@zee-chan wrote:
Is it correct to assume that this INR won't count for anything in February once the new rules hit?
According to my seller dashboard now, apparently 3 out of 28 buyers who bothered to give me feedback answered "No" to the shipped-timely question since last September. So that counts as 3 defects? My limit is 6.
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The INR as such won't constitute a defect after Feb. 20th, but as 'ricarmic' mentioned, it's very likely your buyer will answer "No" to the on-time delivery question, which will create a defect.
It isn't completely clear to me what will happen during the brief transition period (just prior to, and just after, Feb. 20th), i.e. whether a bit of a grace period will be allowed by eBay. For example, if this INR were to occur on or after Feb. 20th, then a full refund would solve the whole problem, with no defect. But would the defect you'd get from refunding now be removed after Feb. 20th? I think it would be a risk to assume so, but this is another thing I'm hoping to get clarified if the eBay.ca staff are around today.
As far as the actions by eBay are concerned once a seller goes over an allowed limit, personally I wouldn't be too blasé. The Fall Seller Update stated:
"If the only seller performance metric you are not meeting is for on-time shipping, your seller level will remain above standard. However, we may restrict the shipping options your listings can offer, including restrictions on stated handling time. Sellers with these restrictions will be notified accordingly."
Now I don't know about you, but I really wouldn't want eBay meddling in my shipping services. And what precisely "we may restrict the shipping options your listings can offer" means is anybody's guess at this point. I think I asked Raphael about this a while ago, but got a very vague and unsatisfactory answer at the time. I intend to ask again. Maybe they've actually figured out what they meant by now.
Below that caveat in the Seller Update is this somewhat more sinister warning:
"If you're not meeting the minimum performance requirements for defect rate or for cases closed without seller resolution, your seller level will be considered below standard and we may put limits on your selling activity, or lower your search placement until your performance improves. We may also restrict you from selling on eBay if your performance falls." [My emphasis]
So although sellers may be getting a bit giddy about the reduction in defect-creating scenarios after Feb. 20th, I wouldn't get too complacent. It seems that eBay has left the door open for themselves to determine what punishment will look like.
Also we should remember that performance standards for TRS, and the minimum performance requirements to continue selling on eBay will be "adjusted" (i.e. tightened). So although there may be fewer defects, each defect will be more significant than it is now. Is this a real change for the better? I don't know.
Lastly, on the subject of defect-free refunds (again, from the 2015 Fall Update):
"Although returns will not count as defects when you successfully resolve the issue with your buyer [...] eBay may alert sellers if their overall return rate is very high within their category. eBay may also provide recommendations to update your selling practices in order to help minimize returns."
Again, another carte blanche that eBay has issued itself to deal as it chooses with sellers who they deem have too many returns. How many will be too many? Who knows at this point?
I'm pointing out these aspects because I think there has been very little focus on the consequences side of the new rules. Sellers are getting very excited about the fact that certain things will no longer create defects, but it seems to me that eBay has put more discretionary control in their own hands on how and when to deal with what they determine is a problem.
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She opened the INR on day 30 of item shipped date. 
