Realistic suggestions that would / could improve Ebay UK

I will get the ball rolling:

 

Change the default search to UK only, if people want to search worldwide they can select that as an option, I don't think it should be the default.

 

As an example I just searched impressionist painting 

 

The search gave me over 100,000 results which is way too many to deal with. I changed the search to UK only and the results dropped to under 6,000 which is more than adequate.

 

I imagine the vast majority of UK buyers buy from UK sellers so why are the searches dominated by overseas listings ?  It is one of the many things that is killing the UK platform.

 

I believe it would be an easy change to make and literally everyone would benefit.

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Re: Realistic suggestions that would / could improve Ebay UK

1) when a buyer searches for a product, the seller nearby should be listed first

 

2) on the pvp page remove Similar Items and Customers also bought and replace with Seller other items

 

3) fees get ride of the final value fees for the business seller and just have it as a % base where the seller can adjust the % as to their needs

 

4) A shop subscription has zero benefits to sellers get rid of it orallow the store owner to create it into a mini website where the buyer can access it from an ebay domain eg ebay.com/mypartsuk

 

5) add a postage calculator at the moment every item we add to eBay has postage included this ok for some items but on a config, it works out very expensive if the seller can add the weight of an item then once added to the cart postage can be calculated on the pvp instead of fixed rate

 

6) top rated sellers need some sort of reward for the work they put in

 

7) eBay's late delivery rate gets ride of it does more harm than good as a seller, we should not be punished for Royal Mail or other companies
delay times

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Quite a simple idea really ........................... get ebay towers to actually read this thread!

 

I used to work, many moons ago, for Woolworths in the UK; their top brass decision makers, mostly close to retirement, were totally out of touch with day to day retail working and look what eventually happened to their Company!

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On Amazon if you want an item delivered fast/ next day you can filter for the Prime results.

 

Many sellers on eBay offer next day delivery (usually as an upgrade) but any potential buyer has no way of filtering items that are available with next day delivery. 

 

Amazon is so big any many people now want next day delivery, I am sure eBay is loosing so much business to Amazon for the simple reason that a buyer knows they can get their order next day where that information is almost impossible to find on eBay.

 

Even if next day delivery is a paid for upgrade on eBay as opposed to the free Prime service on Amazon that does not mean the total price on eBay may be uncompetitive.

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I fully agree @bojangled There is far too big a gap between featured and anchor shops.

 

I don't use all 600 of the auctions, possibly around 400 or so, but I do constantly need to take decent listings down to stay below the 1500 limit on fixed price listings (big clearout on the way in December). I know the charge for extra listings isn't large, but I'd rather avoid it. I would probably settle at around 2500 fixed listings, with about 75-80% renewing each month. (I'd still get rid of the non-sellers after a period of time.)

 

It shouldn't be beyond eBay's capabilities to offer shop subscriptions on a sliding scale, so sellers could select listing numbers realistic to their own situation. I'd happily pay more regularly to list more, but I'd rather know what I'm paying.

 

I would run around 1,000 extra listings, and on my average sale price, eBay would get an extra couple of hundred pounds each month, plus whatever extra my new shop plan would cost. It seems like a no-brainer.

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@vinylscot on the other side of the coin I have used 1 auction listing this month, absolutely no use to me. Completely understand in your category. 
I could do with another 500 BIN, I’m just about to hit the limit this month. 
Sliding scale set up would be a good option. 
Jo

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I've just thought of something else that may potentially prove to be a vast improvement to the site that I don't think anybody has mentioned as of yet.  Unfortunately I very much doubt that eBay would implement it.

 

If eBay was actually serious about improving the site for its users, then how about including an option on every listing and also on the messages that gives users the chance to click on a button saying "Activate Read Out Loud"?  I'm sure that this option, if implemented, would be of huge benefit to people with significant visual problems who may struggle to read the default sized text on the listings and in eBay Messages, as by activating this function they could just listen to the text being spoken out loud instead of struggling to read it...

