eBay tweak the rules

Hi everyone

A quick look at what is happening on eBay to allay all buyers worries, and to grow confidence in using the system. A small step forward I think. Only time will tell if the volume of sales gets back to where it once was, before the recession.

Best Regards
Steve H

A shift in how we use DSRs to measure quality

eBay is committed to continually improving the marketplace for sellers and buyers. Over the last 18 months there have been a number of changes to reduce the cost of listing and improve the speed and efficiency of sales.

That’s why from July 2009 we will increase the focus on measuring and rewarding sellers, not just for volume, but also for the consistently excellent service they offer.

To step up the service standards we’ll be evolving the way we look at Detailed Seller Ratings – DSRs and also setting new minimum standards for all sellers. We’re also changing the PowerSeller programme to give the highest rewards to those PowerSellers who provide the best rated quality of service. These PowerSellers will be given a new status – eBay Top-rated seller.

We know that sellers with fewer low DSR scores spend less time dealing with claims and enjoy increased buyer loyalty and repeat business. So, from July 2009 we’ll start tracking low rating DSRs of 1s and 2s that a seller has got in each of these categories:

* Item description
* Communication
* Dispatch time
* Postage & packaging costs

You’ll be able to see a snapshot of how you’re getting on in your Seller Dashboard. It will be updated monthly, starting at the end of this month (July 2009). And, in October, you’ll be able to see a daily update.

Low rates of 1s and 2s in DSRs will be one of the criteria for eBay sellers to qualify for the new Top-rated seller status.

TAKE ACTION

o Get familiar with the new focus on quality and low DSRs (1s and 2s), the new standards for all eBay sellers, the PowerSeller programme, and the new Top-rated seller tier.
o Starting from the end of July, check your Seller Dashboard for a current snapshot of your low DSRs - updated monthly. Watch for the new Seller Dashboard coming in October for more insight, including daily updates. Remember to check it on a regular basis.
o Have a look at our tips to improve your Feedback DSRs to keep a high positive Feedback rating and minimise the risk of receiving low DSRs scores of 1s and 2s.

FAQs

Why the change of emphasis on sellers having a few 1s and 2s instead of the current DSR averages?

DSRs will continue to be an important measure for seller performance. But we are gradually focusing on the rate of low scores (1s and 2s) for several reasons.

* Buyers have different interpretations of what they consider a high score. But leaving a 1or 2 is a clear sign they’re not happy.
* For sellers, monitoring their rate of 1s and 2s gives a clearer picture of where they need to improve – whether it’s item description, communication, delivery times and/or postage cost.
* It will be easier and more profitable for sellers to focus on providing a level of service to their buyers that rarely, if ever, gets them a score of 1 or 2 than by trying to achieve perfect scores.

How are rates of 1s and 2s calculated and how can I find out my current rates?

The rates of 1s and 2s are calculated for all four DSRs: Item Description, Communication, Dispatch Time, and P&P Cost. There are allowed rates of 1s and 2s for each of the four DSRs for eBay Top-rated sellers and all other sellers. The calculation is as follows:

Number of 1’s or 2’s received, divided by the total number of transactions

Remember, the total number of transactions includes all transactions, not just transactions where DSR scores were received. Here are some examples of how rates of 1s or 2s are calculated.

At the end of this month (July), you’ll be able to see a monthly updated snapshot of your rate of 1s and 2s by each DSR on your Seller Dashboard. Starting in October, you’ll be able to see your ratings updated daily.

Happy 10th Birthday to - eBay.co.uk

Celebrating Ten Years of Buying and Selling on eBay.co.uk

Wow 10 years already! It only seem's like only yesterday since we in the UK got our chance to trade in this unique marketplace. Congratulations and well done to all the team at eBay. co.uk Keep up the good work and hears to your next 10 years.

Regards
Steve H

eBay.co.uk has seen over 950 million items sold in the past decade - testimony to our buyers, enduring love of shopping and pursuit of a bargain.

