eBay Sellers Fall Update

[tonysbricks]

Am I missing something, or is this going to be good for sellers? I didn't see anything that made me concerned. Or was I not looking hard enough? 

 

Paging Mrs Frog...

[Darth_Raichu]

I only had chance to skim quickly. Basically if you follow eBay's recommended practices you do not have anything to worry about

[nolanfan34]

I only had chance to skim quickly. Basically if you follow eBay's recommended practices you do not have anything to worry about

 

This was my take as well.

[KShine]

They announced that by Holiday 2015 everyone (who accepts returns) will be part of the easy return program. The problem with that is that it is all too easy for a buyer to simply select "not as described" as the reason (instead of buyers remorse) - avoiding return shipping costs (no questions asked), and giving the seller a defect. This might not seem like a big deal, but 40% of my retro defects were caused by this. Since they made the announcement (and I switched, opting out), I have received no defects.

 

Down the road, they also seem to be implementing an "I changed my mind" option - It appears that a buyer will have an hour to automatically cancel a purchase.

[exciter1]

They announced that by Holiday 2015 everyone (who accepts returns) will be part of the easy return program. The problem with that is that it is all too easy for a buyer to simply select "not as described" as the reason (instead of buyers remorse) - avoiding return shipping costs (no questions asked), and giving the seller a defect. This might not seem like a big deal, but 40% of my retro defects were caused by this. Since they made the announcement (and I switched, opting out), I have received no defects.

 

Down the road, they also seem to be implementing an "I changed my mind" option - It appears that a buyer will have an hour to automatically cancel a purchase.

 

I guess the real downfall to opting out of returns is also opting out of the 20% savings on Final Sale Value fees when you do so.

[zskid00]

Yeah, none of the recent and upcoming changes make me think this will be better for sellers, but better for eBay's bottom line (making it more difficult to qualify for TRS status) and allow eBay to mirror Amazon in some respects (ie - no hassle returns and bigger return window).  I almost never get returns even with the longer 14 day window that was implemented a couple years ago, but this 90 day window really concerns me.  I am sure there will be some buyers who take advantage of it and screw sellers in the process.

[KShine]

They announced that by Holiday 2015 everyone (who accepts returns) will be part of the easy return program. The problem with that is that it is all too easy for a buyer to simply select "not as described" as the reason (instead of buyers remorse) - avoiding return shipping costs (no questions asked), and giving the seller a defect. This might not seem like a big deal, but 40% of my retro defects were caused by this. Since they made the announcement (and I switched, opting out), I have received no defects.

 

Down the road, they also seem to be implementing an "I changed my mind" option - It appears that a buyer will have an hour to automatically cancel a purchase.

 

Another thing - They are changing the wording of case related issues. So now, not only will buyers (by default) sometimes open cases without intent (dinging your account), they won't even see any harsh language that might otherwise serve as a warning that they could be doing harm to a seller.

 

• Language in the new experience has been changed to be friendlier and more service oriented. Phrases like

[Darth_Raichu]

On the other hand, they also added this:

[gregpj]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but they've pushed all the same rules for TRS down to the small-time sellers like me. I don't sell enough to warrant opening a store and paying a monthly fee... not yet, maybe never. This strikes me as an attempt to not only simplify their end of supporting ebay (everybody plays by the same rules) but also to encourage everyone "to open a store and get the FVF benefit since there is no advantage to not having a store."

 

Yuck if so.

 

The good news in there is that as a non-store seller, I still don't have to accept returns "because the buyer changed their mind." Buyers will however have an easier route to try that by "requesting" a return.

[jbacunn]

 

• Language in the new experience has been changed to be friendlier and more service oriented. Phrases like

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

I haven't read it yet. But I plan to be pretty much done with Ebay in the next two years, so I am less concerned. I am not happy with the direction they are moving in.

[justafrog]

Fall seller update is typically not horrifying - I've always assumed they don't want to frighten off a large number of sellers just before holiday season when they want the site jammed with listings.

 

However, while there's not a lot of bad news, there's not a lot of good news either. Their "new and improved" communication wording won't help very many buyers avoid opening cases and inadvertently flinging defects at sellers. I don't care about the managed returns stuff because I already use it, and that system does work fine for me.

 

I have no plans to leave eBay, but they are becoming a smaller part of my business and will probably trickle down to 25% or less within the next couple of years, and I can't say I'm sorry about it.

 

I honestly don't care much about the selling requirements because the vast majority of them are just decent customer service and I do that anyway. What has damaged my enthusiasm is Cassini and the moving target on how to get your items shown to buyers at all.

[zskid00]

This was listed in the communication entitled "Updates to the eBay User Agreement, User Privacy Notice and Money Back Guarantee" which I received yesterday:

 

 

 

 

Consistent After-Sale Experience. We updated the policy to reflect that we're simplifying the after-sale experience for buyers and sellers with a new improved return process that gives buyers a more convenient and consistent way to return items

[asharerin]

Ebay is no longer a viable marketplace for small sellers. Just remember every time your buyer sends an item back for free you also incur a defect. Too many defects and your lose TRS, and then permabanned after that.

