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

by: Rexford

Counting how many times I've had to revise my Amazon listings in the past 10 years......that would be 0.  Not once.

Thanks Amazon.  

by: Ric

A couple of things for the idiots at eBay.....

Correct me if I am wrong but... listings will not upload unless the item condition is filled in rendering that indicator in the letter completely incorrect.

Perhaps what eBay is referring to with their item condition indication is that if an item is not new, the item condition description box needs to be filled in.

The least eBay could do is be as clear and concise as they are demanding sellers be when they word their warning notices.

In the category we sell in, OEM parts and accessories are not available in retail stores, and as such those parts do not have UPC codes.

As to categories - Our listings are all in their proper categories, eBay is simply incapable of realizing that.

The automated program scanning listings is about as defective as the idiots who wrote the code, and the ineffective managers who believe they know what they are administering.

by: NaruMessenger

Hohoho.. Merry Christmas from eBay and John Donahohoho.. LOL!

by: racecarguy

I, too, got the “Improve your listings” email and was just stunned. There were a TON of suggestions on how I could improve my listings. Well, that is until you actually dived into their suggestions and realized that almost ALL of their suggestions were already DONE!

They sent me 20 items that needed more descriptions or suggested that I use the  pre-set descriptions for the item. The message said to check each item and look for the boxes filled in yellow to see what they felt needed to be added to help buyers. Of the 20 items, all the descriptions had been filled in from my original auction building process and there were ZERO yellow boxes. They had not found ONE thing that needed to be added, but the email was sent anyway.

Also, I was told that 8 items were listed in the wrong categories and need to be changed. I sell diecast cars. All eight of the items listed by eBay as in the wrong category were clearly marked as “Diecast Car'” and listed in category 223 for...wait for it...Diecast Cars. Where did they want me to change it to...washing machines??

Sometimes, I am afraid I just don’t understand what eBay is doing. The only real concern is are they punishing me for a supposed wrong doing, that isn't actually wrong???

by: bitbybit

I really believe ebay is making ''busy'' work for sellers with requesting item condition and specifics. It's either complete ineptness or done on purpose. I believe in the latter. My items are antique, collectibles and OOAK. Most specifics DO NOT APPLY with what ebay wants and if a used item is in mint condition why on earth do I have to add to the condition. Obviously ebay just wants everything NEW. One item ebay requested for condition when clicking in on Selling Manager stated ''condition not required'' since the item was new, even though it was NOS (new, old stock).

So should I do all the requested specifics, condition and category changes for fear my items won't be visible in search or should I just use my valuable time and list elsewhere? The answer is obvious. I truly despise ebay and hope Donahoe gets all that is coming to him in this life and after. Karma, payback, judgment..whatever. Hard to believe he goes through life with so many sending ill wishes his way.  

by: Jessy

John Donahoe Lies to their sellers and Buyers and is unfair and unprofessional

by: comet

I had several items "flagged"  in this email and not ONE of them actually had anything wrong--the categories etc were ALL as close as you could possibly come to the item's true religion.

I have to wonder---is some one's idiot child sitting there at the controls while daddy whiles away the time with the receptionist?

This makes ZERO sense and yet---we could ALL be "Purged"  for failure to---what?  Get things RIGHT?  

What kind of a sick mind runs this place???

by: Philip Cohen

@bitbybit,

Yes, it is done on purpose, and it is also complete ineptness ...

eBay / PayPal / Donahoe: Dead Men Walking ...

by: Ebay's Slow Death

I wrote this message on an entry in the Letters department on Tuesday:

''I just got a message on one of my accounts to change several things in my over 500 listings.

One was to change the category my craft books were in. I had put them in ''Collectibles: Sewing Manuals and Books'', and Ebay wanted them in Non-Fiction Books. So I clicked on the button to change all of them at the same time, and put them in the recommended category. As they were going into the ''Suggested Category'' from the old one, I watched the bottom, right hand corner as the fees started adding up. When it hit $39.00, I cancelled it. I guess they were charging me for a second category, when it looked like they were removing them from one category and putting them into another.

Also, they wanted me to add Item Specifics. But, when I went to revise a listing, there was nothing to add.

I don't know how they can expect you to go through and change hundreds of listings.

The message indicated that if I didn't add Item Specifics and change several other things in my listings, they wouldn't be seen.

I have a Premium store, and am Top Rated, with no problems (that I know about). My listings have been just fine, until now. Suddenly, they want me to go through and change each one.

It is getting impossible to sell on Ebay anymore. It is one thing after another, and amounts to harassment.

