eBay

happy_pigeon · ‎02-27-2018

Hi all,

As you’ve probably seen by now, the 2018 Spring Seller Update was released today. We’re sorry for the delay—we prefer to launch our pages as soon after the US pages as possible, but technical issues prevented us from launching the pages earlier.

Please use this thread for feedback and questions about this latest release. I have a good familiarity with the content (having diligently and painstakingly pecked the pages out with my beak), and should be able to either address any questions or clarifications as needed, or pass them on to the right person.

As always, feedback is welcome. I may not address your feedback directly, but I’ll be collecting the most salient points to pass along to the Seller Release team at large.

For my own purposes, I’d also love to hear back about how you find the structure of the update, from a Canadian perspective. Is it simple or challenging to differentiate between what’s available to Canada and what’s available to the US? Is the language plain and easily understandable? Is the information simple to navigate and digest? This type of feedback helps me make future Seller Updates better.

Here’s some supplemental reading to go with your morning coffee, for those interested. Some of it is linked from the Seller Update, but in case you missed it:

Structured Data: The types of structured data, how to use it, and how it interfaces with the eBay catalogue.
eBay catalogue: What the eBay catalogue is, when to use it, and detailed instructions on how to use it.
eBay Seller Protection Policy: A simplified view of how sellers are protected when they choose to offer free returns.

Sincerely,

Pigeon

momcqueen · ‎02-27-2018

Please see my responses inline

1. Seller Hub, fine. Is Promotions Manager coming at the same time?

Yes, PL will be integrated into SH and will be much easier to navigate to from Seller Hub.

2. Excuse me: WHAT eBay deal with Shopify? I’ve been killing my self for six months to move my eBay listings to my yet-to-be-opened Shopify store and the whole time these corporations have been working out some deal?

It was announced only a couple of months ago. It hasn't officially launched yet, but you can sign up through the Shopify link in the SR to get an email when it is ready.

3. Grouped Listings: my items are NOT being displayed anywhere within the Product Catalogue groupings. Ungrouped, yes, same as always. Grouped? Nothing, nowhere.

No, not yet, at least not on .ca. You can see an example of it currently in some areas of .com, which I think you pointed out in another thread. Also--and this is me speculating, not repeating fact--if you sell one-of-a-kind items it is unlikely that they will ever appear in a 'grouped' listing. Those items just don't lend themselves to that format.

momcqueen · ‎02-27-2018

“.... I have a good familiarity with the content (having diligently and painstakingly pecked the pages out with my beak), and should be able to either address any questions or clarifications as needed...”

Hahahaha! Beak. Good one. I’m a hunt-and-peck typist myself.

hlmacdon · ‎02-27-2018

@momcqueenwrote:

3. Grouped Listings: my items are NOT being displayed anywhere within the Product Catalogue groupings. Ungrouped, yes, same as always. Grouped? Nothing, nowhere.
No, not yet, at least not on .ca. You can see an example of it currently in some areas of .com, which I think you pointed out in another thread. Also--and this is me speculating, not repeating fact--if you sell one-of-a-kind items it is unlikely that they will ever appear in a 'grouped' listing. Those items just don't lend themselves to that format.

No manufacturer part number = no grouped listings.

"30-day free returns is a retail standard and a buyer expectation. Starting June 1, 2018, Top Rated sellers on eBay.com will be required to offer 30-day free returns on their eBay.com listings to be eligible to receive Top Rated Plus benefits. eBay Top Rated Sellers earn those benefits by offering an elevated experience to their buyers. When you offer 30-day free returns, you’re offering a superior retail returns experience."

How does this apply to Canadian sellers listing on .com?

happy_pigeon · ‎02-27-2018

@hlmacdon wrote:

"30-day free returns is a retail standard and a buyer expectation. Starting June 1, 2018, Top Rated sellers on eBay.com will be required to offer 30-day free returns on their eBay.com listings to be eligible to receive Top Rated Plus benefits. eBay Top Rated Sellers earn those benefits by offering an elevated experience to their buyers. When you offer 30-day free returns, you’re offering a superior retail returns experience."

How does this apply to Canadian sellers listing on .com?

