💬 Weekly Chat with the eBay Community Team- 01.03.23 @2pm

[community-team@ebay]

Hi everybody!

The Community Chat will open at 2pm and will remain open until 3pm on Wednesday. After that it will be closed for further questions. Of course, we will continue to take care of answering any questions that may still be unanswered—We’ll get to everything as quickly as possible. 

Please ask your questions in the thread below. In order to be able to answer your questions as quickly as possible, we ask you to have one question per post. Of course, you can make as many posts as you like in the Chat- the more the merrier!

Our eBay Community Team is made up of kat@ebay , dave@ebay  and katie@ebay . Between us, we have knowledge in Buying, Selling, ProTrader, Fulfilment, Parts & Accessories, Payments, and the Community itself. Anything we aren’t sure on we’ll know the people who will be! Please ask us any questions you may have and we’ll do all we can to support. 

To ask your question, click Reply in the lower-right corner of this post, type your question, and click Reply between 2pm and 3pm. The community team will answer each incoming question in chronological order, and will quote the original question in each answer. 

Please note that any reply without a question to the community team or discussion replies may be removed from the chat. We want to keep on track to get through as many questions as possible. We welcome all discussion to be moved to the discussion boards. 

If you missed the weekly chat time, please ask your question in the community boards and tag us or we will be back next week with another chat! 

Many thanks,

Your eBay Community Team

[rainbowtrax]

dave@ebay a rollout? Dear god, I hope not! If so, that's a potentially disastrous change for all shop sellers of used items. All in all, it's not a great week. Perhaps I should just jack it in now. Please pass on to them that if this is a rollout, they need to reconsider and roll back.

[petals-and-paws]

What is happening with feedback removal at the moment?! Here's my story (this is the short version...)...

- Buyer claims item arrived damaged (impossible) and demands another one (no photos provided) - I request buyer returns item.

- Buyer leaves negative feedback stating I ignored messages.

- Call eBay who confirm buyer messaged me a 2nd time but it was 'soft blocked' by the internal system so I did not receive the message and this, together with fact I offered a return but buyer declined means feedback eligible for removal. However, agents system crashes and advises I'll need to call back and speak with another agent.

- Requested another callback - this agent advises eBay will only remove feedback if the buyer is immediately refunded, despite item never being returned, makes me refund whilst he's on the phone but then states he ALSO has IT issues and I'll need to request ANOTHER callback.

- Requested a 3rd callback - agent advises they will only remove if feedback revision request is sent (sigh...)

- Feedback revision request sent... no response for 48 hours, despite being told it would be looked at within 8 hours.

- Called eBay, told that it cannot be removed as I'd already spoken with an agent about it - explained I was forced to refund the buyer for it to be removed and that the feedback is false, as I did reply to the messages I received, eBay blocked a message so how could I have replied? Promised call back within 24 hours.

- No call received after a few days, spoke with another agent who promised me it would be looked into.

- Still no call back, have spoken with multiple agents who all say someone will call me back but no-one ever does... feedback revision request still pending after 2 weeks, buyer has item and a refund which I was forced to do..

This is crazy! So buyers can demand replacements, refuse to return items and leave negative feedback if they don't receive them? eBay will admit messages have been blocked by their systems but let buyers receive negative feedback for not replying to them? eBay will tell sellers they have to refund buyers - despite the item not being returned - for feedback to be removed, but then not remove it? 

I'm sure anyone reading this will agree this is not right, but I've tried to speak with the 'right person' at eBay and keep getting told the 'back office team' cannot be spoken to so there's nothing they can do - so hoping someone reading this can help me instead!

[elcon_europe_ltd]

I receive orders from Portugal. In order to use Royal Mail Click & Drop, I have to insert the customers Addressee Identification Reference Number (in the case of Portugal, they're NIF number). Without this, Portuguese Customs will reject the import.

Should this not be the responsibility of eBay to ensure their users upload this information?

I regularly have to ring Portugal to get this information.

[kat@ebay]

---

@eshopforce01 wrote:

Your colleague told me over the phone that i can't escalate it before it close by itself.

The only way for me to close the case is to provide a full refund, then there is no option to appeal the decision.

It's a bit confusing.

---

Hi @eshopforce01 ,

I'm not sure why you would not have been able to escalate the case but there are situations where it can be different depending on the case situation. Most instances you should be able to escalate the case before it closes.   

We can't go back on previous cases to discuss on the boards but going forward if you are in this situation again if you want to reach out to us here to have the case situation looked at.