From the first ever eBay.co.uk sale (a 3-track CD from German rockers The Scorpions sold for £2.89), the eBay.co.uk site has become an indicator of changing consumer tastes. We're proud that our site is also a platform for charity fundraising and entrepreneurialism. More than £10.5m has been raised for more than 3,500 charities since the launch of eBay for Charity in 2006. And, of the 123,000 British businesses now trading on eBay, over 170 turn over more than a million pounds a year from selling on our site.

We'd like to take this opportunity to thank all our buyers and sellers for your business over the past 10 years and we look forward to providing you with a great place to buy and sell for the next 10 years. Find out more about eBay.co.uk over the past ten years.

Regards,

The eBay.co.uk Team

eBay.co.uk Celebrates Ten Years of Buying and Selling

- 964 million items sold -
- 171 businesses turning over more than £1m a year -
- From Britney Spears’ discarded tissue, to David Beckham’s BMW and the sale of a handbag every 25 seconds -

1999 was the year Posh and Becks tied the knot, Britney Spears released Baby, One More Time and, also, the year eBay arrived in the UK. In the past decade, eBay.co.uk has seen over 950 million items sold on the site, testimony to Brits’ enduring love of shopping and pursuit of a bargain.

The scale of shopping on eBay.co.uk has resulted in ‘eBayability’ becoming the ultimate barometer of what’s hot and what’s not in the UK at any point in time. Nothing is too big, small or bizarre as eBay.co.uk’s legion of loyal users has proven over the years. From Bentleys to holiday homes, unique celebrity items to bargain vintage outfits and only-on-eBay must-have Christmas toys, Britain has been gripped by the phenomenon that is eBay.co.uk.

The first ever eBay.co.uk sale was a 3-track CD from German rockers The Scorpions, which went for £2.89. Over the past decade, eBay.co.uk has become an indicator of changing consumer tastes. Back in 1999, the most popular items on the site were Pokemon trading cards. These days, we’re more likely to buy fashion brands and accessories on the site, as Brits flock online to find great deals, with an item of women’s clothing now selling every three seconds

As eBay.co.uk marks its tenth anniversary, it also celebrates becoming one of the UK’s most iconic brands. It is currently the fourth most searched-for term on Google*. The online marketplace has also been a platform for the emergence of new shopping behaviours. Over 70,000 savvy Brits are beating the recession by going ‘shopping neutral’ – balancing their budgets by selling as much as they spend on the site.

eBay.co.uk is about more than just shopping. It’s a platform for charity fundraising and entrepreneurialism. More £10.5m has been raised for more than 3,500 charities since the launch of eBay for Charity in 2006. And, of the 123,000 British businesses now trading on eBay, over 170 turn over more than a million pounds a year on the site. In 2008, the value of sales on eBay.co.uk exceeded the GDP of 68 countries.

Mark Lewis, MD of eBay in the UK comments: “eBay.co.uk has come a long way in the past ten years. From our beginnings as an auction site, over half the items for sale today are available to ‘Buy Now’. Likewise, whilst eBay.co.uk was once dominated by second hand items, the fastest growth is in sales of new products at knock-down prices. And, these days, you’re just as likely to buy from a business as a private seller, with an increasing number of entrepreneurs andestablished retail brands like Schuh, Littlewoods and Argos all selling on eBay.co.uk.”

Lewis continues: “Ten years on, we might have fallen out of love with Pokemon and perhaps The Scorpions no longer have the appeal of yesteryear. However, one thing remains - eBay.co.uk is still the favourite platform for British shoppers looking for great value and unrivalled choice, to earn some extra money on the side or to make their entrepreneurial dreams come true.”

About eBay

Founded in 1995, eBay Inc. connects hundreds of millions of people around the world every day, empowering them to explore new opportunities and innovate together. eBay Inc. does this by providing the Internet platforms of choice for global commerce, payments and communications. Since its inception, eBay Inc. has expanded to include some of the strongest brands in the world, including eBay, PayPal, Skype, StubHub, Shopping.com, and others. eBay Inc. is headquartered in San Jose, California.

Founded in 1999, eBay.co.uk is the UKs largest online marketplace. There are currently 17 million live listings on the UK site and over 17m unique visitors per month (Nielsen / Netratings, June 2009) buying and selling brand new, unique and used items. eBay estimates that 178,000 people earn a primary or secondary living or run a business on the eBay.co.uk site.