Weekly Chat with the eBay Community Team- 27.11.24 @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 and dave@ebay. Between us, we have knowledge in Buying, Selling, Fulfilment, 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

[darth_baggins]

Can you explain why I continue to get nonsense emails from eBay? I've raised this before on here and of course it's been 'passed to the team' yet it keeps happening.

Is there no kind of quality control there at eBay or what?

[funkybunnie-direct]

A subject that keeps coming up – mainly because official business sellers are not only frustrated, but are losing money because ebay will not police their site and force the 1000s of private sellers that are ILLEGALLY selling as ‘Private’. Seems like ebay are happy to allow so many sellers to break the law.

Since the beginning of Octoer when the free listing for Private sellers started I have reported over 30 of these sellers that are trading illegally (against ebay policy and UK law). These include

Feedback over 6k – item listed 4.2k+

Feedback 8.4k – items listed 4k+

Feedback 3.4k – items listed 5.6k+

I could go on and on and on. It’s not just the number listed as I realise someone could have a private collection that they are selling off. But these seller are selling if not 100% then nearly 100% BRAND NEW items. And many with multiple quantities.

Whilst I realise that this is probably a massive task, can some one actually tell us what ebay are actually doing about this? And not just the usual ‘we are working on it”

[treetopsminicottages]

Good afternoon,

I appreciate that you are unable to comment on individual cases that have been opened but I am wondering if you can give any ideas on the grounds that sellers can escalate a case with eBay before receiving back, or while in transist, a return for an IND case opened well within the advised time scale? Thank you.

[dave@ebay]

---

@darth_baggins wrote:

Can you explain why I continue to get nonsense emails from eBay? I've raised this before on here and of course it's been 'passed to the team' yet it keeps happening.

Is there no kind of quality control there at eBay or what?

---

Hi @darth_baggins 

Have you turned off marketing emails in your Communication preferences.? It should stop any unwanted emails. 

Thanks,

Dave

[cooksongold]

I would say the issue isn't getting the emails as such - the original poster may actually be interested in business finance.
The issue is the content - you have a variable data field that has nothing in it - so the email is useless.

[rhyobrie2]

Could I have a confirmation on the duplicate listing policy?

Reported a seller with 200+ Violations of the duplicate listing policy on two separate ebay stores both shops are competing against eachother, I've  had customers think im also that seller.

2/3 of the search results are these duplicates of the same item in under 15 colours. Single item listings and variation listings. That's well over 100 listings.

Every rep i have spoken to said this seller should not be doing what they are doing and executive escalations team say they are not taken action. This has been going on for a year and ebay has done nothing at all apart from lie and give me false promises. While I have to pay ebay extra fees just to be seen. I'm just being messed about and ripped off by ebay at this point.

[kat@ebay]

---

@funkybunnie-direct wrote:

A subject that keeps coming up – mainly because official business sellers are not only frustrated, but are losing money because ebay will not police their site and force the 1000s of private sellers that are ILLEGALLY selling as ‘Private’. Seems like ebay are happy to allow so many sellers to break the law.

Since the beginning of Octoer when the free listing for Private sellers started I have reported over 30 of these sellers that are trading illegally (against ebay policy and UK law). These include

Feedback over 6k – item listed 4.2k+

Feedback 8.4k – items listed 4k+

Feedback 3.4k – items listed 5.6k+

I could go on and on and on. It’s not just the number listed as I realise someone could have a private collection that they are selling off. But these seller are selling if not 100% then nearly 100% BRAND NEW items. And many with multiple quantities.

Whilst I realise that this is probably a massive task, can some one actually tell us what ebay are actually doing about this? And not just the usual ‘we are working on it”

---

Hi @funkybunnie-direct ,

I understand the frustration with the reporting.  EBay continue to review accounts and are taking action which is not always visible. In terms of measures being introduced to manage private accounts they have reduced the listing allowance from 1000 to 300 and most recently they are introducing that from 20th of January 2025 the discount tools will no longer be included for private sellers with Shop subscriptions . This  will be Coupons, Sale Events and Order discounts. Additionally, private sellers will no longer have access to the Multi-buy discount tool.

