eBay UK Announce Changes In Response To Seller Feedback

eBay UK has today released their end of year message to its sellers highlighting all of the changes that they have made over the year in response to seller feedback. Murray Lambell the General Manager of eBay UK made the following statement.

Check Out These Resources

• Do you need a business bank account for your online business? Take a look at our review of the five best bank accounts for sellers, some of which are free with no minimum balance or deposits. ^[sponsored]
• Boost your social media engagement with Publer. Learn how you can save time writing engaging content faster with AI. ^[sponsored]
• Could your online business use capital for growth? Here is a primer on revenue-based loans, and how they work.

“This year marked 22 years of eBay in the UK. We wanted to thank you for choosing to run your online business on eBay, through what has continued to be a period of constant change and growth in eCommerce. 

To keep up with this rapid change, our teams are always working to improve the selling experience on eBay to continue to bring buyers to the platform and help increase your sales. We know we don’t always get things right, so we’ve been listening hard and working with the seller community to identify issues that matter to you. Based on this feedback, we’ve made some changes that you can see below.

As we head into 2022, we know there’s more work for us to do. We really appreciate your business and know that eBay wouldn’t be the success it is without all your hard work.

The team and I wish you the best for the festive season and as always, thank you for selling on eBay.”

Murray Lambell, General Manager, eBay UK

eBay UK Changes in 2021 Summary

Problem: Funds from sales paid out too slowly.

Change: eBay UK now initiates payouts to most sellers within 1 day (excluding bank holidays) of confirming the buyer’s payment. You can also choose to receive payments daily, weekly, fortnightly, or monthly. 

Problem: Frustration with buyers not paying for items they’ve bought.

Change: If a buyer hasn’t paid for an item, you can cancel the order 4 calendar days after the listing has ended, and your item will be relisted automatically unless you choose not to relist. In 2022, eBay will continue to work on reducing the number of unpaid items, through programs like Best Offers.

Problem: Not enough actionable data regarding listings.

Change: In response, eBay launched the Listing Quality Report in Seller Hub. The Listing Quality Report is a downloadable Excel document that provides you with analysis – at listing and category level – of your 10 categories with the most live listings. Importantly, it provides specific actions you can take to optimize your listings and categories, with the aim of boosting your views, impressions, and sales. It has been designed with input from the eBay seller community.

Problem: Not enough protection against false buyer claims.

Change: In response, eBay UK expanded its seller protections for false buyer claims. More sellers are now protected when a buyer falsely reports an item as not as described. When the criteria are satisfied, they will subsidize the cost of the return label (up to £3.50 per return), remove the negative and neutral feedback, defects, and the open cases in your service metrics.

Problem: When we report a problem buyer it doesn’t feel like it’s taken seriously.

Change: In response, eBay UK has ramped up its detection of abusive buyers. In addition to seller reports, they also detect abusive buyer behavior by looking at claims and return patterns. They’ve recently ramped up detection and if it is determined that a buyer has violated the abusive buyer policy, action will be taken against that buyer.

Problem: Sellers don’t know the secrets to be successful on eBay.

Change: In response, eBay Academy was launched. Whether you’re new or have been selling on eBay for years, eBay Academy will provide you with best practices on how to use the different tools and features. Build and grow your business with valuable insights. Take a course and apply the knowledge right away. Self-paced learning – at your desk or on the go! Exclusive to business sellers.

To learn more about any of the above changes that have been implemented you can check out this eBay page here.