When fall comes around, eBay sellers will notice a few things have changed on the site—some that will please, and others that will do the opposite.
These changes will be part of the Fall 2012 Seller Update, which eBay announced today. Changes include a new fee for auctions, the end of the current Top-Rated Seller badge, new seller protections and more.
Michael Jones, eBay’s vice president of merchant development, says the changes “will help [sellers] reach more of the new generation of e-commerce buyers drawn to eBay this holiday season and beyond—and make [their] selling easier and more profitable.”
But, like previous Seller Updates, some of the policy changes may make some sellers unhappy.
A new auction fee
The new fee may be one of those “unhappy” changes, says Rebecca Miller, an eBay seller of more than 13 years. It will apply to auctions that are ended early with bids on them, Jones writes in his announcement. This will begin Oct. 1 to prevent “buyer frustration.”
eBay explains that “ending auction-style listings early reduces buyer confidence in eBay and makes them less likely to purchase from eBay sellers in the future.”
The fee will be equal to the item’s final value fee, had it sold, and will apply to most categories, eBay reports.
However, eBay acknowledges that in “rare” circumstances, a seller may need to end a listing early, so each year, sellers won’t be charged for the first auction they end early that has a bid.
Miller says she hopes the new penalty will keep those sellers who try to sell a single item on multiple sites at the same time from taking advantage of the system.
“However, there are times when honest sellers have no other choice than to end an auction early,” she continues. “This new policy will help some and hurt others, but overall I think it’ll be good for the site.”
A new Top-Rated emblem
Jones also notes in his Fall 2012 Seller Update announcement that a new Top-Rated Plus badge will debut in September for Top-Rated Sellers who offer a one-day handling time and a 14-day or longer return policy with money back. The current Top-Rated Seller emblem will be retired for all categories but Motors.
eBay explains that sellers can continue to be Top-Rated without specifying the one-day handling time or 14-day-or-longer return policy, and continue to get greater exposure in search. However, these sellers will not have the Top-Rated Seller emblem or earn the 20-percent discount on final value fees that Top-Rated Sellers currently get.
eBay says it’s making the change to “enable buyers to quickly spot the listings offering the services they want most. The new seal will reinforce the fact that these important services are widely available when you choose to shop and buy on eBay,” it states in its explanation of this requirement.
Miller says sellers who are Top-Rated should be identified as such, regardless of their handling time or return policy.
“You are Top-Rated for a reason: good service!” she says.
More seller protections
However, the new seller protections, which begin in February, should be welcomed by many.
These will require buyers to contact sellers before opening a Buyer Protection case, and give sellers three days to resolve the issue before a Buyer Protection case can be opened, Jones writes.
He adds that open Buyer Protection cases won’t be used to measure seller performance. Only the cases where the seller is found to be at fault will count.
“This could mean an immediate positive impact on your performance rating,” he adds.
Jones also tells sellers that reporting buyers who violate policies will be faster, as eBay will open an enhanced reporting hub.
One poster on an eBay seller forum says he’s happy to see that sellers will have three days to resolve the issue. However, he was “not crazy about” the new auction fee.
Other changes
Jones adds in his announcement that, starting in October, a photo will be required in all eBay listings, and that during the week of Oct. 22, sellers will be able to write notes about an item’s condition. These will display near the top of the item page and should help “avoid buyer questions and prevent issues with items not as described,” eBay notes.
Sellers will also be able to upload up to five photos through My Messages and eBay will also give vehicles that include a history report a boost in Best Match, Jones notes.
“Research shows that purchase rates are higher whenever a buyer views a full vehicle history report on eBay,” the marketplace explains.
eBay will hold a Town Hall Meeting about the Fall 2012 Seller Update Wednesday at 5 p.m. PST.
