The Death of Auctions?

[ett1954]

Has anyone seen this gem to come soon in the summer update to affect auctions (my bold italics):

Reducing unpaid items

Placing a bid

Additionally, buyers on select auctions will be required to set up a preferred payment method and postal address before they can place a bid. After winning an auction, they’ll have one hour to adjust their order or payment details, otherwise we’ll automatically process their order using their preferred payment method. No action is required from the seller.

These changes will help to improve the auction process on eBay by providing buyers with the ability to decide how they want to pay, whilst also ensuring that sellers receive payment for their sales. The goal is to foster a more efficient and dependable experience for the entire eBay community.

From FAQs:

No changes are needed with how you set up your listings. You should expect to see fewer unpaid items on items sold through auctions as we test and launch changes.

You can still combine multiple purchases from the same buyer in a single shipment, but please be aware that a buyer may be automatically charged for postage costs for each individual item when payments are processed.

As a buyer, you may be prompted to provide a payment method and select a postal address prior to placing a bid on an auction. You'll have the ability to edit these details before the auction ends. If you win the auction, you'll be given a one hour period to make any changes. If no changes are made, we’ll automatically charge your default payment method. 

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There is no opt out mentioned for this 'feature'; without one it will be the end of auctions on eBay for me.  A few things immediately spring to mind.  I don't have problems with non-payers but I do have regular, long-standing buyers of 8 years or more who bid on items spanning across 10 days or even longer.  Combining multiple wins into one order is a necessity; especially with lower value items.

Many of my buyers are international and on a completely different time zone - what they win can determine how and where they want it sent (forwarding agents, etc.)  How do they respond in an hour if an auction is finishing at 3 am for them, or if they are at work, travelling, etc.

I had thought eBay had learnt their lesson from the debacle of immediate payments on Buy it Now listings.  My acceptance level from offers sent is now virtually nil.  What I do foresee is an increase in 'remorse' returns for business sellers running auctions in some sectors.  Sure we will see a lot less non-payers ..... this will be in conjunction with a lot less sales.

One final question for eBay - where is this supposed feedback you received stating sellers want this ........ nobody has asked me.  Has anyone on these boards been asked?  Please publish this data along with the agency you commissioned to carry out the research.

[vinylscot]

I can't see any of this in the updates I have been sent. (Could you provide a link.)

It doesn't really look like this one has been thought through properly (if at all).

Apart from the scenario you outline, of a buyer buying items over a few days, this will also affect many buyers who usually pay almost immediately.

I list a number of auctions to end each Sunday evening, at intervals of one minute, from 7:30 onwards. This week I have 114 listed, so they are spread out over almost two hours. Under this silly new idea, eBay will be taking payments from the winners of my earlier auctions, before all my listings for that evening have finished.

Occasionally, I'll get a buyer who may win a dozen auctions or more in one evening. What a mess their payments will be!

I don't want this silly "feature" and I can't imagine any of my buyers will. NPBs are really not enough of a problem to warrant any extra features, and certainly not if it's as plain stupid as this one.

Surely there must be an opt-out, for sellers who wish to be sensible about this.

[papso22]

The wording indicates this will be a seller option, not mandatory.  For example, buyers 'may' be prompted to put in a payment method.

I hope this will be the case.

[ett1954]

@vinylscot  Please find the link below:

Business Seller Update June 2024 | UK Seller Centre (ebay.co.uk)

I run the same auction model as you - what a mess this will be; or not be in my case.

@papso22   Check the link above; there is not mention I can find of an opt out.  If there is why not clarify the procedure and mention it?

[plpmr]

I believe something like this is running in USA so they are 'possibly' bringing it in here.

however it sounds like the immediate payment they started to bring in some time ago where a buyer had to enter payment details for BIN or when making an offer - once in the buyer was in for good and it caused problems.

sellers were opted in without notice and were not informed that they could opt out and it caused numerous problems.

"The goal is to foster a more efficient and dependable experience for the entire eBay community."

The main effect is eBay get paid quicker.

[sml192]

This is essentially the same system as is already in place for Best Offers so will more than likely use the same stored payment methods and the existing opt-out.  It will also have the same limitations for buyers re. combining purchases, utilising PayPal Pay in 3, etc. 

The one hour window seems very tight and will likely cause many issues.   I would have thought something like 24 hours would be more practical. 

One other issue, at least initially, is that buyers won't be able to bid late if they don't already have a payment method set up, unless the seller is opted out, which could result in sellers getting less for their items. 

[dch2112011]

Well it certainly looks like ebay are listening to members - look at the number of members remonstrating on this platform about non payers - but they seem to have not come up with the solution for sellers cancelling auction wins because they did not sell for a higher price.

I assume that postage discounts could be given as a partial refund ?

[the_book_seekers]

Placing a bid

Additionally, buyers on select auctions will be required to set up a preferred payment method and postal address before they can place a bid. After winning an auction, they’ll have one hour to adjust their order or payment details, otherwise we’ll automatically process their order using their preferred payment method. 

Does this mean buyers have an hour to cancel their order before payment is taken? It would make sense for ebay to include a facility for the buyer to indicate further bidding on the seller's auctions. As with many ebay announcements this is light on exact details. I'd like to see an opt out. I'd rather use the existing non payment system than force through an unwanted sale.