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The ebay site is compatible with assistive technology such as screen readers:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/account/ebay-users-special-access-needs/ebay-users-special-access-needs?...

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@eyewear247 wrote:

On Amazon if you want an item delivered fast/ next day you can filter for the Prime results.

 

Many sellers on eBay offer next day delivery (usually as an upgrade) but any potential buyer has no way of filtering items that are available with next day delivery. 

 

Amazon is so big any many people now want next day delivery, I am sure eBay is loosing so much business to Amazon for the simple reason that a buyer knows they can get their order next day where that information is almost impossible to find on eBay.

 

Even if next day delivery is a paid for upgrade on eBay as opposed to the free Prime service on Amazon that does not mean the total price on eBay may be uncompetitive.


There is already a filter for 'Express delivery' under 'Delivery options'. 

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@charleysshop wrote:

From 20th ish! Of January 2025, private sellers will be limited to 100 listings. I only happened to come across this announcement when I was looking at the subscription packages on eBay help section. This is a step in the right direction but many more steps are needed yet!


It's the free auto relists that they need to limit rather than the number of new listings per month. 

 

Also, get rid of shop subscriptions and multi quantity/multi variation listings  for private sellers plus the ability to list things as 'new' (unwanted personal possessions can only ever be pre-owned). 

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@sml192 

 

Thanks your your reply.

 

However, I have been selling on eBay for over 320 years and I have never seen this so if I have not seen it in 20 years it must be very well hidden.

 

In fact I have finally located the feature for delivery options but the only option that is is showing is a filter for Free P+P !

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Another suggestion that doesn't stand a chance of being implemented but which just might solve some of the issues that have been mentioned frequently in previous replies.

The Search, its inadequacies and ebay's manipulation of the results.

& Business Sellers operating on Private Accounts.

 

I think one solution might be for ebay to re-examine "Ebay Express" and split the site into two parts again, as it tried once before.  "New in the box" for businesses and "Classic" for collectables / antiques, used goods and unwanted presents.  It would mean ebay dusting off its software from the previous attempt.

 

The search as it is cannot work for both private and business sellers when businesses are selling goods they hope will sell quickly, in multiples, regularly and at fixed prices to guarantee their margins and sellers of used goods are offering items that may take longer to sell, usually as single items in variable condition and at more fluid prices.  The two are in many ways diametrically opposed to each other.  All too often helping one group, disadvantages the other.  Pulling them apart just might help both and ebay longer trem.

 

While the Business site could carry on with all the bells and whistles that they need in a highly competitive market, the Classic site should revert to the earlier software, Key-Word and Category oriented which worked so well in the less competitive, mainly private selling environment which ebay was at that time

 

If ebay were to think about doing this they could take the opportunity to lay down a few rules for the Classic site to help business sellers.

Such As.

Re-introduce a minimal listing fee for Private sellers in return for getting back a site where they are not competing with businesses with a search that often works against them.

Single listings only, with perhaps sets exempted.

A basic "List it, Sell it" service with no enhanced options used by businesses.

No free listings, at least to start with.

Without any of the enhancements used by businesses available on the site it would be cheaper to maintain, so FVFs should return to something like the level of years ago (10% or less).

But with no free listings or auto re-listing it would be far less attractive to businesses pretending to be private sellers.

 

Perhaps it would also be a way to abolish the distinction between business and private sellers altogether?  Just use the different functions to differentiate?

The basic "Classic" site only of use for non-business selling and Businesses willing to pay higher fees for enhanced functions, stats. and services exclusive to the "New In The Box" site. 

At least both types of seller would feel that ebay is working with them, by leveling the playing fields to improve sales, rather than just dreaming-up ever more ingenious ways of increasing their fee percentages.

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'However, I have been selling on eBay for over 320 years....' 

 

Congratulations on your longevity... 

Sometimes it feels like searching on eBay takes nearly that long... 😄

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😁  in all those 320 years I have never known it so bad on eBay, should be selling steadily now on the approach to Christmas .

