eBay Listings Removed? Why would they do this?

Dear eBay Queen;

I woke up to a WHOLE bunch of my store listings removed. They’ve got to be kidding me! The shipping is pretty much what it would cost me plus $1. I don’t understand how I am circumventing fees! Here is there reasoning.

We appreciate that you chose eBay to list your eBay Stores listing(s). However, we have removed your listing because it breached our Circumvention of eBay Fees policy. We notified members who placed bids on the item that the listing has been canceled.

Why did we remove your listing? Your listing(s) contains the following information:

Looking for something you don't see? Just ask! We will be happy to add it to our stock whenever possible

You may not manipulate eBay's system in order to avoid paying certain eBay fees. This includes practices such as adding previously unspecified fees after the end of the auction, or charging excessive postage and packaging in order to recoup your listing and Final Value Fees.

Could you please explain to me how I am circumventing eBay fees?

Sabrina; Rantoul, KS


Dear Sabrina;

I don’t believe eBay removed the listings because of your shipping and handling charges. They removed it because of this statement: “Looking for something you don’t see? Just ask! We will be happy to add it to our stock whenever possible.”

I believe if you changed your wording, it would be ok. I’m not sure what you sell, but I don’t think the line “Looking for something you don’t see?” is going to make people email you. I would suggest making your statement more specific to what you are selling. If you sell men’s dress shirts, you could say something like “Looking for this dress shirt in a different size? Just ask! I would be happy to put one on a buy it now for you. This tells the buyer and eBay you have more of these items and you will be adding it to your eBay store or to a fixed price listing.

I don’t think your wording was really circumventing fees, and whoever turned it in or pulled it was really reaching to say you were trying to sell things off eBay. I have had a very similar thing happen to me a couple of years ago at Christmas time. I had over 200 listings pulled because I said something similar to what you said. The key is to say you will add it to your eBay store inventory or put it on a Buy it Now.



Dear eBay Queen;


Do you know anyone dropped from eBay because of low DSRs (Detail Seller Rating) scores? I will be. I cannot get my shipping high star high enough! I only ship once a week (officially), though I really do ship a couple times a week. Some people do not read that I only ship on THURSDAYs following payment. Because of this my shipping DSR is low.

Losing eBay during the holidays will stink as that's usually the money I use for gifts, but I have too much else going on in my life to ship the same day. Do you have any advice for me?

George; Olathe, KS

Dear George:

I am sorry to hear this. eBay is instituting this requirement that every seller’s DSR’s need to be above 4.3. Is your shipping DSR’s going to fall below the 30 day 4.3 number? If so, you will not be kicked off eBay for that, only restricted to listing a few items (think of it as being grounded eBay style).

I am wondering if we can’t do something to make your shipping star go up? If I had this problem, I would be using PayPal to make shipping labels (which is free), and have the post office pick up my packages at home or work daily. This way I could ship out as the packages come in.

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PowerSellers? What are they good for?

Dear eBay Queen;

On Tuesday; April 22nd , eBay had a 10 cent listing sale for PowerSellers. This really ticks me off. This kind of PowerSeller only sale is like a slap in the face to the little guy! It also came across as demeaning to us non-PowerSellers, surely that is not what was intended, but it happened nevertheless.

I am not a PowerSeller. This is primarily because I sell about 700-800 dollars worth of books per month on eBay, but the bulk of my income comes from Amazon. Amazon does not classify its sellers as PowerSellers or Non-PowerSellers and does not comes across with the snobbery that eBay does.

I feel like eBay has taken a number of steps in the past several months to further alienate its sellers. That is not just my opinion, but also thought by Auction Bytes and other online newsletters. This latest decision to let only PowerSellers post auctions today for 10 cents is just another step toward alienating small sellers like me. Is there something that can be done about this? What are your feelings about the PowerSeller program?
NOL

Dear NOL;

I’m sorry you feel slighted by eBay. I know that it seems like PowerSellers are part of an exclusive club, and you are excluded from it. It can be very frustrating. Ask yourself this question; Do you want or need to become a PowerSeller? If your answer is yes, you are really not far from making Bronze PowerSeller status. The minimum requirement is $1000.00 or 100 items sold per month. If you are selling $700-800 per month now, with just a little extra effort you can be part of the PowerSeller program. To learn more about the program go here: http://pages.ebay.com/services/buyandsell/welcome.html

It is just recently eBay has put some teeth into being a PowerSeller. In the past, there were no real benefits to attaining top seller status. Now, eBay is making the requirements to become a PowerSeller harder and by doing that they are adding benefits to being a PowerSeller. Those benefits are:

Toll Free Phone Support
Fee Discounts
Increased Visibility in Best Match Searches
PowerSeller Unpaid Item Protection Program
Expanded Seller Protection
PowerSeller Community Help
Health Insurance Solutions
Powerful Giving Program
Special offers in the ReSeller Marketplace

I really thought the PowerSeller program from several years ago was pointless, and really didn’t have any benefit except to say, “I’m a PowerSeller”. This new program really shows why these people are PowerSellers. http://pages.ebay.com/services/buyandsell/powerseller/criteria.html


Dear eBay Queen;

I've been buying and selling on eBay since 1999, but have only been running a full-time eBay store since Nov 2006. I go through spurts where buyers are fine, and then all of a sudden I get a handful ofcomplete nut jobs. I have found more and more buyers are expecting me to ship their item out within 24 hours of them paying. Sometimes this is not even possible for me to do. I go to school full-time and I am taking care of an aunt that is disabled.

How can I keep my Detailed Seller Ratings high, alleviate any negative feedback, and continue shipping the way I always have?

Kayla R.


Dear Kayla:

Congratulations on your eBay success since 2006. That is quite an accomplishment. It says a lot about you and your commitment to making it work on eBay.

I’m sorry that I don’t have a fool proof answer to help you with your problem. There are many sellers (myself included) in the same boat with you. My only answer is to educate your buyer. Make sure your eBay ad, About Me page, and eBay store gives information on your shipping time. When your buyer pays you, could send them an email letting them know you received their payment and let them know the date in which their item will be shipped out.


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