Thank you,

Kat

Thank you,

Kat

[ojewellery]

Last week, with zero notice, eBay changed the jewellery policy.  Listings not complying by 25th March will not relist.  The policy brings the UK policy inline with the US one - which I understand is a move towards eBay authentication on jewellery over $500.  The problem is the laws for precious metal retail vary around the globe and eBay rules shouldn't be trying to over ride law.

There are two issues for me.  One is eBay compliance with UK law and hallmarking requirements, the second is the eBay definition of what is a gemstone that doesn't fit with the rest of the worlds thinking.

Here's my issue/ suggestion with the metal wording (I'll post with the gemstone issues at the end of this):

Current homogenised US Jewelry/ UK jewellery policy metal rules:

Rules for metals

• If your item is made from plated, flashed or filled metals, you will need to clearly state this in the title, item specifics and item description, such as "gold-plated silver"
• Platinum, gold and silver items must meet applicable laws for stamping:
• Gold stamps: 9K, 10k, 14k, 18k, 22k, 24k
• Silver stamps: Sterling Silver, .925, .999
• Platinum stamps: Plat, Pt, 950Plat, 900Pt

Areas of conflict

Here are a few conflicting issues:

The K on the US stamp stands for Karat – outside the US this is carat and abbreviated to ct.

14k USA = 583 parts gold per thousand – in the UK/ Europe/ India 14ct is 585 parts per thousand

9ct gold/ 375 stamped gold should not be sold as gold in the US – 10k/ 417 hallmark

8ct gold 333 stamp is recognised and marked in much of Europe (incl. Germany and Italy)

Suggested rules for metals UK

• If your item is made from plated, flashed or filled metals, you will need to clearly state this in the title, item specifics and item description, such as "gold-plated silver"
• Silver, palladium, gold and platinum items must meet applicable laws for stamping:
• Silver stamps: 800, 925, 958, 999
• Palladium stamps: 500, 950, 999
• Gold stamps: 375, 585, 750 ,916 ,990, 999
• Platinum stamps: 850, 900, 950, 999
• Articles above these weights must be hallmarked:

• Silver 7.78g
• Palladium 1g
• Gold 1g
• Platinum 0.5g

It would help the platform be compliant with the hallmarking act if it displayed the online British Hallmarking Council dealer notice – or linked to it.

Gemstone issue:

For what is fine jewellery please would you consider simplifying the very complex rules written to be the following:

What is considered Fine Jewellery (UK)?

Fine jewellery is composed primarily of fine materials.

Fine metals

• Gold that is 9 carats or higher, including rose, green, chocolate or white gold
• Silver and sterling silver that is 925 parts per thousand, or higher
• Platinum and other platinum-group metals that are 850 or above
• Hallmarked metals where the metal fineness has been verified by an assay office.
• Gold, silver and platinum are considered fine if they are a solid metal or if they have been plated with gold, silver, platinum, palladium or other platinum-group metals

Fine gemstones

• Natural gemstones
• Laboratory created gemstones where the gemstone has the same mineral composition as the natural gemstone

What is considered Fashion Jewellery?

If the item does not meet the criteria above to be considered fine jewellery, the item should be listed in the Fashion Jewellery category.

Fashion metals

If the base metal is not gold, silver or a platinum group metal, the jewellery is considered fashion, even if the metal is plated with gold, silver or platinum group metal.

Fashion gemstones

• Simulated gemstones are considered fashion jewellery

Please could we also add within treatment:

• Specify clearly in the title if the treatment of the gem is unknown “Treatment Unknown”

Much jewellery would fall into the 'Treatment Unknown' - testing that gemstones are natural or having a traceable supply chain for this is a simple enough process - the test for treatment is more complex.  Just get a certificate is a great statement but a basic stone verification certificate is around £45+ VAT (per stone) plus two lots of special delivery postage - so thats quite a chunk on the price.  More detailed reports breaking down treatment are well over £100+ VAT plus postage, per stone.

The current gemstone list misses quite a few and a few listed in the fashion jewellery list are obscure.  Onyx has frequently been seen as the main stone in very high end collections.  Cartier did an amazing black onyx collection (lots of examples on eBay well over £20k), other manufacturers have done collections with green onyx - there are examples on eBay where the main stone is green onyx, the price tag over $100,000 and this policy is suggesting these should now be a fashion item - In my area of the North West you can buy a home for this!  Are we saying anything with a pearl is fashion, tanzanite is debated between beeing precious and semi precious but has grown enormously in popularity and the story behind the mining of the gemstone and attempts to ensure a fair share for Tanzanians is something that is a wonder to read about.  Yet its another unlisted gemstone so do we relegate to fashion?  In a more modest price range I have a lot of hallmarked branded pieces of gold fine jewellery that are white topaz - not fashion, future family heirlooms.  But relegated to fashion.

