Regards
Steve H

I'm sure you will have read media reports over the past few days concerning a French court ruling in a lawsuit against eBay.

We want you, our customers, to know and trust how much we do behind the scenes to stop counterfeits from ever making their way onto our sites. It's not just about money but we do invest millions every year in keeping our site free of counterfeits. In 2007, across all eBay sites around the world, we removed over 2 million potentially counterfeit listings and we suspended over 50,000 sellers whom we believed may have been attempting to sell fake goods.

Indeed, our efforts to remove counterfeits from our site - often before anyone is able to see them, let alone buy them - are recognised by 18,000 manufacturers who we successfully work with to combat counterfeiters.

While recognising the importance of fighting counterfeits, we do not agree with broad-based attempts to protect uncompetitive commercial practices at the expense of consumer choice, which threatens the livelihood of our law-abiding sellers and the ability of our buyers to get great deals.

Overzealous enforcement of restrictive sales practices are anti-competitive and give you, our buyers and sellers a bad deal. This is recognised by European Union policy-makers who are seeking to create a better framework for online sales to promote e-commerce in Europe. We support a free and fair market in Europe and the benefits this will bring for you.

We will continue to fight against counterfeit but we will not accept outdated attempts to restrict the Internet to the detriment of our community. We will continue to fight for consumer value through e-commerce. We are appealing the ruling in France.

Douglas S. McCallum

Senior Vice President, eBay Marketplaces, Europe

As part of our ongoing efforts to make eBay an easier and safer place to shop, we’re working on giving eBay.co.uk a new look and new features.

We’re doing this because better design makes it easier for you to use eBay, and easier to display and find the information you need to buy and sell. The new designs also let us add useful features while keeping the site simple.

Testing on our new checkout system has progressed well, and is now being used by 100% of members. The new checkout makes it easier for buyers to pay for items on eBay without having to transfer to the PayPal website. It’s also easier to manage delivery addresses, and P&P costs and P&P promotions offered by sellers are handled better.

My eBay

From today, a small group of UK members will see a new version of My eBay while we test new features. The new My eBay lets you create customised lists to help you group items the way you want and gives you at-a-glance status information with colour-coding. More information and FAQs about the new My eBay.

Watch up to 200 items

All members can now watch up to 200 items, making it easier to keep tabs on the things you want to buy.

While the new features are being tested or are bedding in, we’ll keep a close eye on things to make sure that the changes we make meet your needs.

Regards,

The eBay Team

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

Terms and conditions apply

Regards,

The eBay Team

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.

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.

So the more you list, the more you can save!

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

Terms and conditions apply

Regards,

The eBay Team

Please refer to the table below for the basic Insertion Fees for listing an item on eBay.co.uk including details of both the regular and promotional Insertion Fees by starting price (for the category-specific selling fees for "Media" products see the “Media” category specific pricing section below):

Basic Insertion Fees
Starting or Reserve Price Regular Insertion Fee Promotional Insertion Fee
£0.01 - £0.99 £0.10 £0.05
£1.00 - £4.99 £0.15 £0.07
£5.00 - £14.99 £0.25 £0.12
£15.00 - £29.99 £0.50 £0.25
£30.00 - £99.99 £1.00 £0.50
£100.00 or more £1.30 £0.65

For a full list of “Media” product categories and to find out more about Insertion Fees for "Media" product categories click here.

Please see below for more details.
“Media” category specific pricing

Items listed in the "Media" categories (see below for a full list) using the Auction-style, Auction-with-Buy It Now or Buy It Now Only (Fixed Price) formats are included in this promotion. Please see the table below for the Category-specific selling fees for “Media” products.

Category-specific selling fees for “Media” products: Insertion Fees for single-item listings
Starting price (Auction-style) Regular Insertion Fee Promotional Insertion Fee
£0.01 - £0.99 £0.05 £0.02
£1.00 or more £0.10 £0.05

Category-specific selling fees for “Media” products: Insertion Fees for single-item listings
Starting price (Buy It Now-style) Regular Insertion Fee Promotional Insertion Fee
£0.01 - £0.99 £0.10 £0.05
£1.00 or more £0.10 £0.05

The Media categories are:

* the "Books, Comics & Magazines" category (excluding the "Accessories" sub category)
* the "DVD, Film and TV" category (excluding the "Accessories/Storage", "Film Memorabilia" and "TV Memorabilia" sub categories)
* the "Games" sub category of the "Video Games" category
* the "Music" category (excluding the "Music Memorabilia" and "Accessories/Storage" sub categories).

