eBay Changes Strategy on Seller Promotions

[pierrelebel]

http://www.ecommercebytes.com/cab/abn/y16/m06/i03/s03

[reallynicestamps]

So the idea is that eBay will reward successful sellers?

In a different discussion thread on eBay, some warned sellers not to expect free listing promotions any longer. Referring to the change in Store fees that went into effect in May, a seller wrote, "eBay has changed their business model beginning in May 2016 and now are emphasizing that sellers who need more than the 50 free listings should buy a store."

They said Store subscribers now have more free listings (and pay higher Store subscription fees). "So," the seller theorized, "the free listings that eBay used to give to almost all sellers are now being given to those who have a store."

As usual, these sellers do not seem to understand that if you have to rent a Store in order to sell, the listings are not 'free". Heavily discounted, yes, but each one costs you 1/250th of the monthly cost of the Store.

This is why Free Shipping works so well. It's not that customers really believe their shipping is 'free', it's that they don't bother to think and realize that the cost of shipping is included in the cost of the item.

Which is fine. I use 'Free' shipping for most of my lots.

[pjcdn2005]

In a different discussion thread on eBay, some warned sellers not to expect free listing promotions any longer. Referring to the change in Store fees that went into effect in May, a seller wrote, "eBay has changed their business model beginning in May 2016 and now are emphasizing that sellers who need more than the 50 free listings should buy a store."

They said Store subscribers now have more free listings (and pay higher Store subscription fees). "So," the seller theorized, "the free listings that eBay used to give to almost all sellers are now being given to those who have a store."

In addition, the seller added, "Griff announced in the weekly chat that so I would not hold my breath waiting. If you are in need of more than 50 but do not want to open a store, then open another selling account so that you get an additional 50 free listings each month," they advised.

The title of the article is that eBay changes strategy but Ina is quoting a poster on a discussion board that is a seller just like you and I. If someone from eBay has said that eBay has changed their business models and that "that sellers who need more than the 50 free listings should buy a store." then perhaps they should quote the ebay employee who said that. If that is just the poster's opinion then why is Ina even mentioning it?   Quoting someone other than the source gives credibility to a statement that may just be an opinion, not a fact.   

Also, if Griff did mention in his weekly chat that "the odds of seeing any additional free listings at least in the near future are slim and none" they why would she not quote Griff and show where he said it on the weekly chat. Perhaps he did say it but Ina quoting a seller who said that Griff said it is not news nor necessarily accurate.

[mr.elmwood]

I predicted this with the spring update 2015. eBay was starting to move to a user pay system. Any system, when it moves to user pay, gets a higher quality of user.  Want to keep recycling your 200 listings, that use bandwith, that never sell?

Sadly, a lot of people do think we get either free shipping available to us, or it is very cheap.

[recped]

This would the same Ina Steiner who......

- On the same day reported about a free LISTING promotion on .uk

- A few days ago acknowledged that she was not aware that fvf's were charged on shipping

Basing projections of the future based on the comments posted to other barely credible stories she has posted doesn't lead me to have much confidence in her statements.

Maybe she should ask the eBay mouthpiece (Ryan), he's always a good source of incorrect information!