Good question. We don't have the Top Rated Plus program on eBay.ca, just Top Rated (as part of either the US or Global program). So Canadian sellers who currently receive TRP benefits when listing on .com will need to meet the same requirements as US sellers, since there is no Global TRP program, as there is with Top Rated. Does that make sense?

hlmacdon · ‎02-27-2018

@happy_pigeonwrote:
@hlmacdonwrote:
"30-day free returns is a retail standard and a buyer expectation. Starting June 1, 2018, Top Rated sellers on eBay.com will be required to offer 30-day free returns on their eBay.com listings to be eligible to receive Top Rated Plus benefits. eBay Top Rated Sellers earn those benefits by offering an elevated experience to their buyers. When you offer 30-day free returns, you’re offering a superior retail returns experience."

How does this apply to Canadian sellers listing on .com?
Good question. We don't have the Top Rated Plus program on eBay.ca, just Top Rated (as part of either the US or Global program). So Canadian sellers who currently receive TRP benefits when listing on .com will need to meet the same requirements as US sellers, since there is no Global TRP program, as there is with Top Rated. Does that make sense?

I suspect for most sellers the listing ranking benefits are of less concern than discounts received. To clarify, if a Canadian seller lists on .com. what requirements do they need to meet to receive a fee discount?

sleco69 · ‎02-27-2018

Before having new sellers update, YOU SHOULD WORKS ON THE ACTUAL SHIPPING CALCULATIONS PROBLEMS FOR USA & INTERNATIONALS SINCE APRIL 2017

YOU SHOULD WORKS ON THE SELLING FORM ON CA/FR THAT HAVE NO ENTRIES FOR DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT SINCE OCTOBER.03TH 2017

dutchman48 · ‎02-27-2018

Is Ebay going to pay any additional fees for GTC listing twice in the same month due to this idiotic bunch of micromanaging?

Gauge your pricing: You'll be able to price for success by comparing your item to similar items sold within the past 90 days.
Best Offer: To attract more buyers, the option to add Best Offer may be added to listings that are priced higher than market value, or those that don't sell quickly. You can set a threshold to automatically decline low offers, or remove Best Offer altogether.
Duration: Auction-style listings will now default to 7 days, and fixed price listings to Good 'Til Cancelled, with no added fees.
Smart scheduling: We'll set the best time for your auction listing to go live.

dutchman48 · ‎02-27-2018

On .com, they can downgrade or cancel stores in May without the early cancellation penalty.

Will Ebay .ca have the same, or we will be like always, out in the cold and shafted because we are in Canada?

momcqueen · ‎02-27-2018

I wouldn’t complain about items not making it to Grouped listings if they didn’t have matching UPCs. These do. Match exactly.

momcqueen · ‎02-27-2018

Where can I learn more about the Shopify announcement? I need to know more about how it affects my current situation.

momcqueen · ‎02-27-2018

What do EBay.ca sellers need to do to me included in eBay.com
grouped results on items that match an American UPC and product. Since the time this new search started, my sales performance has tanked. I’d like to be included instead of left out in the cold on eBay.com. Like I used to be.

momcqueen · ‎02-27-2018

Okay. Not a question but actual feedback.

I loathe the way ebay just drops these Seller Updates to suit their own schedules.

The Spring Update can be released at any point between Feb 27 and March 19.

Considering these issues affect hundreds of thousands of sellers every single time, can ebay just pick a schedule for Updates and stick to it?

It's disrespectful to me and my time that I have to wonder which week of my weeks will be overtaken by announced changes. Three times a year now, no less. Like Spring Update March 1 and Summer July 5 and Fall Sept 10? Or whatever! Just make it an actual schedule, not some random date that works for you guys to get your ducks all in a row before you start the race and we're always left to scramble.

I feel disrespected right from the start like this, having big changes always dropped on my lap with no advance warning other than a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach for weeks ahead of it.

Today, however, I had all the time in the world to read this Spring Seller Update because my items aren't selling at all anymore now that they're not included in ebay.com Grouped search results. Thanks! (Sarcasm sarcasm sarcasm.)

amcdc79 · ‎02-27-2018

How much is the starter store in CDN$, and would that include 100 on .ca & 100 on .com?