Find out more about Insertion Fees for "Media" product categories here
What's Included?

* Only items listed in British Pounds Sterling on eBay.co.uk using the Auction-style, Auction-with-Buy It Now or Buy It Now Only (Fixed Price) formats are included.
* Sellers can list items with any starting price to qualify for the promotion.
* Any item previously scheduled to go live on Thursday 29th of May 2008 will qualify for the promotion.
* If sellers re-list an item on Thursday 29th of May 2008 that had previously closed without a successful sale, the re-listed item will qualify for the promotion and the seller will be able to re-list the item for the Promotional Insertion Fee, which applies to their item. If the re-listed item sells and is eligible under the eBay re-list policy, eBay will refund the Promotional Insertion Fee paid by the seller to re-list the item.
* Items listed in the ”Parts & Accessories” sub-categories of the Motors Category are included.

Items listed in the "Media" categories (see below for a full list and category specific pricing).
What's Excluded?

* Items listed in any Motors category except for those listed in the 'Parts & Accessories' sub-categories of the Motors category (as detailed in the 'What's Included' section above).
* Items listed in the "Residential Property" sub-category of the "Home & Garden" category.
* Items listed in the "Mobile Phones with Contract" sub-category of the "Mobile & Home Phones" category.
* Multiple-Item listings in all formats. This includes both Auction-style (also known as Dutch Auctions) and Fixed Price formats. See the full details about Multiple-Item listings.
* Identical listings that do not comply with our Duplicate Listings policy.
* Shops Inventory Format listings. See the full details about listing items in Shops Inventory Format.
* Any item listed on Thursday 29th May 2008 but scheduled to start after the promotional period will NOT qualify for the promotion.
* Any items listed which do not comply with our Listing Policies or Prohibited and Restricted Items Policies.
* Only the basic eBay Insertion Fee will be half price. All other eBay selling fees will still apply, including but not limited to Final Value Fees, optional Reserve Price Fees and all Listing Upgrade Fees such as "Item Subtitle", "Bold" or "Highlight". See the full details about eBay fees.

Sellers listing using the Auction-with-Buy It Now format will still be charged the Listing Upgrade Fee for Buy It Now.

General terms

eBay reserves the right to suspend, change or cancel the promotion at any time, in the event of circumstances arising which in eBay's opinion make it necessary for it to do so. eBay reserves the right to add additional terms and conditions for certain parts of this promotion.

Regards
Steve H

Hi everyone. As you've probably seen, we introduced a number of changes to the Feedback system on eBay.com this week. I want to address some of the most common questions we�ve seen come in over the past few days.

Including Neutral Feedback when calculating Positive Feedback percentage
Some sellers have seen their positive Feedback percentage drop since we introduced the changes. Though we mentioned that we would include neutral Feedback in the Positive Feedback percentage calculation, it seems that most sellers didn't realize this would impact their Feedback percentage.

We know that seeing your positive Feedback percentage drop is hard. But I want to be clear about why we did this. By not including neutral Feedback in our calculation, we were actually doing a disservice to our best sellers. Let me explain with an example.

Under the old calculation � both sellers would have a 99% Positive Feedback percentage.
Under the new (current) calculation � we count neutrals. If one seller has a neutral rate of 0.5% (roughly the site average), and the other has a neutral rate of 2%, under today�s calculation, their Feedback percentages are 98.5% and 97%, respectively. By including the neutral Feedback we are advantaging a seller who is providing a better overall customer experience (the one who now has a 98.5%), which is the right thing to do to create great buying experiences on eBay.

When looking at your percentage, I encourage you not to focus on the drop in your Feedback percentage as a raw number, but rather to think of it in context with other sellers' percentages on eBay.

Feedback Percentage Calculation
We've also received questions around how we now calculate the Positive Feedback percentage.

It's based on Feedback left for your transactions that ended in the past 52 weeks, including Feedback that qualifies for the repeat credit.

