eBay

raphael@ebay.com · ‎08-31-2016

Hello everyone,

Welcome to our weekly chat. This week, the thread will remain open until tomorrow as usual.

Note: we have another thread going for questions & comments around the 2016 Fall Seller Update. Please keep posts on that topic for that thread so that other users can benefit from the information. Thanks!

Open issues:

CA Shopping cart erroneously applying free shipping on multiple orders (under investigation)
Automotive listings losing images when changing duration to GTC
Best Offer on listings that didn't have it in the first place (need examples)
Request Total unavailable

Updates:

Errors when uploading more than one tracking number at a time (repeated, erroneous numbers saved) - Ticket has gone dormant. Will move off the list until new reports show the issue is still occurring.
Anchor Store coupon not working/only working on AU site - Issue has been identified and is being worked on between eBay and PayPal. In the meantime CS has been provided with tools to help affected sellers with a work around.
Printer friendly Order Details page missing items - Resolved - fix rolled out or to roll out soon.
Selling limits live items count discrepancy - We are investigating further.
Missing Tracked Packet destinations - still no update from PayPal and Pitney Bowes
Combined shipping offers not shown to international buyers - ticket open

If anything is missing, please let me know. Thanks!

momcqueen · ‎08-31-2016

Hey now. I fully sympathize with the plight of Basic Store subscribers whose shipping supply coupons are't good for much HOWEVER I am perfectly content for the time being with my $70 rolls of bright ebay sticky tape. My second-tier store subscriber's coupon pays for that nicely.

It's true that I already have more ebay tape than I can use, and it's true that I will only use it on tracked packages, and it's true that I might prefer some sweet boxes in a size that works for me which is about four times smaller than anyone else BUT that's just the way it is for now.

We will have to wait and see what other offerings that ebay Canada can cook up for us. Hopefully, it will be a tastier dish than the now-defunct ebay Bucks program. It's bad enough we lost the ebay Bucks but it is an outright insult our American friends did not.

You might think we'd be used to this by now.

silverpinups · ‎08-31-2016

"Seriously.

This is such an ongoing irritant, why not just drop it entirely until eBay can make a reasonable promotion out of it?"

It's quite simple, eBay can make a reasonable promotion out of it by issuing eBay Sellers coupon for general use.

Done deal, everyone's happy....

What eBay isn't going to do is open a Canadian branch for shipping supplies, it just isn't cost effective.

raphael@ebay.com · ‎09-01-2016

@esclyons wrote:

i have another 35$ supply coupon that will expire at the end of Sept. unused.. are we any closer to a Canadian supplier for products that we can actually use, at a price that is inline with our USA counterparts?? thanks

Hi escylons,

Since the last time I was asked about this, we are exactly 7 days closer to a Canadian solution for Stores coupons. 🙂

Joking aside, as eager to announce as I may be, we aren't quite there yet. Progress is being made however. Thanks for your patience.

raphael@ebay.com · ‎09-01-2016

@watermelonmemories2005 wrote:
2 Questions on the Bulk Editing Tool - If anyone is still around..
what do the Error Messages mean:
1) Shipping Service is capped on Ebay.com ( I list on .ca)
2) Invalid Value for Topic
The shipping capped one seems to be against my items with very low shipping costs ....

Hi Melanie, welcome to the weekly sessions!

Happy to help you figure this out, but it would really help me if I could get an item number or two which got you these error messages. Please share them in your reply, or if you only see this after the thread is closed, you can reach me by email at raphael@ebay.com. Thanks!

rose-dee · ‎09-01-2016

raphael@ebay.com wrote:
@femmefan1946 wrote:
We badly need clarification on the new demand for UPC codes on all listings.

Those of us who sell vintage goods are often selling products produced before UPC codes were available.
Then there are anomalies like the demand for UPC codes on sewing patterns, when the listing form (dotCA and dotCOM) will not accept the bar code on the package.