Thank you,

Kat

[dwtrading2015]

Having had to change my dispatch to same day to try and get the Top Rated Seller discount of 10% off FVF (still not showing despite multiple escalations to 'the back office teams'), the order page now says I am late in dispatch for not despatching on a Sunday.  So, will this also apply to Christmas day, Boxing day and indeed every single day?  Is it for real that the system expects same day including non-business days?  I am informed if I use the one business day dispatch then it is not possible to full fill the 2-3 free post delivery target and only the same day dispatch is to be used. 

AND STILL... Saturday is being counted as a Royal Mail working day despite myself posting here weeks ago Royal Mail do not include Saturday as a working day. 

Seriously, 7 day a week dispatch requirement including bank holidays with impossible delivery dates due to a known bug in the calculation for delivery?  Why is there even a dynamic delivery date anyway?

[darth_baggins]

Dave - you've totally missed the point. May I suggest you look at the picture? It says I've qualified for £!

This is at least the fourth time this has happened. Does anybody working for eBay actually check these things before they're sent out?

[dave@ebay]

---

@treetopsminicottages wrote:

Good afternoon,

I appreciate that you are unable to comment on individual cases that have been opened but I am wondering if you can give any ideas on the grounds that sellers can escalate a case with eBay before receiving back, or while in transist, a return for an IND case opened well within the advised time scale? Thank you.

---

Hi @treetopsminicottages 

In general, the buyer has 15 business days to return the item. After that you can speak to the cases team who may close the return or extend the time to allow the item to be delivered. Some returns can remain open for up to 35 business days though.

Thanks,

Dave

[auctiongabble]

Spoken to a few agents past week, those who manage the accounts so quite high up in the support line and it is clear:-

Ebay are not interested in those who are clearly not a private seller but are using a private account. 

Pointed one seller who has 1,240 items listed, 700 of these were brand new items!

Ebay response, they can have a large qty listed but if actual sales per month are low then its not an issue and only when high value per month is made in sales is when it triggers the system.

Raised same issues of problems with searches and how items are being hidden for a number of reasons and how UK site is flooded with oversea sellers items taking priority, even traders on private accounts are shown above mine…

I was basically told by the agent, if I want my items to be seen then pay for promotions.

Ebay agents have no concept of business expenses involved outside of ebay

14.9% ebay fees and ebays suggested promotion rate of 10 to 12%

No business will survive with selling costs like that!

Ebay agent also have said they no plans to assist business sellers, they currently see no issues and only if there is noticeable negative feedback or problems reported will something be looked in to.

So, what is coming from these weekly chats, feedback apparently gets taken. 

I see nothing coming of these chats and it seems a pointless task as ebay are not taking any of members points seriously and clearly will not do anything to improve this site and make it a fair place to sell for private and business sellers, Are there any plans to improve the site for business sellers?

[funkybunnie-direct]

That's hardly an answer. Whilst I appreciate the listing number has been reduced, this is only for NEW listings. Why on earth a "Private' seller would need even this number is beyond me. To list 10 items a day takes time. 5,600 items listed from my previous example would cost me an extra £240 a month on top of my £92 subscription - and then have to pay when I sell 

This is becoming a joke. Not wanting to be too aggressive, you can sit fobbing us off with responses that mean nothing and certainly don’t answer our questions. Regardless of the answers you will still get paid the same at the end of the month. And who pays a large portion of you wage – official business sellers. Business seller who are losing money because of allowing this illegal trading. You will be driving these sellers off your site, and who will pay your wages then?

I would happily do ebays job of finding these sellers that are trading for free! But tell us the way to report these sellers - from the sellers I have reported I have only had a response from 2 - and these ebay said were not doing anything wrong. So how do we report that something actually might be actioned?

[kempseykate]

Hello!

Why is there so much inconsistency on the 'sell similar' form?
Having removed all my listings while I was away recently, I have finally managed to get them all back on again, using 'sell similar'.
All my listings offer change of mind returns, and none offer 'collection'.