On your Feedback Profile page (found by clicking on your Feedback score), the "How is Feedback Percentage calculated?" link gives a numerical explanation. Here are the details in a nutshell:

The percentage is based on the last 12 months of transactions
The total number of positive Feedbacks for the period is divided by the total number of Feedbacks (including positive, negative and neutral). This includes repeat Feedback from members that have left Feedback for transactions that ended in different weeks.

Multiple Feedbacks left by the same member for transactions that occurred within the same week is not included in the calculation. For example, if a buyer purchased two items from you today and left you two positive Feedbacks seven days from now, only one Feedback is counted towards your Feedback score and Feedback percentage. This is to prevent Feedback manipulation.

Impact on PowerSeller Status
With the changes, some sellers may find that their overall Feedback percentage has fallen below the 98% threshold to maintain PowerSeller status. To help those who have fallen below the minimum 98% threshold get back above 98%, we will provide a 60-day grace period in which these accounts will retain PowerSeller status. After the 60-day period (ending on July 20), any PowerSeller who no longer meets the 98% threshold will no longer be eligible for PowerSeller status and benefits.

Other changes to your Feedback Percentage
Some sellers may notice a discrepancy between their Feedback percentage on the item page and on their Feedback Profile page � this is a temporary condition as we complete the system changes, and this information will be in sync again within a few days.

One last note: we have not yet removed negative and neutral Feedback left by members who are currently suspended. We'll begin doing so in late May, and it will take us a few weeks to complete. So, if you have negative or neutral Feedback from a suspended member, it should be removed by early June, at which point it will no longer affect your Feedback score and percentage.

I hope this helps answer some of your questions. You can also read my interview with our eBay Ink blog that addresses several other member questions as well. And if you haven't already done so, please read our information page and updated FAQ for more details.

Sincerely,

Brian Burke
Director, Global Feedback Policy

Regards
Steve H

What is eBay for Charity?

eBay for Charity is an easy way for buyers and sellers on eBay.co.uk to support their favourite charities. Buyers can shop for items knowing they�re supporting a good cause, be it an everyday bargain or a special auction. Sellers, whether they�re individuals or businesses, can donate a percentage from any sale to a charity of their choice and add Gift Aid to their donations. Charities can also sell their own items directly on eBay.co.uk.

Manage all eBay for Charity activities from your 'My eBay' in the Donations Account tab without needing a separate account with MissionFish (eBay�s charity partner)

You no longer need to register with MissionFish; eBay will cover all that for you from now onwards. You'll just need to accept the new terms and conditions with eBay next time you sell. (MissionFish will continue to collect and process donations for you and ensure all funds reach your chosen charity)

Paying your donations is now quick and easy, you can choose to automatically pay with the same method as you pay your eBay fees or select another that suits you better

It�s even easier to choose your charity and donation percentage in the Advanced 'Sell Your Item' form with the new eBay for Charity feature

We�ve lowered our minimum donation from �2 to only �1 per listing

We�re here to help � our new dedicated eBay customer support team is on hand for all your eBay for Charity needs

If you run into any problems or your buyer doesn�t pay, we�ll refund your donation through the eBay Unpaid Item process

Keep an eye out for special auctions from familiar faces � lots of celebrities and your favourite brands want to help make a difference with eBay for Charity

But don�t just take our word for it � visit our shiny new eBay for Charity site to find out more about the exciting ways to get involved.

So far, you and 21 million other eBay users in the UK have raised over �5 million for good causes. Huge thanks for helping to make eBay for Charity such a great success.

Learn more about eBay for Charity.

Regards,

The eBay Team

Regards
Steve H

Many people looking for a bargain when it comes to finding small, expensive gadgets such as MP3 players, mobile phones and digital cameras look to online auctions for a good price. The advantage of these auctions is that the same goods that are on sale in the shops for very high prices can be found at a very reduced price, and although this may be due to them being opened or even used, the product is usually in just as good condition.

Statistically, the vast majority of these online auction buyers make a good deal, and are pleased with the money they have saved. However, there are risks that you take if you are buying goods this way, and the usual laws and facilities which are there to protect you if you buy in store or direct from the manufacturer do not apply, and you can find yourself out of pocket rather than grabbing a bargain.

Goods not arriving, items in a very much poorer condition than advertised, goods not the same as described and even cheaper alternatives than the advertised product are all scams which exist on online auctions, and there are few things you can do to protect yourself.

