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Frequently Asked Questions
1. Rewards for sellers delivering great buyer experiences Summary of changes What updates are coming to seller performance standards on eBay and why? To put more emphasis on quality and to reward and recognize sellers who create great buying experiences, eBay is:
How is eBay shifting the focus on Detailed Seller Ratings (DSRs)? DSRs will continue to be an important measure for seller performance. We are evolving the way we evaluate quality by gradually changing the focus from a seller's average score to the instances of low scores—1s and 2s. Also, only transactions with U.S. buyers will count towards the requirements for U.S. sellers. Transactions and DSRs from repeat U.S. buyers will also count to reward sellers who cultivate repeat business by providing their customers with great service. Why the change of emphasis from having a high DSR average to having very few 1s and 2s? DSRs are an important measure for seller performance. We are gradually shifting the focus from a seller's average score to the rate of low scores (1s and 2s) for several reasons. First, buyers have different interpretations of what they consider a high score, but leaving a 1 or 2 is a clear sign of dissatisfaction. Second, monitoring their 1s and 2s gives sellers a clearer picture of where they need improvement—on item as described, communication, shipping time or shipping and handling charges. Third, many sellers have told us it's easier and more productive for them to focus on providing a level of service to buyers that minimizes 1s and 2s rather than on trying to achieve all 5s. How are 1s and 2s calculated? Low DSRs (1s and 2s) are tracked and calculated for each of the four DSRs—item as described, communication, shipping time, and shipping and handling charges. The seller's rate of low DSRs is the percentage of all transactions with U.S. buyers that resulted in a rating of 1 or 2. Note this calculation includes all transactions with U.S. buyers, including those transactions in which the buyer left no DSRs. See more details on how 1s and 2s are calculated. How can I find out where I stand? You can see a monthly updated snapshot now of where you stand on 1s and 2s for each DSR through a link at the top of your Seller Dashboard. In October, you'll be able to see this information updated daily. See the Seller Dashboard FAQs below for more information. Will eBay continue to use DSR averages as a measure of seller performance? In October, the current minimum average of 4.5 across all four DSRs on all transactions worldwide will still be required for PowerSeller and the new Top-rated seller status. The current 4.3 minimum average DSR requirement for all other sellers to list will be removed. In April, the minimum average DSR requirement will be raised for the PowerSeller program and Top-rated seller status to 4.60 across all four DSRs, but only transactions with U.S. buyers will be evaluated. Why is eBay only counting DSRs on transactions with U.S. buyers? International transactions can be more complex, and there are more aspects of the transaction (like customs) that are outside the seller's control. This change will allow you to expand your businesses internationally without undue impact on your performance ratings domestically. Note that sellers will still be responsible for service to buyers in other countries according to the new Selling Practices policy, as well as standards for other eBay sites that may restrict international sales if the seller doesn't meet those standards. Do I receive PowerSeller and Top-rated seller Final Value Fee discounts on transactions with only U.S. buyers? No, if you qualify for Final Value Fee discounts, the discounts are applied to all your eligible transactions on eBay.com and eBay Motors regardless of the location of the buyer. New eBay Top-rated seller status What is the new eBay Top-rated seller status and what is its purpose? The new eBay Top-rated seller status recognizes PowerSellers who consistently provide the best experiences to their customers. The program differentiates sellers by their relative performance and offers incentives and rewards for providing great buyer experiences. When does the new eBay Top-rated seller status go into effect? All sellers who qualify as eBay Top-rated sellers will be invited into the PowerSeller program to begin receiving the benefits starting in October 2009. Note the current PowerSeller program discount structure will also remain in effect until April 2010: 20% for 4.9; 15% for 4.8; and 5% for 4.6. This will give PowerSellers who continue to meet the 30-day DSR requirements plenty of time—8 full months—to keep those discounts while they evaluate and adjust their business practices to meet the new low DSR requirements. What are the benefits of the eBay Top-rated seller status? Exclusive benefits for eBay Top-rated sellers include:
How do I qualify to be an eBay Top-rated seller? To qualify as an eBay Top-rated seller, you need to:
If you qualify for the Top-rated seller fee discounts, you will see them on your monthly invoice applied to the Final Value Fees for your previous month sales. The first time you receive your Top-rated seller 20% discounts, here's how it will work:
Buyers will see "Top-rated seller" with the Top-rated seller icon in the upper right corner of the item page for items listed by Top-rated sellers. Beneath the badge and the seller's user name these three points will appear:
 Buyers see the new Top-rated seller badge on Top-rated sellers' item pages. As a U.S. seller, can I qualify for eBay Top-rated seller status on other eBay sites? Not at this time. As other eBay sites adapt the new Top-rated seller status and work out appropriate local requirements, we will keep U.S. sellers informed. What happens when an eBay Top-rated seller no longer meets all the requirements? Sellers who no longer meet all the eBay Top-rated seller requirements but continue to meet PowerSeller requirements will no longer have Top-rated seller status or benefits, but will retain current PowerSeller status and discounts if they qualify. Top-rated seller and PowerSeller status are evaluated monthly and sellers will be able to see how they are trending to meet those requirements on their Seller Dashboard. New PowerSeller standards and rewards See also the at-a-glance chart for a quick reference of the changes and timing. What's changing in the PowerSeller program in October 2009?
No. Until April 2010, you will receive the same discounts as long as you continue to meet the discount requirements under the current structure (20% with 4.9 minimum DSRs; 15% with 4.8; and 5% with 4.6) and also meet the new minimum standard for all sellers. Starting in April 2010, if I am a PowerSeller but I don't qualify for eBay Top-rated seller status, do my discounts change? Starting April 2010, if you qualify as a PowerSeller under the new program requirements but do not meet the requirements for Top-rated seller status, you will receive a 5% Final Value Fee discount. Get an at-a-glance overview of scheduled changes in requirements and benefits. When will the current PowerSeller discounts transition into a 5% PowerSeller discount? The current PowerSeller fee discounts (5% to 20% discounts based on 30-day DSRs) will end on April 1, 2010. Do I receive PowerSeller and Top-rated seller Final Value Fee discounts on transactions with only U.S. buyers? No, if you qualify for Final Value Fee discounts, the discounts are applied to all your eligible transactions on eBay.com and eBay Motors regardless of the location of the buyer. If you qualify for the PowerSeller fee discounts after April 1, 2010, you will see them on your monthly invoice applied to the Final Value Fees for your previous month sales. The first time you receive your new 5% PowerSeller discounts, here's how it will work:
At least 100 transactions over the past 12 months are needed to ensure consistency of good customer service. A seller's recent track record is also the most important indicator because business practices can change significantly over time. What changes are being made to the enforcement of eBay policies for PowerSellers and Top-rated sellers? Some eBay policies are very severe, and eBay takes a strong stance toward severe policy violations from all sellers, including PowerSellers. These policies include shill bidding, selling counterfeit items, and manipulating Feedback, DSRs, or other performance measures. Violation of these policies may result in immediate restriction or suspension, as well as loss of PowerSeller and Top-rated seller status and discounts. Enforcement and consequences of severe policy violations are not changing. However, your Seller Dashboard will be updated to show severe versus non-severe policy violation counts. For other non-severe policies, PowerSellers, like all sellers, are expected to follow eBay guidelines. Excessive violations may result in restriction or suspension, as well as loss of PowerSeller and Top-rated seller status. PowerSellers (including Top-rated sellers) are allowed a maximum number of non-severe violations based on their PowerSeller tier before losing status:
Please also note there will be a new Selling Practices policy to provide guidelines for sellers on standards of professionalism for all aspects of a listing and a transaction How can I check whether I am in compliance with policies or at risk of losing my PowerSeller status? You can check your policy compliance and possible consequences through the Seller Dashboard. You can also see which policies you have violated and in which listings and your count of recent violations. See details on levels for compliance by policy area. New minimum standard for all sellers What are the new standards for all eBay sellers? Beginning in October, the current 4.3 minimum average DSR requirement will be replaced with new requirements based on a seller's incidence of DSR 1s and 2s on transactions with U.S. buyers:
Sellers will be lowered in search standing. They may be offered coaching and training on selling best practices. In more serious situations, other consequences may also apply including limits to further selling, loss of PowerSeller status and discounts, and in some cases account suspension. How can I find out my current standing in relation to the new standard?
