2017 Fall Seller Update - Community discussion thread

Hi everyone. 

 

Opening up a thread to discuss the 2017 Fall Seller Update, announced September 19th on eBay.ca. 

Message 1 of 74
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2017 Fall Seller Update - Community discussion thread


@corkys_stamps wrote:

Specifically when in the Fall of 2019 will this new tool be available? The 1st day of Fall > Sept. 22/17, October 1st/17?? What is the exact date? Fall starts in 2 days.

 

Thanks, Corky

 


I think you meant Fall of 2017

Message 41 of 74
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2017 Fall Seller Update - Community discussion thread

OK We are stolen a picture by the Chinese who was not watermak we contacted Ebay who do not see the diference and not even removed this photo copied by the Chinese !!! Now we have all our photo paid for inserted a watermark and the Ebay wants them removed! NO !!!!!!!!!!!!! If he does not change his mind we will go back and stop selling on Ebay! than to be copied!

Message 42 of 74
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2017 Fall Seller Update - Community discussion thread


@corkys_stamps wrote:

Specifically when in the Fall of 2019 will this new tool be available? The 1st day of Fall > Sept. 22/17, October 1st/17?? What is the exact date? Fall starts in 2 days.

 

Thanks, Corky

 


Hi Corky - we don't have a specific date yet. When we have one, we'll share it via our Announcements Board.

Message 43 of 74
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2017 Fall Seller Update - Community discussion thread

I am concerned about the fact that a buyer can now return an item for any reason...

 

  • Starting in October, eBay will automatically accept a return request when the buyer pays for return shipping on domestic orders

according to the new changes, it doesn't matter what reason they supply.

 

I won't be able to keep selling ..

Message 44 of 74
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2017 Fall Seller Update - Community discussion thread

I don't worry about my pictures but could not those of you who do just put something like a small sticker  or fridge magnet with your eBay user name on it in each listing photo and say "free sticker" as shown with every order?

Message 45 of 74
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2017 Fall Seller Update - Community discussion thread

There should be some kind of protection for sellers for the defective product return scam that seems to be going on. I have had products returned that are brand new working perfectly that the buyer lied saying they were defective and I had to pay return shipping with the overpriced ebay shipping label. Not to mention if you don't pay for the overpriced shipping label and send the buyer regular shipping with tracking cash to the buyers Paypal account, Ebay won't honor it. Then the scamming lying buyer keeps your item for free!

Message 46 of 74
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2017 Fall Seller Update - Community discussion thread

Watermarks are important for buyers who scam and try to steal pictures and Ebay should allow them
Message 47 of 74
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2017 Fall Seller Update - Community discussion thread

I totally agree with you!
Message 48 of 74
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2017 Fall Seller Update - Community discussion thread


@widgetc wrote:

I don't worry about my pictures but could not those of you who do just put something like a small sticker  or fridge magnet with your eBay user name on it in each listing photo and say "free sticker" as shown with every order?


That's not allowed at present to the best of my understanding of the current photo and watermark policy. And I don't expect it will be allowed in the future. 

Message 49 of 74
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2017 Fall Seller Update - Community discussion thread

Neither would I rephotograph 1250 listings with 12 photos each to reflect that for ebay.

 

If for some reason I was prepared to reshoot 15,000 images, colour correct them, crop them, and otherwise process them professionally, I'd be doing out for my own store and my own benefit, not anyone else's. Like ebay's or my present and future competitors here.

 

Until I hear directly from ebay staff that this decision has been reversed, I'm proceeding full steam ahead with my own store outside ebay and the intent to depart completely in order to preserve the professional integrity of my work. 

Message 50 of 74
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2017 Fall Seller Update - Community discussion thread


@dolls-r-me wrote:

I am concerned about the fact that a buyer can now return an item for any reason...

 

  • Starting in October, eBay will automatically accept a return request when the buyer pays for return shipping on domestic orders

according to the new changes, it doesn't matter what reason they supply.

 

I won't be able to keep selling ..