The first thing to do if you are interested in a product you have found on an auction is to check the seller's feedback. Most auction sites run a system which allows buyers to leave feedback and a rating about the seller once the transaction is complete. With long standing sellers that do a lot of business and have a long and established history these feedbacks may run into several thousand or tens of thousands, and will give you encouragement. Some sellers will have only a few comments, and as long as they are all positive, this may well be encouraging, but you will be taking a certain amount of risk. Certainly you should avoid any seller who either has no feedback at all, or has largely negative feedback.

Another point to look for is the photograph used. It is always preferable if the photograph is if the actual product, and not just a stick photo taken from the manufacturer's website. A picture of the product in the seller's own home is helpful because not only does this suggest that there is a greater chance the item actually does exist, but also you can check out the quality of it - are there any marks, scratches or pieces missing?

Don't be afraid to ask the seller questions before you place a bid. If you're not sure about anything, ask - you're still under no obligation to bid, and if the seller doesn't respond, or respond effectively or quickly, then this may suggest to you that they are unreliable, and that this could impact on the likelihood of you receiving the item.

Check the wording of the item description carefully - does it actually say that it is the product you're purchasing? Some sellers run scams which include listings that suggest that the buyer will receive the product but have worded the description quite carefully, and end up only sending a dummy model, or even just a photograph or further information. If they word the description ambiguously, you may not have a case for claiming against them. As ever - it is always buyer beware.

by Victor Epand

About the Author

Victor Epand is an expert consultant about luggage, cruises, hotels, and shopping. You will find the best marketplace for luggage, cruises, hotels, and shopping at these sites for bags, luggage, hotels, cruise, and shopping, fake goods, counterfeit, auctions.

Regards
Steve H

For eBay Sellers finding ways to increase the exposure of their auctions, there is an answer, Bump Auction websites. These are websites that have a bump auction script that will allow eBay Sellers to immediately upload their eBay auctions to the website. This is a free service, websites make their money by collecting a referral fee if someone clicks through an auction and buys an item.

The best explanation for the bump auction is to simply visit one of these websites to see how it works. If you have an eBay auction presently, you can easily upload your auction image and information to the bump auction script on the website and it will be added immediately. You can submit your eBay auction to the bump auction at http://www.bumpauctions.com to see how it works. You will find that all Bump Auction websites work the same way, they are all using the same script.

There are over 30 Bump Auction websites, with more growing steadily, for a list of websites see http://www.bumpauctions.com/FreeInfo or visit the BumpAuctions eBay store at http://www.stores.ebay.ca/BumpAuctions . You can also find two how to videos at the ebay store that will show you how to place your auction on the websites.

A few guidelines: Most image formats are acceptable except bitmap (.bmp) which is not compatible. It is best to use the description in your eBay ad for the title. Make sure you have selected the correct image because once it is submitted it cannot be changed. Most Bump Auction websites will only allow you to upload three auctions at one time, follow these rules.

A lot of the Bump Auction websites are high traffic sites, so visit often as older ads get "bumped off" as newer ads are placed. Submitting your auction to as many sites as you can will give you more exposure for your auctions. So "Bump up your Sales with Bump Auctions".

About The Author:

Peter Morrison is owner of the website http://www.bumpauctions.com

Article Source: http://www.auctionezone.com/article240.html

From 19th May to 30th September 2008 you can add a gallery photo next to your listing on the search results page for free*. A buyer's more likely to bid when they can easily see what you're selling.

Whether you're an experienced seller or have never sold before, now is the time to take advantage of free gallery photos and get your listings noticed.

For the full details of the offer please continue reading the rest of the article.

Regards
Steve H

What is it?

From Monday the 19th of May to Tuesday the 30th of September 2008, sellers who list using the Auction-style, Auction-with-Buy It Now or Buy It Now Only (Fixed Price) formats, will also be able to use the Gallery Listing Upgrade feature for free for each item they list.

Please refer to "What's Excluded?" and "What's Included?" for more details.
When is it?

Between Monday the 19th of May 00:00:01 GMT to Tuesday the 30th of September 2008 23:59:59 GMT.
What's Included?