 

For any single or small number high priced sets I will only sell on ebay using a stealth account / stealth paypal account after 9/15. Having a buyer purchase a grand carousel, opening it, and then filling the box with megabloks and sending back all on my dime? Hell no. Sell an SSD, the buyer builds it and then decides it is too big to display so they claim SNAD (maybe some pieces were "missing") and return for free lol? I don't think so.

 

Ebay has become amazon so expect the returns and fraud that will come along with it if you are a seller. Now if you are a buyer then ebay is going to look very attractive now. Over the holidays I will have 90 days to build a Statue of Liberty and return for free once I am done. 

[KShine]

This was listed in the communication entitled "Updates to the eBay User Agreement, User Privacy Notice and Money Back Guarantee" which I received yesterday:

 

 

 

 

So you will pretty much be forced into the "hassle-free returns" program whether you want to participate or not.  If you choose not to participate they're just going to refund the buyer and you won't even have to receive the item back.  This just continues to give buyer's more control over the transaction and allows more opportunity for them to take advantage of sellers.  So not only would you be out the shipping you paid to the buyer, but you would be out the return shipping you are forced to pay if a buyer tells eBay an item is faulty or not as described.  

 

I have to wonder what, if any, proof will be required by eBay in these situations.  Chances are they will just take the buyer's word for it and refund them without question.  I know this is how many large online retailers and Amazon operate, but it really burns me that eBay expects the same from small time sellers that don't have the volume or profit margin to maintain this policy.  It could be all for nothing if buyers are honest and don't take advantage of the system, but I don't have that much faith in them. 

 

Before they implemented the defect policy, I had opted into the hassle-free program (since in reality, a return can be made regardless). Some buyers definitely abuse the hassle-free return policy (choosing a reason to avoid having to pay return shipping costs). Even though it was unfair, I just tried to look at it as another cost of doing business. Of course, when they made it a defect (retroactively) which could lead to you losing not only your 20% fee discount, but your TRS status - I opted out.

 

I suppose that too many sellers realized what ebay was trying to do, found the work-around, & opted out - so they are now just removing the option.

 

I think this seems about right:

 

[tonysbricks]

Ouch, the new user agreement is choke full of scary language. Sigh, so much for optimism.

[tonysbricks]

Ebay has become amazon so expect the returns and fraud that will come along with it if you are a seller. Now if you are a buyer then ebay is going to look very attractive now. Over the holidays I will have 90 days to build a Statue of Liberty and return for free once I am done. 

 

As long as you buy it from a small seller. Try that with TRU or target and they will side with them.

[asharerin]

I don't think Target or TRU are selling the kind of sets I want to build

[asharerin]

On a serious note it may be a good idea if all of us sellers could come together and use a certain standard seal we can all place on our sets and that way we can tell if they have been opened or not. With the current seals used by lego anyone who owns a hairdryer can open and close them perfectly very easily. But then I suppose that will not help with the claims bags/pieces are missing . Alot to take in and to adjust to.

[river41]

Fall seller update is typically not horrifying - I've always assumed they don't want to frighten off a large number of sellers just before holiday season when they want the site jammed with listings.

 

However, while there's not a lot of bad news, there's not a lot of good news either. Their "new and improved" communication wording won't help very many buyers avoid opening cases and inadvertently flinging defects at sellers. I don't care about the managed returns stuff because I already use it, and that system does work fine for me.

 

I have no plans to leave eBay, but they are becoming a smaller part of my business and will probably trickle down to 25% or less within the next couple of years, and I can't say I'm sorry about it.

 

I honestly don't care much about the selling requirements because the vast majority of them are just decent customer service and I do that anyway. What has damaged my enthusiasm is Cassini and the moving target on how to get your items shown to buyers at all.

cassini??

[Guest TabbyBoy]

I'm happy to say that 0% of my sets are now sold on eBay.  I felt great after telling them where to stick their ridiculous rules and final value fees on postage!  I've built a good reputation locally and I have several prospective buyers contacting me weekly.  I'm loving these cash-only and fee-free deals!

[brickwizard]

My major concern with the new policy is the further power it gives to buyers - not genuine buyers though, it just seems to play into the hands of fraudsters or tricksters who can and will abuse the policy.

 

It depends how ebay enforce the rules, what evidence will be required, an whether fraudulent abuse will grow as a result

[justafrog]

cassini??

 

eBay's newest search engine, a year or so old now. I am not saying it's a bad search engine - it may very well be doing exactly what eBay wants it to - but it's bad for me, in time management terms.

[brickwizard]

Wow - I would love to not be soooo reliant on ebay for my sales.  How did you manage to build your local reputation? through classifieds/community groups??

[bnnosaj]

Not sure what to think about the changes. Returns are a cost of doing business but it sucks because humans suck. I am just starting out and utilizing eBay seems great but for us legitimate sellers out there it's hard to keep a float when there are people trying to scam us and eBay may not obviously care.