The Playground Story - eBay

Have you tried it yet? The eBay playground appears to be stirring some controversy around auction forums. What do you think? Me, I am as yet undecided, but will let you know after I have explored some more.

You may notice that ebays search page layout has changed recently, and that the opt-out function to keep the old layout is being removed in four weeks time.
If you've not seen it yet you can check it out at http://playground.ebay.co.uk/. It's based around lots and lots of very annoying pop up java windows. It looks and feels like an interface that's in Alpha testing, let alone a finished product.

This topic has caused a massive stink in the ebay community over the past couple of days, and if you use ebay a lot and this really annoys you, and you would like to keep the old layout, or at least keep the option to opt out of the new layout then feel free to sign the petition currentl doing the rounds.

http://www.petitiononline.com/ebaySch/petition.html (Copy and paste in to your browser)

Regards
Steve H

What is the eBay Playground?

The eBay Playground is an eBay site, separate to eBay.co.uk, that lets you experiment with new features we've come up with, before we consider introducing them on the regular eBay site. Although a few features you're used to are not available on the Playground, bidding and buying are real. The main difference at the moment is how you find items. We'd like you to take a look around, run around the Playground, and give us feedback.
How do I get into the Playground?
Just type http://playground.ebay.co.uk in your browser, click "Enter Playground", and either type your search into the search box or select a category to browse.

How do I leave?

Click the "Go to the regular eBay site" link to return to our customary way to search for items, or close your browser, reopen it, and visit www.eBay.co.uk. If you simply go to www.eBay.co.uk while you're visiting the Playground, you'll stay on the Playground. To get out, just click "Go to the regular eBay site."

How is the Playground different from the regular eBay site?

Almost everything you can do on the regular eBay site, you can do on the Playground. This means that the bidding and buying processes are exactly the same. The only difference right now is in how you look for items on the Playground. Specifically, the Playground has a new, intelligent search capability, similar to eBay Express, which interprets what the buyer is really looking for to make sure that every matching item is returned. So, if you search for "red Nike shoes 12" eBay will show you all Nike shoes in size 12, that are red, — not just those items which have "red", "Nike", "shoes", and "12" in the title. You’ll also see a difference in the way the search looks, with the refinements you’ve requested shown along the top of your search results.

Are you going to make the entire site like the Playground?

Well, we built all this new stuff hoping to go in that direction. But the Playground, together with many other tests we’re running, is designed to make sure that these changes improve your buying experience. By testing first, we can incorporate your ideas and make adjustments before we introduce the changes to everyone.

Using the Site

Is this the real eBay?
Yes. All of the items on the regular eBay site are on this site too. The only difference is the way you find items.
Can I buy on this site? Can I sell on this site?
Yes. If you list an item on the Playground, it will be listed for everyone to see, no matter how they access eBay (and you’ll owe your regular fees). And if you bid or buy an item right away with Buy It Now, it’s a binding contract, just as it is on the regular site.
What happened to the keywords I typed in?
In the new search system on the Playground, the words you type into the search box are examined and the system tries to extract more meaning from them. For example, if you type "red size 12 shoes" instead of searching for listings with the words "red", "size", "12", and "shoes", the system will find all of the items in the shoe category that are size 12 in the colour red.

Want to search for exactly the phrase you typed in? Just put the phrase in quote marks.
What are all the boxes at the top of the page?
When we apply some of the concepts (red colour, Nike brand), we show them in those boxes instead of the search box. Also, if you use the refinement section to narrow your search, we’ll show the refinements you’ve applied in those boxes as well. Want to remove the boxes? Click the "X" in the upper-right corner.
Where are my items?
Don’t worry, they’re there. Every item on the regular eBay site is also available on the Playground. However, there are some differences in how we classify and display items to buyers:

* Sometimes sellers’ items will be included in search results on the Playground where they wouldn’t have been on the regular eBay site. This difference arises because the new search indexes more data than just a title to match against a buyer’s query.
* Sometimes an item that has words in the title which match the buyer’s search won’t be included in search results. This happens because the system automatically interprets the buyer’s query and excludes items that aren’t relevant. For example, when a buyer is looking for an "iPod Nano" they probably don’t want to see iPod cases right away.

