Feedback and Buyer Protection

Enhancements to Feedback and Buyer Protection designed to help sellers

Important updates to eBay's Feedback, seller standards, and Buyer Protection systems—are now in place to ensure that your seller performance ratings are a true reflection of the great service you provide.

HIGHLIGHTS

Updates to Feedback

When we know you delivered fast and free shipping on a transaction, we make sure your rating reflects that. We also make sure you can easily report your experience with the buyer to eBay, and let you know what we did with that information.

Automatic 5-star DSRs for free and fast shipping:

• When you offer free shipping and we know the buyer chose that option, the buyer will not be able leave a score less than 5 stars for shipping cost.
  
  
• Buyers will not be able to leave a score less than 5 stars for shipping time when:
  1. You specified 1-day or shorter handling
  2. You uploaded tracking information by the end of the next business day Pacific Time after the buyer's payment clears.
  3. Delivery Confirmation or tracking shows confirmed delivery 4 business days from when the payment clears or within your estimated delivery time if it's less than 4 days (for example, Overnight shipping).

Making it easier to report your experience with the buyer

• The seller reporting hub easily enables sellers to share their experiences with buyers. You'll also find links to the reporting hub in more places, including the Feedback flow, Feedback Forum, your Seller Dashboard and the seller information page in the eBay Buyer Protection hub.
  
  
• The information you provide through the reporting hub is neither public nor visible to buyers, but eBay uses the information to help identify and take action against buyers who break the rules or abuse the system. They may be suspended or placed on restriction and their feedback and Buyer Protection cases removed from your account.
  
  
• You can now get a report on your seller dashboard showing the number of times negative Feedback, low DSRs, and Buyer Protection cases are removed from your account due to your reporting and eBay's detection methods.

Item Condition and delivery dates in the Feedback flow

• When buyers go to leave feedback, along with your estimated delivery time and—if you uploaded tracking—the actual delivery date, buyers now see your specified item condition.

Updates to Buyer Protection
When Buyer Protection cases are a factor in seller standards, updates to the claims process will help ensure fairness for sellers:

• Additional checks are now in place to ensure a reasonable time for delivery before buyers can open cases.
  
  
  • If Delivery Confirmation or tracking information shows the item was delivered, you'll be protected in the event of an eBay Buyer Protection case. If the total transaction amount was $750 or more, you also need to have signature confirmation.
    
    
  • If Delivery Confirmation or tracking information shows the item was not yet delivered, an eBay Buyer Protection case for item not as described can't be opened before the latest date in the estimated delivery range.
    
    
  • If Delivery Confirmation or Tracking information is not available, a case for item not as described can't be opened for 24 hours after the buyer pays. A case for item not received can't be opened before the latest date in the estimated delivery range.
  
  

• Cases found in the seller's favor removed from seller's performance record. When a buyer opens a case, it's important to reach out to resolve the issue promptly. Any case that is escalated and found in your favor will not count toward your seller performance requirements. For INR cases, the only way to be protected in your seller performance requirements is to upload tracking information to the eBay site prior to any case being filed, ideally within 24 hours of the buyer making payment.

It's important to upload shipping tracking information as soon as possible after a buyer pays:

• When you upload shipping tracking information right away and delivery is confirmed, you'll be protected in the event of an eBay Buyer Protection case. If the total transaction amount was $750 or more, you also need to have signature confirmation.
  
  
• If you wait to upload shipping tracking until after a buyer files an item not received case and the case does not get escalated to eBay to make a final decision, the case will count against your opened cases count in your seller performance standards but not against your count of closed cases without seller resolution. Also, if tracking information shows the item was delivered, you will not have to refund the buyer.
  
  
• If you fail to upload shipping tracking or upload it after a case has been filed against you and the case is escalated to eBay to make a final determination, both your opened cases and closed cases without seller resolution counts will be impacted. You may be required to refund the buyer or eBay.

Learn more about Buyer Protection cases that impact seller performance.

TAKE ACTION

Make sure all your transactions are covered by these protections by following these two best practices: Provide top customer service and respond promptly to buyer issues. The best way to make sure you're protected is to respond promptly to resolve a buyer's issue and prevent a case from being opened in the first place. If a buyer does open a case, respond before the case is escalated. Always upload tracking: Always ship with a carrier that provides tracking or delivery confirmation and upload the information to eBay as soon as you ship. If you pay for shipping and print labels on eBay, the information is uploaded automatically. If a case for item not received is escalated, tracking information is your proof of delivery. Tracking information will also be used to prevent buyers from filing cases prematurely. Uploading within 24 hours is required to qualify for automatic 5 star DSR for ship time if the buyer leaves Feedback. Offer shipping options to buyers. Consider free shipping, faster handling times and shipping services to drive 5 star ratings on shipping DSRs.