That is for buyer remorse returns only so if your return policy states that you don't accept returns, then the new policy won't affect you. If your policy says that you do accept returns, then you have to accept for any reason anyway so it shouldn't really matter if it is accepted automatically.

 

If the buyer files for not as described, you usually have to accept the return but it won't be done automatically.

Message 51 of 74
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2017 Fall Seller Update - Community discussion thread

x

I know fixing listings is a huge issue. I don't see though how it would be against policy to sell say a book about whatever along with a fridge magnet and have both in the picture, as long as you are really sending it.

 

I am personally sick of the revisions like conversion to Canadian dollars, active content editing and not an eBay issue but editing due to Photobucket changes. But all those are small potatoes to me compare with the phasing out of Turbolister. The alternatives are too expensive given my needs.

Message 52 of 74
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2017 Fall Seller Update - Community discussion thread

Selling would be enhanced if the scammers who try to steal posted items with fake buy orders were prosecuted by EBay.

Message 53 of 74
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2017 Fall Seller Update - Community discussion thread

Ebay wants watermarks removed so they can use your photos, or other sellers can steal them for their own similar items.

Message 54 of 74
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2017 Fall Seller Update - Community discussion thread

That doesn't alter the rest of your return policy, such as charging a re-stocking fee.

Message 55 of 74
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2017 Fall Seller Update - Community discussion thread

If anyone needs to reach me after this, please send me a Private Message. I'm unsubscribing from Community notifications by email so that I am better able to focus migrating my listings to my off-site store. Thank you and goodbye. 

Message 56 of 74
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2017 Fall Seller Update - Community discussion thread


@kodi-canada wrote:

There should be some kind of protection for sellers for the defective product return scam that seems to be going on. I have had products returned that are brand new working perfectly that the buyer lied saying they were defective and I had to pay return shipping with the overpriced ebay shipping label. Not to mention if you don't pay for the overpriced shipping label and send the buyer regular shipping with tracking cash to the buyers Paypal account, Ebay won't honor it. Then the scamming lying buyer keeps your item for free!


Hi kodi-canada,

 

If you suspect that a buyer is misusing the returns system, please report that buyer to us using the Report a Buyer tool, and we will investigate.

Message 57 of 74
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2017 Fall Seller Update - Community discussion thread

I know I'm late to the party in offering my opinions, but I wanted to wait to avoid all the initial emotion that typically arises with these updates (including within myself) and wait to see what the initial fallout was before responding with a clear head.

 

Clearly, the biggest issue many have (including myself) is the removal of watermarks and use of seller pictures for the product catalogue without permission. When these changes were first previewed (I think it was the Summer Seller Update) I was one of many who said these changes were, for lack of a better term, stupid. I suggested that perhaps eBay should give users the option (whether it was to opt-in or opt-out, it didn't matter) so that those who wanted to rightly protect their hours upon hours of hard work could do so, while others who wanted to assist with the product catalogue could let their pictures be used. I had hoped there would be a chance that the choice would be given to us, but it's clear that isn't happening.

 

I fully understand this is eBay's house and we have to abide by your rules. I get that. I also understand, though, why so many sellers are upset. This is really the boiling point for many after months (and years) of constant changes that end up costing sellers more time and, ultimately, more money. From the sudden switch to a new shipping label provider (which has been a rough transition, to say the least), to having to remove active content, to having to ensure listings were mobile-friendly, to the whole HTTP/HTTPS mess, and whatever else I've missed, it's understandably built up and a lot of sellers are beyond frustrated.

 

Admittedly, as someone who sells very infrequently, and when I do it isn't a lot, most of these changes haven't really impacted me much, if at all. That being said, I come to these boards every day and you can just feel the tension from sellers, especially those who have had to deal with these changes on a large scale, and I believe their feelings are totally valid. Who wants to spend hours taking pictures, uploading them to your computer, sorting them, editing them, uploading them to eBay, and then have eBay go "ooh, mine!". In my opinion, it's not right.