Also, just as on the regular eBay site, your listing may not be immediately searchable when using a keyword search or category search.
My search results had a group of items that don’t have my search terms in the title. What happened?
The Playground search system uses more information to classify items than just the title. The results you saw had item specifics or other information that related to your search.
What advanced search commands can I use?
We're gradually introducing advanced search features to the Playground. Popular features such as keyword or item number search, price, and title & description search are available in the Playground.
How do I search for completed items?
Unfortunately, you can’t search for completed items yet, but we’re working on it. If you need to search for completed items, visit the regular eBay site.
Why we built the Playground
Why did you create the Playground?
We wanted to invite everyone in the community to try out new ideas before thinking about introducing them on the regular eBay site. We think our first idea, a new way to find items, is a good one, and we're excited to share it with you.

You may have heard about tests we've run on the site where people were "opted in" to changes we were trying out. Those tests are useful and necessary, but we also wanted to create a place where anyone could try out the new things that we're working on.
Why a separate site?
We wanted to make sure that eBay members who weren’t shown the tests that we’ve run could still try out the new way of finding items. However, we didn’t want to make those changes to the main site straight away. Additionally, we may make small changes to the ways you find items from time to time, and we wanted to give everyone the ability to try out those changes whenever they wanted.
What else are you doing to test these new ideas?
We are testing different "flavours" of these changes (31 at last count!) to a randomly selected sample of eBay users. We’re testing with a random sample in order to make sure that our test population matches the population of eBay as a whole. We’ve also done, and will keep doing, dozens of usability tests, surveys, and studies to refine our designs and features.
Are all new ideas going to go on the Playground?
We're going to decide on a case-by-case basis. Each project is different, and in some cases, putting new ideas on the Playground may not make sense. We're hoping to bring all sorts of new ideas to the Playground over time.
Why are you building new stuff? Why aren’t you focusing on what’s currently on the eBay site?
We do both. An entire section of our Finding team is devoted to maintaining and improving eBay’s main finding experience. A different section of our Finding team is devoted to creating new experiences. The groups sit together, talk frequently, and pass the best and most successful work back and forth between the two areas.
Comments and opinions
How can I tell you what I think?
First, use the Playground. Try some of your normal searches, use the new tools to narrow your results, and see what you think of the changes. When you’ve tried it out long enough to form an opinion, please send us an e-mail and let us know what you think.
I've spotted a bug. How do I tell you about it?
See if the same problem keeps happening. Sometimes, it’s an error with your browser or Internet connection that’s causing the problem. Still seeing the same thing? Let us know and we’ll look into it right away. Visit the "Give us your opinion" section of this site to report problems.

Please provide as much detail as possible, including your operating system (Apple, Windows XP, etc.), your browser (Firefox 2.0, Internet Exporer 7, Safari, etc.), and your Internet connection type (dial-up, DSL, cable, etc.). When you tell us about a problem, we won’t be able to respond to your message personally, but we do look at all the messages.
Who’s running the Playground?
The Playground Monitor (the product manager who put the Playground together) is Rebecca Nathenson. The Finding team runs the Playground for now, but other teams may be invited to come play as well. There are a lot of new ideas running around eBay, and the Playground is a great place for them to run around in! Nothing’s definite yet, but stay tuned for more exciting developments.
Are all new ideas going to go on the Playground?
We’re going to decide on a case-by-case basis. Each project is different, and in some cases, putting new ideas on the Playground may not make sense. But, we’re hoping to bring all sorts of neat new stuff to the Playground over time.

eBay Live - Update

A roundup of the news from the annual eBay conference.

Regards
Steve H

eBay�s annual community event bringing together eBay members and employees from around the world � has been taking place this week in Chicago.

We wanted to share some of the news coming out of eBay Live! and what it will mean for eBay members in the UK, as well as give an update on some other changes we�ve introduced this year on eBay.co.uk.

PayPal buyer and seller protections

eBay Live! saw the eBay.com and PayPal teams announce significant increases in protection for buyers and sellers using PayPal on eBay.com. These will give buyers greater confidence to buy more, and sellers greater protection and coverage for their listings.

