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Tue July 19 2011 23:49:30

How Do You Raise eBay Selling Limits?

By: Ina Steiner

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Dear Ina,
I am writing to inquire about eBay sellers with selling limits. I've seen so many posts about how eBay is making it extremely difficult to sell because of the limits they impose on their sellers. From all these posts I have yet to see a success story.

Can you ask your readers if there are any sellers who were limited by eBay and then successfully managed to remove their limits to become top rated powersellers? That way we can see what they did and hopefully do the same. Please let me know if you can post this question.

We have been limited for 3 months in a row now and we're trying to figure out the formula for success. We've managed to raise our item as described DSR from 4.7 to 4.8 but I don't know if that will be enough for eBay. All our DSRs are 4.8, 4.8, 4.9 and 4.9.

We will be reviewed again on the 20th so if we get limits removed I'll let you know.
Armando

Comments (25) | Permalink

Readers Comments

How Do You Raise eBay Selling Limits?

by: Steve

This user has validated their user name.

Web Site

Wed Jul 20 00:48:05 2011

There is alot of info on the feeBay website. You can most likely answer your questions here. http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/sellinglimits.html

How Do You Raise eBay Selling Limits?

by: shipping out

Wed Jul 20 02:02:50 2011

Its not your overall dsr rating . You need to run some reports on your seller dashboard to see if you have any sales rated 1 or 2.

Loosely the maximum low ratings you can have / dsr /year if you are a low volume seller is 3.

Higher volume sellers are rated 3 monthly on percentage

End of the day you have to wait for the low ratings to drop off your feedback after 12 months while doing everything possible to improve your selling technique in the mean time.
Post out quicker do free postage include the postage in the start price and pay a few more fees to Ebay for the privilege

How Do You Raise eBay Selling Limits?

by: Charlie W.
Web Site

Wed Jul 20 07:30:05 2011

Yeah, it's a shameless plug... but these simple stickers help me (and my customers who buy them). Without pestering *your* customers for feedback, a friendly reminder helps them to understand the importance of positive feedback and 5-star DSR scores.

http://preview.tinyurl.com/3syxr2s

If you have an unhappy customer, it's a guarantee that they're motivated to ding your DSR's... but perfectly happy customers are the ones who sometimes forget to follow-through with positive comments and high DSR ratings.

Unfortunately, when the happy customers don't follow-through, it means that the scores of the occasional unhappy customer will weigh more (mathematically). By encouraging EVERY happy customer to follow-through, then it helps to quickly dilute the negative effects of a less-than-perfect score.

Do you have a restrictive return policy? If so, re-examine your policy to be more friendly. A ''no returns'' policy is often overruled by eBay/PayPal anyway... and it signals to buyers that you aren't willing to take care of problems.

Even if you ARE willing, they assume the worst, and instead of even TRYING, they just get their satisfaction by dinging your DSR scores.

Good luck!

How Do You Raise eBay Selling Limits?

by: RAOTFLMAO

Wed Jul 20 08:07:58 2011

I never ask for feedback and I never leave feedback unless the buyer has less than 10. Right now I have 5's all the way. Secret? Just fast shipping, no bs in the description, no gouging on shipping costs, answer all questions quickly and truthfully. To me feedback is redundant since you cannot really leave feedback so I quit leaving it. I don't worry I just sell. Can't help what ebay does anyway so just.

How Do You Raise eBay Selling Limits?

by: anon1

Wed Jul 20 09:39:45 2011

Here's a suggestion on how to avoid the selling limits problem: Stop depending on eBay as your selling venue - they don't really want you there if 3 low DSRs are going to cause you to have selling limits imposed because if that hurts you, you are not important enough to THEM for them to care whether you ever make another dime. They have been giving you clues for years. Why do you fight it? Find a venue appropriate to your product where they will welcome your business and move it all over there - devote all of your effort there and use Freecebay if you must during the transition time for a little cash flow, but devote the lion's share of your time to the welcoming venue. And avoid ones that charge massive fees like Fleecebay.

Pretty simple.

Also: Cut back on all of your expenses for the next year while you are transitioning. Maybe trade down to a lower or no monthly payment on your car to save - do a lot of cost saving in your personal expenses so the transition will not "ruin" you financially. Stop buying things you don't really need - think every single time before you buy - and you'll be fine within the year if not before. Stop eating out. Watch for sales on groceries. Be frugal and you will be glad you did in the very near future.

But if you stick with the fleece, you will just have more of this nonsense.

I did it and I have not been sorry. There were months when it was really tight and I had to really watch my budget but it has been worth it. I have three venues. Two of them do not charge fees. One does but I'm moving off that one because it also does not provide me quality buyers - I have far too many returns from buyers with the eBay mentality. Hint: It's The "Ranch".

How Do You Raise eBay Selling Limits?

by: Facing the FACTS!

Wed Jul 20 09:59:54 2011

My advice OP is, ALL of the extra STRESS and hard work you are going to have to put into raising your DSRS to get the limits removed, and then the pressure and stress you will find yourself under to get and maintain a TRS status, that time and effort can be better spent into setting up in other MANY other venues and your own site.

The truth is, ebay is a HORRIBLE place to sell anymore. Sure many people will sell a decent amount of things, but the number of SCAMMERS, EXTORTIONISTS, LIARS, and down right ROTTEN people flooding the site these days is just NOT worth the time, stress, trouble and EXPENSE!