But using 'sell similar', sometimes it reverts to 'postage + collection' and even takes out the returns option on some. What should be a quick and easy task becomes such a chore, because I have to check every little thing to make sure ebay haven't changed something from the original.

And why, oh why, can we not choose our default out of 'post + collection' , 'post only' etc?

[krafty-kreations]

Additionally, private sellers will no longer have access to the Multi-buy discount tool.

Hi Kat, is that all private sellers or just those with shop subscriptions

I am not sure stopping the discount tools is going to rectify the situation in all honesty, that just tells me that actually eBay have no intention of sorting the issue of business sellers on private accounts out at all, you are just penalising genuine private sellers that may use those tools! 

[kat@ebay]

---

@rhyobrie2 wrote:

Could I have a confirmation on the duplicate listing policy?

Reported a seller with 200+ Violations of the duplicate listing policy on two separate ebay stores both shops are competing against eachother, I've  had customers think im also that seller.

2/3 of the search results are these duplicates of the same item in under 15 colours. Single item listings and variation listings. That's well over 100 listings.

Every rep i have spoken to said this seller should not be doing what they are doing and executive escalations team say they are not taken action. This has been going on for a year and ebay has done nothing at all apart from lie and give me false promises. While I have to pay ebay extra fees just to be seen. I'm just being messed about and ripped off by ebay at this point.

---

Hi @rhyobrie2 ,

Duplicates are when a user has multiple listing for the exact same item which I understand is what you are advising of.  There are auto tools on site that do flag up alot of duplicates across the site but it may not pick up everything. We don't take action on listings here and I don't have access to the escalation team's review. If they have advised they are not taking action they may have information that the reported accounts are not the same. If you are finding further duplicates its best to report them through the site.

Thank you,

Kat

[dave@ebay]

---

@dwtrading2015 wrote:

Having had to change my dispatch to same day to try and get the Top Rated Seller discount of 10% off FVF (still not showing despite multiple escalations to 'the back office teams'), the order page now says I am late in dispatch for not despatching on a Sunday.  So, will this also apply to Christmas day, Boxing day and indeed every single day?  Is it for real that the system expects same day including non-business days?  I am informed if I use the one business day dispatch then it is not possible to full fill the 2-3 free post delivery target and only the same day dispatch is to be used. 

AND STILL... Saturday is being counted as a Royal Mail working day despite myself posting here weeks ago Royal Mail do not include Saturday as a working day. 

Seriously, 7 day a week dispatch requirement including bank holidays with impossible delivery dates due to a known bug in the calculation for delivery?  Why is there even a dynamic delivery date anyway?

---

Hi @dwtrading2015 

I'll have a look at your account and see who was looking into the discount for you and see if they have an update for you. 

I have passed your previous feedback on the EDDs to the shipping team. Ill also forward this post to them so they can review it. 

Thanks,

Dave

[cobwebcottage]

Hello all,

Would you be able to  escalate a report which I submitted, which hasn't been actioned, for a private seller who is really abusing Ebay's policies?

They have over 1600 listings and every photo has contact details for their shop on E**y. Their user name even starts with the word  E**y followed by their shop name ( on the other site).

All of their Ebay listings are also on the other site which they are promoting.

I cannot believe that they were not removed straight away. Happy to give you more details in messages. 

[treetopsminicottages]

Yes I understand the timescales re IND cases but I met this situation for the first time this week.

Having opened a IND case last weekend I received a returns label  and posted the return yesterday morning (Tuesday). Within a few hours I was notified the seller had asked eBay to escalate the case. So, I am wondering on what grounds, when the return is confirmed as in transit, can a seller  get a case escalated before actually receiving back the return?

[rhyobrie2]

Thank you, I sent a spreadsheet of every item Id and the duplicates to ebay head office in the uk there was 200+ just on one product alone, ebay said they would take action, executive escalations confirmed they are doing nothing about the situation after months of nothing.

So thank you for confirming ebay are just ripping me off and destroying my business because they clearly do not care about rules being broken when it comes to them actually taking action. 

What is the point of rules when they are not enforced?