We�re looking forward to announcing similar improved protections for buyers and sellers on eBay.co.uk soon. We already have every listing on eBay.co.uk offering PayPal as a payment option, giving buyers the choice of protection on anything they buy.

Feedback matters

We�ve changed parts of the Feedback system this year to make it a more effective and reliable measure of reputation on the site. One month on, our DSR data shows that sellers are offering better service than ever before, while the proportion of Feedback left by buyers on eBay.co.uk that is positive has stayed the same.

At the same time, buyers and sellers have told us they want to be able to change negative or neutral Feedback if a problem is resolved. We�re now developing a new Feedback-withdrawal mechanism that will allow negative Feedback to be withdrawn in some circumstances � we hope to have this in place before the end of the year.

Rewarding great seller service

Earlier this year, eBay.co.uk started to reward high-volume business sellers who offered great service with fee discounts of up to 40% off their Final Value Fees.

5,000 PowerSellers who didn�t qualify for discounts when they were first introduced have raised their service standards and now do. Overall we�ve seen a big reduction in buyers having bad experiences, meaning more confident buyers, buying more.

Building on the launch of the Seller Dashboard, we�ll be launching more enhancements this summer, giving sellers greater visibility to monitor and act on their service levels.

And more�

This week we announced a new search experience on eBay.co.uk allowing buyers to find sellers� items quickly and more easily.

A more secure email system for communication between buyers and sellers was discussed at eBay Live! and we�ll update you on timings for eBay.co.uk in the next few months. We�re pleased to say that by protecting the identity of people bidding on items, we�ve already seen a 90% reduction in emails attempting to defraud buyers on eBay.co.uk.

We�re continuing to reward our best buyers with vouchers, encouraging them to buy even more from the great sellers on eBay.co.uk. We�re also proud to now offer phone support to over a million of the biggest buyers on eBay.co.uk, as well as to all PowerSellers. We�ll continue to expand phone support this year so that more and more people can get live help if and when they need it � watch this space for news!

Finally, we also know that buyers are searching for more Buy it Now items on eBay.co.uk � so in the coming months we�ll make it even easier for sellers to offer them.

We�ve made lots of changes on eBay this year � all of them designed to create a safer marketplace where everyone can buy with confidence. We�d like to say thank you for all your feedback and support in making eBay.co.uk such a great place to buy and sell online.

Regards,

The eBay Team

Paypal changes for UK customers

I would like to let you know of an important announcement affecting all PayPal account holders in the UK. My view it is a change for the good.

Regards
Steve H

Effective from 9 July 2008, PayPal will change its fee structure to make it more attractive for our UK customers to send personal payments. We are pleased to announce that:

PayPal will not charge a recipient (regardless of their account type) of a PayPal payment if that payment was funded by the sender's bank account or PayPal balance and it is designated a Personal Payment

PayPal will apply a fee for payments received for Personal Payments or Commercial Payments if such a payment is funded by a credit or debit card, however for Personal Payments funded by a card, the sender will have the option of paying the fees for that payment

Also, PayPal will no longer require its customers to upgrade from a Personal Account to a Premier or Business Account once it has received a total of £250

Consequently the following amendments to the PayPal User Agreement will be applicable for UK customers:

Clause 8 will be amended (where relevant) to provide that:

Receiving Personal Payments which are also Balance/Bank Funded Payments will be free

Receiving Personal Payments and/or Commercial Payments which are also Card Funded Payments will be charged at these standard rates:

3.4% + Fixed Fee For each domestic payment transaction.
3.9% + Fixed Fee For each cross border payment transaction

Merchant Rates

(based on monthly transaction volume & one-off application)
1.4% - 2.9% + Fixed Fee For each domestic payment transaction
1.9% - 3.9% + Fixed Fee For each cross border payment transaction

The monthly volume tiers applicable to these Merchant rates are further described in the Fees section accessible from every page of the PayPal Website.

The Fixed Fee will be (depending on the payment currency):
£0.20 GBP ¥40.0 JPY 1.35 PLN
€0.35 EUR $0.40 AUD 90.0 HUF
$0.30 USD 0.55 CHF 10.00 CZK
$0.30 CAD 2.80 NOK $0.50 SGD
$4.00 MXN 3.25 SEK $2.35 HKD
1.20 ILS 2.60 DKK $0.45 NZD

UK registered Users who receive payments in Euros from other European User countries will receive a 0.5% reduction in the variable amount of the applicable cross border fee.

