Ebay has become HORRIBLE to sellers

[screwbie]

Finally time for a rant, after one account permanently closed, and three severely limited, utterly fed up with ebay's draconian approach to sellers. It now seems clear they care far more for buyers than sellers.

Buyers seem to sense this too and are now expecting the earth from sellers. For example, an item is delayed in the post, buyers seem to automatically assume that it is the seller's fault. They open a case within 24 hours of the estimated arrival time. Ebay counts this as a "foul" and adds it to your defective sales rate. Whoaahhhh. The item was late because of the postal system, and it's counted against you - the seller.

Someone doesn't like what they bought and decides to return it - "FOUL" - another point against you in the defective sales league. Hey - they don't like it - it's not my fault!

Then buyers have in their minds converted delivery ESTIMATES into legally-binding guarantees. They have you by the throat demanding refunds when an item fails to arrive within the estimated time. Hey - it's an estimate. The postal service is not my responsibility. It's not a guarantee.

And then there's feedback. Of course, this isn't really ebay's fault, but some people seem to get off on trying to harm sellers, for little or no reason. Sometimes they threaten it too - "my item hasn't arrived when it was supposed, I'm going to leave you very negative feedback and complain to ebay about you" - and you know, ebay will be on their side.

Many sellers are doing their best and are falling foul of these traps that ebay are setting. It just isn't funny any more. If I could find a viable alternative to ebay I would go there. I try Amazon, but it just doesn't seem to work for me. I made my own site and I just can't get the traffic. Ebay has me suckered in a corner.

Perhaps it is time for irate ebay sellers to set up their own cooperative alternative site. Hey what do you think of that idea? We could call it Exbay.

[ooooo.halo]

Yes....we are forever at the mercy of our buyers. Ive lost count of how many items in the past have sold on.a monday and.the messages start.on the tuesday asking.on its whereabouts in.a way that you know youre.getting bad feedback from them

Look at what was causing you issues and change it.

If buyers open item not received cases on day 3 because you advertise same day handling and 1st class post, simply change your handling to 1 day and postage option to second class. You automatically gain an extra 2 days leeway before a case can be opened.

You still send same day 1st class, so the buyer gets it sooner than expected and is deliggted.

[rsot]

True OP, it isn't funny anymore. Welcome to the forums - stealth will help you...learn it well

[Dmshark25]

Yep they set sellers up to Fail, it's terrible, they put that stupid estimator on our listings that doesn't even take into account Anything sometimes, I have listed 2'day Handling and standard shipping and right there on my listing as big as ever fast and free 4 BUSINESS DAYS

So buyers just see 4 days, because eBay has that in big highlighted font and if u look closely in the finest print ever it also says handling time not factored in and other factors that may delay postage, it's barely visible

And any question a seller needs to ask they are lead to opening up a case which is wrong , but eBay is trying to get rid of a lot of sellers

[yankee]

They also do shipping maintenance at 10am-1pm pacific time on one of the busiest shipping days of the year lol

I have so many complaints. Glad I saved a few screenshots of the big red banner on the ebay page.

[jeffweico]

This is nothing new. Sellers have been complaining for more than 10years now about that shabby way eBay treats their sellers. Ditto with Amazon.

Several people have tried to create alternative auction sites. Some of them looked very nice. Most were set up very well. Companies have also tried creating alternatives to eBay and Amazon. Back in the day, Yahoo had auctions. So did MSN, Excite, Lycos, Auctions.com and a few others.

However there is ONE THING that was always missing - the buyers!

Like it or not, eBay and Amazon are pretty much the only major sites that you can make a lot of money on. They have the buyers. And that is unlikely to change. For a REAL competitor to enter the market, it would take HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS to set it up and advertise it to the point where it would attract enough buyers to make it worthwhile. The one company that could probably pull it off - Google - has already stated numerous times that they have NO INTEREST in entering the online auctions/sales businesses and that is also unlikely to change in the future.

You have to look at it from a different perspective. eBay and Amazon are privately owned websites and they can do whatever they want to with them, which includes banning whomever they choose to ban. They can treat sellers like dirt. They can set whatever rules they want. All we can do is work the system and make as much money as possible.

When you start looking at it from that perspective and choose to simply WORK the system, rather than trying to CHANGE the system, you will make more money and be a lot happier. That is why we have stealth. We adapt to their changes and we succeed and thrive.

I have been involved with selling online since eBay was named AuctionWeb. That was back in 1994/1995. I have seen MANY, MANY changes over those years and have learned to adapt to the system rather than fight it. Because trying to fight it will only leave you frustrated and angry.

[pokerpro]

Welcome to your new famous place....you will be soooo glad you landed here.

[rsot]

Yahoo auctions haha jeffweico - boy was that a failure

[GreenBean]

Yikes, we had so mnay things in the good old days...

money orders

[Ill Be Back]

I think we've all been there before. There is a huge flaw on eBay that can be easily exploited and I am 100 percent sure that has been done to some of us here.

A buyer can easily purchase an item from a seller knowing that it will not be sent along with a tracking number. Buyer then waits until they receive the item.. gives it a few days and then opens a case asking where the item is. Seller then (unable to do anything) reassures that the item is still on the way. A few days pass. Buyer then escalates to a claim. Seller cannot provide tracking. Buyer wins case, get's full refund and item for free!

[dealagreeproceed]

Originally Posted by Ill Be Back

I think we've all been there before. There is a huge flaw on eBay that can be easily exploited and I am 100 percent sure that has been done to some of us here.

A buyer can easily purchase an item from a seller knowing that it will not be sent along with a tracking number. Buyer then waits until they receive the item.. gives it a few days and then opens a case asking where the item is. Seller then (unable to do anything) reassures that the item is still on the way. A few days pass. Buyer then escalates to a claim. Seller cannot provide tracking. Buyer wins case, get's full refund and item for free!

no need to post this. just gives those sick *******s out there more ideas.

[dealagreeproceed]

dang I got bleeped for the first time haha

[stevebills]

Originally Posted by Ill Be Back

I think we've all been there before. There is a huge flaw on eBay that can be easily exploited and I am 100 percent sure that has been done to some of us here.

A buyer can easily purchase an item from a seller knowing that it will not be sent along with a tracking number. Buyer then waits until they receive the item.. gives it a few days and then opens a case asking where the item is. Seller then (unable to do anything) reassures that the item is still on the way. A few days pass. Buyer then escalates to a claim. Seller cannot provide tracking. Buyer wins case, get's full refund and item for free!

Whats flawed I send everything recorded

[mcnol012]

Now ebay have a new Stealther haha