E-Bay is Wrecking My Top-Rated Seller Status

[4991jack]

I don't consider myself to be a nut, a conspiracy theorist or an eBay hater. 

eBay has been good to me and I don't mind admitting it. I have always looked at ebay like this: their game, their rules, and you can either play on that basis or not. I have chosen to play and, on balance, it has been terrific. But it is disheartening when the rules change to the point where you come to believe you have no chance of succeeding.

Their new late shipping defect policy is just wrecking my Top Rated Seller status. Their estimated delivery times to the US are too short for most economy mail to reach US destinations. Between Canada Post, USPS and customs, much of my economy lettermail (Canada-USA lettermail) is doomed before I even put it in the slot.

I always mail the next business day after the completion of a purchase. But I already have five defects for 'late' shipping from US customers and my TRS status is teetering on the brink. If I was doing something wrong or just being plain lazy and taking too long to mail items, I could understand. But when you do everything right and still can't meet the (unreasonable) standards, it's total frustration. There have been instances where I could have mailed two or more days before a sale occurred and still have gotten a late shipping defect.

I have called ebay to discuss this and made no headway. Their advice is to upload trackable shipping. That's a great idea, but nearly all my sales are in the the $4-$10 range and no American in his right mind is going to pay Canada Post's trackable shipping rates of $15-21 or more for a $4-$10 item. I am stuck, mostly, in economy mail purgatory.

So I have lengthened my handling time to three days (and still mail the next day) to give myself some room. I put an enclousure in with each US shipping advising my buyers that I shipped the next business day and ask them to PLEASE not hold me accountable for post office or customs delays. But the hits still keep coming - my fifth arrived today along glowing five star feedback from a happy buyer.

I was told by an ebay supervisor that the policy MIGHT change in months in the future if enough sellers voice their displeasure. I think that is faint hope, but I guess you never know.

Is anyone else experiencing this?

[xeposter]

You say that the new dashboard is ruining your Top Rated stats? Right after it changed, I because a Top Rated seller after over a year of not being one!

Honestly, I don't think the Top Rated status changes much, all you get is a little badge and 20% off your fees. 20% is nothing! ( or at least for me it's not). I only saved $5.00 USD last time I was Top Rated. Of course, the little badge is pretty cool, and buyers can trust sellers with it, but I don't think it really matters. In the end, is a buyer going to buy from you if you are not Top Rated? I am sure. I don't see a big difference in sales if I am Top Rated or not.

Alex

[4991jack]

The 20% adds up to a fair amount for me, so it is a concern. Of greater concern is non-Top Rated Sellers have their items downgraded further down the page on item searches. So that is also a problem as well.

[recped]

If you use Standard Int'l Shipping instead of Canada Post USA Letter-post the US delivery window will be extended by 2 - 4 business days.

I looked at one of your listings which showed 1 day handling, then the others I looked at had 3 days. Make them all 3 days and/or extend that to more than 3.

[pocomocomputing]

I also noticed that your greeting cards have shipping for Canada and contact seller for shipping costs Australia, Germany, United States and so on. Not having a shipping cost makes those listings not visible outside of canada in search.

The estimated delivery times was discussed in detail in these forum in Jan and Feb this year. You might want to find those topics and read them.

[block36]

By recommendations from other sellers I have changed all LETTER SHPIING to LIGHT PACKET to USA and to the world.

But I did not change the cost of shipping! Just gave it a different "name" and the system likes it more.

Such a change provides longer durations for delivery and therefore recipients will answer questions related to the delivery in your favor.

Seems it is better for me now... for USA and for international

You can do it probably in bulk.

What is interesting is that when you audit your listings in bulk and press to revise the DOMESTIC SHIPPING the first applicable option there is Economy Shipping (1 to 15 days) and I assign this option on all my letter type shipping to Canada.

Hope it will work for you.

Good luck!

[momcqueen]

I think you need to raise this at the next Board Hour on Wednesday. It's the weekly chat with ebay Canada staff persons. 1 pm EST.