Sellers with less than 10 total DSRs and no access to a Seller Dashboard will be notified by email if their performance does not meet the minimum standards. Changes scheduled with time to adjust Why aren't all these changes related to standards and the PowerSeller program happening at once? Making these changes in two phases will allow buyers and qualified sellers to reap benefits quickly from the new eBay Top-rated seller status (October 2009) and also give sellers eight months (until April 2010) to evaluate their standing and adjust business practices as needed. Use this chart to see exactly what you need to do by when to meet the standards and reap the rewards. Help for getting good DSRs I offer free shipping and always ship within the specified handling time, but I still occasionally receive low scores for shipping time and shipping and handling charges. What is eBay doing to prevent these buyers from impacting DSR scores for shipping time and shipping and handling charges? The message on free shipping that currently appears when buyers are leaving Feedback will also be stronger, encouraging buyers to leave five stars. What about listings with local pickup? For listings where only local pickup is offered and no shipping charges are included, the DSRs for handling time and ship cost will be turned off. What is eBay doing to address buyers who abuse the Feedback system? How can sellers prevent buyer extortion and unpaid items from negatively impacting DSRs? To protect sellers, we are continually increasing our ability to detect and act on buyer abuse, including buyers who consistently leave positive Feedback with low DSRs. We will be increasing our enforcement in this area. We are taking faster, stronger action in response to reports of Feedback extortion. Also, the automated unpaid item process will block buyers from leaving Feedback, including negative and neutral Feedback. eBay investigates all reports and will remove any Feedback and DSRs that have been left unfairly. Are numbers of positive, neutral or negative Feedback included in the PowerSeller requirements? What about item not received claims, significantly not as described claims, and charge backs? PowerSellers, including Top-rated sellers, will still be required to maintain greater than 98% positive Feedback. Items Not Received and Significantly Not as Described claims will continue to be tracked and available for view in the eBay resolution center, but will not be included in the requirements for the PowerSeller program or for eBay Top-rated seller status. However, sellers with excessive claims, negative or neutral feedback, or transactions with low DSRs below the new minimum standard for all sellers may receive lowered search standing, possible limits to further selling, loss of PowerSeller and Top-rated seller status and discounts, and in some cases account suspension. How low DSRs are calculated What time period is used to calculate a seller's DSRs? Starting in October, for sellers with 400 or more transactions during the most recent 3 calendar months, the evaluation period for rate of low DSRs required for Top-rated seller status will be the most recent 3 complete calendar months. For all other sellers, the evaluation period for low DSRs (1s and 2s) will be the most recent 12 calendar months. Starting in April, these same time periods will apply for PowerSeller status and the minimum average DSR. How often is seller performance evaluated? Seller status is evaluated around the 20th of each month. So, for example, the calculation on July 20 will include DSRs for all transactions in the months of April, May and June. Note that sellers who fall below the new minimum standard for all sellers would have their status changed immediately after the monthly evaluation, including loss of Top-rated seller status and benefits. Sellers can see how they are trending to meet the requirements on their seller dashboard. 
What happens if my buyer leaves DSRs after the month of the transaction? Will those DSRs count? Yes, your low DSRs (1s or 2s) for a given month are related to all the transactions in that month, regardless of when DSRs are left by the buyer. Rates for each month are continuously updated as buyers leave ratings. For example, DSRs left in July for a transaction in June will be included in your rate for the month of June. If I am a low-volume seller, can one or two bad transactions result in me losing PowerSeller or Top-rated seller status? No. To ensure sellers—especially lower volume sellers—are not penalized as a result of one or two transactions, it will take at least 3 instances of 1s or 2s in at least one DSR to lose Top-rated seller status or 4 instances in at least one DSR to lose PowerSeller status or face other consequences as a result of low DSRs. How is the percent of 1s and 2s for DSRs calculated? The percent of low DSRs (1s and 2s) is calculated as follows for all four DSRs—Item as described, communication, handling time, and shipping and handling charges. Number of 1s or 2s received from U.S. buyers ______________________________________ Total number of transactions with U.S. buyers Note that the total number of transactions includes all transactions, not just transaction where DSR scores were received. See specific examples of how low DSRs are calculated. Will a seller's minimum average DSR be calculated differently under the new system? Yes. The new minimum average DSR criteria will take the average DSR scores from U.S. buyers across all four DSRs. If each of the four average DSR scores is equal to or above the minimum average DSR criteria of 4.60, the seller meets this requirement for PowerSeller status. There are other differences in how the minimum average DSR will be calculated in the new system: Current method for calculating average DSRs:
New Selling Practices policy What is the new Selling Practices policy? The new Selling Practices policy sets minimum standards of professionalism for all aspects of a listing and a transaction: Item Details and Description—Sellers are responsible for providing accurate and consistent details regarding their items, including item condition and product details. For example, it would be a violation to select "New" in item specifics and say that it's refurbished in the item description. Also, listing descriptions must be professional in both language and tone. Terms and Conditions—Sellers can include only relevant terms and conditions. Violations would include conflicting information in a listing, failure to uphold stated terms, or a disclaimer of seller responsibility to deliver the item as described in the listing. Product Availability—Sellers are responsible for having items available for sale for the duration of the listing. Single quantity items or items in low supply should not be listed both on and off eBay simultaneously. Shipping and Related Charges—Sellers will continue to be required to charge only reasonable shipping and handling fees. Return Policy and Handling Time—As previously announced, sellers are required to specify their return policy and handling time in a listing. The new policy requires the information you specify to be accurate. Appropriate language—Listings cannot include comments that undermine confidence in the marketplace, such as comments expressing negativity toward buyers or the selling process. Can you provide some examples of unprofessional language and tone? Here are a few examples unprofessional language and tone: "Due to bad buyers on eBay, you must contact me prior to bidding or your bid will be cancelled and you will be reported to eBay!!" "I have had so many bad transactions with zero Feedback buyers. So, if you are new, don't bid!" "I will leave negative Feedback for all non-paying bidders." "I am forced to use PayPal." What's the purpose of the new policy? We know that as a seller, you want to provide smooth and satisfying transactions for all your customers. Clear guidelines and standards regarding professionalism on eBay will help you meet that goal. The new policy is designed to:
Starting in October 2009, violations of the new Selling Practices policy may result in the loss of eBay Top-rated seller status. Wider enforcement will begin in April 2010. What do I need to do to make sure I'm in compliance with the Selling Practices policy? To make sure you're in compliance with the new Selling Practices policy:
No optional buyer charges for insurance Why is eBay removing optional or required shipping insurance when I list or re-list my item? By removing optional or required shipping insurance, we are adjusting to help meet buyer expectations for ecommerce and aligning with industry standard practices. In most circumstances, buyers do not expect to pay for the cost of shipping insurance. This change also reflects the industry—and eBay—standard practice that sellers are responsible for their items until they are safely in their customers' hands. As a seller, can I still insure the items I sell on eBay? Yes, you are still able to insure your items. Check with your shipping carrier for insurance options, contact a third-party shipping insurance provider for insurance coverage, or purchase shipping insurance from your shipping company when you print your shipping labels directly from the site. To help cover the additional expense, consider folding the cost of insurance into your handling cost or item price. What is wrong with giving the buyer the option to purchase insurance? Sellers are responsible for their items until they are safely in their customers' hands. Offering insurance to a buyer (optional or required) gives the impression that the buyer is responsible for the safe delivery of the item and can reduce buyer confidence in the marketplace. What if a buyer specifically requests insurance? You can remind your buyer that insurance is designed to protect the seller, not the buyer— if a buyer does not receive an item, it is the seller's responsibility. If a buyer continues to request shipping insurance, you can select a shipping service that includes insurance (for example, UPS covers insurance up to $100 automatically with many services), or add the cost of insurance into your shipping or handling costs and send the buyer a revised invoice. Paying for shipping insurance raises my costs. What can I do? If appropriate, you can move the cost of shipping insurance into your handling charges or item price. Won't moving insurance cost into my shipping charges make my shipping appear excessive? With respect to listing status if you are thinking about excessive shipping, eBay Trust and Safety will look at excessive shipping on a case by case basis. If you offer reasonable shipping in a category that typically has higher shipping rates due to item size, weight, handling, or insurance you should not be negatively affected. Isn't the removal of insurance as a separate cost really just a ploy by eBay to garner higher Final Value Fees? Are you making me price my item higher so you can charge more fees? We are removing insurance as an option for the buyer since insurance is designed to protect the seller, not the buyer. If a buyer does not receive an item, it is the seller's responsibility. You have the option to fold insurance costs into the shipping cost or handling costs. Shouldn't the shipping companies be responsible for an item once it has shipped? While it is the shipping company's responsibility to deliver the item to your buyer, the shipping company is accountable to the seller not to the buyer. It is your option how you manage your relationship, risk, or exposure with the carrier and you have choices as to which carrier you choose to safely deliver your goods to your buyers. How do I add my insurance cost to my Auction-style listings? If you list with Auction-style format, you can choose to add your insurance cost into your handling charges. You'll need to estimate the value of the item, and check with your shipping carrier or third-party insurance provider for approximate cost of coverage. You could also start your item at a slightly higher price to cover the cost of insurance. I sell rare, antique, or one-of-a-kind items that I must insure. How can I insure these items? There are several ways to insure items you sell. Check with your shipping carrier for insurance options, contact a third-party shipping insurance provider for insurance coverage, or purchase shipping insurance from your shipping company when you print your shipping labels directly from the site. To help cover the additional expense, consider folding the cost of insurance into your handling cost or item price. There will be cases when end price exceeds your insurance cost estimate. In cases when you make an unexpected profit, you will need to cover additional insurance cost. What if my item sells for much more than I estimated? Shipping insurance is generally priced in tranches based on desired coverage (e.g., $50.01 to $100.00 = $2.15, $100.01 to $200.00 = $2.60, etc), so exact item sale price estimates are not required in order for you to estimate the cost of insurance. There will be cases when end price exceeds your insurance cost estimate. In cases when you make an unexpected profit, you will need to cover additional insurance cost. Does the shipping cap in media still apply? Yes, the shipping cap still applies. If you need to charge higher costs than the shipping caps, you can use the eBay shipping calculator to charge actual shipping costs. The maximum shipping costs were set based research around buyer satisfaction of shipping costs within the category. You may want to consider setting your shipping cost at the maximum shipping cap and adding some of the insurance cost into your item price. When does this change take effect? eBay is scheduled to remove shipping insurance from new listings starting the week of September 22, 2009. Do I have to update my listings? You will be required to remove any reference to purchasing optional or required insurance in your item description; however, adding a statement like "insurance included" in your item description is fine if you've moved the cost into your item price or shipping and handling costs. Bulk editing tools are available now to update your existing listings. We will automatically remove optional or required shipping Insurance from the Sell Your Item form, scheduled for the week of September 21, 2009. If you have selected shipping insurance on existing listings, it will be removed when you use Relist, Sell Similar or Sell One Like This. If I want to revise my listings, are bulk editing tools available? Yes, bulk editing tools are available now. Will my listings be blocked in Relist, Sell Similar or Sell One Like This flows if they include shipping insurance? No, eBay will not block these listings, but we will automatically remove the insurance option from the listing when a seller uses Relist, Sell Similar, or Sell one Like This. You'll see a message that eBay has removed these options from your listing. What about Good 'Til Cancelled listings? The insurance option will be automatically removed from Good 'Til Cancelled listings when they renew. You'll see a message that the option has been removed. Does this change apply to all listing formats and categories? Yes, this change will apply to all listing formats and categories. I use a third-party listing service. Am I affected? Yes, this change impacts all third parties that provide listing and/or checkout services with optional or required shipping insurance as an option. eBay will require third parties to remove optional or required shipping insurance from their listing and checkout flows. I am a third-party developer. What changes do I need to make? By September, you should remove the shipping insurance option from your product or service's listing and checkout flow. New Seller Dashboard Can I find information now on my low DSRs (1s and 2s)? What tools can help me reduce my low DSRs? Yes, you can see a snapshot of your DSRs now in your Seller Dashboard, including your low DSRs (1s and 2s), your average DSRs, and where you stand in relation to eBay Top-rated seller status launching in October. This snapshot will be updated monthly. You can also use DSR reports to see your total counts of 1s and 2s. To get this view, log into your Seller Dashboard and click the link at the top. You'll see a view that looks like this:  To see this view, just log on to your Seller Dashboard and click the link at the top. What changes are coming to the Seller Dashboard in October? Starting in October, your Seller Dashboard will provide you with information on your low DSRs (1s or 2s) on DSRs, minimum average DSR, and your standing toward qualifying for the PowerSeller program and eBay Top-rated seller status with information updated daily. Starting in October, you'll see a snapshot of your standing updated daily. Will sellers be able to see the exact transactions that resulted in low DSRs? To encourage buyers to leave DSRs, buyers are assured that their ratings are anonymous. Sellers are not able to see exactly which transaction resulted in lower scores. For the insight you need to improve, you can run detailed reports on your DSRs by category, type of transaction, and other factors. Go to See Your Reports on your Seller Dashboard. 2. Enhanced search presents more relevant listings Best Match update What is Best Match? Best Match is eBay's default sort order to present search results. The goal of Best Match is to help shoppers find just what they're looking for from sellers they trust. For you as a seller, this means getting your listings in front of the buyers who are most interested in your products. Delivering great value and service to your buyers is key in determining your position in Best Match. How does Best Match work today (before the changes coming in September)? To show buyers the most relevant items for their search criteria, Best Match considers a number of factors to sort results. Today, those factors are:
Auction-style and Fixed Price listings are sorted separately according to the most relevant criteria for each format and then intermingled to show buyers a good mix of both types of listings on each page of search results. Why are we making changes to Best Match? We're continuing to refine and improve the technology for surfacing the most relevant, best-quality listings from sellers providing the best buyer experience at the top of search results—and give you the information and tools you need to get the best possible exposure for your listings. What's changing in Best Match?
