New ebay ratings gripe. CAUTION LOTS OF B*^$%^# INSIDE!

[2ndisbest]

I currently have a 5.0 rating across the board as a seller and I am a few "defects" away from losing my Top Rated Seller status. If someone opens a case you get a defect even if you solve the case amicably. I sold a remote and the guy said it doesn't work, so he sends it back and I give him a full refund. He doesn't neg me but hit me with a low DSR (3 is now considered low because I don't have any 1's or 2's) item not as described. That is a "defect". I got a neutral like 6 months ago, "defect". Apparently a customer never received an item, and opened a case "defect". As incompetent as the USPS can be I don't ever recall a person asking for their money back because they did not receive an item? It would appear their new rating system is being installed to take away everyone's top rated seller status and their 20% discount?

In the last 12 months I have sold 312 items and accumulated 4 "defects" for a 1.28% defect rate. If you go over 2% defect rate over the course of a 12 month period you lose your Top rated Seller status and possibly your discount, I am not completely sure yet.

I was reading the ebay forums and noticed a lot of people complaining about the new system. Some were saying even giving partial refunds is being counted as a "defect". I can't confirm that since in the last 12 months I have given partial refunds a few times, but they don't seem to have negatively affected me. It might be only if the buyer opens a case? My partial refunds were handled without opening a case.

I sold a vintage tupperware set last week and buyer left me a note saying one of the pieces cracked in half and became crumbly. She explained she was a tupperware rep and started collecting vintage tupperware. She informed me that since nobody had ever handled it (still new) it was never discovered. She also said this happened with tupperware, there would be a bad batch of plastic from time to time. Anyway she was nice about it and knew it was not my fault and did not blame me, but she wanted to inform me of what happened. She didn't ask for a refund or anything. In the past I probably would have given her like $5 back and said sorry but now I am wondering if it will count as a "defect'?

Also if anyone missed the announcement, to keep your top rated plus status (what is top rated plus? That is a top rated seller with the 20% discount on final value fees) during christmas, you must offer full refunds for up to 90 days on items purchased between Nov 1 - Dec 31. Anything purchased during that time can be returned before Jan 31.

Extended holiday returns required for Top Rated Plus discount and seal

• To qualify for the Top Rated Plus seal and 20% final value fee discount between November 1 and December 31, your listings must include the new extended holiday return option, with returns accepted through January 31. Bullion, Gift Cards, Tickets, and all Business & Industrial categories are exempted from this requirement.

So for all you ebay buyers out there start making purchases Nov 1, use the item all you want but make sure to return in by Jan 31.

As a seller you don't have to offer this, but then you lose your 20% discount. Thanks ebay!

I love selling NOS items. They bring a nice premium. Now if I sell one of these items and the buyer uses it for a few months and then wants to send it back, do you think ebay will side with the buyer or me?

I think ebay is trying to run off sellers. I think we are not deemed profitable enough for them. I think they want only the big mega sellers. The guys that rack up more negs in 1 month that I would in ten years of selling.

Ebay needs a serious dose of competition. I have looked into amazon but they don't seem to be the right market place for me as I sell mostly vintage items. Well time will tell. Sorry about the rant.

 

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[randazzo1]

I feel your frustration. After ebay's many changes over the years, I've come up with a theory. This is just what I think - not something I know: they must conduct nationwide focus groups on online shoppers. Those shoppers must report that they don't trust ebay and see it as the wild west of ecommerce. That's a real problem for ebay.

Ebay wants to remedy that perception by creating two classes of sellers - professionals and hobbyists. The thinking seems to be that consumers will perceive the top rated sellers as one part of eBay which is safe and "amazon like" and everyone else as the wild west. I'm not sure that will actually play out like that in the consumer's minds.

In order to set the thresholds for top rated, above average, average, and below average - ebay looks a bell curve of all seller performance and then whacks it up into quintiles. Thus - effectively- sellers are competing against each other - not some arbitrary ebay standard.

 

[diggummup]

Personally I think it's just a way for them to stop giving discounts to "as many" top rated sellers that they have or had in the past. Anything to squeeze some more profits for the "shareholders". I average $20-$30 a month in my 20% final value fee savings. Multiply that by thousands of little guys like me, your talking millions per year. They really don't care about the little guy anymore. Which is a shame because that is kind of what the company was founded on, Joe Blow selling useless crap and collectibles.

 

[clovis97]

I'm with you on the extended holiday returns (EHR) that they are forcing down our throats. I understand the philosophy behind EHR on new goods, but used goods too??

I sell a bunch of postwar Lionel trains. Typically speaking, these trains will run forever, but they are 70 years old. It is rare for a motor to go, but it is very common to have an e-unit or smoke unit to quit working.