And, that drop down menu, when you click on My Ebay, is driving me nuts!''

I guess I just got my Ebay warning letter on that account a little earlier than most.

I got another one on my other account today. As has been mentioned several times, when I go to fix the suggested listings, there is nothing to change.

Sometimes when I am working on Turbolister during the day, I wonder if I should call Ebay's CSR and ask if I can quit working for a few minutes, so I can go to the bathroom.  They seem to be fanatical about micro managing everything I do.

So what's next? And there will be a Next!

by: alfabarn

I received the letter. It offered suggestions to improve my numbers. But the last three months are all 5.0 on feedback and 0.00% on DSR's and 100 % uploading of tracking numbers.
I think that the only thing they are really looking for are computer generated ''red flags''. And my improvements over the last three months are irrelevant, as if a decision to cancel my sellers account has already been made? the 1 year numbers have been the same for over 6 months. But it has only been the previous quarter, and now Oct. that Ebay has highlighted it in red.  

When was the decision to send these letters made?  

by: ccdanger0624

I've been getting error messages when editing in bulk about making sure I was following international selling laws or something freaky like that.  It freaked me out at first and then I realized it was a glitch.  I know I'm not doing anything wrong.

by: Al G

I just have to laugh at this latest attempt to whip the unshaven and unwashed  masses in to a 'one-size fits all' sellers category - as in "You VILL do this or the Gestapo vill knock on your door!"

I have a few dozen of    Add item specifics to increase exposure in the Listing improvement recommendations.

The first time I click on the URL I get "There was a system problem. Please click OK and try again later."

I guess everyone is busy this afternoon making corrections.

2nd time is a charm except for "Review alerts
Some of your listings cannot be processed (see below).
You can't edit a listing if there are any bids on your item or you have a pending offer from a buyer." Why bother even telling me? Great - I got a bid, I can't fix it, no problemo, right?

Oh boy - 44 listings are missing required or recommended item specifics.

---->
Adding item specifics
For each item specific we've marked as required or recommended, choose or enter the value that accurately describes your item.

If you see a field highlighted in yellow, that means we've pre-filled the item specific based on the title of your listing. If the pre-filled value is correct for your item, select the listing and click Accept suggested values. Select more than one listing to do this in bulk.



If the suggested value in a highlighted field is incorrect for your item, choose another value or enter your own.

To finish revising your listings with the new item specifics, click Submit all and then click Confirm and submit on the page that follows.

Don't show this message again
------>


Most of the items is missing a "year" or "gender" (Recommended).
A year on a plastic $10.00 model (not a collectible, but a hobby item) is ridiculous, old Lionel - maybe, besides models are manufactured for 20-30 years until the dies go 'poof'.

Now gender - you are only allowed Boys Girls Boys&Girls - no trans, cis, levo or dextro mentioned. The LGBT?? lobby should be getting their knickers in a twist over this because they are deliberately being ignored. Possibly 20% of the population won't be able to search for a plastic HO scale train which is for gays, lesbians, bi-sexual, transgender and questioning!  My god, what is eBay doing! They are cutting down on my market.

Outside of some values such as Brand or Binding (for books, which I list in the description), which I missed adding in the 1st time, this exercise is pretty much a waste of my time.

I just don't know how badly eBay will penalize sellers who leave off all, or some recommendations.

Sheesh!

by: AgendaSwallowsAll

We received the email on both accounts. Keep in mind we've been doing this for 15 years on ebay, both out item titles as well as item specifics contain every last shred of info one would need to bring all items up in a general search yet ebay wants us to add more that are non-applicable.

Ok, we bit, we'll play the game so we began the edit on one account with ebay for the most part wanting us to add ''Character Family'', completely non-applicable to what we sell per the drop down list but we continued on just the same only to find ''VIBRATORS'' on the list, completely away and apart from all other suggestions and most assuredly has no place in suggested ''Chaaracter Family'' either for what we sell or otherwise relating to any catagory similar to ours the flippin' MORONS

On another few items they wanted ''Series'' entered, hey MORONS there is no ''SERIES'' applicable to those items, SCREW your SUGGESTION of ''Required'' or ''Recommended''.

On a different but most assuredly related front. We go to list items, EACH & EVERY TIME in a particular catagory we list in they are wanting us to use their Product Catalog like we don't know how the **** to list our items. That's irritating enough but it gets more irritation, you have to waste your time clicking past that and then another page loads suggesting an item that has NOTHING to do with our item. then you go to enter an MPN and they THINK they've got a BETTER IDEA with the statement ''We Suggest'', like they know the MPN # better than the seller, what FREAKIN' MORONS.

