eBay

jt-libra · ‎08-26-2016

I just received the following e-mail:

We see that you have a great track record as a Top Rated Seller. To be eligible for Top Rated Seller benefits in the US program, sellers normally have to meet certain sales and volume goals. We also know that things come up, and because your sales history on eBay makes you one of our most valued sellers, we're going to give you some extra time - until October 20, 2016 - to meet these goals. During this grace period we'll continue to evaluate your seller performance on the 20th of every month to see whether you're once again eligible to be a Top Rated Seller. Visit your Seller Dashboard regularly to track your progress. For tips about maintaining your status go to the Top Rated Seller Resource Center. We hope this extra time helps. As always, thank you for selling on eBay.

To be honest, I'm not current on eBay's intentions with respect to Canadian sellers who do not upload tracking numbers for many or most sales. It was my understanding that we were given a pass because of the high cost of sending items with tracking to the U.S. But when I just checked my dashboard, I saw that my future designation will be "Above Standard" and not "Top Rated" on .com. This is solely because I only have 11% "Tracking Uploaded on Time and Validated". In Canada, I will continue to be Top-Rated.

Is this anything I should be concerned about? Will it affect my FVF discount or my search status? Surely there must be a lot of other Canadian sellers who find themselves in the same situation.

pierrelebel · ‎08-26-2016

I received the very same message this afternoon.

And no, I never ever use tracking.

silverpinups · ‎08-26-2016

I received a message today on eBay.com for "Top Rated Plus" status on how I can improve my listings to receive this seal.

I ship all my packages to the USA with a Tracking Number.

But receiving Top Rated Seller or Top Rated Plus status doesn't really apply to Canadian Sellers on eBay.com.

rose-dee · ‎08-26-2016

@jt-libra wrote:

To be honest, I'm not current on eBay's intentions with respect to Canadian sellers who do not upload tracking numbers for many or most sales. It was my understanding that we were given a pass because of the high cost of sending items with tracking to the U.S. But when I just checked my dashboard, I saw that my future designation will be "Above Standard" and not "Top Rated" on .com. This is solely because I only have 11% "Tracking Uploaded on Time and Validated". In Canada, I will continue to be Top-Rated.

Is this anything I should be concerned about? Will it affect my FVF discount or my search status? Surely there must be a lot of other Canadian sellers who find themselves in the same situation.

I didn't receive an email message, but suddenly this past week my Dashboard showed me downgraded to "Above Standard" for no apparent reason, despite my dollar value of sales and volume being shown as "Top Rated/Power Seller", meeting the requirements, and no defects, etc. I contacted Raphael about this and he confirmed it was a bug and returned my seller status to its proper designation.

This could be what has happened to your Dashboard. However, as long as you have your Global TRS, you'll still get the 20% discount. But I would strongly recommend contacting Raphael directly if you have concerns about the Dashboard not displaying your US TRS correctly based on your qualifying numbers.

My understanding was that only the US TRS Plus currently requires 90% tracking (along with 1-day handling and extended holiday returns). That's really only worthwhile if you want the little badge on .com (I gave up on that several months ago). Otherwise, as long as you maintain the required U.S. volume level and other usual requirements, you should retain your regular US TRS designation. I think the only advantage to having the regular US TRS (in addition to Global TRS) may be somewhat better placement on .com.

Based on Raphael's response to me, I suspect there is major programming alteration going on behind the scenes (for example, the introduction of Seller Hub across the board on .com), that could be affecting older code on .ca dashboards. I'd definitely bring your issue to Raphael's attention.

rose-dee · ‎08-26-2016

@silverpinups wrote:

But receiving Top Rated Seller or Top Rated Plus status doesn't really apply to Canadian Sellers on eBay.com.

It does apply, for those who are able to achieve it. The trouble is that the qualifications are onerous for Canadian sellers.

The benefits may provide some advantage. For example, having the regular US TRS apparently helps with placement in search results, etc. for Canadian sellers' items viewed on .com. The TRS Plus badge is a sort of "seal of approval" that is said to boost placement/visibility, and may also provide buyers with a sense of greater confidence in dealing with the seller, but in my view of questionable cost-effectiveness for a Canadian seller.