I'm avoiding the busy task created by this policy change without notice hoping sense will prevail!

[eshopforce01]

kat@ebayI appreciate but my account is below standard from the 20th of February until the 20th of March because of it.

Is there a way you can change the previous evaluation ?

And most importantly fix it, so it doesn't happen to someone else.

Thank you

[ducatimondo]

Can someone get the app developers to sort out the kerching noise when you sell something.

Has been doing a double or triple kerching when an item sells, so you think you have sold more than one item.

Could be they have made it do the kerching noise when it sells and changed it so it does it again when the payment is made, instead of the latter being a different jingle.

But it is tres annoying and seems to be another case of something being implemented without being tested.
Of course it could be like the other feature, a simplfication of something that does not need it; why have 2x jingles when you can use the same one twice.

Any chance someone can have a look please.

Cheers

Russ

[kat@ebay]

---

@petals-and-paws wrote:

What is happening with feedback removal at the moment?! Here's my story (this is the short version...)...

- Buyer claims item arrived damaged (impossible) and demands another one (no photos provided) - I request buyer returns item.

- Buyer leaves negative feedback stating I ignored messages.

- Call eBay who confirm buyer messaged me a 2nd time but it was 'soft blocked' by the internal system so I did not receive the message and this, together with fact I offered a return but buyer declined means feedback eligible for removal. However, agents system crashes and advises I'll need to call back and speak with another agent.

- Requested another callback - this agent advises eBay will only remove feedback if the buyer is immediately refunded, despite item never being returned, makes me refund whilst he's on the phone but then states he ALSO has IT issues and I'll need to request ANOTHER callback.

- Requested a 3rd callback - agent advises they will only remove if feedback revision request is sent (sigh...)

- Feedback revision request sent... no response for 48 hours, despite being told it would be looked at within 8 hours.

- Called eBay, told that it cannot be removed as I'd already spoken with an agent about it - explained I was forced to refund the buyer for it to be removed and that the feedback is false, as I did reply to the messages I received, eBay blocked a message so how could I have replied? Promised call back within 24 hours.

- No call received after a few days, spoke with another agent who promised me it would be looked into.

- Still no call back, have spoken with multiple agents who all say someone will call me back but no-one ever does... feedback revision request still pending after 2 weeks, buyer has item and a refund which I was forced to do..

This is crazy! So buyers can demand replacements, refuse to return items and leave negative feedback if they don't receive them? eBay will admit messages have been blocked by their systems but let buyers receive negative feedback for not replying to them? eBay will tell sellers they have to refund buyers - despite the item not being returned - for feedback to be removed, but then not remove it? 

I'm sure anyone reading this will agree this is not right, but I've tried to speak with the 'right person' at eBay and keep getting told the 'back office team' cannot be spoken to so there's nothing they can do - so hoping someone reading this can help me instead!

---

Hi @petals-and-paws,

Leave this with me so I can review the details offline for the feedback and the buyer.  I will follow up with you by pm.

Thank you,

Kat

[petals-and-paws]

Thank you Kat, I really appreciate your help!

[ducatimondo]

---

@ducatimondo wrote:

Can someone get the app developers to sort out the kerching noise when you sell something.

Has been doing a double or triple kerching when an item sells, so you think you have sold more than one item.

Could be they have made it do the kerching noise when it sells and changed it so it does it again when the payment is made, instead of the latter being a different jingle.

But it is tres annoying and seems to be another case of something being implemented without being tested.
Of course it could be like the other feature, a simplfication of something that does not need it; why have 2x jingles when you can use the same one twice.

Any chance someone can have a look please.

Cheers

Russ

---

Replying to myself here, makes as much sense as talking to myself; following the saying you don't have to be mad to work here, but it helps lol

Just wanted to add as I had fogotten, this has been happening for around 1 week.

[dave@ebay]

---

@elcon_europe_ltd wrote:

I receive orders from Portugal. In order to use Royal Mail Click & Drop, I have to insert the customers Addressee Identification Reference Number (in the case of Portugal, they're NIF number). Without this, Portuguese Customs will reject the import.