The changes to Best Match will launch between September 22 and October 1, 2009. What is the listing performance score? The listing performance score is based on the listing's recent sales in relation to the number of recent impressions it received. An "impression" is any time a buyer sees a search results page that includes the listing. For example, in the new Best Match, a listing with 100 recent impressions and 10 recent sales will score higher than a similar listing with 1,000 recent impressions and 10 recent sales. What counts as an impression? Any time a buyer sees a search results page, an impression is counted for each of the listings in that page. Why are my listing titles more important than ever? Writing accurate, relevant titles has always been a best practice. However, to maximize your listing performance, you should only use keywords that are relevant. Otherwise, they could drive impressions - but not sales - and hurt your listing performance score. You always want to keep the ratio between your impressions and sales in mind when writing your titles. A title with broad, less specific keywords may get you more impressions, but a lower percentage of sales. This could reduce your overall visibility in search. An example of a title with broader keywords might be something like "Brand New Digital Camera, 7MP." With a title made up of highly relevant, specific keywords, you probably will show up in fewer searches, but generate more sales per impression. This higher listing performance score will give you an advantage in search. An example of a title with more specific keywords would look like this: "New Nikon D50 Digital SLR Camera w/AF-S & 18-55 mm Lens." Why will Best Match use the listing performance score as opposed to recent sales? The listing performance score will be a more accurate measure of how buyers perceive a listing than recent sales alone because it measures the listing's recent sales against the number of times it was shown to users. An item that sells with fewer impressions will have a higher performance score than the same item that sells with more impressions. In addition, the more recent your sales and impressions are, the more they will count towards your score. So today's listing performance counts more than yesterday, and yesterday's more than the day before. What about single quantity Fixed Price or new Fixed Price listings without sales history? New multi-quantity and single-quantity Fixed Price listings will be given exposure in Best Match even though they have no sales history. These listings will be given a certain number of initial impressions based on the relevance of similar listings that have sold. All things being equal, new listings with a lower total cost than similar sold items will generally get assigned more impressions than new listings with higher total cost. How does Best Match determine what listings are similar to my new Fixed Price listings? We look at the title and category of your item and compare it against sold items with similar titles and categories. Do all sales count towards my listing performance score? Not all sales count as recent sales in your listing performance score. Only one sale per transaction will count towards recent sales. For example, if a buyer buys two items at the same time from a multi-quantity listing—that counts as one sale. However, if a buyer buys two items from the same multi-quantity listing at different points in time, both sales will count towards recent sales. What about multi-quantity Fixed Price listings with variations—will the sales for all variations count? Yes, with the updates to Best Match, for multi-quantity Fixed Price listings with variations such as color and size offered in one listing, sales for all variations will count for the listing's recent sales. The listing performance score will be based on the total number of sales for all variations in relation to the number of impressions the listing received. For example, a listing with three variations with one sale in each of the three will have recent sales of 3. What about newly listed Fixed Price listings with variations that have no sales history? As for other Fixed Price listings, new listings with variations will be given exposure in Best Match even though they have no sales history. These listings will be given a certain number of initial impressions based on the relevance of similar listings that have sold. To determine similar listings, Best Match will look at title, category and also the information in the variations. Should I include variation information in my title? Since Best Match will look at information in the variations as well as title and category, it is not necessary to include variations in your title. The best practice for maximize the listing performance score or your listings with variations will be to use all 55 characters in your title for other distinguishing information relevant to buyer searches. If I raise the price or change the title, category, or item condition of my Fixed Price listing, does that negatively affect my recent sales or listing performance score? As of July 27, 2009, raising the price or changing the title will not affect your recent sales or listing performance score. Changing the item condition from specified to unspecified or changing the category will continue to negatively impact your recent sales score. We understand that actively managing prices provides a competitive advantage in some markets. However, if your changes make your listings less competitive and result in a decrease of your recent sales or listing performance score, those listings will appear lower in search. How can I see the recent sales and impressions for my listings? You will be able to see your recent sales and impression range for each of your listings in the Search Visibility tool available in My eBay. Use it regularly to help you evaluate your listings and stay on top of search results. How do the Best Match changes affect Auction-style listings? Auction-style listings will continue to receive a boost in search results when they're about to end. Given the improvements in the way new and single-quantity Fixed Price listings are treated, and the new guidelines for Auction-style listings with Buy It Now, it will be even more important for sellers to use Auction-style listings the way they work best—with a low start price to attract buyers and stimulate bidding. Some sellers may see significant savings without loss of exposure by moving Auction-style with Buy It Now inventory to Fixed Price. How do I choose the right listing format? Use the Auction-style format when:
Yes. Seller performance continues to count. Top-rated sellers will get promoted in Best Match for their Fixed Price listings. Sellers not meeting the new minimum standard will be demoted for both Auction-style and Fixed Price listings. Does offering free shipping help my position in search? Yes. Fixed Price listings with free shipping will receive added exposure. As always, keeping costs reasonable continues to be a best practice. Both Auction-style and Fixed Price listings with excessive shipping will be demoted in search. New Search Visibility tool How can the new Search Visibility tool help me? The new tool will analyze the search visibility for your listings and provide insight into the factors that affect visibility. The tool will help answer the following questions:
The Search Visibility tool will give you information on both Fixed Price and Auction-style listings. For Fixed Price listings, the tool will analyze the listing visibility for your active Fixed Price listings. For Auction-style format, you will see the time remaining on your auction, as well as the current rank in search results. Where can I access the new Search Visibility tool? You can access the new tool from My eBay or your Seller Dashboard. How can I access the Search Visibility tool? The Search Visibility tool will be available at the end of September 2009 to all sellers who have access to the Seller Dashboard - sellers with at least 10 DSRs over the last 12 months. When will the Search Visibility tool be available? The new Search Visibility tool will be available when the new Best Match launches between September 22 and October 1, 2009. Auction-style listings with Buy It Now: Update What is the Buy It Now feature? Buy It Now is a feature that can be added to your Auction-style listings for an additional fee. When adding this feature to your listing, you are giving buyers the option to either purchase your item immediately or bid on your item. You set a Buy It Now price and a minimum start price for bidding. When bidding begins on your item, the Buy It Now option is most often removed from the listing, and the listing continues as an auction only. The Buy It Now icon appears on your listings and in search results when buyers search or browse on eBay. Buyers can use the tabs on the search results pages to view Auctions only or Buy It Now only. What is the new guideline for using the Buy It Now feature with Auction-style listings? The Buy It Now price you set when listing your item must be at least 10% higher than your auction start price for that same item. All Auction-style listings with the Buy It Now feature listed on or after October 1, 2009 will be required to follow this new guideline. Why is eBay implementing this new guideline? There has been an increase in inappropriate use of the Buy It Now feature where the auction start price and the Buy it Now price are the same dollar amount or within a few pennies of one another. This practice takes away from the excitement of auctions for buyers, confuses buyers, and negatively affects buyer perception of value on eBay. Auctions with a low start price drive buyers to bid on items. The new guideline will help preserve the benefit and excitement of auctions and also encourage sellers to list their items in the most appropriate format (Auction-style or Fixed Price). Learn more about choosing a listing format that works best for you. When will sellers be required to adhere to this new guideline? All Auction-style listings with the Buy It Now feature listed on or after October 1, 2009, will be required to adhere to this new guideline. Previously scheduled listings with a start date after October 1, 2009, will not be impacted by this new guideline. What will happen to my Auction-style listings with Buy It Now that are live prior to when the new guideline takes effect? Listings that are live prior to October 1, 2009, will not be impacted. How will eBay enforce this new guideline? When you are creating an Auction-style listing with the Buy It Now feature, you will not be able to submit your listing unless the new guideline is met. A message will appear asking you to enter a valid Buy It Now price that is at least 10% more than your auction starting price. Do I have any other options to list an item that a buyer can purchase immediately instead of using the Buy It Now feature in my Auction-style listing? Consider listing your item in Fixed Price format instead of Auction-style format with the Buy It Now feature option. Some sellers may see a significant savings without loss of exposure by moving Auction-style listings with Buy It Now inventory over to Fixed Price. You can also use Best Offer with Fixed Price to give buyers more options. To sell an item in Fixed Price format, you must start the item for at least $1.00. Learn more about the requirements for selling at a fixed price. How do I choose the right listing format? Use the Auction-style format when:
This new guideline applies to listings on eBay.com and eBay.ca (French and English). See how these changes apply to eBay Motors. Some listing features discontinued What happens if I pay for an optional feature on a 30-day listing, but the feature is removed from my listing as a result of the feature changes? Will I get a credit for the optional feature fee? If a feature is removed from one of your active listings as a result of these changes, you will receive a partial or full credit back within the next billing invoice after the listing ends. What is changing with optional listing features on eBay.com? Optional listing features and applicable changes effective October 1, 2009, can be found below.
