I was over at the cheesepitstop.com and read this I don't know if you guys know about this or not , But I think I'm done on ebay.
Pat
Hello cheeseman1,
Here is a follow-up email regarding recent changes on eBay. eBay is taking steps to create a great marketplace for sellers, reduce upfront selling fees, optimize search exposure and build buyer confidence, that will help drive more sales for sellers. PLEASE NOTE: You may be required to make some adjustments to your listings, so we suggest you reference the listings checklist at the bottom of this email to minimize any impact to your sales. You can find complete details about the changes at
http://www.ebay.com/sell/August2008Update/Overview Here’s a quick recap of some of the key changes, followed by best practices and a listings checklist:
Auction-style—still the heart of eBay—“time ending soonest” still key: There are no changes to basic fees for auction-style listings, and auction-style remains an ideal format for many sellers. Along with item relevance, seller DSRs, and total price, the time remaining is key for Auction-style listings. That means your Auction-style listings will continue to get an automatic boost in exposure as ending time approaches. To learn more about fee changes, visit
http://www.ebay.com/sell/August2008Update/BasicFees Insertion Fees for Fixed Price Listings: eBay is lowering upfront listing fees for Fixed Price listings—a new flat rate Insertion Fee of just 35¢, regardless of asking price or number of items available in your listing. For more information on new fees, visit
http://www.ebay.com/sell/August2008Update/BasicFees Fixed Price—your listing’s recent sales now factored into Best Match search results. Now, the more items sold in your fixed price listing, the better position you get in search results. “Time ending soonest” is no longer a factor for Fixed Price. The best way to build up a “recent sales” advantage is to combine similar items in one multi-quantity Fixed Price listing with the new 30-day duration option included at no extra charge. In fact, this would be a great time for you to consider moving some of your best Store inventory to 30-day fixed price listings on eBay. Your listings will get more exposure at a very low price. To learn more about the recent sales factor, visit
http://pages.ebay.com/sell/August2008Update/OtherFAQ#5. And as always, maintain good DSRs and price your items competitively.
Reduced Final Value Fees for some categories: eBay is also reducing Final Value Fees in key categories such as Electronics, Video Game Systems, Cameras & Photo and Computers & Networking. To learn more, visit
http://www.ebay.com/sell/August2008Update/BasicFees Limits on shipping charges for key categories: Starting in October, eBay will be enforcing maximum shipping charges in Books, DVDs and Movies, Music, Video Games categories. If you sell in one of these categories, you must set domestic shipping & handling charges for your first service at or under the shipping limit for the category. If your situation is not standard (e.g., if you’re shipping several items to one buyer), you can also use the shipping calculator to charge actual costs. To learn more, visit
http://pages.ebay.com/sell/August2008Update/MaxShipping Special incentives for free shipping: For items sold between October 1st and December 31st, 2008 that offer free shipping, eBay will give major incentives to sellers during the holidays. Listings with free shipping will include a free subtitle upgrade to highlight this benefit in your listing and PowerSellers will get double their Final Value Fee discounts. As always, listings with free shipping get an extra advantage in search results. To learn more, visit
http://pages.ebay.com/sell/August2008Update/OtherFAQ#18 Checks and money orders no longer allowed: Beginning in late October, sellers will no longer be allowed to offer checks or money orders as payment methods on eBay. Only approved electronic methods will be allowed. In January 2009, all accepted payment methods will be integrated into eBay Checkout. For buyers, change means a more consistent and secure payment experience. For sellers, it means faster payment and fewer unpaid items. (Note this policy will not apply to some categories in Motors, Real Estate, Mature Audiences, and Business & Industrial). To learn more, visit
http://pages.ebay.com/sell/August2008Update/OtherFAQ#23 Minimum 4.3 detailed seller ratings (DSRs) required to keep selling on eBay: The vast majority of eBay sellers—some 96%—are well above this threshold. To protect the interests of all these sellers, starting November 1 eBay will no longer allow the few who don’t deliver on basic standards of customer satisfaction to sell on eBay. Sellers will be evaluated on the past 30 days of DSRs. Sellers who’ve received less than ten DSRs in the past 30 days will be evaluated on their DSRs over the last 12 months. Sellers with no DSRs will still be allowed to list. To learn more, visit
http://pages.ebay.com/sell/August2008Update/OtherFAQ#55 To find a complete overview of the changes, visit
http://www.ebay.com/sell/August2008Update/Overview Checklists for Success
Here are some key dates to keep in mind.
Best Practices Checklist
Staying on top of the latest changes will give you an early advantage over your competition.
Starting on September 16th:
- Start listing in Fixed Price for only 35¢
- Consolidate multiple items into one multi-quantity listing
- Store sellers: Move your best Store inventory into Fixed Price
Starting on October 1st:
- Offer Free Shipping and get free Subtitle, PowerSellers: get double your Final Value Fee discount.
Listings Checklist
Make sure your listings are clear to buyers, competitive, and compliant with new policies. eBay recommends addressing these early to avoid disruptions to your sales.
By August 25th:
You’ll need to specify the following in the “Shipping and Handling” section:
- Shipping cost
- Shipping carrier(s)
Books, DVDs and Movies, Music, Video Games Listings:
- Describe your item with our new item condition options (Brand New, Like New, Very Good, Good, or Acceptable)
By October 5th:
- Revise your shipping costs so they’re below eBay’s maximum shipping costs, or use eBay’s shipping calculator to determine shipping costs based on your buyer’s location.
By late October:
- Remove checks and money orders from the “Payment Details” section
Make sure you specify the following listing fields (previously optional):
- Return policy
- Handling time
Tip: This is a great time to add Item Specifics to your listings, making it easier and faster for buyers to find your items.
To help your business better adapt to these changes, follow this checklist thoroughly. Download a printer-friendly version of the Seller Checklist, at
http://pages.ebay.com/sell/August2008Update/checklists Top 5 Best Practices to Boost Your Success
Here are a few quick tips for taking best advantage of the latest developments on eBay—just in time to jumpstart your holiday selling season.
1) List in Fixed Price for 35¢—regardless of start price, item quantity or duration.
2) List in Auction-style with a low start price for the lowest possible fees on eBay.
3) Revise your listings now to stay on top of upcoming changes.
4) Offer free shipping!
5) Give customers great service and earn high detailed seller ratings (DSRs)—your key to success on eBay.
To get more details about Best Practices, visit
http://pages.ebay.com/sell/August2008Update/BestPractices Finally, check your Seller Dashboard often to keep track of what’s going well and spot opportunities for improvement. To visit the Seller Dashboard you will need to log into your account. For tips on improving your DSRs, visit
http://www.ebay.com/sellercentral/feedback Hope you found this information helpful. Thanks for your time.