The sender of a Personal Payment which is also a Card Funded Payment may choose to pay the Fee applicable to that payment.

Clause 15 will include the following new definitions:

"Commercial Payment" means a payment which is not a Personal Payment (including, without limitation a payment associated with an eBay item and/or other goods or services).

"Personal Payment" means a payment made for the purpose of either your personal, family and/or household affairs.

Clauses 4.1, 4.2, 4.4(c), 4.9 will no longer apply to UK customers.

eBay - Update to the Accepted Payments policy

In line with the recent change requiring all listings on eBay.co.uk to offer PayPal, the Accepted Payments Policy has been updated. Learn more about these changes.

This policy also includes a new section titled ‘Misleading and Discouraging Payments’, which has been put in place to allow buyers to bid on or buy an item knowing that all the payment options in the listings will be available to them. This means sellers must not act in any way to discourage buyers from paying by methods that they offer in their listing.

Regards,

The eBay Team

eBay - 5p insertion fee - for one day only

On Thursday June 12th 2008, Insertion Fees are just 5p* for any listing using the Auction-style, Auction-with-Buy It Now and Buy It Now only (fixed price) formats in an eligible category on eBay.co.uk.

Final value and feature fees are not included in this promotion.

Terms and conditions apply

Regards,

The eBay Team

eBay Offering Safer Payment and Buyer Protection

Hi Everyone
Personally I prefer using PayPal as it has always given me added confidence in all transactions. Of course it is up to you whether or not you like the policy. Please read the rest of the Article for further clarification.
Regards
Steve H

Statement from eBay:

Buyers have told us that they prefer to use PayPal to pay for their eBay purchases. Not only does it offer instant payment, but it offers free payment protection of up to £500. Statistically, we’ve seen that PayPal transactions result in significantly lower rates of fraud and other bad buyer experiences. Good experiences keep buyers coming back to eBay and ensure better sales for our sellers.

Starting on June 3rd 2008, eBay will ask all sellers to offer PayPal on all listings. This will allow buyers to have the option of purchase protection on every item that they purchase on eBay.

Since extending the requirement to offer PayPal on selected categories, we’ve seen a significant fall in the rate of fraud and other bad experience. We’ve also seen increases in sales in these categories as buyers have increased confidence in their level of protection.

Sellers who list in the Motors Vehicles category will be exempt from this policy.

Sellers who currently have listings in Shops Good ‘Til Cancelled format will need to amend listings that currently do not offer PayPal when they are auto-relisted. If you wish to sell on eBay and don’t already have a PayPal account, you can sign up for one on PayPal.

This change does not affect categories where PayPal is the only permitted payment method (as previously announced):

1. Video Games > Video Game Consoles
2. Consumer Electronics > MP3 Players
3. Computing > Software
4. Wholesale & Job Lots > Mobile & Home Phones
5. Business, Office & Industrial > Industrial Supply / MRO

Payment Holds for eBay Items

To help ensure every eBay sale results in a satisfied buyer who will return again and again, PayPal is identifying a small percentage of transactions that pose the greatest risk to buyers and holding payments to ensure that the transaction is completed to the satisfaction of the buyer.

If you have received more than 20 Detailed Seller Ratings (DSRs) in the past 12 months and your DSR average is 4.5 or higher, your payments will not be held. If you have fewer monthly DSRs or a lower DSR average than this, then there is a chance that your payment will be held. Please click here for more details.
Expanding Seller Protection for PowerSellers

PayPal is now offering expanded seller protection as an exclusive offer for PowerSellers. Expanded seller protection will cover addresses in 190 countries, whether they’re confirmed or not, and has no annual coverage limit. If you’re an eBay PowerSeller, enrol for expanded seller protection now.
Further Information

What is changing in the Accepted Payments Policy and when are the changes effective?

As of June 3rd 2008, eBay will require all sellers to offer PayPal as a payment option. Offering PayPal greatly reduces fraudulent transactions. A reduction in fraudulent transactions will encourage more buyers to come back to eBay to buy again and again, which is of benefit to sellers.

