Impressions broken again??

[swiss_expert_uk]

Can you please check if there is another problem with impressions? Another counting glitch? These stats can not be correct. Organic impressions promoted views down to under 3000 views today at time of writing. This time last week almost 73000 views. Please help.  dave@ebay kat@ebay 

[simplyessential_uk]

Finally confirmation.

Did they say how long this "test" was lasting?  Im guessing thats why we are now experiencing a massive surge (not converting to sales) in impressions as a comparative test.  As many ppl suspected some sellers feel like they are "switched off" and likewise others "switched on" when sales flood in, theyre always testing groups across the categories but guess this is a big one as so many effected.  

[pre_worn]

Unfortunately, they did not confirm how long it will last.

I have a zoom call with someone from the ads team later today, I will try and get further details.

[lingerie0nline]

Please keep us posted, you're a big seller so let's hope they listen to you.

I don't know what the ads team in the UK will be able to do when it looks like a global test coming from HQ in the states...........I had a call from Ireland "Ads team" yesterday asking if I had seen the banner on my promoted listing page for a promoted advance campaign they had done for me and why haven't I activated it. I explained I do not wish to use the option of the advanced PL and ended the call politely. My sales and messages have completely stopped, so not an option, more a "if you don't you won't get sales" dictatorship.

[lord_and_lady_m]

Wow, they're playing with lives. I've had to end my shop subscription because I desperately need the 27 quid I've been paid out today and cannot afford the subscription that would have started again today. 

They need to compensate the guinea pigs

[simplyessential_uk]

You know thats never going to happen, I think theyve always done this as sellers over the years felt like theyve been switched on/ off but told theyre imagining it.  Im really surpilrised someone has actually confessed this has happened as they know sellers woukd want compensating. 

[goingfishing]

---

@pre_worn wrote:

Unfortunately, they did not confirm how long it will last.

I have a zoom call with someone from the ads team later today, I will try and get further details.

---

I'm not sure if to laugh or cry at this point.  I presume it's buried in the T&Cs they are allowed to use our accounts and livelihoods as test mice and no compensation will be paid.  The problem is even if eBay state they do not pay out compensation that does not necessarily mean a court would agree.  The laws of the land trump their 'contracts' and there is a growing number of complaints regarding unfair contracts.

I'm not sure if to believe this is true or that they even have an ads team.  How many teams to they have now?  I heard once they even had a chocolate biscuit team.  It is the kind of stunt they would pull so it's a tick for a yes on that point but it's seems (to a normal person like myself haha) an absolutely ridiculous thing to do - test stuff on people's live accounts.  However we are talking eBay here and the first rule of eBay is 'Do not be shocked at what eBay do.'

I really hope you get your zoom call in the first instance and make sure you record it.  Please tell them poor little me needs removing at once from their silly little game/test.  Thank you and good luck.  Can't wait to read your report. 🤞

[simplyessential_uk]

dave@ebay @@ kat@ebay 

@

Any claims that the mods have raised this issue are not true btw - The ads team had no idea that this issue was being reported on the community forums in so many different posts.

Interested to hear something from you guys,  youve been awfully silent which is suspicious and doesnt instill my confidence in you

[caz1718]

Any claims that the mods have raised this issue are not true btw - The ads team had no idea that this issue was being reported on the community forums in so many different posts.

I too would fascinated to hear on the progress of this, but I do also find it incredible that the "ad team" have undertaken a live beta test, which has had a such catastrophic effect on businesses and they don't know anything of its effects. 🤔

What on earth would be the aims of this test that they are happily driving sellers and as result buyers to other platforms, sacrificing sales and let's be honest fee generation.

It's definitely gone on long enough, in many ways, all the sellers who have been singled out for this awful trial, have been also gifted a longer term issue given low views and sales tend to drive items down in search. Will we all receive a bonus boost to help rebuild. 

