What exactly does eBay mean by "Refurbished" ?
I have got several messages from eBay about changes to refurbished items, just not sure what they are. I often sell craft books that have been used, is that the same thing?
15 comments
I have got several messages from eBay about changes to refurbished items, just not sure what they are. I often sell craft books that have been used, is that the same thing?
mcrlmn
·3 years agoTook all of a few seconds to Google refurbished...
https://www.google.com/search?q=refurbished+meaning&ei=Gu9yZNGwKtaK0PEPurWi2AM&oq=Refurbished
needsmorerobots
·3 years agoI don't restore anything I sell. All my items are used.
byto253
·3 years agoYup, it is a general email to all. I don't mind the move either, in the vintage audio stuff to many folks clean a unit, squirt some de-oxit cleaner into the controls and label it refurbished. It was a badly abused category.
lotzofuniquegoodies
·3 years ago@byto253
I did have a number of items listed I personally refurbished until I updated mine. They were electrical type items used in the oil and gas industry. I cleaned and made to look like almost new. I was linked in to sign up for the "Certified Refurbished" program but when I attempted to join(only out of curiousity), was advised I did not qualify because I was not considered a business seller. Listing example attached.
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/402890802898
For many sellers, refurbished was a valid distinction for the types of items they sold. As for sending them off to some random 3rd party that would not be a realistic value added service. A quick search of ebay ca brings up 1.9 M listings under the term refurbished. Strangely, 160,000 on dot com. A quick review of the listings confirms many sellers were using the term inappropriately. As I mentioned previously the only way to find refurbished amongst ones listings is by searching and updating 1 at a time.
-Lotz
byto253
·3 years agoIn the case of the vintage audio, the gear is 35+ years old, and refurbished would require changing the capacitors, setting bias and outputs to factory specs, making sure all the circuits are up to snuff. I can see for some categories that what you described would be ok but for old electronics there was a lot of abuse.
That still leaves the large problem of sellers being able to reasonably update listings from the change.
lotzofuniquegoodies
·3 years ago@byto253
Over the last little while I've noticed that condition options vary between the 2 sites and category to category. In theory refurbished as a condition is and was being abused by some sellers. The old painting all sellers with the same brush situation. To have it taken away for the sellers who were using it properly does not seem a fair way to go. Just like eBay moving items from 1 category to another (or removing categories completely) just for the sake of condensing the available options. This is just going to make the process for sellers more difficult to list accurately and buyers to find what they are really looking for. It definitely won't improve the eBay experience. (Try to create a bundle listing. Not a fun process.)
-Lotz
marnotom!
·3 years agoNo, it’s not the same thing. A “refurbished” item is one that’s been restored to “like new” condition, something that’s pretty much impossible to do with books.
lotzofuniquegoodies
·3 years agoI've gotten the reminder 3 or 4 times to date. This is the nuts and bolts of it all.
Giving sellers a tool to locate any listings would have been most helpful. When I spoke to facebook help they agreed but nothing was ever done.
-Lotz
lotzofuniquegoodies
·3 years ago@triber
After a bunch of testing I am under the impression this was a generic email sent to everyone. Unfortunately there is no actual tool provided by eBay to search out these listings other than going to all your listings and using the keyword REFURBISHED. Then you slowly remove that term from anywhere in the listing. In my case I had 60 listings.
As for part 2 of that email if you used Variations to create any of your listings you are no longer allowed to use Condition as 1 of titles. They must be listed individually.
Last part of this is when June 2nd rolls along, if you have listings that are covered still live eBay will end them. Have been unable to get a confirmation as to whether they will end up in your ended listings or poof off the map entirely.
@devon@ebay
Can you confirm how this will happen June 2nd please. This is similar to when eBay moves a listing from 1 category to another. The seller knows listings have been moved. There is just no way for a seller to know which ones were moved and how much damage was done to them.
-Lotz
There was never any follow up to this discussion for answers. I believe there was another similar discussion started on the topic other than the 1 below but unable to locate.
https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/Modifications-to-Variation-Seller-Refurbished-vs-eBay/td-p/489922
devon@ebay
Hi @lotzofuniquegoodies! It looks like there was a solution marked on this thread and I wanted to see if you were still needing help on this?
lotzofuniquegoodies
·3 years ago@devon@ebay
The last question 1 is the most critical. Answers to these questions have been asked by others but have yet to be answered. Because this is about to happen an answers are urgent.