A number of categories will be exempt from this Policy, details of which are below.

PayPal will also be holding payments from a small percentage of sellers who are responsible for the vast majority of unsuccessful sales on eBay. This will help ensure that good sellers no longer have to compete alongside bad sellers.

Read the Accepted Payment Policy
Do I have to relist items in my Shop that are Good ‘Til Cancelled?

Sellers who currently have listings in Shops Good ‘Til Cancelled format will need to amend listings that currently do not offer PayPal when they are auto-relisted.
What Categories are exempt from this policy?

The following categories are exempt from the policy of requiring all sellers to offer PayPal as a payment option.

Cars, Parts & Vehicles > Aircraft & Aviation > Aircraft
Cars, Parts & Vehicles > Boats & Watercraft > Jet Skis
Cars, Parts & Vehicles > Boats & Watercraft > Narrowboats/ Canalboats
Cars, Parts & Vehicles > Boats & Watercraft > Power Boats
Cars, Parts & Vehicles > Boats & Watercraft > Sailing Boats
Cars, Parts & Vehicles > Campers, Caravans & Motorhomes > Campervans & Motorhomes
Cars, Parts & Vehicles > Campers, Caravans & Motorhomes > Caravans
Cars, Parts & Vehicles > Cars
Cars, Parts & Vehicles > Classic Cars
Cars, Parts & Vehicles > Commercial Vehicles
Cars, Parts & Vehicles > Motorcycles & Scooters
Cars, Parts & Vehicles > Other Vehicles
Home & Garden > Residential Property
Local Services

Which sellers will have their payments held?

PayPal will hold payments in transactions where the vast majority of bad sales occur. Here are the most common instances in which a payment may be held:
+ You have been on eBay less than 6 months and sell an item above £50
+ You have a feedback score of less than 100 and sell an item above £50
+ You have a consistent history of transactions that result in dissatisfied buyers*
+ You have an average Detailed Seller Rating (DSR) of less than 4.5
+ You have received less than 20 Detailed Seller Ratings in the last 12 months
+ You are listing your item in a higher-risk category such as Health & Beauty, Video Games or Computers

If you have received more than 20 Detailed Seller Ratings (DSRs) in the past 12 months and your DSR average is 4.5 or higher, your payments will not be held.

Buyer dissatisfaction percentage is measured by adding negative events as a percentage of your transactions. Negative events include negative & neutral Feedback, Detailed Seller Ratings scores of 2 or less, and Item Not Received or Significantly Not As Described disputes.

What will happen if my payment is held by PayPal?

If you are sent a payment that is held by PayPal, the amounts held will show as “Pending” in a separate PayPal balance on your account page. You will still have access to all other funds in your PayPal account.

Your funds will immediately be released when one of the following occurs:
+ The buyer leaves you positive feedback
+ 21 days pass without a dispute, claim, chargeback, or reversal filed on the transaction.

If you receive a dispute, claim, chargeback, or reversal on the transaction subject to the hold, PayPal may hold the payment in your account until the matter is resolved, even if the claim, chargeback or reversal is made after the hold is released.

Why is the payment being held for up to 21 days?

The majority of buyers who raise a dispute on their items will do so within 21 days of the transaction. If a buyer has not raised a dispute, claim or chargeback within 21 days, we will release the payment to the seller in good faith that the buyer was happy with the transaction. Note that if the buyer leaves positive feedback at any point before 21 days and no other issue has been raised on the transaction, PayPal will immediately release the payment.

Will my payments be held if I have excellent buyer satisfaction, but sell in risky categories?

If you have a record of positive feedback, satisfied buyers and an average DSR of 4.5 or more, your payments will not be held regardless of the category you sell in.

What should I do if a payment is subject to an eBay item hold?

Once the buyer has paid for the item, you should post it immediately it in order to increase the likelihood that the hold will be released sooner. PayPal will release the hold when the earlier of the following occurs:
1. the buyer leaves positive feedback,
2. 21 days without a dispute, claim, chargeback, or reversal filed on that transaction.

If I sell to countries outside the UK, how will these requirements impact me?

eBay’s Accepted Payments policy applies to all items listed on ebay.co.uk, regardless of the buyer’s country.