OPTING OUT of being a POWER SELLER

[lina-mallows]

I find it interesting that eBay, in another post writes:
Update on Federal Court Ruling involving Canada Revenue Agency
izzy@ebay.com
"The court decision relates to members who held PowerSeller status during the years of 2004 and 2005. You should know that a change in members’ PowerSeller status at this time will not alter our information disclosure requirements."

How does a seller change their POWER SELLER status at will?
Having logged in to the POWER SELLER portal- and qualifying- short of not meeting the qualifying requirements- how can any POWER SELLER simply OPT OUT of the POWER SELLER Programme?

A strange question- but I think one that must be addressed.

[cartoonsinabox]

Go into your "MY EBAY". Select "My Preference" On the left side and you can deactivate the Powerseller option.

Frederic

[pierrelebel]

"you can deactivate the Powerseller option."

However, it does not in any way eliminate or minimize your legal liability to declare the net income generated by your eBay activities for income tax purposes. .

[lina-mallows]

Being both a "bricks and mortar" store AND selling on eBay; being compliant with GST & PST regulations is not the problem. As well as also being municipally liscenced, and inspected- it's a bit difficult being on a main thoroughfare, and trying to be invisible!

On eBay we sell what are mostly very specific, highly niche market collectible items. When these items are displayed in other areas of eBay- we wast more time trying to explain that YES- people really do COLECT these items (STARBUCKS CARDS). AND, NO !!!! there is NO money on them- AND, therefore you cannot use them to get cups of coffee.
The number of people confused, and the time wasted answering e-mails very much indicates that BEST MATCH is not something we wish to participate in.

Toggling OFF the Power Seller LOGO is only one step.

OPTING OUT of some of eBay's NEWEST programmes is the bigger issue.

NOTE: As our late Uncle always said- may the taxes you pay increase year after year. At least you will know you ARE making money!

Followed by, if a millionaire loses $5 in a poker game they're still a millionaire, and you most certainly can't take it with you- so enjoy it while you can. May he rest in peace. At last call, he most certainly did not take his money with him!

[dipmicro]

How about updating your description to clarify those issues? If many buyers ask a question about an item, perhaps the answer should be in product details.

[lina-mallows]

dipmicro- Your response is EXACTLY the problem I am dealing with.
While your suggestions helpful to some, it only reinforces my argument.
The PROBLEM is NOT our listings- it's the people who DO NOT read them.

Our items primarily appear as:
Listed in category: Collectibles > Advertising > Coffee, Tea > Starbucks
THESE ARE COLLECTIBLE ITEMS- NOT INTENDED TO BE USED AS GIFT CARDS.

These items are lsited, mostly with the following product details: "Type : COLLECTIBLE GIFT CARD & HOLDER"

Regardless of the listing, or the description, the number of questions that are asked remains high. eBay's BEST MATCH, it is feared, will only exacerbate this situation.

FURTHER- ALL AUCTIONS FOR COLLECTIBLE CARDS STATE:
"THERE IS NO MONEY ON THIS CARD."

OR: "*PLEASE NOTE- THIS AUCTION IS SOLELY FOR THE GIFT CARD.
THESE CARDS DO NOT HAVE ANY MONEY ON THEM. "

OR: "This Card HAS NOT BEEN activated. There is NO MONEY ON THIS CARD."

OR: "THERE IS NO MONEY ON THESE CARDS- THEY ARE OFFERED AS COLLECTIBLE ITEMS ONLY."

So, no matter how CLEARLY spelled out no matter how many times in the description- we are still asked "HOW MUCH MANY IS ON THE CARD", "HOW MANY CUPS OF COFFEE CAN I GET WITH THIS CARD, and other such questions!

[lina-mallows]

Maybe the only way to OPT OUT of the POWER SELLER programme is be REMOVED from it!
The number of violations it takes is clearly laid out- if eBay is prepared to enforce them.

OR, I guess, theoretically, you could sell THOUSANDS, if not TENS of THOUSANDS of dollars worth of merchandise on eBay-
AND, just be a BAD/HORRIBLE/SLOPPY Seller, so you'll never be invited, and therefore never become a POWER SELLER!