-Lotz
devon@ebay
Hi @lotzofuniquegoodies! I have a report on this sent to a few different teams so once I hear back I will be sure to share what they said.
devon@ebay
@lotzofuniquegoodies Here is a copy of the email that was sent out to sellers in regards to Refurbished Listings. Also I will share some other important links down below:
More information on the definition of Refurb can be found here: https://pages.ebay.ca/refurbishedprogramhub/ & https://www.ebay.ca/sellercentre/ebay-for-business/ebay-refurbished-program
The item conditions for various categories can be found here: https://www.ebay.ca/help/selling/listings/creating-managing-listings/item-conditions-category?id=4765
Copy of the email sent out:
Hi
eBay’s goal is to be the go-to destination for refurbished goods for both sellers and buyers – and we’ve recently made significant progress with the launch of eBay Refurbished.
To continue the momentum, we’re making exciting updates to the eBay Refurbished program by expanding into additional categories. As a result, you’ll need to update your current eBay listings as described below.
Seller Refurbished listings to be moved to Used
To assure consistent seller standards and item quality, the Seller Refurbished item condition will be removed in select categories after June 5, 2023.
To ensure a smooth transition on June 5, we encourage you:
•
not to create any new listings in the impacted categories with the Seller Refurbished condition;
•
move current Seller Refurbished condition listings in the impacted categories to the Used condition no later than June 2, 2023.
After this date, any Seller Refurbished condition listings in the impacted categories will be moved to the Used condition and any listings that contain errors, (for example, if required item specifics are not included) will be ended.
Multi-SKU variant options will be removed
To reduce buyer confusion and create a more consistent shopping experience across Item Conditions, condition-and grade-related variants (e.g., “very good,” “good,” “Grade A,” “Grade B”) as custom multi-SKU variant options will be removed in the listing experience. This change will occur on June 5, 2023 and it will be permanent.
Additional steps for Multi-SKU:
•
remove conditions and grades as variants in your listings in the impacted categories starting today, and update your item descriptions to accurately describe the product condition;
•
create new listings for each variation by June 5, 2023 for any listings with condition or grade-related Multi-SKU variants within these categories.
After this date any listings still containing condition or grade-related Multi-SKU variants in the impacted categories will be ended.
If you use a third-party tool to manage your listings on eBay, we recommend you work with your third-party partner to update your existing listings or to create new ones before the dates above based on the impacted category. If you use eBay listing tools, we recommend the following approach:
1.
Create a new listing for each condition variation (Grade A, Grade B, etc.) in the Used item condition.
2.
Identify the condition variation in your listing title and item description. Examples of a strong title:
“Dell Desktop 16GB RAM 512GB SSD 3.3GHZ Intel QuadCore Integrated Graphics Windows 10 Grade A”.
Pro tip: Use Promoted Listings for your newly created listings in search
Learn more about eligible categories and minimum requirements for the upcoming eBay Refurbished expansion. Apply to qualify.
As always, thank you for selling on eBay.
The eBay Selling Team
lotzofuniquegoodies
·3 years ago@devon@ebay
Re:
After this date, any Seller Refurbished condition listings in the impacted categories will be moved to the Used condition and any listings that contain errors, (for example, if required item specifics are not included) will be ended.
When they are ended will they show in a sellers ended folder and will they include an error message stating the reason for being ended? The other concern would be for sellers that had a large quantity, would they be compensated for having a listed ended early not of their own doing? Each GTC listings is technically 1 month. When a seller ends a listing it is at their own descretion. This is being done entirely by eBay without a tool to locate any applicable(guilty in eBay's judgement) listings.
-Lotz
lotzofuniquegoodies
·3 years agoDid anyone spot any discrepancies approx. June 5 when the changes were passed through connected to this system update? Like a sudden drop to your current running listings? Did you have listings (by eBay) mysteriously suddenly show up in your ended folder?
-Lotz