Ebay Star Ratings are like World Golf Rankings

notwilight

Ebay uses a 1 yr time period to evaluate your performance as a seller for "Top Rated" and of course your FVF discounts. So if you get a bad rating it takes a year to fall off. I stopped using Registered Mail on ebay a year ago after I got low shipping time ratings from 4 customers who blamed me for slow registered mail (or didn't really blame me but felt the rating system is a rating of the process, not just the seller). The first 2 ratings finally fall off next month and I go back to 20% FVF rebate vs 5%. (you're allowed 2/year, no matter what your volume.) I figure over the year this has cost me several hundred $, if not closer to $1000 in increased fees. Of course, ebay sees it as a good think since it increases their revenue. They set up a system that on paper sounds good--rated by the buyers--and trust one or two loonies to knock most sellers down and keep them there for a year, increasing the bottom line for eBay.

The World Golf Rankings use a 2 yr moving window so rankings can be more affected by what is falling off from 2 years ago than what is going on now. I won a tournament last month at the club but it doesn't seem to have affected my world golf ranking. I guess the field wasn't strong enough.

So my message here is that you should avoid registered on ebay if you want your FVF rebate. In fact, avoid anything that might upset a buyer.

--Jerry

mingot

<< <i>In fact, avoid anything that might upset a buyer. >>



Good idea.

RedneckHB

The ratings system has many flaws. I got a neg after a buyer flat out lied about receiving a $5 coin. I called cust service and they were having a party in the background. I asked to speak to the manager, got put on hold, then "disconnected". Twice.

In response to FVF being imposed on shipping fees, I have increased my shipping fees. I dont get any discounts anyway, so an increased tax on me, now gets passed on to my customers. I must now pay less for coins or charge more. Either way the collector gets hurt.

OPA

I haven't used Registered Mail for anything in about 2 years & that includes shipments to PCGS for grading. Expensive items (above $1500) are mailed via Express Mail..it gets delivered in 1 or 2 days (Signature required) items above $500 - $1500 are mailed out via Priority Small Flat Rate regular or bubble envelopes with Signature Confirmation. On my PayPal generated label, any reference to eBay or PayPal (bottom and top) is cut away.

Outhaul

<< <i>In response to FVF being imposed on shipping fees... >>



Is eBay charging a FVF on shipping now? Shipping is NOT part of the value of the item. How the hell can they do, or even consider doing this?

TwoSides2aCoin

"You can please all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can't please all the people all of the time" . Who's quote was that ?

coirn

It's a discount. The 5% you did earn saved you several hundred dollars. Because you didn't qualify for the top percentage in discounts causes you angst with eBay and warrants this thread?

TheBigB

I have switched from registered to Express Mail for some high value items, but will not give up registered entirely.

Ratings be dammed, if loss is at stake.

USAFRETWI

I just add the cost of shipping to all my BIN's. Ship next day so they dont have the option to ding me on shipping. Of course Auctions are different.

Ken

llafoe

<< <i>"You can please all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can't please all the people all of the time." ~ TwoSides2aCoin >>

notwilight

<< <i>I haven't used Registered Mail for anything in about 2 years & that includes shipments to PCGS for grading. Expensive items (above $1500) are mailed via Express Mail..it gets delivered in 1 or 2 days (Signature required) items above $500 - $1500 are mailed out via Priority Small Flat Rate regular or bubble envelopes with Signature Confirmation. On my PayPal generated label, any reference to eBay or PayPal (bottom and top) is cut away. >>



What do you do above the $5000 limit on express mail? I've gone to www.parcelpro.com. --Jerry

notwilight

<< <i>I just add the cost of shipping to all my BIN's. Ship next day so they dont have the option to ding me on shipping. Of course Auctions are different. Ken >>



A year ago, that wasn't the case... ship the next day and you still got dinged.

You've also given in and let ebay win the "free shipping" issue. Ebay now gets FVF revenue on all of your shipping costs. This is millions/year on their bottom line. --jerry

LindeDad

<< <i>

<< <i>In response to FVF being imposed on shipping fees... >>



Is eBay charging a FVF on shipping now? Shipping is NOT part of the value of the item. How the hell can they do, or even consider doing this? >>



Actually I think it starts next week. And in fact I have allways considered it part of the cost when I buy a coin.

Russ

<< <i> (you're allowed 2/year, no matter what your volume.) >>



Not correct. You're allowed 2 or .5%.

Russ, NCNE

notwilight

<< <i>

<< <i> (you're allowed 2/year, no matter what your volume.) >>

Not correct. You're allowed 2 or .5%. Russ, NCNE >>



I interpreted that as the lower of the criteria, you're saying it is the higher? If so, then that mean's your allowed 2/400 which I think I've been meeting. --Jerry

Russ

I was a TRS with 7 dings in shipping cost. At the time, it was .45%. I lost it when a couple more shipping cost dings came in and put me over the .5% threshhold.

Russ, NCNE

BlindedByEgo

I maintain that mine is a hate/need relationship with eBay.

dac076

"In response to FVF being imposed on shipping fees, I have increased my shipping fees. I dont get any discounts anyway, so an increased tax on me, now gets passed on to my customers. I must now pay less for coins or charge more. Either way the collector gets hurt."



I took exactly the same approach. I'm not playing Ebay's game because the "fix is in".