A reminder to those using Ebay as a seller

[clintonnut 127]

Ebay is absolutely ruthless in evaluating their sellers these days. I have been a user since 2008 and in July I was permanently banned from selling. Their reasoning was my shipping speed was below par even though I stated in my listing it would take up to 5 days to send items! I had several sellers evaluate me as slow shipping speed mainly because what they bought was a heavy, cast iron part that I have to drive an hour to ship. I had a feedback of 98.5 percent which isn't exactly awesome but I had excellent ratings in item description and shipping charges. I guess buyers expect Ebay to be like Amazon where the item will show up in two days. I must say, when you have other commitments and not a full time job on Ebay, it is hard to get a package out in the mail that was auctioned off an hour ago LOL. Not to forget I'm somewhat old school like my dad where we don't use online postage. My father has been with Ebay for 14 years and I'm waiting to see where they beat him up next time he wants to sell some Mopar parts. 

 

Sellers, do yourselves a favor and check your seller dashboard. DSRs will kill you. 

 

Also, as a buyer, remember how harsh they are on sellers so when you fill out the DSR (Detailed Seller Rating), giving less than 5 stars may cripple them. Ebay won't even take 4 stars as good enough.

 

For those of you who want to see the examples I found of others in my situation:

 

http://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Trust-Safety/SELLING-ACCOUNT-RESTRICTED-All-my-listings-are-removed-and-eBay/qaq-p/1283347

 

Ebay is just ridiculous these days, check this out:

 

http://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2013/8/1377220683.html

 

Pretty much sums it up. I'm not even going to bother calling them for further explanation or a resolution. I GREATLY miss the times when buying was at your own risk and people had to read discriptions so they didn't get pulled around by a seller. I'm not implying I would pull a buyer around and take advantage of him but it seems NOTHING these days is something that is assumed at your own risk. I can still remember sitting with my dad after Kindergarten was let out and he had to work for 2 more hours so he would stick me on the computer next to him and I would browse on ebay. He would just say, don't buy anything from someone with less than 95% feedback. Seemed to make perfect sense and was a much better way for a buyer to evaluate the decency of a seller rather than cling to the shirt of ebay when the item they received was not what they wanted. Also, think of this, next time you are buying a tractor part, look at the number of feedback transactions the seller has. I guarantee most of the people we buy tractor parts from have a feedback of less than 5000 transactions. These are the people Ebay obiviously doesn't care much for if you read the second link. Ebay behaves as if you were driving 5mph over with no other violations and your drivers license gets permanently suspended.

 

Please spread the word! This kind of nonsense won't last long as the sellers are what make Ebay the place that it is! 

 

Charlie

[rydogg 186]

I have been restricted in my selling due to low DSR ratings (4.6 out of 5 starts) on shipping it has lasted about a year.  I started a new account but when they found out they quit letting me sell from that account so now I am working at building my account rating back up so I watch my DSR ratings very closely so I know which buyer gives me a low rating....they get put on the blocked bidder list.  Some people don't realize that ebay is a hobby for some of us and we have other obligations.  Anything less than positive feedback and 5 stars is considered bad according to ebay standards.  My next evaluation is Dec.20th and I am hoping the restrictions are dropped cause I have a ton of stuff that needs to be listed.

[clintonnut 127]

How were you only partly restricted? I am PERMANENTLY suspended for selling! For my age and having a big wish list, its the only way of helping me get what I want. I pretty much built that crew cab off of Ebay sales. Check out my profile if you wish. It is m880cummins.

[shallowwatersailor 3,216]

I sell on eBay and have Power Seller status, but was just told that I am not meeting the criteria to keep it. I AM ONE ITEM OFF (99 instead of 100 items sold). My dollar value is twice what it needs to be ($3,000) for Power Seller status, but I am missing that one sale!

 

On the other hand of unfairness with eBay, I just bought from a big seller a cover for my Gravely (same as Ariens) log splitter. It was advertised with an Ariens part number as well. It arrives but it is a generic Classic Industries cover. I opened a case on it and the response was to ship it back at my expense of almost $9.00. This seller does over 3,000 sales a month with almost 300 negatives - and yet is allowed to keep selling! Definitely a scam. Where are the seller standards for them. It is a shame that there is no competition in the marketplace for eBay.

