Commentary from the staff of Auctiva.com
Our Product Manager Breaks Down eBay Changes
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If you’re an eBay seller like me, you’ve likely read a lot of news stories about eBay’s 2012 Spring Seller Update today. You can read two great articles on TheOnlineSeller.com.
You may also wonder just what these policy changes mean to you, so I’ll break down three of the major policy changes announced.
In its announcement, eBay noted upcoming changes to returns, auctions with the Buy It Now option and adjustments to eBay’s Top-rated Seller program. The changes will make return times longer, make auctions with the Buy It Now option fixed-price listings, and mean you may have to make adjustments to your listings.
The three- and seven-day return options currently available on eBay are very reasonable, I think. They give buyers plenty of time to return items and reduce the chances of buyers abusing the system. However, these options will be retired during the first week of May. After that, sellers who want to take returns will have to give buyers at least 14 days to return their items, or they can specify a 30- or 60-day return policy.
I don’t think this is a good idea.
Some sellers, especially those in the Clothing & Accessories categories, already have a tough time dealing with returns. Most returns are legitimate, yes. A buyer may forget to check a seller’s size chart and may order the wrong size, for instance. But other times, buyers receive good items, use them once and then decide to return the products without reason.
I think the new, longer return times put sellers at great risk. For instance, a high schooler may buy a prom dress one day, wear it to the dance then decide to return it, having no more use for it.
That worries me. What about you?
The change to auctions with the Buy It Now option also caught my eye. With this change, by May 28, sellers must update their saved listings for similar items to make sure they don’t violate eBay’s Duplicate Listing Policy.
This policy is meant to give more sellers added exposure on eBay and let shoppers find what they want more easily. I’m sure it does this. But I’m also sure the change will have some sellers updating tons of saved listings. I say the sooner you start, the better.
May 28 might seem like a ways away, but with all the tasks we sellers do, it will be here before you know it.
My suggestion is to remove the Buy It Now option to prevent your auctions from being considered fixed-price listings and potentially being flagged as duplicates.
I understand if you start an auction at a low price to save on fees but worry that you might see the item go for much less than it’s worth. I worry about that myself sometimes.
If this is the case and you can’t remove the Buy It Now option, I suggest you review your similar listings to make sure at least two of your listings’ fields, like photos, title, price or description, are substantially different so your listings won’t be in trouble, come May.
Now for the changes to the Top-rated Seller program. There were a few of these. First, eBay noted it would drop its sales requirement to $1,000. However, to qualify for this title, merchants must also upload tracking information for at least 90 percent of their transactions with U.S. buyers by May.
If you don’t do this already, you’ll want to start. You’ll also need to offer a one-day or same-day handling time, and at least a 14-day return policy with a money back option to get the Top-rated Seller discount. Sellers who don’t will still get a boost in Best Match, but they will not receive the discount.
Luckily, if you use Auctiva to print your shipping labels, the tracking can be automatically uploaded to eBay when you generate a label. I use this feature all the time and love it. It’s easy peasy, lemon squeezy! If you haven’t given it a try, I suggest you do. It could reduce your workload greatly.
eBay’s changes may mean some work for you, so start reviewing your items now to make sure you comply with the new requirements. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
What do you think of eBay’s changes to returns, auctions with the Buy It Now option and the Top-rated Seller program? What changes announced it the 2012 Spring Seller Update stood out to you? Tell us below in our comments.
About the author
Rebecca Miller is Auctiva.com's Product Manager. As an eBay seller of more than 13 years, Rebecca is well tuned into the needs of online sellers, and serves as an internal advocate for merchants. She continuously monitors Auctiva's Community Forums, answering customer's questions and taking their feedback to developers for future enhancements. Rebecca continues to sell on eBay, and has experience as a PowerSeller and a Top-rated Seller.
These changes are taking the fun of what eBay used to be: a pleasure to go to!
This is forcing sellers to look somewhere else for selling. eBay is cutting its throats in the long run. It is just a matter of time that someone… will come up with a platform (such as eBay use to be), and everyone will want to be there to avoid all the high expenses, seller hurdles and unfair policies and practices.
eBay was once a super place to sell but has now adopted to make it hard and more expensive and unfair, be able to sell. Greed is what I call it. Auctiva, Yardseller, Etsy, Amazon, You name it, these platforms are nicer and friendly to deal with. Now just waiting for the true and virtual way to sell with no hassles to the seller. Transparency is what we need in a company, and eBay is getting pretty messed up. Patiently waiting for a new kind of eBay — the new and really improved version of eBay.
