The tracking requirement is poorly stated and misunderstood.
At the eBay 20th, is was stated directly to me: "We just want some indication it was delivered". They are100% aware that sellers opt for the cheapest, non-tracked, form of shipping, and have no intention of altering that.
The way I see these changes brought forward under the Fall Seller Update 2015, if what I do right now is as close to perfect as humanly possible as far as buyers and ebay are concerned, there is no reason to reasonably expect that will change. Therefore, I will change nothing and ignore it as best as I can.
That is exactly, 100%, correct.
@mjwl2006 wrote:
I am taking the opposite approach and will change nothing about what I do, or how I do it. As I understand it, rose-dee, we are both going into this new system of evaluation with: (a) 100 per cent feedback; (b) no defects; (c) a relatively low rate of returned buyer feedback, and that (d) we ship without tracking at least half if not most of the time.
I use tracking only occasionally, for higher-priced items, and I have a small monthly volume, so from a simple statistical viewpoint, the odds are much higher that I will eventually get a "No" to The Question. No matter what else I do, I won't be able to realistically alter that fact (unless perhaps I start putting a note in parcels pleading with buyers not to leave FB
).
The way I see these changes brought forward under the Fall Seller Update 2015, if what I do right now is as close to perfect as humanly possible as far as buyers and ebay are concerned, there is no reason to reasonably expect that will change. Therefore, I will change nothing and ignore it as best as I can.
The problem is that unless you use tracking,it isn't going to be your performance that will be now be measured, either by buyers or eBay, but Canada Post's (and USPS or other foreign postal service). That is what is so different about this policy change.
And if my status as a Top-Rated Seller with 100 per cent feedback and no defects does change because I am suddenly being measured against unreasonable standards that deliberately skew the score against Canadian sellers, well..... I don't want to be part of that kind of business environment. I don't need to be. As I have often said here since the update is announced, ebay needs sellers like me more than I need ebay.
And the following isn't directed specifically at you, rose-dee, but all sellers: I won't presume to tell others how to manage their sales flow but I would strongly encourage people to think twice before extending their handling time as a guard against unfair judgement at the hands of The Question.
I suspect I have a far less impatient customer base than yours, who put a lot of thought into each purchase, so I don't think extending my 1-day handling to 2 days will make much difference. I also have many unique items that can't be found elsewhere, so I really don't think my own buyers will be turned off by seeing an extra day (if they even bother to look at that aspect of shipping. But you're right -- each seller has to weigh the risks and possible benefits of extending handling time based on what they understand about their products and customers.
Remember, eBay is merely our venue, not our boss. Customers are top priority.
While customers are of course our top priority as sellers, for a few years now I've questioned whether they are eBay's top priority (or ever have been, for that matter). EBay is to my mind the very definition of a controlling boss who never leaves us alone to do a good job, always peering over our shoulders because they want to direct how we sell. I'm sorry to disagree with you, but I believe they are anything but neutral. If they were merely a neutral third party offering a platform for selling, then aside from some basic good behaviour rules, I think they would have got out of the way of buyer/seller relations long ago and dropped their obsession with seller punishment.
Viewing eBay as a neutral venue may result in a nasty shock when the hammer falls. I prefer to compare eBay to an overbearing, micro-managing, dictatorial and draconian mall owner who can't keep his fingers out of everybody's business and must forever be creating and re-creating rules and policies. As you so rightly put it -- an increasingly fickle master. I'll be doing whatever I can to stay out of his way and under his radar as long as possible, but I feel as you do, that my days here may be numbered. I won't want to continue scraping away in the dark corners of eBay like a beggar for a few measly sales per month if eBay downgrades me to the point of oblivion through no fault of my own.
My apologies -- this whole thing is looming and the prospect of it has me in a rather sour mood today. I guess we'll get the first "preview" tomorrow in our dashboards of what we'll be faced with in February.
"I'm afraid I have to disagree"
Well, Rose, did you go to San Jose and talk with them face to face? I did. Did you talk with Mr Wenig face to face? I did. What you want to believe is the opposite of what they said to me.