Why is eBay making these changes? Buyers want an improved and consistent shopping experience on eBay that will enable them to find what they're looking for quickly and have a satisfying purchase. These feature changes eliminate buyer confusion and unnecessary costs for you as a seller. Which features are being discontinued? As of October 1, 2009, the following listing features will no longer be available: Gift services, Border, Highlight, Featured Plus, Home Page Featured and Pro Pack. Additionally, Featured First will be available to eBay Top-rated sellers only. To increase your item exposure and sell more items, we recommend you focus on maximizing Best Match search results. What do I need to do as a result of these changes? There is nothing specific you have to do to your listings. These feature changes will be applied to your listings automatically. Going forward, we recommend you focus on maximizing Best Match search results to make sure you get the best position in search and the best value for your selling fees. What will happen to my active listings with features that are being discontinued as of October 1, 2009? Effective October 1, 2009, if you have an active listing that includes Gift services, Border, Highlight, Featured Plus, Home Page Featured, Pro Pack or Featured First, the feature will be removed from your listing automatically. If you are an eBay Top-rated seller, Featured First will remain on your listings. (Featured First will be available only to eBay Top-rated sellers effective October 1, 2009.) What happens if I pay for an optional feature on a 30-day listing, but the feature is removed from my listing as a result of the feature changes? Will I get a refund for the optional feature fee? If a feature is removed from one of your active listings as a result of these changes, you will receive a partial or full credit back within the next billing invoice after the listing ends. I used these features to drive more traffic to my listings. What options are available to me now? There are a number of great features that will continue to be available such as Subtitle, Bold or listing in two categories. You may also consider eBay's AdCommerce advertising tool to drive more traffic to your listings. This program allows you to target your messages to the right audience while paying only for results. Learn more about how you can take advantage of eBay AdCommerce. What is changing with optional features and the International Site Visibility feature? Previously, if you purchased an optional feature such as Bold along with the International Site Visibility feature and wanted exposure on the UK site, the Bold feature appeared on both the UK and US sites. This will no longer be the case. After October 1, your listing with Bold and International Site Visibility will be in Bold font on the US site only and normal font on the UK site. For example, a US listing with Bold and International Site Visibility will display Bold on the US site, but no Bold on the UK site. How can I increase the exposure of my items on international sites? The International Site Visibility feature will continue to provide basic exposure on other sites. To increase exposure overall, we recommend you focus on maximizing Best Match search results. If I become an eBay Top-rated seller and use Featured First, will my listing appear in the Featured section when I sort by anything other than Best Match? Featured First listings will only be displayed at the top of Best Match sorts. There will be no Featured section on non-Best Match sorts. This change is being made to improve the relevance of search results when the buyers choose to sort their results using a filter other than Best Match. What happens if I lose my eBay Top-rated seller status and I have Featured First on my listings? If you are an eBay Top-rated seller and you lose this status, Featured First will automatically be removed from all of your listings. You will receive a partial or full credit back. Do these changes apply to all eBay sites globally? No, the availability of optional listing features varies by site. The optional listing feature changes described here apply only to eBay.com. Get exposure for your product pictures Why does the eBay product catalog include photos? Photos are important for the convenience of sellers and for buyers to make the right purchase decision. Starting September 1, 2009, eBay will begin selecting photos for the eBay product catalog from the listings of sellers who do not opt out by August 31. Can I choose not to have my photos used in the eBay product catalog? You can choose to opt out of having eBay use your photos in the eBay product catalog through My eBay. (See instructions below). If you opt out by August 31, 2009 at 23:59:59 PT, none of your photos will be considered for inclusion in the catalog (unless you opt back in at a later time). If you opt out after August 31, 2009 23:59:59 PT, any photos we select for inclusion in the catalog prior to your opt-out may continue to be used in the catalog. Is there an advantage for me if my photos are chosen for the eBay product catalog? If we choose your photos to represent a product in the eBay product catalog, you'll get an attribution including your user ID and a link to your profile page whenever your photo is used on a product details page. This can give you extra exposure to a larger audience of shoppers.  Buyers would see your user ID and a link to your profile page if your photo is used on a product details page. Will eBay automatically consider my photos for inclusion in the eBay product catalog? Yes, eBay will begin to select photos from sellers' listings for inclusion in the eBay product catalog starting on September 1. If you don't want your photos used, you can opt out at any time. If you opt out by August 31, 2009 at 23:59:59 PT, none of your photos will be considered for inclusion in the catalog unless you opt back in at a later time. If you opt out after August 31, 2009 23:59:59 PT, any photos we select for inclusion in the catalog prior to your opt-out may continue to be used in the catalog. How do I opt out of having my photos considered for use in the eBay product catalog? You can opt out of having your photos considered for use in the eBay product catalog, by following these steps:
 Can I opt back in if I opt out? Yes. To opt back in, just follow the same steps listed above for opting out, but uncheck the checkbox on the second page and click the "Submit" button. If you later change your mind and wish to opt back out, you can change your settings at any time in this section of My eBay. However, any content we select for inclusion in the catalog during a time when you are opted in after August 31, 2009 at 23:59:59 PT may continue to be used in the catalog. What photos could eBay collect from me? After August 31, 2009 at 23:59:59 PT, unless you opt out of this program, all photos in your eBay listings can be considered for addition to the catalog at our discretion. Can I choose to have some photos included but not others? At this time, you can't choose which photos you would like us to consider for inclusion in the product catalog. Unless you opt out, we may consider any of your photos for inclusion in the catalog. For example, if you have a listing with 12 associated photos, we may consider any or all 12 photos for inclusion in the eBay product catalog. What if I want some photos included but not others? If you have any photos you do not wish us to consider for inclusion in the product catalog, you should opt out. (See instructions above). Will having my pictures included in the eBay product catalog interfere with or slow down my selling process? No, if we choose your photos for inclusion in the eBay product catalog, we will do so in the background without interfering with your day-to-day selling activities. Will I be notified if my photos are selected? No, you will not be notified in this initial phase of the catalog project. We plan to add seller notification in a later phase. However, if we choose to use your photo, we will give you attribution on the product details page by referencing your user ID and link to your profile page (see example above). How long will it take for me to receive attribution after I upload my photos