!

eBay NEEDS to work harder to make it easier and fun for us sellers not opposite!!  eBay, are you listening??!!   Remember we are big girls and boys and knew what we are doing and eBay should be thankful we continue to bring revenues in millions and millions (possible billions!!) to eBay!  Come, on eBay!!

[cumos55]

If a buyer knows they made a mistake... opening a case or otherwise,,  

That buyer should say so in a message, through eBay messages, that was sent to the seller.

Seller can call eBay ... and "show" what the buyer has said in the email.

Let eBay get these calls... the more the better.....

Any communication with a buyer should always be directed through eBay messages..... and with that there is a record of  buyer's comments, good or bad.... Some buyers can be verbally difficult.

[i*m-stilll-here]

EBay continues to add sanctions and complicate things beyond belief in an attempt to bring sellers into line and maximize their profit.

Now they are making it more difficult to cancel transactions and recover fees.

I can just imagine what the math looks like that maneuver.

Millions for eBay no doubt.

Your gift to eBay.

The other part.........   re-arranging sanctions when things go wrong is just so much nonsense.

Good sellers are already performing to the highest standards and will continue to do so.

One can only do so much to maintain good ratings.

These changes just serve to stress the cream of eBay sellers and probably not much more.

In other words:  As usual the best sellers are punished by a system that can't bring the dregs into line.

As for the dregs,  they really don't care much about DSRs and defect rates.

In fact, they probably never give this stuff a second glance if they even aware of it.

Go Figure!

[recped]

Now they are making it more difficult to cancel transactions and recover fees.

How is it more difficult? The process has not changed.

[pjcdn2005]

When one of US sellers asked me if I want to pay additional $1.00 for tracking number for the item to be shipped by Lettermail or First Class which I bid and won for $1.99, I am totally puzzled as to why Canada Post cannot offer tracking number for $1.00 for small air packet, or even lettermail like USPS do?

That would have been a while ago or the seller was confused as you can't add tracking on to a USPS service anymore....there is either tracking included or not. For a small package, the least expensive way to send an item with tracking from the U.S. to Canada would be at least $6. That's still much cheaper than what we pay but Canada Post doesn't have the same customer base that USPS has.

[i*m-stilll-here]

---

@recped wrote:

Now they are making it more difficult to cancel transactions and recover fees.

How is it more difficult? The process has not changed.

---

Maybe I have it wrong, or maybe I didn't word it correctly.

I haven't spent time trying to understand the new system beyond the basics and I may never bother.  I suspect that it wouldn't be time well spent.

However, it seems to me that sellers may be more careful about cancellations from now on.

I noticed that I have a ding for a cancellation on my Dashboard and I can't even recall the transaction.

It says I ran out of stock but that has never happened.

I do know that the next time I send a request to cancel I'll think twice.

[cumos55]

On May 1... Buyer purchased and paid.....

and within a very short time  I got a call from Paypal.

Buyer had contacted Paypal  and had ask to have the transaction cancelled.

Buyer was quickly refunded, so quickly she could not believe how fast it occurred.

Transaction was also cancelled through the Resolution Centre... Buyer agreed.

Buyer left glowing positive feedback .

everything was done "By the Book", and should not be (is not) a defect!!!

[cumos55]

There will be many situations where the defect rule, has or , has not,  been applied to a transaction.

There will be errors...We already know there are errors

A "sort it out time" will be required....  both sellers and eBay will eventually understand the defect rule  all in a much better way.

[rainbow71113]

hello Cumos,

if they can cancel through paypal that fast what happens when you have mailed it already..?  I sometimes ship within an hour of a payment and I've had people add to the order when I've returned from the post office and had to tell them, first one is already gone...that's another problem with not being able to invoice a buyer- with automatic payment you don't know if they buyer is buying something else.

[cumos55]

Item was bought and paid for very quickly  and It was shipped very quickly  in the morning.

Three  hours later buyer contacts me  and is very unhappy with the fact that they found a less expensive book listed on Chapters  ...with free shipping... true free shipping.

It did not matter that Chapters was clearing old inventory...

Buyer whined through several emails..... Never asked me for a refund.....  I did point out that Chapters linked to a used book  priced ridiculously high ($85) ....  response by buyer was "different publisher",  but same book with same contents as happens frequently was my thought

Then buyer files Item Not Received.......refunded almost immediately ....  It was lettermail to PEI without tracking

And then buyer leaves negative feedback... unhappy with price, product never arrived but seller gave immediate refund... also left DSR of 3 for all ratings except Shipping and Handling.

Single transaction... several defects.... The only problem with the whole transactions  was ... NO tracking...

Unfortunate several emails were not thorough eBay...

Buyer bought, and paid, shipped quickly  and without tracking I get a defect...

I do suspect that this buyer "played" me for a free book..... Everything occurred in a calculated very definitive and orderly fashion

I suspect that the buyer knew about the Chapters copy before my copy was bought, and understood that there was no tracking with lettermail....No free book with Chapters....  purchasing from me was a free book

No tracking and I had to refund 100 % ...  did it all correctly... but got one defect...

But then eBay has missed other transactions  that should have been listed as defects....  but are not...

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That is why I say there will be an "adjustment" period.......  in relation to defining defects

That is why I say all communication should be through eBay messages.

and that is why there are questions about transactions not counted as defects... and then transactions that should not be counted as defects...

[cumos55]

I do ship without tracking.... A lot less now than before.

The only thing stopping these transactions without tracking from all becoming a claim of Item Not Received is the integrity of my buyers...

and if one extends this reality to an absolute.

Every transaction without tracking on eBay is  a "defect", mainly because of what could happen.

How many defects a seller might get with shipping without tracking depends on

What a seller sells,  and the integrity of the buyer ...of what a seller sells..