Should this not be the responsibility of eBay to ensure their users upload this information?

I regularly have to ring Portugal to get this information.

---

Hi @elcon_europe_ltd 

This is this is a legal requirement set up by each country for sellers selling into their country. The responsibility for this falls with the seller and not the buyer.

As its not an eBay policy we cant enforce buyers adding the information. I will reach out to the shipping team to see if its possible to make the information for each country more readily available.

Thanks,

Dave

[kat@ebay]

---

@ojewellery wrote:

Last week, with zero notice, eBay changed the jewellery policy.  Listings not complying by 25th March will not relist.  The policy brings the UK policy inline with the US one - which I understand is a move towards eBay authentication on jewellery over $500.  The problem is the laws for precious metal retail vary around the globe and eBay rules shouldn't be trying to over ride law.

There are two issues for me.  One is eBay compliance with UK law and hallmarking requirements, the second is the eBay definition of what is a gemstone that doesn't fit with the rest of the worlds thinking.

Here's my issue/ suggestion with the metal wording (I'll post with the gemstone issues at the end of this):

Current homogenised US Jewelry/ UK jewellery policy metal rules:

Rules for metals

• If your item is made from plated, flashed or filled metals, you will need to clearly state this in the title, item specifics and item description, such as "gold-plated silver"
• Platinum, gold and silver items must meet applicable laws for stamping:
• Gold stamps: 9K, 10k, 14k, 18k, 22k, 24k
• Silver stamps: Sterling Silver, .925, .999
• Platinum stamps: Plat, Pt, 950Plat, 900Pt

Areas of conflict

Here are a few conflicting issues:

The K on the US stamp stands for Karat – outside the US this is carat and abbreviated to ct.

14k USA = 583 parts gold per thousand – in the UK/ Europe/ India 14ct is 585 parts per thousand

9ct gold/ 375 stamped gold should not be sold as gold in the US – 10k/ 417 hallmark

8ct gold 333 stamp is recognised and marked in much of Europe (incl. Germany and Italy)

Suggested rules for metals UK

• If your item is made from plated, flashed or filled metals, you will need to clearly state this in the title, item specifics and item description, such as "gold-plated silver"
• Silver, palladium, gold and platinum items must meet applicable laws for stamping:
• Silver stamps: 800, 925, 958, 999
• Palladium stamps: 500, 950, 999
• Gold stamps: 375, 585, 750 ,916 ,990, 999
• Platinum stamps: 850, 900, 950, 999
• Articles above these weights must be hallmarked:

• Silver 7.78g
• Palladium 1g
• Gold 1g
• Platinum 0.5g

It would help the platform be compliant with the hallmarking act if it displayed the online British Hallmarking Council dealer notice – or linked to it.

Gemstone issue:

For what is fine jewellery please would you consider simplifying the very complex rules written to be the following:

What is considered Fine Jewellery (UK)?

Fine jewellery is composed primarily of fine materials.

Fine metals

• Gold that is 9 carats or higher, including rose, green, chocolate or white gold
• Silver and sterling silver that is 925 parts per thousand, or higher
• Platinum and other platinum-group metals that are 850 or above
• Hallmarked metals where the metal fineness has been verified by an assay office.
• Gold, silver and platinum are considered fine if they are a solid metal or if they have been plated with gold, silver, platinum, palladium or other platinum-group metals

Fine gemstones

• Natural gemstones
• Laboratory created gemstones where the gemstone has the same mineral composition as the natural gemstone

What is considered Fashion Jewellery?

If the item does not meet the criteria above to be considered fine jewellery, the item should be listed in the Fashion Jewellery category.

Fashion metals

If the base metal is not gold, silver or a platinum group metal, the jewellery is considered fashion, even if the metal is plated with gold, silver or platinum group metal.

Fashion gemstones

• Simulated gemstones are considered fashion jewellery

Please could we also add within treatment:

• Specify clearly in the title if the treatment of the gem is unknown “Treatment Unknown”

Much jewellery would fall into the 'Treatment Unknown' - testing that gemstones are natural or having a traceable supply chain for this is a simple enough process - the test for treatment is more complex.  Just get a certificate is a great statement but a basic stone verification certificate is around £45+ VAT (per stone) plus two lots of special delivery postage - so thats quite a chunk on the price.  More detailed reports breaking down treatment are well over £100+ VAT plus postage, per stone.