Indeed today was the very first time in 20 years I had to turn away my RM collection pick up without then taking any packages away having not made a sale now in 1.5 days and counting.

 

The decline in recent months is quite staggering, maybe the top dogs at eBay will take on board some of the excellent suggestions on this thread but I wont hold my breath.

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@eyewear247 wrote:

@sml192 

 

Thanks your your reply.

 

However, I have been selling on eBay for over 320 years and I have never seen this so if I have not seen it in 20 years it must be very well hidden.

 

In fact I have finally located the feature for delivery options but the only option that is is showing is a filter for Free P+P !


It would appear that the filter option for 'Express delivery' is only available on the android and iOS apps, and not on the full or mobile websites for some bizarre reason.  To confuse things even more the mobile website has a filter for 'Arrives in 1-3 days' instead.  Go figure! 

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Re: Realistic suggestions that would / could improve Ebay UK

I still miss Woolworths! Cheap & cheerful, but good quality, too. The high street has never been same without that iconic red & white sign...

No doubt there was a combination of reasons for its decline & demise, but people like familiarity and reliability - too many changes/updates & 'new looks' are unsettling and off-putting. eBay have done too much tinkering in recent years, and seem to be drifting away from what made it a great place to buy & sell.

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Fired-up the lap top this morning and my "News" feed is promising another "Wall of snow to hit the UK in days".

I thought "Yeah, they said that last week, and it never happened."  Not here anyway.

 

Then looked at ebay and a couple of Saved Searches for items on my Wish List.  Couldn't help noticing that most of the items on the results pages, if I bought them right now, ebay is telling me to expect delivery between Monday and Wednesday next week.

Is that really likely, with or without a 'wall of snow'? 

 

So how about EBAY being REALISTIC with its SUGGESTIONS about Delivery Dates given to buyers?

 

How many buyers thought to themselves "Yeah, they said that last time and it never happened" and decide not to risk another ebay purchase?

 

Ebay should learn "You can't fool all the buyers, all the time".

 

The longer the over-promising goes on, the more buyers who get caught out, the more dis-trust is created and the fewer who will return.

 

How about some HONESTY from ebay?  Like replacing all the dubious days and dates with a message like "Due to the vagaries of winter weather in the UK with the ever-present possibility of delivery disruption we can't give any expected delivery date.  But our sellers will do their best to get your purchases to you ASAP."

 

I'm sure many people would appreciate the honesty and perhaps even fall back on the "Shop early for Christmas" adage.  Ebay doesn't always have to pander to those who expect miracles as a substitute for getting themselves organised well in advance of whatever the winter weather throws at us. 

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Really it doesn’t matter how we think eBay could improve they don’t take our suggestions on board 

 

Please take a look at the thread tips for increasing sales. That’s something we do have power over and any suggestions are welcome 

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International sellers are able to out compete uk sellers, because they are not subject to the same tax laws as we are.  

Another thing, why does eBay force this seller out competing other sellers to a point there is no profit to be had?? 

If you are confused with what I am saying, Sellers which sell same products are coming up on my shop and no doubt on everybody else will be experiencing the same. What this does is create unhealthy competition and drive sellers to go to war til last man standing. Absolutely atrocious line of marketing and should cease immediately.

 

When you add just these two strategies up, not to mention the new charges which are driving customers away in droves, you have to question if ebay values site sellers and is it acting in seller interest, or NOT!?

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My useful search results always default to 'Most expensive first'....Thanks E-bay! 

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This is the Selling board so are you asking as a seller aiming to sell impressionist paintings in the UK or are you looking to buy such? The denotations of "impressionist paintings" and the connotations of the term are very different. 

The international reach of the Search  Returns reflects that it is a transnational style and all of the best of the early practitioners were foreign, apart from Sisley.

To find what you are looking for in this haystack (haystacks were a favourite Impressionist motif) you need to navigate with Keywords and Item Specifics  and all the Filters.  I would like to make a helpful suggestion but cannot. I'll go and look for an "impressionist painting" now and report back.

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