Personally, although I had the TRS Plus badge for some time before the 90% tracking stipulation was added, I felt it was no longer justifiable as merely a promotional benefit once the tracking requirement was put into effect. Later the extended holiday returns were added, and that's when I stopped caring about my TRS Plus designation and let it lapse entirely.

silverpinups · ‎08-26-2016

I see "top rated seller" on my seller dashboard on ebay.com but there is "no" seal designation on my listings on .com, so I don't know why that is.... ?

jt-libra · ‎08-26-2016

@rose-dee wrote:
I didn't receive an email message, but suddenly this past week my Dashboard showed me downgraded to "Above Standard" for no apparent reason, despite my dollar value of sales and volume being shown as "Top Rated/Power Seller", meeting the requirements, and no defects, etc. I contacted Raphael about this and he confirmed it was a bug and returned my seller status to its proper designation.

This could be what has happened to your Dashboard. However, as long as you have your Global TRS, you'll still get the 20% discount. But I would strongly recommend contacting Raphael directly if you have concerns about the Dashboard not displaying your US TRS correctly based on your qualifying numbers.

My understanding was that only the US TRS Plus currently requires 90% tracking (along with 1-day handling and extended holiday returns). That's really only worthwhile if you want the little badge on .com (I gave up on that several months ago). Otherwise, as long as you maintain the required U.S. volume level and other usual requirements, you should retain your regular US TRS designation. I think the only advantage to having the regular US TRS (in addition to Global TRS) may be somewhat better placement on .com.

Based on Raphael's response to me, I suspect there is major programming alteration going on behind the scenes (for example, the introduction of Seller Hub across the board on .com), that could be affecting older code on .ca dashboards. I'd definitely bring your issue to Raphael's attention.

I do still have my Global TRS and even though I have met what I believe is the criteria for TRS in the U.S., the message on my dashboard includes this statement:

To be a Top Rated Seller, 90% of your transactions must have tracking uploaded within your stated handling time, in addition to receiving a carrier scan.

Top Rated Sellers in Canada don't have to meet this requirement.

I don't know whether that means if you are a Canadian, you don't need to meet the tracking requirement in Canada to become a TRS, or whether that exempts you in the U.S. as well. I always believed it was the latter.

Maybe I'll raise this at the next Wednesday chat session.

ypdc_dennis · ‎08-26-2016

@jt-libra wrote:
...
Is this anything I should be concerned about? Will it affect my FVF discount or my search status? Surely there must be a lot of other Canadian sellers who find themselves in the same situation.

As I understand it:

FVF discount, no effect since it is your Canadian eBay Top Rated status that counts for all your listings.

Search on eBay.com will get downgraded a bit since you won't be Top Rated Plus.

-..-

carter-dress*casual · ‎08-26-2016

jt-libra · ‎08-26-2016

@ypdc_dennis wrote:
@jt-libra wrote:
...
Is this anything I should be concerned about? Will it affect my FVF discount or my search status? Surely there must be a lot of other Canadian sellers who find themselves in the same situation.
As I understand it:

FVF discount, no effect since it is your Canadian eBay Top Rated status that counts for all your listings.

That's good to know.

Search on eBay.com will get downgraded a bit since you won't be Top Rated Plus.

Not only will I not be Top Rated Plus, I won't even be Top Rated -- just Above Standard. Again, I thought that uploading tracking on .com was not a requirement for Canadian sellers. I'll have to check with Raphael on Wednesday.

Soon most of my listings will be on .com. I don't want my search standing to drop six feet under.

ypdc_dennis · ‎08-26-2016

@jt-libra wrote:
Soon most of my listings will be on .com. I don't want my search standing to drop six feet under.

No lower than they already are, doesn't matter if you are listing on .ca or .com for eBay.com search

Top Rated PLUS is not the same as Top Rated -- to get the PLUS (and better search results) you have to meet the requirements for Top Rated plus also have (1) same or one day shipping and (2) a 30 day money back return policy.

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/top-rated.html

-..-

femmefan1946 · ‎08-26-2016

I'm dysnumeric and have a lot of trouble with arithmetic, but are we worrying about a 2% discount on FVF?

If tracking keeps that 2% but costs more than 2%, why should we worry about it?

Like pierre, I sell in a very safe category and am able to use Letter/Light Packet which cannot be tracked* for almost all my shipping.

The 'safe category' is very important here.

