What is this eBay top-rated seller nonsense?
TonyC
Posts: 1,401 ✭✭✭
I can't figure out why they made this program because those who benefit seem to be arbitrary. These are the qualifications:
How do I qualify to be an eBay Top-rated seller?
To qualify as an eBay Top-rated seller, you need to:
Meet all the quality requirements for and accept the invitation to the PowerSeller program
Meet the sales volume requirements for Top-rated seller status: 100 transactions and $3,000 in GMV over the past 12 months
Have no more than the maximum allowed instances of 1s or 2s on all DSRs from U.S. buyers:
Sellers with 400 or more transactions over the previous 3 calendar months: No more than 0.50% of transactions with 1s or 2s on each one of the four DSRs over the past 3 months.
Sellers with 400 or more annual transactions, but less than 400 over the most recent 3 completed calendar months: No more than 0.50% of transactions with 1s or 2s on each one of the four DSRs over the past 12 months.
Sellers with less than 400 annual transactions: No more than two instances of 1s or 2s on each one of the four DSRs over the past 12 most recent completed calendar months. This will ensure that lower volume sellers are not disqualified based on a single transaction.
Minimum average across all four DSRs (based on PowerSeller requirement):
- Current: 4.5 on global transactions
- Starting April 2010: 4.60 on transactions with U.S. buyers.
Compliance with new Selling Practices policy requirements.
I'm not a top-rated seller, but I'm in the PowerSeller program and have 4.8 and higher on all of my DSRs, so that means I must average more than 1 one or two in my DSRs per 200 DSRs left, or 50 transactions. How the heck is that controllable; some people just like to be jerks with DSRs, and it isn't my fault that I don't feel like shipping things for free because, guess what? It actually costs money and time to ship!!! I see a lot of low feedback sellers (who probably work out of their house as a part time gig) getting this label, but I can't get it and I do sports cards for a living!
The benefit of being in this program are nothing to sniff at, either; 20% off your fees!!!
Info Link
How do I qualify to be an eBay Top-rated seller?
To qualify as an eBay Top-rated seller, you need to:
Meet all the quality requirements for and accept the invitation to the PowerSeller program
Meet the sales volume requirements for Top-rated seller status: 100 transactions and $3,000 in GMV over the past 12 months
Have no more than the maximum allowed instances of 1s or 2s on all DSRs from U.S. buyers:
Sellers with 400 or more transactions over the previous 3 calendar months: No more than 0.50% of transactions with 1s or 2s on each one of the four DSRs over the past 3 months.
Sellers with 400 or more annual transactions, but less than 400 over the most recent 3 completed calendar months: No more than 0.50% of transactions with 1s or 2s on each one of the four DSRs over the past 12 months.
Sellers with less than 400 annual transactions: No more than two instances of 1s or 2s on each one of the four DSRs over the past 12 most recent completed calendar months. This will ensure that lower volume sellers are not disqualified based on a single transaction.
Minimum average across all four DSRs (based on PowerSeller requirement):
- Current: 4.5 on global transactions
- Starting April 2010: 4.60 on transactions with U.S. buyers.
Compliance with new Selling Practices policy requirements.
I'm not a top-rated seller, but I'm in the PowerSeller program and have 4.8 and higher on all of my DSRs, so that means I must average more than 1 one or two in my DSRs per 200 DSRs left, or 50 transactions. How the heck is that controllable; some people just like to be jerks with DSRs, and it isn't my fault that I don't feel like shipping things for free because, guess what? It actually costs money and time to ship!!! I see a lot of low feedback sellers (who probably work out of their house as a part time gig) getting this label, but I can't get it and I do sports cards for a living!
The benefit of being in this program are nothing to sniff at, either; 20% off your fees!!!
Info Link
Collecting Tony Conigliaro
0
Comments
I think many that offer free shipping just add the ship cost into their price.
I've thought about doing that but it's the point they appear to try and force you to go that route and you'll have higher ending fees. I'm all for paying for a service but I wont throw away pennies to get a more shaded in star, higher visability, X-Mas card etc.
Insurance is on it's way out .... why not shipping!
Not agreeing .... just saying.
PoppaJ
<< <i>Eventually and maybe sooner than we think, free shipping may no longer be an option.
Insurance is on it's way out .... why not shipping!
Not agreeing .... just saying.
PoppaJ >>
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I have thought for several years that "free" shipping would soon
be the global default on EBAY. I have been surprised at how long
the process has taken.
A slight majority of the "voices" - a TINY group of folks that EBAY
allows to offer views that are actually considered - have leaned
toward "free" shipping for a very long time.
The challenge is - and will continue to be - that "free" shipping costs
cannot easily be integrated into the auction format. Thus, it is not
possible, under the current listing formats, to make EBAY a totally
"free shipping" venue.
Some possible paths to global-default "free" shipping:
1. Eliminate the auction format, and require all BINs to be listed
with "free" shipping.
2. Institute a mandatory reserve in all auctions; in an amount
equal to the minimum amount that the seller is willing to accept
for the item WITH S+H included.
As you can see, with paths like that, there is not much hope.
The carrot/stick approach will continue, until the holdouts are
so disadvatanged that they will comply with EBAY's wishes.
..............
The practice of sellers charging extra for insurance had to be
ended. It was/is being abused by FRAUDsters and it allows
sellers to misstate EBAY/PayPal policies on "delivery liability."
.................................
It is important for collectible sellers NOT to get too worked up
over most EBAY "changes."
Collectors are NOT of much interest to EBAY, and policy changes
are almost NEVER designed to harm/benefit collectible sellers.
AMZN and OSTK are the models that EBAY must compete with.
Collectible items really don't mean anything much at all to EBAY's
math.
"Cross-Selling" is what drives EBAY's numbers. There is virtually
NO crossover by collectors to general merch on EBAY. The road
flows the OTHER direction; collectors ONLY buy collectibles, while
gen-merch buyers DO buy a very limited number of collectibles.
That money FACT does put some pressure on EBAY to make sure
that a bad collectible experience does not chase gen-merch traffic
away.
........
Buying Vintage, all sports.
Buying Woody Hayes, Les Horvath, Vic Janowicz, and Jesse Owens autographed items
<< <i>Storm, I just got an "invite" to be a powerseller. Should I opt in? >>
///////////////////
Certainly.
........
EDIT:
The PSer logo can be hidden on the listing page and the profile/FB pages.
Some PSers hide the logos in oder to maintain the illusion that they are just
tiny guys.
<< <i>Ebay is full of carp. Top seller, powerseller, DSR, etc etc is a bunch of garbage. It means absolutely nothing when it comes to the integrity of the seller. Its all about ebay blowing a little sunshine up your skirt to brainwash you into believing that they are doing something right. >>
That sums it up IMHO
I have offered free shipping but I agree with Tony C...shipping has time and monetary costs related to it. Why should you offer free shipping on a regular basis. Although if we did that we'd be forced to up our prices. When the item sells Ebay gets a higher cut!
<< <i>i dont offer free shipping and i never will. Ebay can suck it. >>
///////////////
Yup.
And, in an ALL BIN scheme, ALL of those costs are recovered
by the seller - paid by the buyer - via the retail price of the item.