eBay

ricarmic · ‎09-04-2019

https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Announcements/2019-Fall-Seller-Update/ba-p/426815

So far in a quick read I don't see anything "bad" for me, some possible "good" things in terms of promoted listings and how they handle things like policy violations etc....

unique-attic-treasures · ‎09-05-2019

Ever wonder if they are going to let us give a buyer negative feedback to warn other sellers

ricarmic · ‎09-05-2019

Unfortunately feedback is open to abuse by either side.

If sellers can leave a negative, buyers will be less likely to leave non-positive because of fear of retribution (ie a negative back) from the seller.

My own opinion is that the evaluations can't be correctly completed until after the sale is totally finished, ie the item is in the buyers hands and they've had time to decide if they are happy with the item/transaction. At that time both the buyer and seller know if the transaction was successful. Unfortunately that is open to more than just the sellers performance because the carrier's actions also impact the buyer's "happiness".

Unfortunately the "who goes first" feedback problem always persists and the rare abusers of the system ruin it for everyone else.

I saw somewhere in these threads at some time, someone pointed out that simply providing the count of completed transactions was enough to identify a successful seller, ie words aren't required.

The short version of all of this is that there probably isn't a "proper" feedback answer, whatever is in place will have its shortcomings from someone's perspective...

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎09-05-2019

"Unfortunately that is open to more than just the sellers performance because the carrier's actions also impact the buyer's "happiness"."

Very true. One of the most used reasons for leaving a Neg or Neutral is slow delivery. When a seller offers slower services it's because it's a low valued item. Same reason a buyer chooses that service. Then if it takes a long time to arrive, the first thing they do is leave the poor feedback. The seller has no control of how long it will take to arrive. Entirely in the control of the postal service/s. Unless its accurately decribed in the feedback, it's a very poor description of what actually happened and throws off all the math. And then it can carry on to the TSR which can directly eventually affect a seller's standing. It's like blaming the weatherperson for lousy weather.

-Lotz

unique-attic-treasures · ‎09-05-2019

OK I understand that but I think there is a case for it.

Another possibility would be to allow a seller more than 80 characters to defend themselves from a neutral or negative feedback thus allowing the explanation for the transaction and that would allow a future customer to decide weather the negative or neutral feedback was justified.

If a seller is professional in there response it will add to there credibility of there explanation...if they go off on a rant about the customer who left the negative/neutral feedback then it makes them look unprofessional and thus discourages a future customer

avionsunantiques · ‎09-05-2019

Continuation of eBay's encouragement of resellers to misuse of the return system.

No matter which return option you use - from No Returns "Final Sale", to 60 day returns.

Resellers, can buy your item, then try to resell it. If unsuccessful they just have to claim the item was not as described - any reason will do. Including obviously false reasons - like saying a car is not a chain saw (listed and sold as a car). Ebay will then automatically require you to refund the buyer for all their costs - ie item cost, original shipping cost to them, and the cost of sending it back. The most this cost me so far for a single item this year, was a bit over $400.

If you don't agree with ebay's requirement, then ebay will take the money from you, and let the buyer keep the item. Ebay will also keep the sales fee (even thought he sale was reversed by ebay). This is called extortion.

This is NOT A RETAIL RETURN STANDARD, anywhere other than ebay.

This is a CRIMINAL RETURN STANDARD.

It means you can list items with meticulous accuracy, and sell with 100% good faith, and it will still cost you serous money just to get back to where you werebefore you started. Ebay beneifits. The post office benefits. The buyer benifits. The seller is defrauded.

femmefan1946 · ‎09-05-2019

If there is a Real problem- fake item, non-delivery, poor quality, wrong item sent-- the buyer has the Resolution Centre to correct it. And punish the erring seller.

If that fairly short dispute period times out, the buyer has the Paypal 180 day dispute period.

And then there is the chargeback program of the credit card backing the PP account.

The seller has the Unpaid Item Dispute. In addition, the seller has the Blocked Bidder List plus the optional automatic Block on deadbeats.

Because no one reads feedback except your future buyers. And they are reading your responses as well as the complaints.

I personally think the Dispute system plus a count of successful transactions would be sufficient in the 21st century.

When I look at my customer lists, one noticeable change from the 20th century email addresses is that most use some version of the customer's actual name. We are more comfortable online today and silly email addys are obsolete. So is feedback. When was the last time you left feedback for a purchase from Pennington's or Lee Valley Tools?

pjcdn2005 · ‎09-05-2019

@unique-attic-treasures wrote:
Ever wonder if they are going to let us give a buyer negative feedback to warn other sellers.

No I never wonder about this as it isn’t going to happen. There are few if any other sites that rate the buyers and when eBay allowed that to happen, buyers were afraid to leave bad feedback even if it was deserved because some sellers would retaliate.

The majority of your listings are buy it now so the item has been bought before you ever see the buyers feedback. It’s unlikely that negative feedback from other sellers would benefit you after your item has been purchased.

pjcdn2005 · ‎09-05-2019

“One of the most used reasons for leaving a Neg or Neutral is slow delivery. When a seller offers slower services it's because it's a low valued item. Same reason a buyer chooses that service. Then if it takes a long time to arrive, the first thing they do is leave the poor feedback”

How do you know that is the most common reason? The one that I see the most is that the item was not as described.

hlmacdon · ‎09-05-2019

Nothing's really changed, the pendulum just swings back and forth between trying to solve buyer growth and seller attrition. The US changes are a bit more revealing of where things are heading. The stick has been put away and out comes the carrot for ebay to now admit it has a horrendous problem with abusive buyers. I don't feel like it has taken meaningful steps to address it as a platform-wide issue.

Nothing is going to change till all sellers are gated and the platform branches to cater to business sellers and private sellers separately. That we still have to talk about feedback these days is symptomatic of the problem. At some point all the metrics and false promises to dupe consumers into using your platform need to get thrown out the cart and focus be put on actually selling the one thing that matters...the product. How long are we into this category rebuild and we can't even get meaningful and relevant product attributes across many categories. Utah is talking in years to get this implemented...I mean jeez.

The one silly change is in the promoted and organic listings. I mean did any product manager actually sit down and figure out the way they code promoted listings ends up in the sponsored listing getting blocked by a popular ad blocking browser add on? Hiding the organic one because you want to default as a paid version is a great way to ensure that both parties now lose out, I mean the install base is only on the order of 10 million people. Boggles the mind and shows how out of touch they are with younger customers...

No other bad news is good news I reckon. Dodging sticks can get a bit tiresome.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎09-05-2019

Sorry...Most used reasons I see day to day. It has become a world where everyone wants things yesterday.

-Lotz

momcqueen · ‎09-06-2019

Well, Toys and Hobbies will be impacted by Category changes which gives me hives because earlier efforts to 'streamline the buyer experience' were a hot mess at best for me and mine. Unfortunately, when I look for more information on it by clicking the link offered, I get only:

Which is cute but not helpful. Are there any mods around these days, or has the ebay Canada office been shuttered?

ypdc_dennis · ‎09-06-2019

@momcqueen wrote:
Well, Toys and Hobbies will be impacted by Category changes which gives me hives because earlier efforts to 'streamline the buyer experience' were a hot mess...
Are there any mods around these days, or has the ebay Canada office been shuttered?

tyler@ebay is one of the chosen few...

You can check this list for category changes:

https://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/news/categorychanges/preview2019.html