The NOT APPLICABLE option has to remain.

And if a seller decides she won't use it, well it's her decision to forego the extra viewability the code allows on Google.
Once I get word from the team who manages that, I'll update the seller update thread.

Raphael, I hope this issue gets addressed quickly, before it begins to have a serious impact on many of us. Essentially what this new requirement will do is send sellers of vintage goods down toward the bottom of the eBay pack, making our businesses less viable than those of sellers who list commercially manufactured items. Is this what eBay wants? Is this eBay's not-so-subtle way of finally getting rid of its vintage/handmade sellers?

As you probably know, I design and produce my own products (I also sell vintage items, but those are secondary). There are no UPC for my products, nor is there any point in applying for codes, since no one would be searching by them.

As 'femmefan' said, the "Not Applicable" option absolutely has to remain, otherwise eBay is creating a whole new category of second-class items.

And incidentally, that "Not Applicable" should not function as a negative (or even neutral) to reduce visibility either -- in terms of search, visibility, etc., it should have a value on a par with any proper UPC code.

raphael@ebay.com · ‎09-01-2016

@watermelonmemories2005 wrote:
Canadian Ebay Promo -50% off FVF for items sold over $50 -just ended Aug 28th -
I listed 7 items over $50 in this period - but didn't see the Counter log them against this promo on the Selling Manager Page ...Now the Counter is gone as the promo period is over ... so How do i track if these listings were indeed included in this Promo ??
Should I bring this up to Customer service Now - or wait til one sells and thus qualifies first ?
Thank you - Melanie - BC Canada

SInce this is a FVF promo, items need to sell before the discount can be applied. I checked the promo terms and as long as your listings were created during the promo period, you should get the discount on your FVF once the items sell.

raphael@ebay.com · ‎09-01-2016

@pierrelebel wrote:

Please take a look at post #19 from June 24th 2015:

http://community.ebay.ca/t5/Weekly-Chat-Session/June-24th-2015-Weekly-Board-Hour/m-p/305738#M2485

Pierre,

Thanks for showing me that I didn't know what the plan was with replacing the Omniture reports back in July 2015.

I did reach the Stores team about this yesterday evening. The plan is to wait until Seller Hub rolls out to Canada. SH includes a performance report where the traffic data shows up.

pierrelebel · ‎09-01-2016

"The plan is to wait until Seller Hub rolls out to Canada"

What about Canadian sellers with a store on eBay.com?

raphael@ebay.com · ‎09-01-2016

@pierrelebel wrote:

"The plan is to wait until Seller Hub rolls out to Canada"

What about Canadian sellers with a store on eBay.com?

Seller Hub is already available on eBay.com.

momcqueen · ‎09-01-2016

If I navigate over to ebay.com and activate the Seller Hub there with my ID does it mean it will then show on ebay,com and ebay.ca or can I still use Seller Manager on ebay.ca while trying the Hub on ebay.com?

raphael@ebay.com · ‎09-01-2016

@mjwl2006 wrote:

If I navigate over to ebay.com and activate the Seller Hub there with my ID does it mean it will then show on ebay,com and ebay.ca or can I still use Seller Manager on ebay.ca while trying the Hub on ebay.com?

Seller Hub is site-specific, if you opt-in on eBay.com it won't change anything to how eBay.ca works. You'll still be able to use Selling Manager on eBay.ca.

momcqueen · ‎09-01-2016

Good to know. Like Seller Manager then, that was site specific as well. I recall subscribing on ebay.ca and ebay.com and ebay.co.uk so I could use it all three places. Thanks. I will saunter over there and play in the ebay.com Hub then.

p.s. I'm still flipping out about the Product Catalogue and Fall Seller Update. Please don't forget that thread.

decal-fx · ‎09-01-2016

Raphael, Am I on IGNORE?