The current gemstone list misses quite a few and a few listed in the fashion jewellery list are obscure.  Onyx has frequently been seen as the main stone in very high end collections.  Cartier did an amazing black onyx collection (lots of examples on eBay well over £20k), other manufacturers have done collections with green onyx - there are examples on eBay where the main stone is green onyx, the price tag over $100,000 and this policy is suggesting these should now be a fashion item - In my area of the North West you can buy a home for this!  Are we saying anything with a pearl is fashion, tanzanite is debated between beeing precious and semi precious but has grown enormously in popularity and the story behind the mining of the gemstone and attempts to ensure a fair share for Tanzanians is something that is a wonder to read about.  Yet its another unlisted gemstone so do we relegate to fashion?  In a more modest price range I have a lot of hallmarked branded pieces of gold fine jewellery that are white topaz - not fashion, future family heirlooms.  But relegated to fashion.

I'm avoiding the busy task created by this policy change without notice hoping sense will prevail!

---

Hi @ojewellery ,

I understand your experience in this area and appreciate your detailed insight. I will share the feedback you are providing on this policy change to the relevant team here. While we share all insight from sellers,  we have no way of guaranteeing any change to this new incoming policy.

Thank you,

Kat

[eshopforce01]

The EAN is still hidden in the new listing tool.

[simas-stuff]

What has happened to ebay for business on facebook? I messaged them yesterday morning and have not had a reply, not even the standard 'thanks for messaging we will be with you as soon as we can'.

[quizman6429]

Hi

I have noticed recently that the number of Adult magazine titles listed on ebay has increased especially from America and on checking the "restricted adult items policy" there is no change of the wording on eBay.co but on eBay.com there is a much larger list of what is now allowed, this is very confusing and would be grateful for comments as to whether this applies to eBay.co and why the difference in the two sites.

Michael

[dave@ebay]

---

@ducatimondo wrote:

Can someone get the app developers to sort out the kerching noise when you sell something.

Has been doing a double or triple kerching when an item sells, so you think you have sold more than one item.

Could be they have made it do the kerching noise when it sells and changed it so it does it again when the payment is made, instead of the latter being a different jingle.

But it is tres annoying and seems to be another case of something being implemented without being tested.
Of course it could be like the other feature, a simplfication of something that does not need it; why have 2x jingles when you can use the same one twice.

Any chance someone can have a look please.

Cheers

Russ

---

Hi @ducatimondo 

I'll reach out to the App team to see if its something we can work into a future update.

You can mute the sounds for just the order updates in the app settings by going to Settings - Notifications - Order updates. You can than put the sound to silent. You'll still get the notifications but it should mute the kerching. 

Thanks,

Dave

[kat@ebay]

---

@eshopforce01 wrote:

kat@ebayI appreciate but my account is below standard from the 20th of February until the 20th of March because of it.

Is there a way you can change the previous evaluation ?

And most importantly fix it, so it doesn't happen to someone else.

Thank you

---

Hi @eshopforce01 ,

Unfortunately we can't change the seller level once the evaluation has passed. I have had the account checked and the seller level will come back on the next one with will be the 20th of March.

Thank you,

Kat

[katie@ebay]

---

@simas-stuff wrote:

What has happened to ebay for business on facebook? I messaged them yesterday morning and have not had a reply, not even the standard 'thanks for messaging we will be with you as soon as we can'.

---

Hi @simas-stuff,

Their team have has some issues with the tool they use to reply to messages across social platforms. 

They haven't been able to access messages since Monday morning on Facebook.

They'll get back to everyone as soon as possible or if you would like to reach out to us here we will do what we can to help.

Thanks,

Katie 

[dave@ebay]

---

@quizman6429 wrote:

Hi

I have noticed recently that the number of Adult magazine titles listed on ebay has increased especially from America and on checking the "restricted adult items policy" there is no change of the wording on eBay.co but on eBay.com there is a much larger list of what is now allowed, this is very confusing and would be grateful for comments as to whether this applies to eBay.co and why the difference in the two sites.

Michael

---

Hi @quizman6429 

The policies in adult categories can differ between .com and .uk because of the different regulatory bodies in each country.  This lead can lead to a difference in the policies across the different sites.

Thanks,

Dave

[kat@ebay]

Hi @fatbobfan ,

If you go back to the same link here for the details on the promoted listings standard and go the the last FAQ titled How will I be charged for listings that are promoted via Promoted Listings Standard and Promoted Listings Advanced campaigns?

This gives more of a detailed example of fees and how charges will be applied.

Thank you,

Kat