[lord_and_lady_m]

Let's say this beta test is happening, how would a test be carried out without a way of gauging the feedback? It seems odd they would be unaware of everything people have been saying. If they're not, what would the aims of the beta test be? How can they measure the results, unless it's simply to see the effect on impressions, at which point sales are irrelevant. To me that would be a stupid experiment. You cannot test impressions without looking at affects in conversion rates. 

[simplyessential_uk]

You are thinking like an individual seller - Ebay is only interested in the overall picture / stats / results to see how buyers behave and maximise sales and promos to make the most money (Profit) They will always be trialing and testing new tools and algorithms etc. I remember when Cassini came in and everyones Best Match was different for keywords etc and some werent experiencing the new layouts etc. They will be watching results and conversions, but as a group (and maybe categories).  Lets be honest they are not interested in joe-schmo and their business and if your business is lost for the greater cause of ebays improved sales/profit then thats what will happen - many more businesses come on board to take your place.  They will not be interested in our Feedback as individuals if the overall conversions are good for Ebay

[paul*tribesandvibes*]

@simplyessential_uk  got it in 1! 👍 gaslighting us, using us as unpaid guinea pigs for it's own ends - it has been this way for such a long time, that I'm almost past caring, I have complained enough, called them out on several things over the years, but to no avail. It's such a short term business plan - ebay cannot see that they are driving Sellers away!! But ultimately it is their business, and if we dont like it, we can go elsewhere (yeah right!). So what are we to do? I mean, really, WHAT can we DO about this? 🤷‍♂️

I doubt very much that they are passing on my feedback forms to anyone - you know the one that asks 'How Likely Are You To Recommend ebay to a Friend' - nil points!

If ebay was a person, it would be called a narcissist - amongst a few other more salty names.

[goingfishing]

---

@simplyessential_uk wrote:

Any claims that the mods have raised this issue are not true btw - The ads team had no idea that this issue was being reported on the community forums in so many different posts.

---

I'm actually appalled at this but NOT surprised.  I really hope this is recorded or down in writing so to speak but as I've said many times if I'd acted even a 10th as bad as this in my past career I would have been handed the P45 in a matter of days.

It's bad enough we are being 'used' if this is the case but being lied to by eBay staff is something I really can't swallow.  It's absolutely disgusting and I'm sorry to say there should be consequences for those involved, especially with so much at stake. Talking of stakes I've approx lost £18,000 in sales (going off year on year figures) since this 'impressions thing' started.  How do I get that back? Or even an apology...

[best-range]

---

@simplyessential_uk wrote:

ive looked all over and cant find my shiny new tool 

---

I cannot find it today neither, it was only in my private account in the Promotion Advertising Dashboard in the top right corner, now it's gone.

I was experimenting with the Dynamic adds daily rate cap & that's when I spotted it on that page.

It must have taken some serious coding, so probably part of the on going test with the promotions.

I though it strange to see it only in my private but not in my business account, probably tests on small/new/private accounts only (?)  

[goingfishing]

---

@lord_and_lady_m wrote:

Let's say this beta test is happening, how would a test be carried out without a way of gauging the feedback? It seems odd they would be unaware of everything people have been saying. If they're not, what would the aims of the beta test be? How can they measure the results, unless it's simply to see the effect on impressions, at which point sales are irrelevant. To me that would be a stupid experiment. You cannot test impressions without looking at affects in conversion rates. 

---

They would know the aims of the test, they would have a hypothesis and then set out to prove or disprove it.  I doubt they would need 'our feedback' and just go off the data they are seeing on the chosen ones' accounts.

For me they have all the data they need.  We are literally just a number.

[ojewellery]

The problem with trials that show an increase in sales is its not necessarily looking at the full context. 

The eBay celebrated Chinese tat sellers populating the platform bring in revenue.  At first glance they're a great revenue stream.  As other sellers and platform users we watch them come and go.  Typically their 100% feedback drops down to 95% over a few months, a new parallel account pops up when they drop below 97% and the original account gets closed, so the cycle continues.  But that relatively high stock turnover of fairly low value items comes with a massive customer service overhead. 