But a book I could ship Lettermail for $5.05 would cost $13.32 to ship Regular Parcel (BC to ON)

To the USA the $11.75 rate would jump to $17.00 to ship Tracked Parcel (BC to OH)

*Okay, Registered Mail. At $9.50 domestically... not really an option.

Nuthin... into nuthin.... carry the nuthin... -- Jayne Cobb.

jt-libra · ‎08-26-2016

@ypdc_dennis wrote:

Top Rated PLUS is not the same as Top Rated -- to get the PLUS (and better search results) you have to meet the requirements for Top Rated plus also have (1) same or one day shipping and (2) a 30 day money back return policy.
_____________________________

I'm aware that they're two different rankings. I never was a Top Rated Plus but was Top Rated on .com until today when I was advised that I no longer met the criteria. I do have 1-day shipping and a 30 day money-back return policy but I've dropped down to Above Standard for one reason only -- I don't upload tracking. That's the issue I want to raise with Raphael because I did not see any announcement from eBay that Canadians were no longer exempt from that requirement.

jt-libra · ‎08-26-2016

@femmefan1946 wrote:
I'm dysnumeric and have a lot of trouble with arithmetic, but are we worrying about a 2% discount on FVF?

If tracking keeps that 2% but costs more than 2%, why should we worry about it?

_______________________

I didn't realize that tracking only allowed for an additional 2% discount. I had wondered if the 20% discount I now get would drop to 10 or 5 if I lost TSR. Evidently not.

My primary issue and the reason for my initial post was the question of whether or not Canadians now are required to upload tracking to retain TRS on .com. It's getting late and maybe I'm no longer speaking English ..... but I repeat ..... I'll ask Raphael on Wednesday 🙂

fashionoutletdeal · ‎08-27-2016

I meet all their standards and still im bronze level.Plus my Dashboard has 0.11% defect even tho i proved that customer flipped me .I sent email to Raphael well i never heard back.I have only one transaction without tracking for more than an year. Didnt have time lately to make more researches but it has something to do that we are on .ca

pjcdn2005 · ‎08-27-2016

Canadians do not need to meet the uploaded tracking requirements to be a trs in the US....that hasn't changed.

The letter that you received specifies sales and volume requirements " To be eligible for Top Rated Seller benefits in the US program, sellers normally have to meet certain sales and volume goals." It sounds like you may be below the minimum required. (100 transactions and $1000 in sales to US buyers) Your US dashboard should show the number and dollar value of US transactions that you've had in the last 12 months. You can click on the arrow in tha area for the requirements.

As others have said losing trs un the US won't affect your discount. Personally, I don't think thst if affects search very much either.

pjcdn2005 · ‎08-27-2016

@fashionoutletdeal wrote:
I meet all their standards and still im bronze level.Plus my Dashboard has 0.11% defect even tho i proved that customer flipped me .I sent email to Raphael well i never heard back.I have only one transaction without tracking for more than an year. Didnt have time lately to make more researches but it has something to do that we are on .ca

The only difference between being a bronze, silver, sold etc power seller has to do with your sales volume. In order to reach silver you need $36000 in sales or 3600 transactions in the last 12 months. There are no extra advantages to being silver rather than bronze.

fashionoutletdeal · ‎08-27-2016

thats not true .I always ship tracked and showed me that i have 6 no tracking shipments which isnt true i had only one for one year.

fashionoutletdeal · ‎08-27-2016

i have them.I met all their requirements .

jt-libra · ‎08-27-2016

@pjcdn2005 wrote:
Canadians do not need to meet the uploaded tracking requirements to be a trs in the US....that hasn't changed.
The letter that you received specifies sales and volume requirements " To be eligible for Top Rated Seller benefits in the US program, sellers normally have to meet certain sales and volume goals." It sounds like you may be below the minimum required. (100 transactions and $1000 in sales to US buyers) Your US dashboard should show the number and dollar value of US transactions that you've had in the last 12 months. You can click on the arrow in tha area for the requirements.

As others have said losing trs un the US won't affect your discount. Personally, I don't think thst if affects search very much either.

Yes, I've met all the requirements, including the sales volume required, but since most sellers have stated that this won't affect my discount or significantly affect my search, then I won't worry about it. Maybe it will correct itself by the next evaluation period.

Thanks.