Highlights

• Earlier this year, eBay started displaying an automatic customs notification message on the Item page for international transactions, informing buyers of possible customs delays and letting them know they’re responsible for import duties and brokerage fees. Any Feedback from buyers that only reference these customs issues will qualify for Feedback removal.
  
  
• Most transactions on eBay go smoothly for buyers and sellers without any need for contact at all. Starting in April, you’ll get an automatic 5-star DSR for Communication for these transactions when you specify 1-day handling time, upload tracking information by the end of the next business day, and there is no communication between you and the buyer.
  
  
• Starting April 23, all Feedback and related DSRs left by a buyer for a transaction where the buyer had an unpaid item recorded, will automatically be removed, whether or not you are using Unpaid Item Assistant, as long as you required eBay Checkout, an eBay approved electronic payment method, and local pick up was not offered.

Take Action

• Remove customs-related messages from your listings descriptions. eBay now automatically adds a customs notification message under shipping details on the Item page for international transactions. Any Feedback from buyers that only reference these customs issues will qualify for Feedback removal.
• Specify eBay Checkout and eBay approved electronic payment methods as a requirement in your listings to ensure that Feedback where buyers have an unpaid item recorded for that transaction is automatically removed.
• Review and follow best practices below to benefit from the automatic 5-star DSR for Communication.

Best practices for automatic 5-star DSR for Communication

• Provide buyers with all the relevant information they need in your listings. Clearly describe your items, list your item specifics, returns policy, shipping information, and payment methods so that buyers don’t need to contact you with questions before making a purchase decision.
  
  
• Process orders quickly—within 1 business day. Buyers want their items fast. Specify 1-business day handling time whenever you can, and use more than 1-business day handling time for exceptions and special items only.
  
  
• Upload tracking information on all orders within 1 business day. "Where's my item?" is one of the most common buyer questions. When buyers can track the progress of their shipment, you spend less time answering buyer questions. Make sure to upload tracking information to My eBay for all your items, if possible. You can do it for virtually any carrier. When you pay for USPS and print labels on eBay, the tracking information is automatically uploaded for you.
  
  
• Once you upload tracking, your buyers will receive automated emails from eBay with tracking information and status on their orders, and they can access it from My eBay. No need to contact your buyers with tracking and order status; eBay takes care of this for you.
  
  
Visit eBay Seller Protection Center for more best practices and latest information on how eBay keeps sellers safe and secure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What new Seller Protection updates are being introduced?

eBay is adding a number of important updates to Feedback and seller standards to help ensure you’re protected from feedback that violates policy and your seller performance ratings are an accurate reflection of the service you provide.

• Earlier this year, eBay started adding an automatic customs notification message for all international transactions under shipping details on the Item page, informing buyers of potential customs delays and duties before they place their orders. Any Feedback left by buyers only relating to customs delays and import duties will qualify for Feedback removal. In the past, it has been up to you to add the customs message into the listing description. eBay now displays this message automatically for cross-border transactions.
  
  
• Starting in April, the automatic 5-star DSR for Communication will protect you from low Communication DSRs when you specify 1-day handling time, upload tracking information within 1 business day, and there is no communication between you and the buyer. A buyer will be unable to leave a communications DSR of less than 5 when the above criteria are met.
  
  
• Starting April 23, Feedback left by a buyer with an unpaid item recorded on a transaction will automatically be removed or blocked for that transaction, whether or not you are using Unpaid Item Assistant, as long as you require eBay Checkout, an approved electronic payment method for the related transaction, and local pick up was not offered.

What do I need to do to make sure I’m covered by the automatic 5-star DSR for Communications?

Review and follow best practices listed above to help you qualify for automatic 5-star DSR for Communication.

What do I need to do to remove Feedback on customs delays and import duties?

eBay automatically add a customs notification message to the Item page for international transactions, under international shipping details. You no longer need to include a customs message in your listing description. Feedback will qualify for removal if the sole source of discontent in the Feedback comment is import duties or customs delays. All related DSRs will also be removed from your seller performance rating.

What are the requirements for automatic removal of Feedback from buyers with an unpaid item recorded?

eBay will automatically remove all Feedback from buyers with an unpaid item recorded for the related transactions, whether or not you are using Unpaid Item Assistant, as long as the following criteria are met:

• The listing required eBay Checkout and an eBay approved electronic payment method (PayPal, credit card, ProPay, Moneybookers, or Paymate) for the related transaction.
• There was no local pick-up offered in the listing for the item.

If the above criteria are met, eBay will automatically remove all Feedback from buyers for transactions where there was an unpaid item recorded, and block the buyer from leaving any Feedback after the unpaid item was recorded. All related DSRs will also be removed and will not impact seller performance rating.

Why is no communication between “buyers and sellers” a criteria for automatic 5-star DSR for Communication?

The purpose of this update is to ensure that you get credit for those situations where the transaction went smoothly and the buyer simply felt no need to contact you. Most often, no communication in these transactions is a sign of great service. The critical information was included in the listing and the buyer didn’t have to follow up to find out where their item was. This is how the majority of transactions happen on eBay and sellers should not receive low Communication DSRs in these situations. This doesn’t mean that communication between a buyer and seller is undesirable. If you do exchange messages for some reason—and the buyer is satisfied with your response—most likely you’ll get 5 stars from the buyer based on their interaction with you.

What types of communications will disqualify me from getting an automatic 5 star DSR for Communication?

You will not receive an automatic 5 star DSR for Communication if there is any buyer or seller initiated communication related to the transaction in the eBay messaging system or a request for contact information by the buyer or seller. Operational emails such as invoices and invoice requests even if they contain messages added by the buyer or seller, and Best Offer communications are excluded from consideration and you will still qualify for an automatic 5 star DSR for Communication if there is no other communication between buyer and seller.

How will buyers find out about order status and delivery confirmation if I don’t communicate with them?

eBay currently sends automated emails to buyers to keep them up to date on their order status and delivery information. Make sure to upload tracking information to My eBay for all your items so eBay can keep your buyers informed. This frees you up to spend your time on tasks other than sending update emails.

Don’t you already protect sellers from Feedback received by buyers with an unpaid item recorded for the related transactions?

This protection is currently available through Unpaid Item Assistant. We’re now extending this protection to all unpaid item transactions, whether or not you are using Unpaid Item Assistant, as long as the listing required eBay Checkout, an eBay approved electronic payment method, and did not offer local item pick-up. For the few transactions that do not meet these criteria, sellers can request removal of Feedback. Feedback will be removed if it is clear that the buyer did not have intent to pay.

Didn’t you always protect sellers from negative Feedback about customs in cross-border transactions?

Yes, but now we’ve extended this protection to include displaying the customs notification message automatically. In the past, the seller had to add the message into the listing description themselves in order to receive the Feedback protection. Now we display the message below automatically for cross-border transactions when buyers are browsing your item, under international shipping details, and will remove Feedback related to customs issues from those buyers. Feedback will qualify for removal (whether negative, positive, or neutral) when the only issue in the comment is customs duties or customs delays. All related DSRs will be removed from your seller performance ratings.