[rmaynard 16,547]

Unfortunately Charlie, for every person that has a problem with eBay, there are 1000's more that don't. I have been an eBayer since 1997, and have a 100% positive rating. The reason is that I am always honest with my description, price fairly, and ship the same or next business day. If I buy something, as soon as the auction is over, or I click "buy it now", I pay, instantly. No reason why I shouldn't.

 

With all the tools available to you like eBay shipping, PayPal, and buyer/seller protection, there is no reason to have a problem. If you are selling something, get it ready to ship before you list it. Be sure to have the packing materials ready so that when the auction is over, you can seal the box, put the shipping label on it, and request USPS to pick it up, or take it to the nearest post office, UPS or FedEx drop off. You can't wait until you sell something to figure out that it's going to be a problem to ship. Buyers don't care, they just want what they have bought.

 

You may not be happy with eBay, but you can't blame them for what you have admitted was your own fault.

[Lane Ranger 11,602]

I saw an interesting article I the Guardian today related to this problem for sellers .  The seller can no longer  rate the buyer like they use to for the buyers activity.

 

 

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC8QqQIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fmoney%2F2013%2Fdec%2F09%2Fseller-beware-listing-ebay&ei=qQypUrmMN4WIyAHt8IGABQ&usg=AFQjCNHZGicBqwAwIJT2S8-Y1L5Ua6jenQ&sig2=baiNE254W8fRgsNn-siM3A&bvm=bv.57799294,d.aWc

 

 

As a seller and a buyer on Ebay for several years, I do think Ebay has lost sight of what made it work well.   Yes there are abusers as buyers and sellers as the article above notes.   I have found myself emailing more and more emails to sellers informing them of the poor or wrong descriptions they have on their items for sale.   I also think the fees for the Ebay are way to high for small items.  Thins under $25 dollars should be reasonably priced on fees to Ebay. 

 

Also I saw this posting by a Seller about selling on Ebay that is very useful in my opinion:

 

Further notes: If you're going to sell stuff on eBay, it'll help you to take the following advice:

1) PROPERLY PACKAGE the stuff you send out to help prevent damage during shipment. This is VERY important for customer satisfaction. (Wadded-up newspaper is rarely adequate.)

 

2) Just because you did a good job packaging something -- even if you did an excellent job -- does NOT automatically mean that it won't get damaged in shipment. (We've had both the USPS & UPS kill stuff we've bought, & stuff we've sold. That's the way it is.) PAY FOR INSURANCE on EVERY package you send out. Insure it for the FULL amount. It's NOT worth the $1 or $2 you think you'll save by not insuring the package. Pay the little insurance charge. It's worth it.

 

3) ALWAYS have either Delivery Confirmation or some other form of tracking on EVERY package you send out. It's your proof (especially to PayPal) that you sent something, & where you sent it to. If someone files a PayPal dispute to try & get their money back from you, a simple Delivery Confirmation or tracking number can END the dispute right there. Use it -- every time. Send the stuff to their confirmed address on file with PayPal (if they have one).

 

4) TELL THE TRUTH in your listings, in eBay messages, in email, in person, all the time. Nothing like being lied to to piss someone off, right ?

 

5) KEEP your eBay messages & emails back & forth between you & customers.

