Ina Steiner EcommerceBytes Blog
News and insight focusing on ecommerce.
by Ina Steiner, Editor of EcommerceBytes.com
Thu Oct 31 2013 09:20:50

eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance

By: Ina Steiner

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Many sellers are reporting that eBay sent emails on Wednesday telling them they are out of compliance with best listing practices, but many sellers said the information contained in eBay's warning emails was incorrect.

Today's EcommerceBytes Newsflash covers one instance of this: eBay warned sellers to add "condition description" and other item specific fields to certain of their listings, but many said the item was already filled into the fields.

Later I began receiving reports that other sellers received emails from eBay yesterday telling them their items were in the wrong category, but again, they say information contained in eBay's email was incorrect.



Here are some examples of the problems sellers who received email warnings from eBay are reporting (these are from four different sellers who emailed me overnight):

"When I checked to find out which 2 listings didn't have item condition description, eBay told me there was only one and gave me a title. The only problem is that I don't have a listing with that title!"

"Did some one have another "Thinking Day" at eBAy? Just now I received a notice that ITEMS I have listed are NOT in the correct categories and I need to EDIT them to fit. I went to take a look-see and discovered the following: For a pair of Helly Hansen YOGA or WORKOUT PANTS the category I have them in is: Clothing shoes and accessories>Women's clothing>Athletic apparel" (and the seller provided additional examples in which her listings are in the correct category). "I dunno," she continued, "what ARE they thinking??? How much closer to the category 's can you GET?? I didn't even bother to go look at the other absurd things I am alleged to be doing "wrong" such as - Item Condition - something I am very careful about."

"It is time consuming to go thru their nonsense. For instance they indicate that an antique item doesn't have a UPC etc."

"Here is another variation - I thought it was spam. One of my photos was 469 pixels at the longest edge, which I corrected. However, my category accurate."

One reader wrote, "If I don't accept eBay's "recommendations" will they hide my listing?" And that's the crux of the issue. If eBay can't properly identify non-compliant listings, are they burying sellers' listings in search results?

The issue is no small matter to sellers even if you don't count the worry and time wasted this causes sellers, which is considerable. Being buried in search results leads to low sales - something sellers have been reporting lately.

With eBay now purging sellers, the issue calls into question whether eBay is correctly identifying sellers that don't meet its performance standards. If you believe you were "indefinitely suspended" from eBay recently without just cause, let me know.

And if you find yesterday's email from eBay to be helpful, please weigh in!



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Readers Comments

Perminate Link for eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance   eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance

by: dans parts This user has validated their user name.

Thu Oct 31 10:07:22 2013

I've been getting the ''missing item condition'' notices at the top of my Selling Manager Pro>Active page for about a week now.

And, as Ina says, it is inaccurate.  I currently have 460 live auctions, and only about 3 of them have the Item Condition filled in, yet they tell me that 438 of them are missing that.

As far as I can tell, views are down maybe about 10%, but I'm thinking that's attributed to the fact that one bozo's low DSR's (for a scam he was pulling) lost me my TRS on Oct 20 review date.  Once eBay finishes the review of the escalation (which I set in motion, not him), they'll dump that Neg and low DSR's and it should come back.  

Then I'll see if the somewhat lower views are back to normal.

Perminate Link for eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance   eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance

by: lemonsandlemonade This user has validated their user name.

Thu Oct 31 10:19:07 2013

I got the letter of missing condition description.

They ALL have a condition description which shows on the listing.

Even so, I tried to use the bulk edit feature and do the condition description again.  It will change the words I put in, the Condition Description displays on the listing, but it STILL shows in the ebay Listing Improvement Recommendations as needing to add a Condition Description.

Perminate Link for eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance   eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance

by: up74 This user has validated their user name.

Thu Oct 31 10:19:22 2013

I received a notice saying I had 17 listings without item condition, ye when I checked all those listings did have item condition stated.
It also showed that 10 listings did not have all item specifics yet when I click on the link to fix that it then shows only 7 and when I open that link all the items do have item specifics.
There seems to be no way to make the error message go away.

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by: cybergirl This user has validated their user name.