Having a small inventory on eBay that is self generated with item’s that I handpick myself, most of the changes that come forth don’t have a direct impact on my situation, but as my store and inventory grow, I can see issues. One thing I can say I don’t agree with is the extended return time, only because my business can’t afford it. I typically don’t keep money waiting around for 30-60 days to cover a returned item.
Thoughts from a small eBay business!
I think the return policy is extremely unfair. I sell authentic handbags. This basically means they can pay for the bag and use it for a few weeks then return it?
So they pretty much rent it for free. eBay isn’t doing me any favors!!
I kind of disagree about your comment on returns. I have been selling in the Clothing category for 9 years, and I have a return policy of 14 days and have NEVER had a problem, and I have sold lots of different items.
My return rate is like maybe less then 1%. I don’t think making a comment about what “could” happen is just feeding the negative to sellers and scaring them into thinking it is going to be a bad thing. Let’s focus on the positive and not what “might” happen. You get what you expect!
One of the changes not addressed in your great article are the changes to what photos will be allowed. Why does eBay think it is not a good idea to put a little information on the photo?
I do this on a lot of my photos. This way a buyer can clarify whether or not they’re interested in my listing before they ever click on the on the listing. I’d rather someone not click on my listing (this can count against you and bring down your placement if there is not a purchase) if they’re looking for something else. I also include my ID in text for my loyal customers to be able to find my listings easily if they’re not searching directly in my store. This might mean a complete redo of all photos!
been doing eBay over 12 years and sadly it is getting ridiculous. We sell 95% used atv and mx parts. Their return policy is ridiculous for used parts sellers, but with no return policy, you cut yourself out of many sells, so honest, longtime sellers are highly penalized.
Hurray! Someone agrees with me! I have been selling vintage clothing for 10+ years. I will not take returns (unless I made a mistake). Buyer “may not like it”, wear it once and return, doesn’t fit?! (I measure EVERYTHING on a garmet).
I am very unhappy about not being unable to use picture borders. It enhances my clothing…like hanging artwork on your walls with tape or thumb tacks …etc. eBay rules keep getting worse for we, the sellers. Without us, there would be no buyers. We are a mom-and-pop operation, retired seniors. Now we will be losing our Top-rated Seller discounts. We are angry!
Twelve-year eBay Top-rated PowerSeller. Weak sales & obscenely high combined eBay/PayPal costs ensure I can now only afford the monthly free listings.
The tiny carrots offered (free pictures) won’t replace the loss of the small high-service award discount I currently get and that will likely disappear should I fail to maintain the new 1-day handling. (I currently ship every other day, sometimes next day) and implement the new 14-day return policy. All in all, these changes are just another well-planned step toward transforming eBay from an auction-house into a giant Amazon-style store.
Hi good article. I believe you have an error for the Top Sellers Requirements. eBay lowered the (annual) not monthly sales to $1000
I am also concerned about the 14 day return-for-any-reason policy. Does that also apply to international sales? If so, I may discontinue international sales. The money from those sales doesn’t count toward your Top-seller or Power seller ratings anyway. I hate to do that because so far I have always had positive experiences with international sales, especially to Australia and Canada.
I don’t think the 14 day return is such a good idea! I recently sold a man’s ring. I measured it on a paper sizer. It was too small for a 13 and too large for an 11. That left a size 12. Not so, I guess.
A buyer stated it was an 11. Was not real happy. He has it now on his eBay auction, and told me if he didn’t sell it he was going to return it to me. I don’t think this seems quite right. As soon as he emailed me that it was the wrong size I emailed him back stating he could return it. Had I only had a 3 day return, he wouldn’t have had time to list this on his own auction. What do you think?
Like past changes, eBay seems to be stifling the little sellers. As for their duplicate listing policy it does not appear to apply to the sellers of new “junk” items. I have given up auto searches for vintage items because the results are loaded with duplicate listings of new items listed as “antique” and “vintage”.
eBay should go after the the real violators, but, of course, they bring in to much profit for eBay to crack down on them. So, go after the honest dealers instead. Typical eBay.
Thanks for the opportunity to express my concern. I believe eBay is loaded on the sellers side and this just gives them more power. I would like to develop a site that is more seller oriented for a change.
As far as the return policy is concerned, if i am not happy with an item that I purchase, I know within a few hours, if not less of when I buy it, that i am not satisfied. Why as online sellers, do we have to wait a week or month or 3 months to accept a return? I wish someone would give me an answer that.
Thanks,
Dave Bromley
Bass & Treble Music
In July, when multiple photos are going to be free on Ebay, what will happen to Auctiva? I wish Auctiva would be able to expand into an auction site. I know many many people would love it.
