eBay New Year's Podcast: Three Takeaways for Sellers

by: Snapped

Uno: eBay’s magnanimous enough to erect a protection umbrella over factors beyond seller control once the precious cargo is on it’s perilous path.  Until then, since it’s still your hot potato, you’re on your own.  Perhaps they want to ‘compel’ a conversation with a buyer wishing to cancel.  By candle light it seems.  Ain’t that a kick in the snowballs.

Dos: Long before eBay’s original ‘influencer’ jolly ol’ Uncle Griff arose from his Walker’s West stool, doffed his new brown ball cap, and proudly thumbed his suspenders to proclaim and pledge allegiance to eBay’s new shipping fee monitization partner, UPS already was a ‘cheaper’ option for most items once they exceeded a certain size and weight. Even if they don’t do COA and do do surcharges, etc.  So if uncle expert “used to” wear the blue hat come what may, he was overpaying.  

Tres: eBay and Google have been waging a visibility feud for a decade.  It’s all about ‘item specifics’ and eBay wanting to be a contender in marketplace search (read ad revenue).  Dern tootin’ that “listing quality” report was “valuable” in trying to decipher Google exposure.  Too valuable to share.  And too value to be easily exposed to analysis unfavorable to eBay’s incessantly bumbling attempts to optimize it.  Nice of Mr. Burke though, to share his “understanding” of something that could be a critically useful tool as no more than some nebulous mad scientist’s experiment.

Maybe with time free from that stress he can get some buttons made up for Griff.  Bet Mr. DeJoy would even ship ‘em free.

by: Rexford

Jim "Griff" Griffith?   Who woke him up from his year long nap?  It isn't even Ground Hog day yet and he has emerged from his burrow.

by: terry55

Whelp UPS just killed the last of my fishing rods, PO added the $15 surcharge so went over to UPS, which is was ok for 2 piece fishing rods, once you hit 48" long, it was not much cheaper then USPS.
BUT no more, around Dec. 27th, UPS added $6 to shipping, so no more fishing rods. Was wondering why sales had just stopped until I check a listing and seen shipping to my zip code went from $13 to $19 AND the was to me, hate to see what shipping is to east or west coasts

by: toolguy

UPS is my last resort when it comes to shipping!

Way too many missing/damaged packages for my taste

I'll stick with USPS & Fedex

by: RL15

now the grifter can go back to sleep

by: ebayout

I shipped golf clubs for 25 years through USPS...all 30"+.
Now, all of a sudden it's a problem for them, so they add a $15 surcharge.
Not $5...not $10...$15. Wham.
But it's not a problem to lose millions in revenue to UPS because UPS now costs half as much.

by: iheartjacksparrow

@Rexford: You win the internet for today. That's an awesome comment.

by: Tahiti_Tom

eBay is continually making changes that don’t make sense. The Google shopping rejections was so valuable to those of us that used it. It laid out each item that was not showing up in Google, and even gave a link to the item so you could fix it.

by: Fessick

As I understand the “UPLOADING” of tracking, that happens the moment we generate our shipping label at home.  The tracking number (for all services) is instantly created and uploaded to the eBay system,  as well as provided to the buyer.

So, even if you could not get to the post office or carrier , your tracking number has been uploaded and is awaiting to be confirmed as received by the carrier.  

If I’m correct in this, the lesson from this news is to make sure we diligently create our shipping labels on time, irregardless of whether or not roads are closed and post offices shut down in emergencies.  We thereby show our dedication to timely compliance and demonstrate adequately that it was outside elements, not us, that prevented timely delivery.  

So, if your business is home and you have electricity you are in great shape. However, If you lost electricity or internet, or if your business is away from home where you could not safely access during incremental conditions, you may not have any protection from eBay.

Message to sellers: despite all impending dangers your obligation as an eBay seller is to satisfy your buyer.  

by: AddyUp

Here in the UK I take all the google business with a pinch of salt. Never seen any of my items in google shopping.

Moved a few items to a different platform and oh look. There's my items near the top on the right pane in a normal google search, and in google shopping there's one item right at the top. In eBay not a peep in google.

eBay is the problem not google.  

by: Sierra

How can I get the "Google Shopping Rejections" for my fixed-price listings? I didn't know this was a thing until just now!

by: terry55

@ebayout
Did you see a large increase in shipping using UPS, I just had a $6 increase on fishing rods and was wondering if others had too

by: Snapped

“ Did you see a large increase in shipping using UPS,…”

Yes.  Imagine that.

“ Nov 17, 2022 — UPS will increase shipping rates in 2023 by 6.9% on average for ground and air services.”

Search on UPS Price Increase 2023.  

Given that represents a few extra shekels in eBay’s coffers too, is it surprising their advocate emeritus bellowed out his endorsement?

by: ebayout

@Terry55...what length triggers the $6 charge? Have a 46x5x5 2 pounder going today. Cost is a normal $9.89 through Pirate Ship. I know over 48" gets an oversize charge.

by: terry55

@Snapped- this was just in the last week, from what I found it was on Dec. 27th

@ebayout- 38x3x3 tube boxes, my cost went up around $2 but my buyers cost increased by $6, even dropping from 2lb to one lb, the rate is the same, so assuming it was a dimensional rate  

by: ebayout

@Terry...sounds like you're letting ebay calculate actual charges. Packed fishing rods can't be over 2 lbs, so go with a fixed rate. I use $9.95, and eat what little diff there is on the few that exceed that.

by: Whatever

I only have USPO available in my tiny town so when the power is out (NW coastal) which happens quite frequently I can't ship - if the current bafoon runing the PO shuts my branch down I either have to move or watch tv

by: terry55

@ebayout
Thanks, I'll have to look into that, UPS is charging my customers $20 but my shipping cost is $10. I just sold a fishing lure to NC and change the dimensions to 38x3x3, my cost was $8.71, can't see what they would be charged.
 Now I have to figure out tackle boxes lol
appreciate it  

by: Shanna

How is a tiny company, compared to eBay, like Mercari able to offer $7.99 Fedex Smartpost for up to 3 pounds anywhere in the country and eBay only offers a 3% discount on the $18.54 Priority Mail east coast to west coast.

by: ebayout

@Terry...ezee peezy
Go into your listing, and click details under shipping.
Next page, you can change the ZIP code. Use 90210 for Los Angeles.
That should give a close to max non-discounted customer rate.
BE SURE TO CHANGE BACK THE ZIP TO YOURS.