We need a low cost tracking that can be added to all shipping options that do not have tracking.

Tracked... when delivered to the postal system,  and when delivered to the buyer.

Can it be done?  Only Canada Post knows for sure.......

Or Alternately

eBay has to understand the implication  of shipping without tracking.

If we can prove it was shipped.....  The fact that an item was not received ... that transaction should not be classified as a defect if item is refunded  100 %.

and the Buyers that constantly file item Not Received in such cases should be "identified"... if not suspended  after proper notification of the fact they are being "watched"

Maybe buyers should also be given defects....  Report a Buyer....

[westernstargifts]

You made some great posts on the weekly board hour today cumos.  I wanted to post but was out of town for 2 days with no access to a computer.

I noticed that you were never given a straight answer, or any answer that I can think of, for buyers opening a case by simply attempting to ask a question.

Another question I would have liked to ask in regards to these transactions being reviewed and eBay deciding whether or not they are considered a "defect"......Are the going to review every single case where a refund is given, item not received, etc. or are we supposed to contact them each and every time we have a possibly defective transaction?  Good luck with that...if so, I hope they plan a huge increase in the number of staff they have to answer the calls.  Or even just to review each case.

[rainbow71113]

Hello Western,

from the impression I got from the rep I talked to is that we will all have to appeal each and every defect...and yes, like I said, it will get nuts!!

[rainbow71113]

wow...., question cumos, did they get the refund before the estimated delivery time had elapsed?  

I was going to say a similar thing- I have long thought that buyers who get a full refund should not be able to leave negative feedback.  When a buyer goes to an actual store and gets a full refund you don't see them standing there afterward screaming about injustice.  I think the system should be like it is now where there is a grace period, especially for sellers that have a good track record.  Now it's different if a seller has a lot of negatives for missing stock and does not refund...I've seen a lot of negatives where buyers say they paid weeks ago and just got refunded but if a seller realizes the mistake and refunds immediately that should not be penalized- I've gone into stores where they say they have stock and they can't find it-it's annoying but sometimes there are issues that you can't control.  There are many instances that can create problems for sellers- one being when you relist and it reverts to the original amount and you don't catch it before relisting.  I just caught a variation listing that I didn't realize when I relisted it I had to go into edit variations and remove the one that sold.  Things like that can easily slip by and you don't see the problem until down the road and it sells.  

By the way, they do have the option to report buyers now and I think ebay takes it seriously when a buyer repeatedly requests refunds.  

[cumos55]

The answers that I received   in the weekly session indicated that if there is a potential problem

Communicate  through eBay messages, providing an "on eBay" record..

In situations where is is a problem, Communication  is Number 1....

Once an insurance claim is made.... then I ask the buyer to wait for me to get a Canada Post response... Once Canada Post says they will pay the claim, I make a refund....

Buyer asked a question  and did not open a case.... No defect was recorded.

------------------------------------------------------------

When a buyer opened a case  of Item Not Received and there was no tracking....  refund was very quick.....  This was a defect,  but not a case case closed without a seller resolution.

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 One gets the view  that what happens when it comes to item not received for parcels without tracking   depends on

(1) What one sells

(2) The destination country.....  For  some countries  all of the buyers  appear to exude the same character... Those countries  get blocked very quickly

( If a seller mails to a country where buyers continuously get refunds because of "non delivery" ...Then  ...  Why ship to that country)

(3) The countries  that were the farthest from me were blocked very quickly....  I now only ship to a select group of countries in Europe

(4)  If an item does get shipped with tracking,  buyers do not appear to worry about the arrival of the parcel... They can "see" it coming.

Tracking is important for me based the value of the item purchased.... and the weight of that item  that only allows the uses of tracked options.

I do ship with non-tracked options... much reduced numbers from years ago....  claims of non-receipt  are   very close to zero,  and if they ask where is my parcel?  they let me know when it arrives.  

Conclusion...depends on what you sell and the integrity of the buyer.... seller reputation is also a part of the picture...

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The responses in that weekly session were reasonable..... meaning ....Be Careful .... work Step-by-step ..and things will work out.

The defect rules are there... Understand the rules and know how to work within the extent of the rules... Tread carefully...

The ask a question-open a case option appears to be a problem.... and if it is a real problem, based on what I have seen discussed on eBay.com......  then some form of adjustment will be necessary.... 

Buyers will ask questions...... not being allowed to open a case until that question has been asked  and a series of days has passed should be a workable option..   Defects awarded where appropriate and not otherwise.

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I once had a very unhappy buyer in Calgary.

Parcel was delivered to  to a community mail box..... Tracking showed that the parcel was delivered.... that is delivered to the community mail box

The set up at a community mail box is that there is a parcel box,  and the recipient  (buyer) gets a key in his "letter box"  Buyer never got the key, and never got  the parcel.

Buyer filed with Paypal.  Tracking showed delivered and Paypal closed the claim without a refund....

Buyer continued in his unhappy ways,  as I dealt with Canada Post.

Buyer left neutral feedback..... showing that he did not really understand the system...  too quick on the draw..

He got his refund  once Canada Post indicated the insurance claim would be paid.

I have learned my lesson.....  It was a relatively rare, valuable book..... Using Signature Confirmation would have prevented this, and buyer would have picked his purchase in person.... No community mail box.

Learning the advantage of using Signature Confirmation has been well learned

Community mail boxes will soon be everywhere....  We have to know ahead of time how to deal with them as a destination for 100 % of all mail.

[rainbow71113]

Hello again Cumos,

thanks for all that info, question about waiting for Canada Post, Ebay pays claims usually within 7 days, Canada Post doesn't start a claim for 45 days, are you saying that buyers are agreeing to hold off for almost 2 months with no resolution?