Thu Oct 31 11:10:16 2013

I also received this notice and since the information wasn't accurate, I just decided to ignore it. What gets me though, is that I have been watching the categories I list in closely for over the last month, and what I have noticed is that when I do a search on a specific item, the first several pages are taken up by Chinese sellers who do not even bother filling out any item condition or item specifics whatsoever and have terrible feedback. So the Chinese sellers are hogging top of search without complying to any best listing practices. What I have also noticed is that even some of the US sellers that aren't filling out any item specifics or item condition are also getting higher placement in search results. So I have complied to all eBay has asked me to do to get higher in search results, Top Rated Seller, 100% Feedback, 5 DSR's across the board, 1 day handling, free shipping, 14 day returns, best listing practices, etc., and yet I am still at the bottom of the barrel. This just absolutely has me baffled! So does doing everything eBay tells you to do actually put you lower in search results? I am just so tired of wasting my time trying to figure it out anymore.

Perminate Link for eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance   eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance

by: Linda This user has validated their user name.

Thu Oct 31 11:41:07 2013

Rec'd notices about correcting COLLECTIBLE/METAL/SILVERPLATE flatware that should be in EBay's Suggested ANTIQUE category. SNADS waiting to happen.
Just because a piece of silverware is made by 1847 Rogers, which is the date the company started, does NOT mean the fork (or whatever) was made that year. And ''1847'' is  an important search term for people looking to match up what they have so removing ''1847'' is not an option. Tons of people sell vintage flatware, I wonder how everyone is going deal with this?

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by: edneff This user has validated their user name.

Thu Oct 31 11:44:42 2013

Hi

I too have seen the exact same issue with the item description not knowing there are item descriptions on the items as mentioned above.

Ever since that silly thing appeared I have not been able to go into the Item Specific recommendations as an error always happens. Oh yea they’re looking into it or so say the CS I spoke with

Perminate Link for eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance   eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance

by: meci This user has validated their user name.

Thu Oct 31 13:51:10 2013

Unbelievable waste of time for eBay to throw another condition field at us. We have over 7,000 listings that need to have Condition Description added to it.  7,000 items....hmmm wonder how many hours or people we have to hire now to fill in this wonderful enhancement to our listings.  

If a buyer is concerned about the condition of the item, they ask us a question and we respond.  Not sure what is wrong with that system but apparently the ''think tank'' at eBay has come up with more ways to waste sellers time.  

The seller recommendations box is nothing but a huge problem filled with errors and glitches.  eBay give us a break from this nonsense.

Perminate Link for eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance   eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance

by: ebay refugee camp This user has validated their user name.

Thu Oct 31 14:07:02 2013

OMG!!!!
I have all my item specifics listed on each item. I just spent two hours wasting my time with ebay's crap!!! that I did not
To make it worse the top spots in my cateogory is a TRSPLUS WHO HAS NO ITEM SPECIFICS NOT ONE.
I phoned the ebay we are experiencing a unexpected high call volume center. Gee you think! I guess it has caused a firestorm.
I was really frustrated when I could not change the item specifics on items that were ended and deleted long ago??
I told ebay I was paying a store subscription and I was tired of wasting my time to fulfill some sort of pipe dream of a person who cannot tie their own shoes.
I was offered a ten dollar coupon,like that really helps. I am sending it to the poor at ebay's corporate address so they can buy a clue with it.
GUESS WHAT EBAY ETSY IS NOT DOING THIS TO ME!!
I am getting sales elsewhere and I will expand that business end, to make sure I can leave ebay.
Ebay's CEO needs to come out of hiding fix his mistakes, apologize and make this right. I seriously doubt that will happen though because of the lawsuits pending and the inability to admit he is wrong.

Perminate Link for eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance   eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance

by: Ogri This user has validated their user name.

Thu Oct 31 14:55:30 2013

The most useful recommendation I've received so far is to list my lubricating oil in the Health and Beauty>Natural and Alternative Remedies>Aroma Therapy.

Asked CS why and they said its because it has the word oil in the title.  Being a helpful soul, I sent them a list of around 30 types of oil to start them off, none of which are Health and Beauty products.

Or maybe Ive got this wrong and ebay have it covered, so ladies next time you feel like a 'tune up' head down to your local gas station and treat yourself to some 10/30W motor oil.

Perminate Link for eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance   eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance

by: froggie This user has validated their user name.

Thu Oct 31 15:29:21 2013

OMG!! That's got me laughing out loud,Ogri.

The ebay forums are awash with people complaining about this fiasco. No wonder there's a high volume of calls to ebays ever-helpful customer service department.

