Got charged for the recent 800000 free auction listing promo

[zee-chan-jpn-books]

I was reading the fine-prints and it clearly said...

http://pages.ebay.ca/promo/2013/07_14.html

Invited sellers (“sellers”) who list in the auction-style or auction-style with Buy It Now format pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth herein will pay no Insertion Fee per item listed (“Promotion”) for up to 800,000 listings during the Promotion period as defined below. 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10-day listing durations are included as part of this Promotion.

I listed one listing with 10 days and got charged the 40 cents "listing upgrade" fee =\ 

Anyone had this problem? Or did I misread something??

The resting of my auction listings were 5 days I didn't get charged anything for those.

[pierrelebel]

Unfortunately, the extra $0.40 charge appears to be correct in this case.

One has to read ALL the terms and conditions.

Basically, eBay is stating that the insertion fees (and insertion fees ONLY) for auction style listings (duration 1, 3, 5, 7 or 10 days) are FREE

eBay is also stating that Additional optional feature fees apply.

Checking the link for "optional feature" you will find the $0.40 charge for 10 day duration for auction listings.

This is similar to the promotion of May 23/27 when eBay stated specifically "10-day auction-style listings will not be charged an Insertion Fee, but will continue to be subject to the listing upgrade fee."

http://announcements.ebay.com/2013/05/all-sellers-list-for-free-up-to-1000-listings-auction-style-or... 

I wish eBay had been as specific this time.

[pierrelebel]

I suggest you contact Customer Support and ask for a refund of the $0.40 charge.  The problem was caused by their lack of clarity in the wording of the promotion.  They do not want a fight over $0.40 and I expect you will be credited.

[inuk_the_polar_bear]

Pierre, I had to read your answer twice before I understood it. The insertion is free but the ten day upgrade costs. At first, I read it the way Zee read it. After a decade plus, I still go "What do they mean? Why isn't this working?".

[pierrelebel]

zee-chan - If you have some time to spare and want some "fun", I suggest you call eBay's Customer Service five times.  You will most likely get five different answers

1) "So sorry.  You are not eligible to the promotion"

2) "So sorry.  The promotion does not apply to Canada"

3) "So sorry. You are using a User ID not invited to the promotion."

4) "So sorry. We are right and you are wrong."

5)"So sorry. You are correct. It must be a technical glitch.  Your account will be credited."

With a bit of luck, you may even get something different!

The odds of getting a comprehensive and accurate answer are minuscule.  Not once will you hear "Sorry.  Our mistake. Our wording was unclear".

[tobyshitzu]

If you get the "we cannot credit for optional features at all" that they use now, tell them you'll close  your account..  They'll chack with someone and all of the sudden be able to credit the fees in question

[rykkm]

Gee, Pierre, that almost sounds like what my wife got 8-9 years ago with Immigration Canada. They seemed to have different answers every time we called. Of course, there was also the additional amusement of someone with a thick, southern U.S. accent trying to understand someone with a thick French-Canadian accent on several occasions. 

I think thats why these help boards are so valuable. If it were only up to Ebay's CSR people to answer questions correctly, it would have closed a long time ago.

Rick

[kashka]

Here is the thread in regard to this on Seller Central on .com.

http://community.ebay.com/t5/Seller-Central/CAUTION-Do-not-list-for-10-days-under-new-promotion-ebay...

[kalvin@ebay.com]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. Special thanks to pocomocomputing for dropping me an email to alert me, can always count on you!

We're working with the US team to see how we can remedy the situation - stay tuned.

[pierrelebel]

"Special thanks to pocomocomputing for dropping me an email to alert me"

Yes, it is a good thing poco dropped you a note to make you aware of the problem.  We are all thankful to poco for that.

The real question however is why do these problems accur?

Why was the language of this promotion not more precise (about the fee for 10 day duration) as had been done in previous promotions?

Why is there not someone at eBay.ca who could spend a few minutes every morning checking titles of the new threads to highlight problems to bring to the attention of management?

Why should users have to do it twice (through posting on the board and again by email)?

[zee-chan-jpn-books]

So kaivin, if you are aware, does it mean I'll eventually get 40 cents back?

[zee-chan-jpn-books]

- If you have some time to spare and want some "fun", I suggest you call eBay's Customer Service five times. You will most likely get five different answers

I think my time'd be better spent watching paint dry... Yes, it's a matter of principle, but I'm too burnt out from my full time job to waste 30 minutes on a phone call for 40 cents that I may or may not get.

The previous promo at least was quite clear and gave you a heads up about how "10-day Auction-style listings will not be charged an insertion fee, but will continue to be subject to the listing upgrade fee", why can't they just use the same wordings this time? Or is it truly a ploy to steal these extra 40 cents from us? I'm just glad that it was only one listing that I clicked 10 days, not ten.

- Pierre, I had to read your answer twice before I understood it. The insertion is free but the ten day upgrade costs. At first, I read it the way Zee read it. After a decade plus, I still go "What do they mean? Why isn't this working?".

Glad to know that I'm not the only one who "misread" these terms.

- If you get the "we cannot credit for optional features at all" that they use now, tell them you'll close your account.. They'll chack with someone and all of the sudden be able to credit the fees in question

XD Meh. I'll just believe in karma and that whoever came up with this poor wordings would fall for a similar trap later.

[kalvin@ebay.com]

---

@zee-chan-jpn-books wrote:

So kaivin, if you are aware, does it mean I'll eventually get 40 cents back?

---

Hi zee-chan,

Yes, once the promotion is over, credits will be issued for the 10 day duration listing upgrade fee. No action is required on the sellers' part.

Thanks,

[pierrelebel]

Good morning Kalvin.

Just to confirm so there is no misunderstanding.

Are you saying invited sellers can use the 10 day duration and the $0.40 fee will be refunded at the end of the promotion?

In other words, since I have been invited to that promotion, if I were to list today or tomorrow using auction style with ten day duration, I should ignore the wording of the promotion and eBay will refund the $0.40 fee for each listing.

Sound almost too good to be true.

[pierrelebel]

"credits will be issued for the 10 day duration listing upgrade fee. No action is required on the sellers' part"

???

Now, I am very confused.

The promotion page http://pages.ebay.com/promo/14072013_ZIF_auction800K/  now clearly states :

Please note: 10-day auction-style listings will not be charged an insertion fee, but will continue to be subject to the listing upgrade fee.

[pierrelebel]

Not having received any reply from eBay staff confirming invited sellers are entitled to free listing with ten day duration, I will pass and not bother to list.

What is the point if eBay can't tell us what the fees really are?  All we see are contradictions about the policy.

[inuk_the_polar_bear]

Pierre, many years back, when eBay had a Vancouver office and a Toronto office, something happened. I forget what. I received polar opposite answer from Toronto and Vancouver. I got pushed off to Motors in San Jose who pushed me to core who pushed me back to Canada.

It was a simple "You said you would do "A" and you did "B". Fix it for me." It went on for a week. No-one in charge. No-one knew what to do.

[pierrelebel]

"No-one in charge. No-one knew what to do."

Same old, same old.

[bb_cool_stuff]

Sounds like my RHA.

[maggiebvintage2010]

I haven't received the promised credits.  When will they appear on my account?