* Only items listed in Euros on eBay.ie using the Auction-style, Auction-with-Buy It Now or Buy It Now Only (Fixed Price) formats are included.
* Any item previously scheduled to go live between Monday the 19th of May and Tuesday the 30th of September 2008 will qualify for the promotion.
* If you re-list an item during the promotional period that had previously closed without a successful sale, the re-list will qualify for the promotion.
* Items listed in the 'Parts & Accessories' sub category of the Cars, Parts & Vehicles category.

What's excluded?

* Apart from the "Parts & Accessories" sub category as detailed in the "What's Included?" section above, all other items listed in any "Motors" category are excluded from the promotion.
* Items listed using the eBay Express Only format.
* Identical listings that do not comply with our Duplicate Listings policy. See the full details about our Duplicate Listings policy.
* Shops Inventory Format listings. See the full details about listing items in Shops Inventory Format.
* Any item listed during the promotional period but scheduled to start after the promotional period will NOT qualify for the promotion.
* Any items listed which do not comply with our Listing Policies or Prohibited and restricted Items Policies.
* Only the basic gallery fee will be free. All other eBay selling fees will still apply, including but not limited to, Insertion Fees, Final Value Fees, optional Reserve Price Fees and all Listing Upgrade Fees such as "Subtitle" "Bold" or "Highlight". See the full details about eBay fees.

Members listing using the Auction-with-Buy It Now format will still be charged the Listing Upgrade Fee for Buy It Now.
General terms

eBay reserves the right to suspend, change or cancel the promotion at any time, in the event of circumstances arising which in eBay's opinion make it necessary for it to do so. eBay reserves the right to add additional terms and conditions for certain parts of this promotion.

Regards
Steve H

Following on from our announcement back in January, we�d now like to confirm that changes to the Feedback system will come into effect on eBay.co.uk and eBay.ie from 15 May.

Why are we making changes?
We�re aiming to restore the trust and transparency that�s at the heart of the Feedback system. We want buyers to be able to rate sellers honestly so that other buyers can tell good and bad sellers apart more easily � and have total confidence in who they�re buying from.

We�re also recognising sellers who attract repeat buyers � this is a clear indication of good service. At the moment, a number of feedback ratings from the same buyer count as a single rating, but from 15 May onwards a seller�s Feedback score will reflect all the feedback they�ve been left.

Protecting sellers
Since our announcement in January, a number of sellers have told us they�re concerned about the risk of some buyers abusing the new Feedback system. So to combat this, we�ve made some modifications to the changes we originally announced:

Before feedback is left

1. We�ll remind all buyers about to leave negative or neutral feedback for a seller to get in touch with the seller first, and to allow plenty of time for their item to arrive (we�ll also include a specific reminder for cross-border purchases).
2. Sellers will have more control over who they allow to bid on and buy their items thanks to an enhanced Buyer Requirements tool. For the first time, they�ll be able to block bidders who have been reported for policy breaches and non-payment. We�ll launch these enhancements at the end of May.
3. Buyers will be able to leave feedback for 60 days after a transaction (down from 90 days).
4. If a seller is a PowerSeller and has been on the site for at least a year, buyers will not be able to leave negative or neutral feedback for 7 days after their transaction.

After feedback is left

1. We�ll remove negative or neutral ratings if a seller opens an Unpaid Item claim and the buyer either doesn�t respond or doesn�t specifically say the seller is at fault.
2. We�ll remove negative or neutral ratings left by a buyer if they�re subsequently permanently suspended from the site.
3. We�ll base Feedback percentage scores on the last 12 months� activity (rather than on lifetime activity) so that negative feedback doesn�t permanently affect a seller�s reputation.
4. We�ll be launching a dedicated hub for sellers to report malicious or unfair feedback from buyers.

Shopping with peace of mind
As we announced before, all listings on eBay.co.uk will soon need to offer PayPal as a Safe Payment method. This is so that buyers have the choice of purchase protection on every item they buy.

Over 95% of listings on eBay.co.uk now offer PayPal. If you don�t already offer it on yours, we�d strongly recommend you sign up now. We�ll update you soon on the final deadline for the requirement to offer PayPal on your listings.

We hope you�ll support these changes. They�ll create a safer marketplace where buyers are more confident and which rewards sellers giving good service.

Regards,
The eBay team