 

6) RESEARCH your stuff. Know not just what it is (& is not), but specifically two things about it, regarding pricing: A) What it's been going for ON EBAY recently. Check completed listings in a search for the item. That'll show you what happened recently with listings that are already done, so you can see how auctions ENDED. Some sold, some didn't. Some were relisted, then sold. Some didn't. Some at Buy It Now prices had zero sales. Others had listings that were live for less than a day before someone snagged them up at the Buy It Now price. This info. is valuable to you. Use it. See what other sellers are charging for that item (or one like it) ON EBAY -- RIGHT NOW. If you're currently the ONLY eBay seller selling something, maybe you can not only sell it effectively, but at a higher price than what it sold for last week, when 12 different guys were selling the exact same thing & you had competition. What #6 amounts to is, know your market. Often, eBay is its own animal. Just because something goes for $X elsewhere doesn't mean it'll sell for that on eBay. Sometimes, it'll sell for more on eBay than elsewhere, other times it'll sell for less, & still other times it won't sell at all on eBay. Sometimes, an item will sell for twice as much one week as it had the week before -- same item, from the same seller. The prices at which things sell can, and often does, fluctuate heavily on eBay. (Consider yourself warned.)

 

7) If you run auction-style listings, it's almost always a good idea to put a RESERVE on the item. We once sold an engine with a 1-cent starting bid, no reserve. Only ONE eBayer bid on it, & it sold -- for a PENNY ! Of course, as described above, that didn't come close to paying for our fees just to list it. (For me, that was simply a lesson learned.)
 

Edited December 12, 2013 by Lane Ranger

[clintonnut 127]

Ebay clearly supports buyers over sellers and it would make sense because they are the ones with the money. Besides a few upsets with slow shipping, I think I have a very clean record. I should have looked into the one negative (and only negative) I got. Bob, I wish it was that easy for me on sending some stuff where I could just slap a label on it and leave it on the porch. I have paid postage online frequently for the easy stuff but the big items are just hard to deal with. Engines require crating and I do a very good job at it. I also tend to list lots that are all related to eachother so I frequently have a buyer for multiple lots and to give him the best price, I will send one package rather than multiples. 

 

Its just a real shame because as a kid, I took advantage of the system and it had loads of benefits for me. I could do what I wanted instead of work long hours at a crappy high school job and I enjoyed it! I guess Ebay's new policies are as if you ran your own business where, customers want it now and cheap. They don't give a flying hsit what you have to do to make them happy. Unfortunately like any business and like life, YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYONE! 

 

Shallowwatersailer, as far as your Power Seller title, you are very lucky as you have a little more wiggle room for error compared to smaller guys like me who maybe list 10 items a month. If you are a Power Seller, you should always be a Power Seller.

Charlie

Edited December 12, 2013 by clintonnut

[Ken B 3,202]

I used to do a lot more buying and selling on Ebay a few yrs. ago.  I even listed some boats and a tractor or two. When they came up with the final value fee (or whatever they call it) I was done with the selling. I also didn't like the PayPal only as payment crap. I don't care if PayPal is easier for people, its not easier for me when I was selling. I wanted a money order ONLY as payment or CASH on pickup, and I listed that in all my auctions. I always listed in my auctions if that is a problem then don't bid! I never had a problem, I always told the buyer after the auction ended in private email if you want to pay cash on pickup that is swell and if it isn't what you thought it was I won't hold you to the purchase, but I won't lower the price. Again, I never had a single problem and people appreciated the HONESTY! Well, Ebay put an end to that for me so I no longer sell.

Its too bad they put the Ka-Bash on you selling Charlie. I don't think you deserved this at all. Seems to me Epay is run by the Gestapo these days, I wouldn't lay down so easily if I were you, I'd fight em. You always sold nice stuff, now we have one less place to get good parts at a good price from an HONEST seller.

[DoctorHfuhruhurr 137]

If I sell something I package it up ahead of time (if only one item) so all I have to do is slap the sticker on it.  If it's something that can be in a combined order I have boxes ready so that all I have to do is tape gun them up for USPS home pickup. 

 

Got a spouse?  Re-join under their name.    Many people have multiple accounts coming from the same address (families, roommates, etc.) 

 

Ignore the spouse comment.  I forgot you were young.  LOL 

Edited December 12, 2013 by DoctorHfuhruhurr

[VinsRJ 723]

Sorry to read this Charlie...

 

A the end of the day I just throw stuff away now... its not woth my time anymore... Ebay takes their fee, PayPal takes their fee... Then on CL you get these losers and idiots that think they are Gas Monkey and try to under cut your price or correct you on what you have... not to mention the playing of games with this or that...