 

Am I going to up and leave eBay as some others already have? No. I will continue to use it as a buyer, and maybe to sell certain items that I have trouble selling elsewhere. However, I think the fact that some sellers, including some who have been very active and helpful on these boards and have been a real asset to eBay, are now leaving should speak volumes. I used to be one of those who didn't like coming to the boards at times because it always seemed so negative, but especially over the past few months I've really started to understand where it's all coming from. I used to say I still found eBay fun, and I still do enjoy many aspects of selling in general, but I now find that eBay itself isn't much fun to use as a selling platform anymore.

 

I know my voice is just one amongst many, and I realize we here in Canada garner just a small fraction of San Jose's attention, but I seriously hope eBay takes a look at all these opinions that everyone is sharing and takes them to heart. Some of your most loyal users are fed up. If eBay wants to prove that it really does care about the small sellers, it's time to listen.

Message 58 of 74
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2017 Fall Seller Update - Community discussion thread

eBay has policy that says the following .........

 

(1) The use of stock photos.

 

Stock photos can only be use  with the sale of ....... brand new items

 

If the condition is less than brand new a photo of the exact  item being sold must be included in the listing.

 

For books this means that if the book is listed in a ...very good, ... good or .....acceptable condition ... a stock photo cannot be used.

 

If eBay wants to use a seller's photo in their catalogue...  the photo must be of a ...Brand New ...item

 

Booksellers have a habit of using a stock photo regardless of condition....  This is most obvious when one does a search on eBay...  Everyone, except a few... use the same photo as the only photo in a listing

 

Some sellers will list the same book, but in a different  condition and with the same stock photo ....and as such duplicate listings are created.

 

(2) The use of a catalogue.

 

eBay has a catalogue  that provides information  about an item in relation to an identifier of an item being sold 

 

For books this identifier... number ...  is an ISBN....

 

Policy states that the information in the catalogue can be used if this information is an exact match to the item being sold.

 

There are many instances  where the catalogue is in error..  I have looked at the information in the book catalogue and have chosen not to rely on the information.

 

It is my choice to place information  about the book in my listing...  information form the dust jacket, from the Preface, the Foreword, or Introduction and then the Table of Contents.  By doing this  my information is 100 % correct to the book being sold. 

 

It is my view that ...

 

The Book Catalogue is a mess looking for a place to happen.

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We have the following at the top of each listing.

 

Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing.

 

It is this responsibility that prevents me from using the book catalogue... even if it is correct.

 

The use of the catalogue is only possible if it is an ... exact.... match to the item being sold.

 

 

(3) The creation of duplicate listings

 

The use of a stock photo  with items that are not in a brand new condition is a policy violation.

 

For a seller to use the same stock photo in the listing of the same item, but differing in condition, creates duplicate listings

 

Book sellers with thousands and thousands more listings  up into the millions of listings use stock photos always... regardless of condition.  and it is because of this  that duplicate listings are created.

 

Duplicate listings...  as it relates to fixed price listings specifically...  are a violation of eBay policy.

 

 

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As sellers on eBay   most if not all of us list and sell items that are not brand new.

 

It is because of this NOT brand new aspect  that eBay cannot use our photos in their catalogue

 

The books I sell are NOT in a brand new brand new.....  Stock photos cannot be use in these listings.....  

 

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The question of eBay using our photos  is related to the condition of the item in the photo.

 

However, there will always be a possibility that another seller will use our photo.

 

 

 

 

Message 59 of 74
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2017 Fall Seller Update - Community discussion thread

The question becomes....

 

Is there a way to prevent someone from copying a photo, or text in a listing?

 

Can one add a ... code.. to prevent this ....copy it ...... aspect?

 

It was learned many years ago that this is possible.... There was a discussion on eBay  about this.

 

At that time several  sellers had added this code to  prevent the copying of photos and text in a listing...

 

 

Is this a possibility?    Can this code be used on eBay?

 

 

Message 60 of 74
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