eBay Math

[dipmicro]

I just noticed my discount level dropped from 15% to 5% yesterday. Interestingly it happened aprox. at the time when invoice is being calculated. Aparently, we fail to qualify to 15% in shipping time category because we have 4.79%.

This month, the 10% difference is close to $50, sucks doesn't it?

eBay qualification requires 4.8, not 4.80. My feedback page shows 4.8 in the yellow bubble over shipping time.

Until the invoice nothing indicated we would not get 15%. My perception was we would qualify. If eBay would not indicate to me for entire time that we qualify, I would be perfectly happy. My shipping DSR with 2 decimal points has been below 4.8 as long as I remember.

I suspect eBay is nickel-and-diming us finding ways to squirm nickels. If the business starts nickel-and-diming, it's usualy begining of a downfall.

Perhas Tea was right all along.

[pierrelebel]

"My feedback page shows 4.8 in the yellow bubble over shipping time."

That is based on the last twelve months.

The rebate is based on the DSRs earned in the last 30 days. .

[lina-mallows]

When eBay couldn't even get the meaning of "NEUTRAL" correct...and now you expect them to have the wherewithal to understand how to use a calculator? I am not holding my breath while waiting!

Clarity of policy, or anything else requiring precision, is not a strong point for eBay.

[dipmicro]

That is based on the last twelve months.

My 12 month shipping time is 4.79, not 4.80. As I said, I was below 4.8 like ... always. But they were showing I qualify for a rebate until the invoice.

Seems like a carrot on the stick tactic.

[lina-mallows]

dipmicro- I am still amazed that anyone reading these threads expects eBay's DSR rating to be at all accurate. Possibly, like a clock that doesn't work- the time will still be correct twice a day;' eBay may at times be correct......but, I won't hold my breath while waiting to be certain.

Liked fixed elections- maybe eBay should state clearly on what day/time the DSR discount will be calculated- and exactly what criteria is being used.

(DIRECTION- INSERT UPROARIOUS LAUGHTER HERE)

Much of the Stock Market has lost confidence in eBay.
eBay PROFITS UP = STOCK DROPS IN VALUE

So much of what eBay is doing is designed to disguise the real problems that plaque eBay as a company.

EXAMPLES: Offer discounts to sellers, by making suggestions, like offering FREE shipping, so eBay can gain end value fees- where they would be be gained otherwise. Back end load fees- by offering LOWER LISTING fees- with FREE GALLERY- but MUCH HIGHER end value fees!
Offer DISCOUNTS to sellers for good performance, then mislead buyers into believing that what is stated as good performance isn't really. Like AN ACCURATE DESCRIPTION!!!! is really a BAD thing for any seller.

eBay has been playing with THEIR numbers, and ours, for long enough to know that until you get that "DISCOUNT", nothing is absolutely certain!

[pierrelebel]

"My 12 month shipping time is 4.79, not 4.80. As I said, I was below 4.8 like ... always. But they were showing I qualify for a rebate until the invoice."

One more time (and the last time).

The 12 month DSRs are NOT relevant to your PowerSeller FVF rebate.

Only the DSRs of the last 30 days are taken into account for the rebate. That information is found in your Seller Dashboard:

You earned a 20% PowerSeller discount
A 20% discount off your Final Value Fees is applied to the invoice dated below.

Applied to invoice: 07/31/08 See invoice

See how eBay calculates your discount. .

[pierrelebel]

...then you get:

Detailed seller ratings

To qualify for this discount level, make sure your detailed seller ratings meet or exceed the required minimum levels shown here.

Detailed Seller Ratings
Your 30 day average / Discounts requirements

the chart will tell you what the four criteria are and how you compare to the minimum requirement. .

[lina-mallows]

As an aside we have the following DSR situation:
Your listings receive standard placement in search results
Your listings appear as usual in search results when sorted by Best match.
See how eBay calculates your search standing.
Detailed seller ratings
To avoid reduced visibility of your listings in search results, make sure your detailed seller ratings meet or exceed the required minimum levels shown here.
Your 30 day average/minimum for STANDARD need 4.6- we have 4.7
Your 30 day average/minimum for RAISED need 4.7 we have 4.9
need 4.7 we have 4.8, need 4.7 we have 4.7, and need 4.7 we have 4.7
These have been are numbers for quite some weeks.
HOWEVER- we still have thankfully not been RAISED in BEST MATCH.
Apparently someone is honouring our request to remain STANDARD/LOWERED!