I received a faulty item - damaged in post or more accurately packed damaged.  It took a lot of messages, a couple of live chats and a phone call to eBay to get my £7 back - eBay gain on a £7 sale - lets say 20% so £1.40.  eBay cost on that sale say 30 minutes of their time, even at low international wages with overheads its got to be £5 - plus a slightly more cynical buyer - its a high cost to gain a new loyal buyer to the platform in a competitive marketplace I'm not sure they rank this cost in their calculations.

I spend a few thousand a year on eBay as a customer and promote eBay casually consciously and sub consciously to friends and family.   The dodgy bit of tat not only tangibly cost eBay in quantifiable loss it can cost so much in future lost revenue.

Yet loyalty in promoting consistent reliable sellers on eBay is surprisingly low.  Other platforms appear to put far more weight on consistent good customer service with consistent happy customers - Etsy are really hot on this sometimes almost to far the other way making it hard for new sellers to establish. 

The profit eBay make on my sales with very few customer service contacts, reasonable repeat buyers and consistent profit from rolling new stock must stack up better than the try it on tat sellers if you look at all the costs.

I wish eBay would revisit their formula for profit from sales to look at the overall cost associated with it.  Aiming to compete with Temu and Shien seams an odd move - even Amazon appear to have moved a bit away from some of the tat we were seeing a few years ago.

I'm not sure its a fair analogy because one person at the ads team claims to not know of a mods report that the mods haven't made a report.  The responsibility for assessing knock on impact of a trial surely must fall to the ads team.  When the mods have no doubt not even been informed a trial is happening, finding out who to feed the reports to must be a problem.  If they have repeatedly reported as a technical fault, the technical team may have repeatedly reported back we have no issues (associated with the report).

[goingfishing]

From Dave -  'This is the first report I've seen of it I'll escalate it to tech to be reviewed and let you know what they find.'

and again - 'I don't have an update on this yet, its one of my highest priorities and I'll come back here as soon as there's an update. 10/7/22'

and again - 'Ive reached out to the Ads team to confirm this, tech have been reviewing the accounts Ive sent but it doesn't look to be a bug because the dips didn't all happen at once. If there was a technical issue everything would have happened pretty much the same time.

I'll continue to investigate what happened and once I have an update from the Ads team I'll post back here. 11/7/23'

Then we have another ref post #67 that this has been reported to the Ads team from an eBay rep.

Back to Dave - 'I saw that thread on .com as well so reached out to the Ads team to get more information. There could possibly have been a change made on that side that caused a discrepancy in the report.' 11/7/23

Dave again - 'I don't have an update on this yet but I'm still looking into it.' 21/7/23  <-- Last we heard from an eBay rep regarding this issue, yes no official word for over 10 days.  😓

'Any claims that the mods have raised this issue are not true btw - The ads team had no idea that this issue was being reported on the community forums in so many different posts.' 

So who do we or what are we meant to believe?  Many times reps have said they have told the ads team, the ad team states they know nothing about it.

I for one would love a straight forward explanation please.  Thank you.

[the-archive-club]

My impressions seem to be low again. They have been 'normal' the past 3 days, but it seems to have reverted back to the behaviour from the past couple of weeks...

[the_book_seekers]

ebay have their 'get out of everything clause' in the t&cs which basically says ebay is not responsible for any losses by members even if the company has made a mistake, had a systems failure etc etc. A lot of those who were given 'compensation' - a period of free shop subscriptions - during the VAT saga were told it was a 'good will gesture' ie no admission of liability. 

Companies like ebay and etsy will continue their practices and will only change if forced to by the government or some regulator set up by it. It will be interesting to see how the etsy situation unfolds and whether the talked about strike actually takes place. 

[bennotbill]

---

@the_book_seekers wrote:

It will be interesting to see how the etsy situation unfolds

---

Hopefully the Etsy situation will escalate and gather enough momentum to lead to some firm regulation of these sort of online sites, and their often outrageous terms and conditions. Paying for a service which you may not get because the companies one sided terms and conditions say they can is not acceptable in the real world.

[simplyessential_uk]

Bit like broadband phantom speed promises that they sold