to my listings? If we select one or more of your photos for inclusion in the product catalog, it may take several weeks between the time you upload your photo(s) to your listings and the time that it is used on the product details page with attribution to your user ID. Please note that being opted into the program does not guarantee that any of your photos will be selected for inclusion in the catalog. If your photo is used, you will see an attribution in the product details page as described above. How long will I have my attribution? The attribution on the product details page will stay as long as your photo is used to represent that product in our catalog. Can my photo be replaced? Yes. If we find another photo that we believe is a better fit for the product, we will replace the current photo. Only the owner of the new photo will then get attribution for their photo as described above. What do I do if someone else submits my photo under their user ID? You should report any activity that you believe infringes on your intellectual property rights immediately through the VeRO program. You can report the problem here. 3. Easier, more profitable selling on eBay Faster process for unpaid items What is the unpaid item process? When a buyer wins an auction or uses Buy it Now, but does not pay for the item within the amount of time allowed, this is an unpaid item. If contacting the buyer doesn't resolve the situation, you can open an unpaid item case in the eBay Resolution Center. If the buyer still doesn't pay for the item after the case is open, you will get a Final Value Fee credit. Your Insertion Fees may also be refunded if you relist the item and it sells the second time. How do I start the unpaid item process? If your buyer has not paid, simply click the link for the Resolution Center at the bottom of most eBay pages. If you're using My eBay or Selling Manager, you can also select "Open an Unpaid Item Case" from the drop-down menu that appears to the right of the item. What's changing?
What is the Unpaid Item Assistant and how does it work? The Unpaid Item Assistant automates some features of the unpaid item process - making it more efficient for you and reducing the average time to resolve the dispute. When enabled, the Unpaid Item Assistant will automatically open a case if your buyer doesn't pay after a specified period of time. You can choose to set that time as 4, 8, 16, 24 or 32 days after the listing closes. If four days pass without payment after the case is opened, an unpaid item will be recorded on the buyer's account, the case will be closed and your Final Value Fee will be automatically refunded. At that time, the buyer won't be permitted to leave Feedback for that item. When is my cut off time for opening an unpaid item case? You have up to 32 days to open an unpaid item case. You can open a case 4 to 32 days after the sale either in the Resolutions Center or by using Unpaid Item Assistant to open it for you on the day you set—4, 8, 16, 24, or 32 days after the listing closes. Will eBay educate buyers that they may only have 4 days to pay instead of 7? All areas of the site will be updated to reflect this new process, including the appropriate Help pages. What are the requirements for using Unpaid Item Assistant?
When will the new automated process (Unpaid Item Assistant) be available to all sellers? Unpaid Item Assistant will be rolled out gradually, beginning with a very small group of sellers at the end of September 2009 to ensure the new process is working properly. Our goal is to have the Unpaid Item Assistant rolled out to all sellers in time for the 2009 holiday season. You will need to opt-in to enable Unpaid Item Assistant in My eBay. Can I use Unpaid Item Assistant if I use a third-party checkout service? Yes. Third-party checkout will be supported as the Unpaid Item Assistant is gradually rolled out to all sellers before the holidays. You should talk to your certified provider and/or developer to find out exactly how they plan to integrate these new features. Does Unpaid Item Assistant work for all listings formats and eBay sites? Yes, this is currently available for Fixed Price and Auction-style listings items (including Store Inventory items) offering only safe payment options with eBay checkout enabled. See how these changes apply to eBay Motors. Will there be an opt-in process for Unpaid Item Assistant? How do I opt in? Yes, you must opt in to take advantage of these automated features. You can opt in by following these steps:
Can I opt in or out by item? You can opt out by item, but you must opt into the automated process first. Once you do this, you can opt out on a per-transaction basis after the case is opened. This would automatically move that listing into the manual unpaid item process and timeline. To opt out on a per-transaction basis after a case is opened, go to the Resolution Center and select "Turn off UPI Assistant." What if I'm opted in and want to give a buyer additional time to pay, or decide to accept cash payment via local pickup? You will have the option to "turn off" the process by individual item only after a case has been opened. To opt out of an individual item after a case is opened, go to the Resolution Center and select "Turn off UPI Assistant." What if a buyer pays, but I forgot to turn off the Auto File? If you agreed to allow the buyer to pay upon pickup or pay late, but forgot to turn off the Unpaid Item Assistant, your buyer will need to appeal the case to eBay. Can the buyer of the unpaid item leave me Feedback if I decide to automate the process? Once you opt into the automated process and a case is opened, the buyer is automatically blocked from leaving Feedback for that item. However, buyers may still be able to leave Feedback under these conditions:
If the buyer successfully appeals the unpaid item decision, then their ability to leave Feedback will be restored. Any previous Feedback left will be reinstated. Is Feedback blocked for unpaid items that go through the manual process as well? No, Feedback is only automatically blocked if a transaction is being handled in the automated process. However, all the current reasons for Feedback removal will still apply. (For example, if the buyer doesn't pay and refuses to communicate or participate in the unpaid item process, then negative Feedback can be removed.) How can I avoid having an unpaid item in the first place?
What are the requirements for using Immediate Payment with my Fixed Price, Store Inventory and Auction with Buy It Now listings? To require Immediate Payment for your item, you must:
Do I need to update my listings? If you have payment terms that specify a day by which your buyer must pay for an item and you use Unpaid Item Assistant, make sure the payment day you specify corresponds with the day you set to automatically open an unpaid item case. Managing buyer emails What's changing with email communications on eBay? Starting this fall, all conversations with eBay members (whether you respond through your own email box or within My Messages itself) will be "threaded" so you can see the entire communication. Can eBay view my email conversations with other users? eBay can only view email conversations with other members if you grant us permission to view them, or if there is a case filed against the transaction. Should you or the buyer file a case against a transaction (such as an unpaid item dispute, item not received, or item not as described), then eBay Customer Support will be able to view the conversations about the transaction in order to help resolve the issue. Please note that only emails about that transaction will be visible. Streamlining post-transaction emails What changes are you making? In October, we will be consolidating and improving some of the eBay emails that a buyer gets after a transaction is complete. These include emails like the order confirmation, order update/shipping notices, and payment reminders. As a result, buyers will get fewer—but more relevant—emails. Are you including emails from PayPal, third parties and other sources? No. This project only impacts the emails that eBay sends the buyer after a transaction. Emails from other sources are not included. How are the post-transaction emails changing?
