First, although it is already available as a sort option, Best Match will become the default-sort in search and browse throughout eBay, beginning March 2008. This switch to Best Match as the default for search and browse, has already occurred in five categories, which launched on Jan. 17th. These initial five categories include Computers & Networking, Consumer Electronics, Cell Phones & PDA's, Cameras & Photo, and Toys & Hobbies.

Second, Best Match will include seller performance factors that increase the odds of a good buying experience. eBay will give an advantage to sellers with high levels of customer satisfaction (4.7 DSRs and above) based on buyer input. Today more than half of all sellers have this high level of customer satisfaction. On the other hand, sellers will get decreased exposure if they have more than 2% dissatisfied buyers (appears as "needs work", "poor" or "unacceptable" on the seller dashboard) or very low Shipping & Handling Charge Detailed Seller Ratings over the last 30 days.

• Sellers with more than 2% dissatisfied buyers in the last 30 days, will decrease in exposure.
• Sellers with a Shipping & Handling Charge Detailed Seller Ratings of 4.5 and lower will also decrease in exposure.

Beginning in March 2008, performance evaluation will be based on a 30-day period. It will also include Item "Significantly Not As Described" (SNAD), and Detailed Seller Ratings (DSRs) of 1 or 2. eBay added these factors because buyers leave 1 or 2 DSR ratings nine times more often than negative feedback, which suggests feedback and INRs alone did not reflect customer dissatisfaction.

The detailed seller rating system is based on a one to five star scale. Five stars is the highest rating, and one star is the lowest rating. Detailed seller ratings do not impact the overall Feedback Score.

• have more than 5% dissatisfied buyers in the last 30 days (shows as "poor" or "unacceptable" on the Seller Dashboard)
• have a feedback score of less than 100
• are listing items in the following higher risk categories (and sub categories): gift certificates, video games, cell phones, computers and consumer electronics

• the buyer leaves positive feedback,
• 3 days after confirmed item delivery*
• 21 days without a dispute, claim, chargeback, or reversal filed on that transaction

eBay Motors vehicle categories (Cars & Trucks, Motorcycles, Powersports, Boats, and Other Vehicles categories and subcategories) will not be included in these payment policy changes.

• The buyer leaves a seller a Detailed Seller Rating (DSR) of 1 or 2 on any of the attributes
• The buyer files a dispute, claim, or chargeback related to "Item Not Received" (INR) or "Significantly Not as Described" (SNAD)
• Buyer leaves negative or neutral feedback

With PayPal, your customers can shop and pay quickly using their credit cards, bank accounts, and PayPal balance. Once they register with PayPal, they can speed through checkout without stopping to enter their card number or address.

PayPal has advanced anti-fraud technology, which literally gets smarter with every transaction that goes through our system and is often able to stop fraudulent transactions before they ever reach our customers.

PayPal offers the Seller Protection Policy which covers most sellers in the US, UK and CA for up to $5,000.00 USD on any eligible transaction.

To determine if a transaction may have a higher risk of dissatisfied buyers, eBay reports to PayPal a number of factors, including but not limited to:

• Seller's % Positive Feedback in the last 30 days
• Seller's Detailed Seller Ratings in the last 30 days
• Final price for the item
• Shipping & handling fee
• Seller's tenure as an eBay member
• Seller's total number of Feedback

• the buyer leaves positive feedback,
• 3 days after confirmed item delivery* or
• 21 days without a dispute, claim, chargeback, or reversal filed on that transaction.

PayPal can confirm delivery. PayPal will confirm delivery if you use USPS, UPS, or FedEx to ship the item and (i) use PayPal shipping labels, or (ii) upload tracking information to PayPal via the transaction details page. This applies to US domestic transactions only.

• eBay Tenure: Greater than 6-months
• Total Feedback score: More than 100
• Dissatisfied Buyers %: Less than 5%

Or if you meet all the following requirements:

• Detailed Seller Rating: Greater than 4.5
• Total Detailed Seller Ratings Received: More than 20 in the last 12-months

• Improve your DSR feedback ratings, and
• Implement best practices to reduce buyer disputes, claims and chargebacks. If they do occur, resolve them quickly and to your buyer's satisfaction.

• eBay Tenure: Greater than 6-months
• Total Feedback score: More than 100
• Dissatisfied Buyers %: Less than 5%
• Detailed Seller Rating: Greater than 4.5
• Total Detailed Seller Ratings Received: More than 20 in the last 12-months

• the buyer leaves positive feedback
• 3 days after confirmed item delivery*
• 21 days without a dispute, claim, chargeback or reversal filed on that transaction.

Once the buyer has paid for the item, ship it. Funds are released as soon as a buyer leaves positive feedback. The faster you get their purchase to the buyer, the faster they can leave you feedback.

*Funds are also released within 3 days of confirmed item delivery. PayPal can confirm delivery. PayPal will confirm delivery if you use USPS, UPS, or FedEx to ship the item and (i) use PayPal shipping labels, or (ii) upload tracking information to PayPal via the transaction details page. This applies to US domestic transactions only. So fast shipping helps you here too.