Is anyone else unhappy with eBay's new messaging system ???

[bittyboy101]

I've been a member of eBay for 20 years now...

Over the years they have made many changes, some good and some not so good...

This one of completely revamping the messaging system is NOT GOOD !!! ... and it is now a challenge to read and reply to my important eBay messages 😞

Why on earth did eBay have ruin the reliable and easy to use messaging system which worked flawlessly since 1995 and was easy to use...

The new format/layout is now horrible and skimpy... Now you can't even see the whole of any message you receive or send, I have a big 19 inch laptop and eBay have now reduced the area where my messages display to that of an basic Smart Phone ! - I have all this space on my screen now WASTED ! whilst I struggle to read all my massages in a small window in the tiny bottom right corner ???

This is far from acceptable - I want the option to revert back to the old original messaging format PLEASE.  

The old and original eBay messaging system was MILES BETTER in all respects and should have NEVER BEEN CHANGED.     

[johnwash1]

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@eburtonlab wrote:
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The new message format definitely does not seem fully thought-out or well-implemented at this point, ....

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Or pre-tested with real users.

You know, the way any large professionally-run web site would be.  Usability labs are not a new concept.

The old system wasn't perfect.  It was far too easy to end up with multiple threads with the same buyer.  It was infuriating to be restricted to 2,000 characters (I don't know if that's also true in the new system, how would I, the character counter has been removed!).  But the new system has even worse problems.

[buyincornwall]

It is useless and as you say scroll bar is not highlighted to very difficult and time wasting to find it.

[bittyboy101]

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@buyincornwall wrote:

It is useless and as you say scroll bar is not highlighted to very difficult and time wasting to find it.

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Yes, I totally agree that the invisible scroll bar is a major concern and is making it very difficult for people to be able to read entire messages in such a small, skimpy window / message pane.

It would be 100% helpful if eBay could kindly provide / give the option to go back to classic messages.

With all due respect I am strictly a PC user and very seldom use my Smartphone which it seems that New eBay messages has been designed for with the view of the hidden scroll bar and such a small message window.    

[arksglobal]

The biggest problem I have with the new 'messaging experience' is that we've had buyers contact us and believe they are in a 'live chat'. Some guy phoned up our office once and got very stroppy because "I've been on your live chat for over ten minutes, its not working, no-one is replying" 🙄

Then we have numerous people who just send a message saying "hi".

We use a third-party CRM system that handles all our eBay messages, so we at least don't have to use this on eBay ourselves. The previous layout made messaging more like emails, now its just trying to be another Whatsapp/Messenger system.

[gtscollections]

As an addendum to my previous post:  

If anyone has to use an on-screen virtual keyboard operated by mouse clicks to type the characters, without the tiny message box being able to be moved up the screen, it becomes completely invisible so no typing can be performed. 

Messaging is impossible for eBayers with accessibility issues who have to use the onscreen keyboard on their PC's (or choose to use a mouse to type like I do on occasions). 

That being discriminatory might be a good enough reason for eBay engineers to look at this again.  Whilst maybe looking at that, the management should consider replacing the buffoons who sanctioned the rolling out of such a dismal messaging update.   

An infinite number of chimps at this keyboard would find it considerably more difficult to eventually produce the works of Shakespeare.   😉

Cheers,

Ed.

[centrefloater]

I recommend you send that to Ebay as a formal Accessibility complaint, via the Suggestions process.  That will ensure it is read by a human being, who should pass it to the relevant team.

In case you're not familiar with that process - click on Help & Contact at the top of the screen, then type Suggestion in the field marked Search Ebay Help.   Click on Unsolicited Idea Submissions Policy.  On the next page, click on Read Our Full Policy, then scroll down a little to get to the clickable links under heading Sending Us Suggestions.  

 

[discwrecker]

The new messaging system is unworkable on both PC and phone.  I can see only my sent messages as single items.  Thereis no threading and I cannot see any replies from the vendor.

[department28]

Yes, this confusion with 'live chat' is another unforeseen drawback to the new system.  A couple of weeks ago, I had a message, which admittedly I didn't see straight away, but only a little while after the first message was sent, another popped up saying, 'Can you respond, please?'.  It might have just been impatience, but now I'm wondering if they had also thought it was 'live chat' messaging? 🤔

No-one ever had this issue with the old system...

[bittyboy101]

The old original eBay messaging system from 1995 when eBay first started was miles better in every possible way compared to this new rubbish system they have now forced on us...