Back to the topic, our other account is on a system w/AOL 8 & Win XP for the AOL 9 version was made for kids & little old ladies with a bunch of cutesy stuff but no business application functionality. When we went to PLAY the GAME on that system it locks our AOL up.

I'd like to think it's just ignorance-stupidity wrought from ebay desperation but my gut says it goes far deeper than that.

A few years ago we were paying ebay $2,000-$2,500 in fees per month and our yearly purchases were in the $7-$10k range. Now it's $500-$700 per month at best and our purchases are down to $300-$500 per year at best. They are not making that up ANYWHERE, not even with the underhanded what can only be labeled as THEFT from sellers and buyers alike through Smoke & Mirror ''We're on your side'', We do what the public has asked for'' changes. If JD's intent had ANYTHING to do with the long term future of ebay IF the intent was to produce revenue through sales, he has failed miserably for I assure you, there are thousands, if not hundreds of thousands and possibly millions of stories just like ours.

by: Orwellwasright

This latest nonsense was predicted by me in previous posts..
  Ebay needs to sweep out the trash(all old time small and medium sellers) , so the greedy inept unprofessional pigs do not hog all the sales from the D's and P's during what will be ebays least active holiday shopping season

 As I predicted ebay NEEDS to engage in a seller purge due the fact that over the last few months they have exterminated tens of thousands of their heaviest users (seller/buyers) and have alienated tens of thousands more. The anemic diminshed buyer base MUST be steered like sheep to ebays CHOICE , not theirs..



 

by: Bill

Al G:

For date I put in "unknown" and for gender I use "all". How does anyone might know when a hobby kit was made and I believe that all genders can do what they want with it.
eBay is being run by a bunch of fools and idiots and Donuthole has his head up his rear.

Bill

by: bitbybit

If ebay is wondering why they have a diminishing buyer base, they only have to look in the mirror. Sellers, including all the thousands purged, were the biggest buyers. Their friends, family and anyone they come across in daily life tell them to stay clear of evil ebay.

With regard to ebay's warnings, the specifics recommended or required are completely off when it comes to antiques, collectibles and OOAK. The word ''brand'' makes me cringe. Was Ralph Lauren, Under Armour, Prada even around in the 1800's? Most specifics I just put n/a and resent this big waste of my time in the glimmer of hope my items will be shown in search.

This I believe is ebays way to wear down the small sellers so they will leave ebay on their own. Ebay is delusional in thinking once all the sellers are gone buyers will flock to their diamonds and preferred. Buyers are fleeting and lose interest fast. Good luck at sustaining them.  

by: Philip Cohen

The Dunning-Kruger Effect

http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Dunning-Kruger_effect

“The Dunning-Kruger effect … occurs when incompetent people not only perform a task poorly or incompetently, but lack the competence to realize their own incompetence at a task and thus consider themselves much more competent than everyone else. Put more crudely, they're too stupid to realize they're stupid.”

John Edward Donahoe & Co: the Dunning-Kruger effect personified …

Narcissistic sociopaths all, and stupid to boot …

eBay / PayPal / Donahoe: Dead Men Walking ...

by: Leo The Lion

Who is making all these changes to Ebay?  While I have not received an email as of yet to change my listings I have noticed during bulk re-listing that it asks for the item condition...the problem is the item condition is already in the listing.  The Search is also screwed up...all the shoes sizes are MISSING!  Let's say you want to search for a pair of Nine West boots...the side bar gives you the color, width, heel height, etc but the main thing missing is the shoe size...and if you click on the shoe size tab the box is totally blank.  After selling for almost 14 years with a store of almost 2600 items I will be rethinking my business plan for 2014.  My sales are down and with being my sole income I'm just not sure what to do.  

by: Island_Sam

When will ebay realize that SELLERS are also BUYERS. Every disgruntled seller who leaves is a disgruntled buyer (we all know unhappy buyers will take their business elsewhere)

ebay needs to refocus and get back to what made it a success. I know of more than a few business owners that won't touch ebay with a 50ft online pole.  

by: Bloggo

In addition to The Dunning-Kruger Effect, there is The Dilbert Principle.

Observations on incompetence can be found in the Dilbert cartoon series (such as The Dilbert Principle), the movie Office Space, and television shows the BBC's The Office or NBC's Parks and Recreation and 30 Rock.

In particular, the Dilbert Principle seems to be an extension of the Peter Principle. According to the Peter Principle, the subject has been competent at some job in his past.

The Dilbert Principle attempts to explain how a person who has never been competent at anything at any point in time can still be promoted into management.