Tia.

happy_pigeon · ‎02-27-2018

@sleco69 wrote:

Before having new sellers update, YOU SHOULD WORKS ON THE ACTUAL SHIPPING CALCULATIONS PROBLEMS FOR USA & INTERNATIONALS SINCE APRIL 2017

YOU SHOULD WORKS ON THE SELLING FORM ON CA/FR THAT HAVE NO ENTRIES FOR DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT SINCE OCTOBER.03TH 2017

IT WOULD NOT BE A GOOD IDEA TO STOP ALL PRODUCT LAUNCHES WHILE SOMETHING IS BEING FIXED

THAT SAID, I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU ARE FRUSTRATED, WE HAVE ADDRESSED PART OF THE ISSUE AS OF LAST WEEK, AND THE OTHER HALF OF THE ISSUE SHOULD BE ADDRESSED SHORTLY

happy_pigeon · ‎02-27-2018

@dutchman48 wrote:

On .com, they can downgrade or cancel stores in May without the early cancellation penalty.

Will Ebay .ca have the same, or we will be like always, out in the cold and shafted because we are in Canada?

As with above, this is my best guess as I'm not a Product Manager, but I would be very surprised if we handled it differently from the US. We don't have an exact date for these tiers to launch but they should be coming this year, and with them, a lot more (Canada-specific) information.

happy_pigeon · ‎02-27-2018

@momcqueen wrote:
What do EBay.ca sellers need to do to me included in eBay.com
grouped results on items that match an American UPC and product. Since the time this new search started, my sales performance has tanked. I’d like to be included instead of left out in the cold on eBay.com. Like I used to be.

Right now, you would need to list in the product lines outlined in the SR, and those won't be placed into grouped listings on .com until June.

I can promise you with almost complete certainty that the new product-based search results are not affecting your current search ranking.

happy_pigeon · ‎02-27-2018

@amcdc79 wrote:

How much is the starter store in CDN$, and would that include 100 on .ca & 100 on .com?

Tia.

The details for CA are still to come -- I'll be the one building the webpages for it and I still don't know. It is likely that the allowances for each Store level will be specific to eBay.ca only, but that is speculation on my part without yet knowing the full details.

happy_pigeon · ‎02-27-2018

@hlmacdon wrote:

@happy_pigeonwrote:

@hlmacdonwrote:

"30-day free returns is a retail standard and a buyer expectation. Starting June 1, 2018, Top Rated sellers on eBay.com will be required to offer 30-day free returns on their eBay.com listings to be eligible to receive Top Rated Plus benefits. eBay Top Rated Sellers earn those benefits by offering an elevated experience to their buyers. When you offer 30-day free returns, you’re offering a superior retail returns experience."

How does this apply to Canadian sellers listing on .com?

Good question. We don't have the Top Rated Plus program on eBay.ca, just Top Rated (as part of either the US or Global program). So Canadian sellers who currently receive TRP benefits when listing on .com will need to meet the same requirements as US sellers, since there is no Global TRP program, as there is with Top Rated. Does that make sense?

I suspect for most sellers the listing ranking benefits are of less concern than discounts received. To clarify, if a Canadian seller lists on .com. what requirements do they need to meet to receive a fee discount?

Here are the requirements Top Rated Plus sellers need to meet:

To qualify for Top Rated Plus, listings need to meet the following requirements: Meet all of the requirements of a Top Rated Seller listed above. Offer a 30-day or more, money back return policy. Offer same business day or 1 business day handling.

Here is some more info about the Top Rated US program in general.

Edit: Wow, that pullquote is HUGE. Please don't feel that I'm yelling at you!

hlmacdon · ‎02-27-2018

@momcqueenwrote:
Where can I learn more about the Shopify announcement? I need to know more about how it affects my current situation.

From the sounds of if they'll have an officially supported export function to move shopify store listings over to ebay. These are pretty much available for any ecommerce platform, just does a live syncing of your available inventory much the same way existing listing services use eBay's API. If that is being offered free of charge and supported that is a reasonable value add as they are typically paid addons with reoccurring subscriptions. I would just continue on as you are on the Shopify side and then you can decide how you want to sync things in the future. If you use unique internal skus on your listings you might want to keep those consistent on the shopify side to avoid duplicated listings if you decide to use their export functionality.