They (eBay) really need to scrap it and go back to the original messaging system, as this new one is very poorly designed and not very well thought out at all.

eBay should take full notice of this feedback and act in a positive way to make reading and replying to your messages on eBay a positive and easy experience instead of an unreliable and miserable one. 

[major-reentry]

I cant send any messages of any sort -if one tries to reply to a message a dialog box opens to type messages into but its DEAD - it will not accept anything to type in-

[centrefloater]

I thought that at first ; it's badly designed, and there appears to be nowhere to type, but in fact it is there but hidden.  Try putting your cursor onto the little box marked "Send".

[slipinsidethishouse]

I can't even send a message to a buyer now. I click on 'contact member' and it gets me nowhere. Nothing comes up to enable me to send a message. EBAY gets less user friendly as each year passes.

Steve

[0182david]

Obviously too many idle hands at ebay ! Get them to repair something that isn't broke.

ebay tells us good communication is vital, then does their best to make a joke of it. According to the experts on here, photographs aren't needed as you should just cough up.

[davidninetynine]

Since last week I can't send any messages at all. Typing in the message entry box results in nothing happening

The "contact seller" link on a purchased item page doesn't work either, it just puts up the same non-working message box...

[eburtonlab]

@davidninetynine 

Are you clicking on the "Send message" text above the button before you start typing your message? If so, you should be able to enter it there.

If that is not working, try another browser to rule out a browser issue.

eBay has recently changed the message inbox and send message format, and lots of folks are having problems with the new user interface.

[buyincornwall]

It's an unmitigated disaster. I am currently trying to scroll through a multi answer message and find it totally impossible to scroll to read all the text. But don't worry eBay won't care and make a correction to what is clearly faulty software !!!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

[bittyboy101]

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@eburtonlab wrote:

@davidninetynine 

Are you clicking on the "Send message" text above the button before you start typing your message? If so, you should be able to enter it there.

If that is not working, try another browser to rule out a browser issue.

eBay has recently changed the message inbox and send message format, and lots of folks are having problems with the new user interface.

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...but eBay would rather still keep the new rubbishy messaging system then LISTEN TO THEIR USERS FEEDBACK and change it back to the ORIGINAL messaging system which was 100% more USER FRIENDLY and EASIER to use... Talk about selfish...

eBay can't be always 100% right in everything they do and in this instance they made a mistake and got it wrong...  but are too arrogant to admit this by FIXING THIS ISSUE and REVERTING BACK TO THE ORIGINAL 1990's messaging system which was better designed and well thought out as not everyone is using eBay via their Smartphone !  

[johnwash1]

There are some aspects of the new messaging system that I much prefer and therefore would see going back to the old one as a poor decision.  The new one threads properly.  I can see all the discussion with a buyer, even if they've sent me several messages on the trot and I've replied to one of them.  Excellent.

But the user interface of the new system was designed by a 5-year old.  No, that's unfair, a 5-year old would have done a better job.  They need to hire a UI design consultant to sort it out since they don't have one in house.  It would be expensive, but worth it, and a drop in the ocean compared with their revenues.

Sorry ebay, but I've retired!  😉

[yoleesplace2012]

Their new system is diabolical, they seem to think all their poor frustrated sellers are clairvoyant, actually you need to be a robot to figure out this confusing format, can't find anything I want, have been on ebay for 13 years and even my buyers ar moaning about their new charges, the seller has to purchase the item, take photos, list the item,send the item and what do they get in exchange a system that does not pay you until item delivered, say you posted it to TIMBUCKTOO, what are the chances of being able to pay your mortgage or bills, Ebay are a;ways on the buyers side and as far as they are concerned the sellers are just their slaves. I hear people are leaving in droves, do you blame them?

[johnwash1]

@yoleesplace2012 

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@yoleesplace2012 wrote:

Their new system is diabolical, they seem to think all their poor frustrated sellers are clairvoyant, actually you need to be a robot to figure out this confusing format, can't find anything I want, have been on ebay for 13 years and even my buyers ar moaning about their new charges, the seller has to purchase the item, take photos, list the item,send the item and what do they get in exchange a system that does not pay you until item delivered, say you posted it to TIMBUCKTOO, what are the chances of being able to pay your mortgage or bills, Ebay are a;ways on the buyers side and as far as they are concerned the sellers are just their slaves. I hear people are leaving in droves, do you blame them?

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How is purchasing the item relevant for a private seller?