Repost:
All my items are made by me & as such no UPC exist. I sell in Motors ~ Parts & Accessories, Currently I put "Doesn't Not Apply" but according to the seller update as of 2017 that will not be an option.. What is the plan for sellers like me.

BTW Raphael did you make any headway on the migration issue I'm having?

Thnks Decal-FX
Greg

momcqueen · ‎09-01-2016

@decal-fx wrote:
Raphael, Am I on IGNORE?

Repost:
All my items are made by me & as such no UPC exist. I sell in Motors ~ Parts & Accessories, Currently I put "Doesn't Not Apply" but according to the seller update as of 2017 that will not be an option.. What is the plan for sellers like me.

BTW Raphael did you make any headway on the migration issue I'm having?

Thnks Decal-FX
Greg

If I may intercede.....

You will be allowed to create your own UPC. There will be a process to follow.

eBay will accept non-standard product identifiers. We will make selling even easier by enabling merchants to list using a wider range of product identifiers beginning February 2017, including:
- Amazon standard identification numbers (ASIN)
- Google product identifiers
- Private label product identifiers (seller-generated product identifiers)
http://pages.ebay.ca/sellerinformation/news/fallupdate16/structured-data.html#tab=faqs&faq=faq-pr-q0...
I cannot get rid of the bullet points now but I kind of do envy you being able to create your own UPC since they will be yours and no one else can mess them up.

raphael@ebay.com · ‎09-01-2016

@decal-fx wrote:

Raphael, Am I on IGNORE?

Repost:
All my items are made by me & as such no UPC exist. I sell in Motors ~ Parts & Accessories, Currently I put "Doesn't Not Apply" but according to the seller update as of 2017 that will not be an option.. What is the plan for sellers like me.

BTW Raphael did you make any headway on the migration issue I'm having?

Thnks Decal-FX
Greg

Hey Greg,

Sorry for my not acknowledging your post yesterday. You're not being ignored! I'm just waiting to get in touch with an Item Specifics teammate before addressing these questions. Thanks for your patience!

In the meantime I think Maureen found some pretty good answers in the announcement pages. See above.

momcqueen · ‎09-01-2016

(Sorry to butt-in. I can't help myself sometimes, I was that irritating kid in class who always had a hand in the air.)

raphael@ebay.com · ‎09-01-2016

This concludes our session for this week. Thanks for joining and see you next time!

rose-dee · ‎09-02-2016

@mjwl2006 wrote:
If I may intercede.....

You will be allowed to create your own UPC. There will be a process to follow.

eBay will accept non-standard product identifiers. We will make selling even easier by enabling merchants to list using a wider range of product identifiers beginning February 2017, including:
Amazon standard identification numbers (ASIN)
Google product identifiers
Private label product identifiers (seller-generated product identifiers)
[...] but I kind of do envy you being able to create your own UPC since they will be yours and no one else can mess them up.

I believe the process of getting a private UPC code is not as simple as generating any number a user desires. It involves an application process, if I recall, and the number(s) must be consistent with the existing system (including not duplicating existing codes).

There are some good reasons sellers of custom or hand-made goods may not want a UPC code attached to their items, one of which is that it gives the item the appearance of a commercially mass-produced product, as opposed to the distinction of being a custom-made, one of a kind product, or vintage/antique item.

Unless perhaps eBay is talking about some sort of "place-holder" number system, whereby a code can be generated by sellers that is not a formal UPC code, but something the eBay system will recognize as a substitute.

Raphael, if you're still there, could you clarify this?

rose-dee · ‎09-02-2016

I hasten to add that the whole point of UPC codes is the worldwide standardization of mass-produced goods.

Thinking about vintage, antique, OOAK and custom-produced goods, this would mean that each individual item might logically require its own code -- rarely are two such items identical. Which completely defeats the purpose and concept of standardization.

I would like to point out to Raphael (and eBay in general) that there are still buyers out there who want unique, non-duplicated items. They will never be searching by product codes.