Tracking Uploaded Metric

[thecardboard_collective]

I received a message saying my top rated seller status in the US is under review, and it's because I uploaded no tracking information for items I shipped as lettermail.

I am trying to understand why Ebay would penalize you for not uploading tracking, on a item that you didn't ship with tracking. The buyer is paying for shipping, and knows what option they are paying for (lettermail, tracked, etc).

Ebay gives you the option to ship lettermail, parcel tracking, etc. So if I ship a low value item, say for example a movie for $5.00, or sports cards, then I would get a stamp for $3.00 and send it out. Charge the person $8 total and it would sell. But for me to get tracking on a $5.00 movie would cost minimum $7.00 and up, and that difference is what stops an item from selling. No one will pay $7 dollars shipping with tracking for a $5 dollar movie.

Now Ebay is penalizing me out of nowhere for not shipping items with tracking, even though this has never been an issue in the past. Why give people the option to ship without tracking, if it seems to be a requirement?

I could understand if I was getting complaints that the item was never received, then sure. But to say there was no tracking uploaded, and automatically penalize me for this, is ridiculous. I didn't ship it with tracking, so don't expect tracking!

[recped · Accepted solution]

One of the standard requirements for Top Rated status is the tracking upload thing. If you can't meet the requirements you remain at Above Standard status.

Thousands (maybe a million) sellers of small items that be sent via lettermail face this same issue and manage just fine as Above Standard.

Tracking is NOT a requirement to sell here it's only a requirement to have the somewhat meaningless Top Rated status.

[mrdutch1001]

Yes, indeed.... if a seller feels that Top Rated status is that important to them, then ALL requirements must be met on a consistent basis.

[thecardboard_collective]

Thank you I appreciate the response

[thecardboard_collective]

Thank you I appreciate the response.

[mrdutch1001]

I believe the metric is based on a percentage of the total...

(held top rated status for many many years...until I didn't and never ever tried to maintain it since)... so I don't have on hand the criteria required...

[thecardboard_collective]

Yes it mentions needing to ship 95 percent of your packages with tracking. It also mentions underneath it is not a requirement for canadian sellers which I am. However I never received this warning before so will see if it affects me or not. 

[dinomitesales]

If you list on eBay.ca then I'm pretty sure you can ignore the message you received - it's only relevant for Top Rated Seller status in the U.S.

Since you list and sell from Canada you will remain a Top Rated Seller under the "Global" header, as there is no requirement for us to maintain a certain percentage of tracked shipments.

Most of what I sell goes without tracking and I've had Top Rated Seller status for a long time.

[thecardboard_collective]

Awesome that is good to hear! That's why I'm confused. Been selling from Canada for years with no issues, and got this message recently. Glad it doesn't apply to me. Thank you thank you

[byto253]

I sell on .com and do get 10% off FVF for being a top rated seller, so there is a benefit. 

Pretty well all my items are to big for lettermail, so it is tracking be default for pretty well everything right now.   I also thought that as a Canadian based seller we were excluded from the tracking requirement part for Top Rated, but not biggie if not.  

Someday I will get around to listing the small stuff I can mail and if I lose Top Rated, the extra sales are worth it!   

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@byto253 wrote:

I sell on .com and do get 10% off FVF for being a top rated seller, so there is a benefit. 

Pretty well all my items are to big for lettermail, so it is tracking be default for pretty well everything right now.   I also thought that as a Canadian based seller we were excluded from the tracking requirement part for Top Rated, but not biggie if not.  

Someday I will get around to listing the small stuff I can mail and if I lose Top Rated, the extra sales are worth it!   

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@byto253 

You can even get those dings for not shipping according to your listed preferences. I had a buyer recently (after paying for 1 item) message me that they were interested in multiple other items. They hemmed and hawed and eventually changed their mind. Because I did not ship in my normal 24 hours that was considered a late. It poofs off the list when it poofs off the list. Worth a discussion with ebay? Probably not worth the time and grief. Unfortunately with eBay flexibility/discretion are not acceptable reasons. 

[flipistics]

A few notes here.

If you list on dot CA, eBay separates your sales into USA and Global. You can qualify for top rated status in either or in both. The requirements are not the same. For global, you do not have to have tracking in order to be top rated. For USA, you do.

I don't know how it works if you list on dot COM. I suspect it may require tracking on all items, even within Canada, but I haven't checked as I list almost exclusively on dot CA. I may be wrong about that.

[byto253]

I list on .com and need to upload tracking for 95% of items to qualify for Top Rated. 

[pjcdn2005]

"I don't know how it works if you list on dot COM. I suspect it may require tracking on all items, even within Canada, but I haven't checked as I list almost exclusively on dot CA. I may be wrong about that."

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@flipistics 

A Canadian could  list  on.com and still qualify for global trs without needing to upload tracking as long they had enough sales to buyers in the global region.  And they would still qualify for the discount for both global and US buyers. 

But as you said, in order to have US trs status they woukd need to meet all of the criteria including uploaded tracking.  In order to get the discount, US trs sellers also need to offer one day handling and free returns.