 

Instead of listing the items... packaging them up... or having dumb a...ss...ess... come to the house... I find it a better use of my time by packaging all of my loose items up and placing them in a my garbage tipper barrel...

[flyovrcntry 115]

I have bought and sold on fleabay for several years,and yes their fees are way too high.But with that being said,I get rid of a lot of things that I would have to throw away or keep and hope someone will come by and want to buy it.Since I work on L&G tractors and sell them I have a lot of extra parts.

I list most things buy it now and include shipping.It costs me about 1/3 of my selling price for fees and shipping

I must say I have done well with this.As an example I parted out a JD STX38 over the summer that I paid 50. for.The reason I got it so cheap was because it had no hood,no battery and I bought it with some other tractors.Well I sold over 1100.00 worth of parts off it.

If you are thinking of parting something, just go to ebay and look at the parts you are going to list,it adds up pretty fast.The rub is in the shipping,but you get better at it after a while.And yeah it would be a real hastle if you are not near a shipping point.

And I really like buying,parts are always cheaper and shipped right to your door.

I had a few problems,but worked them out,most folks are reasonable, it's the few that are not that stick in our head.

[AMC RULES 37,225]

I'm hoping you don't quit Charlie.    

[rydogg 186]

As a seller you do have the option of reporting a buyer to ebay and if they are consistently difficult / overly critical of sellers or abusing the system they can also be suspended if they get enough strikes.

 

I currently have 3 accounts with ebay 1 was for buying 1 was for selling and I started the most recent one when they restricted my selling on the other two and everything was fine until I called about a concern and they started looking into my paypal and noticed that I had the other accounts linked to it.  I probably could have just shut everything down and started over but it would have been a lot of work.  My troubles last year occurred around this time of year when USPS gets very busy and you get some delays due to the holiday season.  If I was retired, no kids and lived in town I would have no problem doing same day shipping but it is not realistic in my situation so I have a 3 business day handling time and according to ebay Monday thru Friday are business days, I don't think many buyers realize that if an item sells on a Friday it may not be taken in until Monday/Tuesday.    

[RMCIII 838]

Charlie:

 

It's amazing the world we live in..... There is nothing wrong with the 98.5% rating. The problem has become technology driven....Because of the "instant" world we now live in. Customers believe they should be able to have whatever they purchase "instantly". People who believe that, and we are talking millions here, need to get a f*&^^%$*& clue. Keep up the great work Charlie.

[rmaynard 16,547]

Same day shipping is not realistic for the average seller, but next day is not difficult. Even being retired, I find that going to the post office can be a pain in the butt. So, to eliminate the hassle, I have them come to me  If you have at least one Priority Mail package, you can arrange to have your carrier pick it up from you. With the new rate structure at the post office, it is sometimes just as cheap to ship Priority Mail as it is to ship other methods. If using eBay shipping, just check the box for "Shedule Pickup". If not, just go to the USPS.com link below and arrange your pickup. They will be there the next regular delivery day to get it.

 

https://tools.usps.com/go/ScheduleAPickupAction!input.action

 

 

[AMC RULES 37,225]

Some good tips there Bob.  

[Racinbob 12,197]

I'm a hobbiest on Ebay too. I'm retired and there's no reason I can't get a package shipped within one working day after receiving payment and I make sure I always do. Sometimes, if it's early enough, I ship the same day. But I do realize not everybody is in the position do as I do. I have seen and won some items where the seller clearly states that he ships only on, say, Friday. Or maybe stating that it takes five days before it ships. Personally, I believe it should ship within two days unless the seller states a reason it won't. It should be stated in the listing and not just in that spot where you can enter the handling days. If you get tracking for the items you ship then it will date the day it was accepted at the post office. Then, if USPS is slow it's out of your hands but at least you have it documented that you did your part. Bottom line though, you're very right about the one sided Evilbay rules. You look to be a classic example of the sellers it hurts unfairly. I'm old school as well but I did start using the Paypal label printing/postage paying. It saves time and money as well as automatically posting a tracking number.