Oh wait. Sellers aren't customers anymore. Shouldn't there be an SS (seller service) department now? Hmmm...

Sheesh, at this rate, the next notification you get will be to tell you that you need to list the oil under the adult category.

All my listings came down early last week. I may lose my TRS because my numbers are slowly sliding lower without new feedback and sales rolling in. But I pulled everything right before this latest storm broke. I think I'll just wait this one out. I've been watching everything over the past two weeks with the same fascination as someone who watches something really slimy and scary crawling out from under a rock.

Perminate Link for eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance   eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance

This user has validated their user name. by: Rexford

Thu Oct 31 15:29:36 2013

eBay really have too many employees who have nothing better to do than to create new hoops to jump through.

Redundancy at its best.

Perminate Link for eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance   eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance

This user has validated their user name. by: Anonymous Annie

Thu Oct 31 15:55:52 2013

So... if eBay is sending out ERRONEOUS ''Warning Letters'', it makes me wonder how many sellers have been ERRONEOUSLY PUNISHED because of the same type of errors.

-- How many listings have been buried?
-- How many listings have been cancelled (and not refunded)?
-- How many sellers have been suspended?
-- How many sellers have been terminated?

How many HOURS of time have sellers had to WASTE trying to CORRECT EBAY'S ERRORS?

What an absolutely LOUSY PLACE for anyone to try and conduct business!

Perminate Link for eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance   eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance

by: froggie This user has validated their user name.

Thu Oct 31 16:02:45 2013

Not just a LOUSY PLACE, Annie. A very scary place.

Perminate Link for eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance   eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance

by: Orwellwasright This user has validated their user name.

Thu Oct 31 16:20:19 2013


Unless you are a connected D or P or can speak Chinese you are considered a transitory trashtrader on Permanent Probation.

Ebay's like a sick work camp where the longer you survive the harder they make it.

Your survival as a small seller is consider by eBay to be their failure to regurgitate you , That's how sick the site has become, Its like walmart spitting in the face of shoppers , daring them to leave, and just throwing them out the door when they don't.

Perminate Link for eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance   eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance

by: Massachusets Howler This user has validated their user name.

Thu Oct 31 17:20:51 2013

WE NEED THE COMPLIANCE SECTION PUT BACK ON OUR DASBOARDS.

Massachusetts Howler

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by: Massachusets Howler This user has validated their user name.

Thu Oct 31 17:24:54 2013

5,5,5,4.8. ''trs''.

Sales have dropped- somewhat because of those missing pictures for 2-3 weeks earlier this month- bev=cause of an EBAY GLITCH I am now not a silver but a bronze PS.

Ina, didn't ebay say ''we would be protected from downgrades because of ebay glitches????

Can you ask the illustrious matsura WHERE IS MY ''NEW'' protections are???

$55.00 in bids this week.

We need to get the HELL out of here!
MH

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by: brokentoys19 This user has validated their user name.

Thu Oct 31 17:27:25 2013

@Orwellwasright

No ebay is more like Charles Manson. A hardcore juvenile serial offender, destined to spend it's entire life devoted to crime.

With some type of god complex, skilled in mindbending games and manipulations which persuade it's followers to do or agree to the most insane things in a contrived world of complete surreal, often horrific fantasy.

Long after society is safe from the ebay menace, they will still be in the news frequently with bizarre press releases and have a hardcore following of rabid fanatics.  

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by: Bloggo This user has validated their user name.

Thu Oct 31 17:27:54 2013

I have been listing some One Of A Kind photos on eBay.  I keep getting this message from eBay, ''This listing should contain product details from the eBay catalog.''
I'll have to take a ''Thinking Day'' to figure this one out.

Perminate Link for eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance   eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance

by: foothill This user has validated their user name.

Thu Oct 31 17:52:13 2013

Right on the spot… Annie.

''- How many listings have been buried?
-- How many listings have been cancelled (and not refunded)?
-- How many sellers have been suspended?
-- How many sellers have been terminated?''

Any eBay inside whistleblowers ??,time to speak up… When we, sellers/buyers,are gone, you will be the next in line,loosing your job.

Perminate Link for eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance   eBay Warnings Indicate It Can't Keep Track of Seller Compliance

by: mem This user has validated their user name.

Thu Oct 31 18:09:34 2013

It has been officially announced earlier today. PDF copy of the e-mail I received at the link below.
http://wikisend.com/download/370164/bt.pdf

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