Does this change the way buyers get updates about their items, such as when I ship an item? Yes. Instead of sending one update per item, we are now combining updates for all the items in the order in a single email. Will the Payment Reminder email change? Yes. How often buyers receive the Payment Reminder email will vary depending on their previous behaviors and other factors. This is done to help protect both parties and give sufficient lead time to the buyer before an unpaid item dispute may occur. Are these changes happening on other eBay sites? Yes, these changes will be applied globally. Customizing emails in Selling Manager and Selling Manager Pro I am a Selling Manager Pro user. What changes are happening to my functionality? We are keeping most of the customization functionality. But now you will also have the ability to edit the emails eBay sends out to your buyers, add your own content and customization, and reduce the number of emails you send to your buyers. As we bring Selling Manager Pro and eBay emails closer together, we are removing the following functionality:
No, you will not experience any changes with your email functionality if you are a Selling Manager subscriber. Which emails can I customize? You can customize the Order Confirmation and Order Update emails. Are there guidelines for customizing these emails? Do they differ for Selling Manager and Selling Manager Pro? The guidelines differ from email to email. Selling Manager users will still have the ability to create templates and manually send emails as they had before. Selling Manager Pro users will have the ability to customize certain post-transaction emails (such as Order Confirmation and Order Update) that eBay sends out to the buyer. How can I customize these emails? For Selling Manager and Selling Manager Pro, you can still customize your own templates. However, the option to customize eBay emails is only available in Selling Manager Pro. To customize these email, just go to the Manage Template page in Selling Manager Pro, and click on the "Customize" link to be able to customize these emails. Can I make my own custom template as before? Yes, for both Selling Manager and Selling Manager Pro, you can still customize your own templates. Will my previously created custom templates be carried over? We will carry them over for Selling Manager. Because of the changes we are making in the Selling Manager Pro email customization process, Selling Manager Pro custom templates cannot be carried over. Is there cross-seller merchandising in these emails? Yes, seller merchandising will be in the Order Confirmation and Order Update emails. In the Order Confirmation and Order Update emails, we merchandise relevant items for the buyer based on their initial purchase. We will give preference to same seller items in this cross-merchandising, but we cannot guarantee that other sellers' items won't appear. Can a seller change the cross-merchandising? No. This is controlled by eBay. Exclude ship-to Locations Why is eBay providing a ship-to location exclusion option? One of your top requests is the ability to specify countries you do not want to ship to. For example, if you specify today that you ship to Europe, buyers from all European countries can purchase your item. If you wanted to exclude buyers from Italy or Russia, for instance, you are unable to do so. The ship-to location exclusion option allows you to specify countries you do not wish to include in your international listings. How will the exclusions work? This project will not change existing shipping locations. You will still use the same shipping locations that you specify in your listings. However, we're adding an exclusion list that includes all countries worldwide. This list will give you more control over where you want to ship the item. What will change when I list an item? First, set up your own preferred exclusion list right in My eBay, or create an exclusion list for an individual listing. Then apply the exclusion list while you're listing your item through the Sell Your Item form or Turbo Lister. This option will only be visible if you choose to sell internationally. Is there anything I need to do to use the exclusion list? If you are using the Sell Your Item form, you just need to create an exclusion list and apply it. If you are using a listing tool other than the Sell Your Item form, you will also need to set the existing Buyer Requirement: "Block buyers who are registered in countries to which I don't ship." To do this, just follow these steps:
Yes. The ability to use a ship-to location exclusion list will be available to third parties. Can I set a default ship-to location exclusion list so I do not have to enter exclusion information every time I create a listing? Yes. You can set a default ship-to location exclusion list in My eBay that can be used for all of your listings. Can I have a different ship-to location exclusion list for each listing? Yes. You can choose to have different exclusions for each listing. Can I apply my exclusion list to existing listings? Yes. When creating or editing your default ship-to location exclusion list, you can apply it to all open listings. Or, you can revise your listings one by one and set an exclusion list for each. How will this look to buyers? Buyers from blocked countries will be prevented from bidding on or buying an item before they reach checkout. If a buyer changes their shipping address in checkout to a country you do not ship to, they will not be able to complete the transaction. Can I make an exception for a particular buyer? Yes. Use the Buyer Block Exemption List if you wish to sell a particular item to a buyer whose shipping location is on the item's ship-to location exclusion list. You can do that by following these steps:
No. This functionality is only available on a per-country basis. Shipping tracking and delivery information update How is shipping tracking and delivery confirmation changing on eBay? Shipping tracking and delivery confirmation information gives your buyers more visibility into the status of their order and the expected delivery date of the product. This helps you manage the expectations of your customers and gives you peace of mind knowing that your item was delivered to your buyer. Sellers who provide either shipping tracking numbers or delivery confirmation are likely to see an increase in shipping-related DSR scores and a reduction in the number of buyer contacts asking "Where's my stuff?" eBay is making shipping tracking and delivery confirmation more visible by enhancing the add/edit tracking numbers page, adding support for more shipping carriers, and sharing shipping tracking and delivery confirmation information in more places on the site. How is the Add/Edit Tracking Number page being enhanced? When you enter a shipping tracking number on the Add/Edit Tracking Number page, eBay will recognize the number and auto-populate the shipping carrier name for you. If eBay does not recognize your shipping tracking number, you'll have the option to write in the shipping carrier you are using. I don't use USPS or UPS. Can I use shipping tracking and delivery confirmation with other carriers? Yes, you can enter shipping tracking and delivery confirmation numbers from more shipping carriers than ever before. Beginning in July, eBay will support several additional US and international shipping carriers. If your carrier is not recognized in the Add/Edit Tracking Number page, you can add the name of the shipping service you use. After I enter my tracking information, where can I find shipping tracking numbers or delivery confirmation? You will find tracking information on the following pages:
Will I be required to provide shipping tracking numbers or delivery confirmation information? No, however, we recommend you upload tracking or delivery confirmation numbers to eBay whenever they are available. Sellers who provide either shipping tracking numbers or delivery confirmation are likely to see an increase in shipping-related DSR scores and a reduction in the number of buyer contacts asking "Where's my stuff?" What if the shipping service I use does not offer shipping tracking numbers or delivery confirmation? If shipping tracking or delivery confirmation is not available with the shipping service you use, we recommend you mark the item as shipped in My eBay. Your buyer will see a "shipped" icon in his or her My eBay and will be notified in the Order Update email that their item is marked as "shipped." What is the difference between a shipping tracking number and a delivery confirmation number? USPS offers delivery confirmation numbers with many of their services. A package shipped with a delivery confirmation number provides verification of delivery. Other services offer shipping tracking numbers. A package shipped with a shipping tracking number is generally scanned at each checkpoint providing way-point status through to delivery. Faster ways to edit listings How are you changing my ability to edit live items? Starting between September 22 and October 1, 2009, you will be able to revise almost all fields on your multi-quantity Fixed Price and Store Inventory format listings after these types of listings have had a sale. In the past, you could only change a few fields on such listings. You'll be able to do this on listings individually (through the Revise Your Item flow) or in bulk (through the eBay Bulk Edit tool in My eBay, Turbo Lister, Blackthorne and third-party listing tools). What's changing in the bulk editing tool? We are introducing "find and replace" functionality for item description to the eBay Bulk Edit tool in My eBay which will allow you to revise your item descriptions in bulk. You will also be able to apply sales tax (and VAT, where applicable) to listings in bulk. Will the editing restrictions be lifted from all listing formats? No. Restrictions will only be lifted from Fixed Price and Store Inventory Format listings. Other formats will continue to have the same restrictions