When ebay talks about feedback, in this instance, I think this is a reaction to the number of complaints about non-payment following auctions. There are plenty of instances on these boards. 

[dch2112011]

Without further info the one hour is likely to be the cancellation policy which is in force but left to sellers to implement - this is to conform with buyers legally being able to cancel online orders immediately they have been placed - most sites give a minimum of 1 hr to comply  some longer some shorter.

I believe ebay auctions are not classed as true auctions  and may be subject to the cancellation rule - 

Of course this could be nonsense !

[roger_roger_over_and_nowt]

"One other issue, at least initially, is that buyers won't be able to bid late if they don't already have a payment method set up, unless the seller is opted out, which could result in sellers getting less for their items."

I wonder if it would be different to how it is now on making offers.

When i make an offer it says something like "payment will be taken as soon as offer is accepted".You are not up against the clock then but you are obviously up against others who may just hit the buy it now whilst you await the sellers response.

If they are going to introduce pre approval for auctions maybe a buyer would only need to do it once so that it applied to any items they bid on in the future.They would then have an hour to change any details etc.

As i usually only bid once,my max and very late i would like to be able to set my max bid to be entered automatically at a time of my choice,a snipe bid maybe.That would be handy for auctions that end at odd or inconvenient times and would also help if i wanted to bid on different items from different sellers that end at similar times.

[amphibolous]

As someone who sells exclusively in the auction format, starting at a low price, this is a terrible idea by eBay!

Not only will it likely lessen the number of potential bids, but many of my customers make multiple bids over a week or two week period. They usually contact me and I'm happy to wait for as long as they require, so that I can send a single invoice and send everything out together with a single shipping cost. This will all go out of the window if they start meddling with the existing way of doing things. It's poor foresight and shows eBay aren't really listening, unless they provide sellers with the option to opt out.

[Anonymous]

Additionally, buyers on select auctions

I wonder what they mean by “select auctions”. Are they only those auctions selected by the seller? Are they only those only over a certain price? Or have they just replaced the word “every” with “select” to attempt to make it more palatable, and fail to do so?

My highlight but the throwaway phrase “Keep an eye out for these improvements which we’ve already begun rolling out” is rather worrying if there is no opt-out.

[tommystrezures]

As long as we know where the opt out button is.... Like others we run auctions over two or three nights a week, and allow our buyers to combine postage over the period of time. I don't want to be faffing around sending partial refunds on postage because the system wont allow it due to automatic payment. It almost feels like a draconian measure by ebay to push buyers in to paying instantly. 

Its another ill conceived idea, for many of us, and as a mentor the number of complaints over the past year since they did this to the BINS with people not being able to combine postage, offer paypal credit etc still rumbles daily on these boards. If ebay were really listening, you would hope that;

• They notify people of the changes and how to opt out
• They rectify the other back end issues of paypal credit etc
• Combined postage etc

We will see........

[vinylscot]

Thanks for the link @ett1954 

This doesn't appear in the version of the June update I get at that link.

Could it be that only those who have been selected for a "pilot" may have received the notification?

It all seems rather odd.

[hettsville]

It does say at the top "we'll be testing changes over the next few months to streamline your selling experience".

So I expect some "lucky" sellers will be the victims ... oops I mean guinea pigs of it.

[ett1954]

It does seem odd.  I have drilled down into the link I sent you; try the following link and check out the FAQs particularly the 'as a buyer what is changing when I bid on auctions'.  There are a lot of 'ifs', 'maybes' and 'buts' in this announcement; and as one poster has already stated a complete lack of detail and clarity.  It almost seems they are making it up as they go along:

Unpaid items | UK Seller Centre (ebay.co.uk)  

Regarding this being in operation in the United States; as i understand it was quietly dropped some months ago after kickback from both sellers and buyers.  Maybe it has been re-introduced in their summer update - I'll check.

[tommystrezures]

"After winning an auction, they’ll have one hour to adjust their order or payment details"

what exactly does that mean? Are eBay saying that if my auction in the uk ended at 7pm and my buyer happened to be in Indonesia which is 7 or so hours ahead that they are expected to get up at 2am in the morning because eBay say they have an hour to adjust orders etc?!! Get real!

[plpmr]

"The one hour window seems very tight and will likely cause many issues."

Not just 'tight' but - 

Whoever set this up did not bother that eBay is 24hours worldwide and for some bidders that 'one hour' could be 5am.  

[*help_no_brakes*]

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@tommystrezures wrote:

"After winning an auction, they’ll have one hour to adjust their order or payment details"

what exactly does that mean? Are eBay saying that if my auction in the uk ended at 7pm and my buyer happened to be in Indonesia which is 7 or so hours ahead that they are expected to get up at 2am in the morning because eBay say they have an hour to adjust orders etc?!! Get real!

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As a buyer I see another problem.

My snipe service places my one & only bid 2 seconds from the end of an auction.

I'll be curious to see how eBay handles that.

[sweetcharity.2013]

Just hope ebay update the buyers beforehand, I didn't get any notification re the BIN / Make an Offer changes.