With the EHR, a buyer can now buy a train on November 1st, and run it 24/7 for 90 days...and if anything goes wrong with it, just simply file an INAD and drop it in the mail to the seller.

I will still be selling Lionel cars and parts, but will remove all engines, switches, and operating accessories before November. There is no way someone is going to use me to supply the trains that run under their Christmas tree for 45-90 days.

I was just starting out selling postwar Lionel as a serious endeaver last year, and sold a surprising amount in December and January.

Sure, there will be some buyers who have new faith in ebay due to the EHR, but eBay will be losing out on the FVF's that I would have paid them. No one will really know, but I bet, in the end, it will be a wash for ebay, at best.

 

[crhstreetwalker]

I couldn't agree more about the new defect rate selling standard. eBay is going downhill fast.

 

[dirtdigginfool]

Wow 2nd..u said it well..EBAY NEED A SERIOUS DOSE OF COMPETITION..I have found that Ebay makes over $330.00...PER SECOND!! Makes you wonder if they are buying out/killing off any threatening similar start-ups...ddf

 

[dumpsterdiver]

I just received my offer to be a top rated seller. But I would have to change all my items I guess for 1 day ship time. I have it set at 2 or 3. But after reading this I am not sure I should bother.

 

[Iron Patch]

Personally I think it's just a way for them to stop giving discounts to "as many" top rated sellers that they have or had in the past. Anything to squeeze some more profits for the "shareholders". I average $20-$30 a month in my 20% final value fee savings. Multiply that by thousands of little guys like me, your talking millions per year. They really don't care about the little guy anymore. Which is a shame because that is kind of what the company was founded on, Joe Blow selling useless crap and collectibles.

That's totally what I believe, the ridiculous guidelines weren't quite ridiculous enough, so now they created something to make sure only a very small % will get the discount. I stopped caring a long time ago about top rated, but actually am top rated at the moment. But there is absolutely no chance it will stay that way, and I really don't care.

I just had an incredible bs not as described happen, and from talking to this person a couple of times I know he's one of those idiots I'd like to be able to shoot through my screen. I can't imagine how mad it would make me if i cared about my rating for this piece of trash to be knocking it down with such an unjustified claim.

 

[NJcigarman]

Amazon is 10x worst with their sellers. They will close a sellers account and will not tell you why. In the last 6 months I know 2 different people who have been with Amazon for years. Both had 100% ratings etc. They get the dreaded email from Amazon that the account has been closed. In both cases the sellers were doing hundreds of thousands of dollars in business. Both had to lay off a total of 5 employees who are now collecting unemployment. They both appealed and were told the accts would not be opened. They also still don't know why.

I have a feeling eBay is headed in this direction with the new dashboard and defects. They are going to start shedding accounts for stupid defects and rules. They are going to let the buyers run rampant over the sellers.

 

[GibH]

Wow 2nd..u said it well..EBAY NEED A SERIOUS DOSE OF COMPETITION..I have found that Ebay makes over $330.00...PER SECOND!! Makes you wonder if they are buying out/killing off any threatening similar start-ups...ddf

Yahoo had free auctions and still lost out to Ebay.

 

[clovis97]

For the most part, I do care about being a TRS.

The discount is nice...really nice. Currently, my balance with ebay is $362. The 20% discount will be $72 +/-.

As well, I think that being a TRS helps sales. I don't know how much it helps, but it does help. I think there is a small percentage of buyers who actually pay more for outstanding FB and from those who are TRS.

I ship every day, anyway, and have done so since day #1. Fast shipping is no biggie to me.

OTOH, the things that make life miserable are the difficult buyers. I'm not talking about the run of the mill "it was damaged in shipping" buyers, but the certified loons out there that will complain about the clear tape you used on the box, and that you used black ink on the label instead of color. One of these days, I am going to be like Iron Patch, and just quit caring about it all.

I would think different if we were part time sellers, but we derive 100% of our income from ebay and flea market selling.

 

[crhstreetwalker]

In the last 6 months I know 2 different people who have been with Amazon for years. Both had 100% ratings etc. They get the dreaded email from Amazon that the account has been closed. In both cases the sellers were doing hundreds of thousands of dollars in business. Both had to lay off a total of 5 employees who are now collecting unemployment. They both appealed and were told the accts would not be opened. They also still don't know why.

How could this possibly be? Those are the types of acccounts that generate huge profits for amazon. Do you know what they were selling?

 

[NJcigarman]

Google "Amazon Closed My account" there are hundreds of horror stories. What you will also find is that they close Buyers accounts the same way.