Not a fan of the 2012 Spring Seller Updates. In fact, after 15 years on eBay, this looks like the last straw that will push me off of the site.
I’m currently a Top-rated Seller with 100% positive feedback and 3-month DSRs of 4.99, 5.00, 4.99 and 4.97. I work hard at keeping my customers satisfied and maintaining my TRS status. The new “seller updates” will result in me losing my TRS status and thereby resulting in a 25% increase in my FVF.
So the bottom line with this seller update is that I will feel a 25% increase in FVF, and I will need to go in and generate new images for many of my listings (pictures of a 1-inch postage stamp don’t tend to meet the new 500 pixel requirement).
The net result is a lot more work in order to pay more fees – no thanks. I’ll be leaving eBay when these changes take effect, which unfortunately means I’ll be stopping my Auctiva membership as well. Thanks for the support up to now. It has been fun. Let me know if you ever enable Auctiva to list on other auction sites such as bidstart.com, as that’s where I’m heading.
Joe
I, too, would not like the return policy of 14 plus days. I sell a lot of baking pans, jello molds, etc. Would someone back with them and then say I don’t like it.
Would I, as the seller, be required to pay for return shipping? I also sell boots and shoes. I can’t take back shoes after 2 weeks because they are tired of them. The price they pay online is so much cheaper than in the stores. This return policy would ADD so much extra time for the sellers with emailing back and forth with a buyer, having to deal with the returned item. Will it be in the same condition? If not, then what?
I agree with Dave. Sellers can be treated like dirt. And they want us to use free shipping. HA! What is their problem? Sellers are what makes eBay work.
Sellers are not the bad guys.
Hi,
Just read your article, and I disagree with you about the 14-day return policy. I think you need to be able to at least offer this so as to attract more buyers. You would expect no less from a bricks-and-mortar shop on any high street, and online customers want this from eBay. Thanks.
-Richard Paul
I have a men’s wear shop on eBay, and I encounter this all the time with returns. Some buyer’s will email you asking to return a item when they receive it, and they will then send it back when they feel like it, well over the 7-day return date. It really annoys me as I could sell it to someone else on eBay half the time. What can you do? You have to refund them. You’re not going to send it back to them stating it was past the 7 Day returns policy.
On another topic, I have had eBay email me to say I am at risk of losing my Top-rated Seller status. This is because of my postage rating, which is 4.8, which I think is unfair as they have set the max postage costs on clothing themselves.
On a lot of items, it actually costs me more to send than the buyer has paid on the heavier items. I have 100% feedback with more than 4,500 feedback. I think eBay should look at this and revise it, as the only way for me to keep the Top-rated status is to offer free postage, which i can’t afford to do.
Regards
Darren
Designmensear
Another of eBay’s new rules prohibits text or writing added to the image. I’ve added my eBau ID or store name to the images to keep others selling the same thing from using them. Now that I can’t do this anymore, it leaves image theft wide open for anyone too lazy to do their own work.
Thank you for the information. I think that a 7-day return policy is quite reasonable. I understand eBay catering to the customer to attract and maintain buyers, but it should also provide more incentives for the sellers. How about lowering the final fee values a bit?
Hopefully, there will soon be other websites to compete with eBay!
It all seems like Ebay is getting rid of the small sellers who helped make them what they are.
Can I compete with a retail store that takes returns? I had a return after a month, and she used the briefcase, sent it back with her notebook inside and damaged the case.
I am not here to lose money, nor give my items away.
I agree with the folks above, 14 days is ridiculous, much less 30 or 60 days!
eBay has not been seller-friendly for many years now… methinks it’s time to move on. Establish my own site, an Auctiva site, an Etsy site, ANYTHING but eBay for my bread and butter! This is coming from a (currently) Top-rated seller of more than 13 years! Sure do miss the ‘good old days’ when eBay was an open community, easy to navigate, fun to buy and sell from, and inexpensive to use! Seems like a million years ago.
My tracking information is already uploaded automatically when I create a USPS shipping label through PayPal. So that change is not a problem for me whether or not I use Auctiva.
I sell vinyl records, sheet music and songbooks with a 3 day return policy. This is to protect me from those who would copy then return the item. I will have to go to a no return policy when this goes into effect. The only good change is the lowering of the sales $ amount needed for the Top-rated Seller designation. I have a 100% feedback score of 500 and all 5′s on my DSRs With an annual sales volume of about $1,000. I could not achieve this designation. So at least now I will have this additional recognition for my hard work!