as today. Does the duration of my listing matter when it comes to my ability to edit live Fixed Price and Store Inventory format listings? No, there are virtually no differences in your editing abilities no matter what the duration of your Fixed Price listing - seven days, 30 days or Good 'Til Cancelled. However, listing format still plays an important role; you will not be able to edit Auction-style listings the same way you will be able to edit Fixed Price listings. Which fields will I be able to revise on multi-quantity Fixed Price and Store Inventory format listings after a sale? You will be able to edit almost all fields. The exceptions include Title, Categories, Format and Duration. What about Fixed Price listings with outstanding Best Offers? You will be limited to revising only a few listing fields until you answer all outstanding Best Offers on the listing. Once all offers are answered (accepted, rejected, expired or retracted), you will be able to change most of the fields. Will eBay preserve the listing information as it was before any revisions I make? Yes, eBay will preserve the listing information for each transaction. Sellers and successful buyers will be able to see the listing information as it appeared at the time of purchase. As the seller, you will be responsible for fulfilling each order as it was described in the listing at the time of purchase. In other words, the changes you make to your listing aren't retroactive—they only apply to purchases made after the changes. Can I use any listing tool to take advantage of this new functionality? You can use the Revise Your Item form, eBay's Bulk Edit tool in My eBay, Turbo Lister or any third-party application that chooses to adopt these changes. How do I edit live listings with eBay's Bulk Edit tool? To edit live listings using the Bulk Edit tool, simply follow these steps:
Update GTC listings with return policy & handling time by September When will my Good 'Til Cancelled listings be required to include handling time and my return policy? You have until September 22 to update your Good 'Til Cancelled listings with your handling time and return policy. However, we encourage sellers to start updating these fields as soon as possible on their Good 'Til Cancelled listings. You already need to specify these fields on new listings and relists for most other listing formats. Are bulk editing tools available to update my Good 'Til Cancelled listings? Yes, the bulk editing tools are available now. You can edit these fields using the Bulk Edit tool in My eBay, Turbo Lister and third party tools. How do I add or change the return policy and handling time in my listings using the Bulk Edit tool in My eBay? To edit the return policy and handling time fields on your live listings using the Bulk Edit tool, simply follow these steps:
To edit the return policy and handling time fields on your live listings using Selling Manager, simply follow these steps:
If you have a large number of listings, the filter settings at the top of the page may be useful. The “format” menu allows you to select “Store Inventory” as well as “Fixed Price (GTC)”. You can select store inventory format listings first and edit all of them. Then you can select Fixed Price GTC and edit your remaining GTC listings. How do I add or change the return policy and handling time in my listings using Turbo Lister? To edit the return policy and handling time fields on your live listings using Turbo Lister, simply follow these steps:
We encourage you to accept returns, as this helps increase buyer satisfaction. However, you are not required to accept returns. You may specify "No Returns Accepted" as your return policy. What elements of my return policy do I need to specify? If you choose to accept returns, you'll need to specify the time period in which the item may be returned, how you'll give the refund, and who will pay the return shipping cost. Why do you require handling time and return policy? We want to help narrow the gap between buyers' expectations and their experiences by providing this information up front. Buyers want to know when they can expect to receive their items and if they can return them. We'll calculate an estimated delivery date (a range of time) using your specified handling time and shipping service. Do all categories require handling time? No, not all categories require handling time. Real Estate, Specialty Services, and all Motors listings (including both Vehicles and Parts and Accessories) do not require handling time. Do all listing formats require handling time? No. The following formats don't require handling time:
If your item is available for local pickup only, you don't need to specify a handling time. If your item is available for local pickup and is also shippable, you need to specify a handling time for the other shipping method(s). How will delivery estimates be calculated? We calculate estimated delivery time based on your specified handling time and the estimated times provided to us by the shipping service. Delivery estimates are calculated as a range of days, not a specific date. How do you calculate delivery estimates for cross-border transactions? For cross-border transactions, we display the seller's handling time (e.g., "This seller ships within two business days."), but we do not show an estimated shipping time because of potential delays in Customs. Selling Manager Applications—free trials Did eBay build the new Selling Manager and Selling Manager Pro Applications? No, most of these applications are created and offered by third party developers. eBay is offering a few applications and may offer more in future, but most will be external. Where can I find more information about the applications? You can find information about these applications in the Applications Directory. You can get to the directory by clicking on the "Applications" tab in My eBay, then selecting "Go to selling applications directory." You need to have either Selling Manager or Selling Manager Pro to be able to see this tab. Selling Manager is free—subscribe right now! What kinds of applications are available? More than a dozen applications covering a variety of needs will be available at the launch of this program. Here's a sample of just a few of them:
That depends on what your needs are. In the Applications Directory, you can browse by category (for example, checkout applications or listing applications), or you can search for an application you are interested in. All applications will feature a free trial period, so you can ensure an application meets your needs before you subscribe. Why isn't eBay offering these applications for free? These applications are built and offered by external developers, many of whom charge for their products. By opening up this opportunity to external developers, we are able to offer you a much wider range of functionality to improve your selling efficiency. The good news is that you can try most of the new applications for free to see if they're right for you before you subscribe. How do I subscribe/unsubscribe to an application? Go to the Applications Directory and either browse or search to find the application. On the application details page, click on the "Subscribe" button to enter the subscription flow. To unsubscribe, just go to "Manage applications" in the "Applications" tab of My eBay. Navigate to the application from which you want to unsubscribe, click on "Other actions" and then choose "Unsubscribe". How much do these application cost? Prices vary - some are free, others have a subscription fee. (Make sure you double check these fees before subscribing so that you know what you'll be charged.) You can try most of the new applications for free to see if they're right for you before you subscribe. Does eBay share my personal information with the application's developers? While you do need to sign into the applications using your eBay user ID and password, the developers cannot see this information. Developers can access your listings and user-related information, but only in a way that allows their applications to work properly. They do not have access to information like passwords and credit card numbers. Do these developers need to meet certain standards? Yes. Developers must pass a detailed review in order to be able to offer applications to you. This includes a review of their hosting infrastructure, business processes and data security policies. All developers are required to provide their users with stable, reliable and secure service. I think this application is fraudulent. Where can I report it? On the Applications tab in My eBay, go to the Manage applications view. Click on "Other actions" and choose "Report this application". Do I get the subscription fee back if I unsubscribe from an application? Subscription fees are non-refundable; however, you will have access to the application for the balance of the current subscription period. Store sellers—you can put all your listings on vacation What's changing with vacation holds? With the launch of the Good 'Til Cancelled (GTC) duration on Fixed Price listings last year, many Stores sellers now have GTC Fixed Priced listings. Today, you can put your Store Inventory format listings on vacation; this change will allow you to put your Fixed Price listings on vacation as well. Who can put Fixed Price Listings on vacation? You can only use the vacation functionality for Fixed Price listings if you are a Stores seller. How do I put my Fixed Price Listings on vacation? You can put your Fixed Price listings on vacation in the same way that you put your Store Inventory listings on vacation. You will be required to put both your Store Inventory and Fixed Price listings on vacation at the same time. (You cannot put one format on vacation without the other.) In order to do this, you'll need to:
You can do three things to tell your buyers that you are on vacation:
No. This functionality is only available to Stores sellers. |
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