[pierrelebel]

"HOWEVER- we still have thankfully not been RAISED in BEST MATCH."

It depends if you are looking at eBay.ca or eBay.com

NOBODY (including myself with my 5.0 and 4.9) are ever raised on .ca. DSRs are simply NOT included in Best Match calculations on .ca .

[ampurtle]

And the guy who had nothing listed or sold got a 20% discount on the 15th.....

Great system....:^O

[pierrelebel]

If he sold nothing, he got 20% of nothing! .

[cottonwoodindustries]

ebay.ca does not have raised so I was told when I asked.
And they do not expect to have in the near future.
That is why we are rated so high on .ca, you can't go any higher.

If you look at your placement, you will find that it is usually higher in .ca than .com

[lina-mallows]

We have sold thirteen items today, with the STANDARD placement.
We noticed a HUGE drop when we were RAISED on the US board.
We are most certainly the exception.

There are so many unknown factors in eBay's algorithm for BEST MATCH, any predictions as to where your items is placed becomes nothing more than a guess.

I will note that TWO of our items enjoy HUGE numbers of views- 735 & 741- while virtually ALL of our other items enjoy a couple of dozens views- AT MOST. (auction #380054286169 & # 380054286361)

I can't understand why these TWO auctions are so widely viewed.
They often don't sell- but a HUGE number of people look at them.
(NOTE- These cards are recognized as collectible, and we have sold many of them in the past- but those auctions had a normal number of views- under fifty- and sold at higher than opening bid prices.)

Does anyone else have an item that enjoys a HUGE number of views- like 500+ during a seven day listing?

If so- can something- ANYTHING useful be learned from these auctions, by those whose WIDE exposure/views makes the difference between success, and failure?

[dagr8_renaud]

Does anyone else have an item that enjoys a HUGE number of views- like 500+ during a seven day listing?

If so- can something- ANYTHING useful be learned from these auctions, by those whose WIDE exposure/views makes the difference between success, and failure?


I do , tho my listings are 10 days , I often get over 1k views with NO purchase on that specific item.. and surprisingly 95% less then 3 watchers for this same item , this item is not only the one I make most profit on but It is also my best seller , so I might not be of any help 😛 ,I guess views dont prove nothing but 1 thing for sure watchers dont either .( I often get more then 20 on similar items ) in my case allmy items are similar, maybe the listing format has something to do or maybe its purely the item itself .

[ampurtle]

Well using eBay math, 20% of nothing turned into a credit of 2 bucks ROTFL... great system, keep up the good work eBay 😄

[ampurtle]

It's not unusal for me to get 1000 views for a Nikon body, or 2500 views on a high end lens or rare item. However all my Nikon items are typically like new in box so they are more desirable that the same item without all the original packaging and paper work and tracable lineage.

On the other hand, when you are dealing in items that sell for up to $9000, you have to be extremely vigilent and keep a very close watch on who is bidding because these types of items draw the most scams and that's for buyers and sellers. You get into situations where you might be buying a 3500.oo item that was stolen because eBay is the preferred fencing operation.

Then there's all the other crap, like memory cards, of which 99.5% are counterfeit and bait and switch operations, we have it all, over in cameras. Buyers using stolen accounts is a big scam, sellers offering second chance via email is rampant on items over $1000.00 although that seems to have slowed down for the summer. And of course the outright theft scams of selling high end items and running off with the money, again a stolen unused account typically. And we also have trolls that ask a question but their emails are actually trojans to steal more accounts, so excuse me when people start whining about DSRs and rebates... you have no idea how good you have it :-x

[ampurtle]

My rule of thumb for views is ignore that number, it means nothing, I expect 5% of watchers to actually make a bid and for my camera listings it all happens in the last 5 minutes.

I don't do the 99 cent start anymore because that draws too many kids playing "bid on ebay to make someone pay more" game. When they miscalculate and win they of course don't pay and you have to relist, so I list at the price I am willing to settle for and then offer a BIN price of 10-20% more than the item typically sells for in other auctions without beig LNIB.

People who know what they need usually go for the BIN price, people who 'want' tend to play the auction game.