Unfortunately, I see most of the changes that eBay makes as being in the buyers’ interest or something that will improved eBay’s bottom line! I think that the overwhelming majority of changes or incentives for the sellers are geared to the high volume sellers.
I’ve enjoyed my Top Seller 20% discount and have worked hard for it through sales and customer service. However, I sell estate items. I do not accept returns – (unless the buyer contacts me and I’ve made an error… case by case basis, really). I sell many collectibles – and it’s happened to me in the past – that a buyer purchased my beautiful collectible, said it wasn’t as described, then returned their dirty old one in its place.
We, at-home small sellers, depend upon eBay for income and simply cannot afford to be the equivalent of a library – with buyers borrowing our goods and then returning them – or ruining a one-of-a-kind or antique and returning it. I only have one of each item 99% of the time, and when the buyer uses or breaks the item and returns it to me, I cannot resell it, and I don’t have another to take its place.
I’m all for uploading tracking and shipping within one day. I already do that. But for me – and other small sellers of used goods – this return policy is unacceptable.
What about the change in free pictures?
Not mentioned. Why?
I think the required 14 day return to get the 20% discount is understandable in most cases. BUT, I sell bullion related items (gold and silver), so if within 14days the price of gold or silver drops, I am sure to get them back!
It seems to me that items that are strictly bullion related should still get the discount and allowed to have no return.
I sell a lot of automotive items that the customer know there is no returns (on), like carbs for rebuild, fenders that need to be painted, abs pumps for rebuild, brake calipers for rebuild, old core radios and a lot more. These are called core items. Now that is going to be taken away for me. That is a lot of lost revenue for me and eBay. They need to relook at this. But they won’t.
I was a “Top-rated Seller” for a long time (over 4 years) until this month when my first ever negative feedback came. (It only takes two buyers).
But I will never get the Top-rated Seller status back because I sell ONLY custom finished or custom made items. A one-day handling time is impossible for me, but all my buyers who can read know this because my handling times are clearly stated. But the changes mean that custom artists and craftspeople can no longer benefit from discounts they’ve previously gotten for busting their rear ends in all the other criteria to make their customers happy.
I can’t offer refunds, either, for obvious reasons. Short sighted, but not surprising – eBay wants fast and faceless volume, and this is more of what small sellers and crafters have come to expect as they get squeezed out a little more every update. You can’t go there for fun and quirky anymore, but if you want something cheap and bulk from China, it’s a gold mine. Sad.
I agree that it should not take 14 days for a buyer to decide if they want to return an item or not, but they’ve decided on this so let’s quit complaining and be grateful for the positives.
At least now eBay is going to provide a method to handle the returns. With the buyer going through eBay for this, I don’t have to continually answer emails about how to return an item. We have an answer posted in the FAQs, list return instructions in ALL our listings and even send a return for with the directions with every order we send out, but eBay shoppers are not very good at reading.
Now, to return it, they’ll go through eBay (hopefully) and print the return label, which I think, will reduce the number of complaints about having to pay return shipping since it will now be eBay policy.
Even more of a plus, once it is returned, I can just click on the button, and it will refund the buyer’s payment and will automatically e-fund me the selling and PayPal fees. Currently, I have to file an agreement to cancel the order, wait for the buyer to accept it or until it’s been long enough that eBay will let me close it myself. Often the buyer mistakenly rejects the request, and I’m left paying the fees with no recourse. No longer. If they return it, I get the fees back every time and right away.
I sell mainly clothes, dishes, and collectibles. The return policy just does not work well with the items that I sell. It costs more to return the clothing than the buyer usually pays for it, and many times the dishes and collectibles are not repacked as securely as I packed them, and they come back broken.
I also only sell smoke-free items, and I have gotten back items that just smell horrible and can’t be resold. I am not a high-volume retailer, and I try to advertise exactly what I am selling. I have always accepted a return or given a refund on something that I misrepresented, but I don’t know if I could stay in business if I offered a 14 day return on everything. I am really disappointed in eBay and their new policy.
Kris Curtin
AGoodDealBetter
It doesn’t matter how long of a return you list. A buyer can return an item even after the return date has expired. eBay is all for the BUYER and not the seller no matter what or how long you have been selling there. As stated in PayPal, you have 45 days to file for a refund… it doesn’t matter, the buyer is always right.
I agree wholeheartedly with the above Sellers. It seems they want to grind us out. Most of us work at home and try harder than any retail store out there to satisfy our customers.
I recently purchased something from Amazon, and it took 10 days. If any of my customers waited that long I would sure hear about it. eBay needs to return to the good “ole” days and take care of it’s loyal sellers not push them away.