I know this for a FACT. I am a TRS, I sell quite a bit (about 800-1000 items per month) and still all it takes is for a few people every 3 months to reek havoc on your scores. This is of course NO accident, ebay SET IT UP this way.

If I did not sell, maintain and allow the amount of extortionists, liars, and crooks I do, I would constantly lose TSR.

OP, you will probably not take my advice or anyones else about forgetting about ebay and putting your efforts elsewhere, in fact you will probably THINK you will manage to AVOID these things but you will eventually realize you CANNOT beat a RIGGED system.

ebay is just like Vegas, the games are RIGGED and the HOUSE ALWAYS WINS.

It is the sellers and even the buyers who ALWAYS LOSE for every decision ebay makes, good or bad, although ebay hardly ever makes good decisions anymore.

How Do You Raise eBay Selling Limits?

by: Bigfootedalien
Web Site

Wed Jul 20 11:08:57 2011

I HAD to do this 2ce (almost lost my business both times) 1st it was 4.3DSR in S&H (1st bad rule change) then the 1-2% rule I was severely punished with 4000 items in my store - they raised listing fees up 400% :: ( on S&H 1st rule change) I had to stop selling to all overseas customers (thats changed now) on the 2nd I literally kiss every buyers butt (just like ebay wants!) Now the Buyers ''alway'' right & I give a full refund no matter what - that took all DSRs/neg to a very low level that I can stay in business with! (not easy selling used motorcycle parts) but i figured it out as above : WORKS -- dont ever think that ebay actually cares about U (they dont) & never will U just have to play their stupid games!!!!!

How Do You Raise eBay Selling Limits?

by: PM

Wed Jul 20 12:39:39 2011

@RAOTFLMAO
Yeah, right. That works for a very little while, and I've even seriously given some thought to specifically asking buyers NOT to leave feedback, good or bad.

The problem with your suggestion, and my idea, is that you can't prevent a buyer from leaving feedback. Further, you can't control the reading comprehension or experience level of your buyers, let alone their motivations. If you don't encourage the satisfied buyers to leave FB, you will get a FB from a disproportionate number of cranks and scammers and your rating, whatever it may now be, will slowly creep lower and lower with every inevitable 4 you get.

I don't buy for a minute that nonsense about "just ship fast, describe without bs and answer questions and everything will be hunky-dory".

I have NEVER once shipped late, overcharged for shipping, or gotten an SNAD complaint, let alone a case. I have never taken more than 8 hours to answer a question. In short, I do everything you said, and more.

The result? All it took was a couple of newbies who thought a 4 star rating reflected a great transaction to lower my DSR from all 5's, where it had been for nearly a year, to 4.9s, where it is now.

The fundamental mathematical problem with DSR's is that Ebay rates you on a decimal scale, yet the buyer is restricted to whole numbers. Therefore, each 4 can only lower your average closer and closer to 4.0, which is death. There is no way to get consistent 4.9's. So, if you start out with 5's, all you can do is sink or tread water. Once you get close to a 4.6, you are in a death spiral.

The only way to counteract the result of a single 4 is by large numbers of 5's. If you don't encourage happy buyers to rate you 5 stars, your rating will continue to decline every single time you get a 4 rating, and that will happen no matter what you do. It is absolutely inevitable, no matter how perfect your product and service is. The only remedy is sheer dilution of 4 stars with many, many 5 stars. And, since the occasional bad buyer is the type prone to leave FB, you'll never get them unless you ask for them.

Go to Leavingfeedback.com and play around with their feedback calculator. You will be shocked to see how many 5's it takes to counteract the corrosive effect of a single 4.

Discouraging, or ignoring, feedback is a sure-fire recipe for disaster. To be perfectly blunt about it, anyone who tells you different is either 1) a newbie who doesn't understand how DSR's work, or 2) an ebay shill, or 3) mathematically challenged or 4) blowing smoke up your butt.

How Do You Raise eBay Selling Limits?

by: Anne

Wed Jul 20 17:32:55 2011

Armando

The other posters telling you to view your DSRs are correct. You are looking at this the wrong way. You need to go to your Dashboard and research what is happening. It is highly likely that the 1s and 2s are what is hurting you.

Now with that said, if you are not describing your things accurately, this is a moot point. It appears that your descriptions and your communication is what needs to be improved in Ebay's mind.

Raising the overall DSR for description from 4.7 to 4.8 is not enough. This appears to be the area you need the most help in. When creating a description, be open and honest about it. List all the information you would want if you were the buyer. Short sweet descriptions are not good enough.

Ebay's DSR requirements are extremely strict and extremely unfair, but they are what you have to deal with if you are going to sell on Ebay. Make sure you completely understand the DSR System as it is the only way you will overcome your current issues.

As to feedback. All sellers that have more than 10 FB from buyers are better off if buyers never leave FB, so don't encourage FB in any way. Certainly don't discourage it, but don't encourage it.

The FB ratings and DSR ratings are based on number of TRANSACTIONs NOT number of FB. So the fewer buyers you have leaving FB the less of a chance you have of getting low DSRs. So sellers really shouldn't be asking buyers to leave FB and certainly not 5 stars. If they don't leave FB, just leave them alone, you will be far better off.

How Do You Raise eBay Selling Limits?

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by: Anonymous Annie

Wed Jul 20 18:40:26 2011

Anne writes: ''So the fewer buyers you have leaving FB the less of a chance you have of getting low DSRs.''

It sounds logical on-paper, but there's a serious flaw in that plan when it comes to trying to apply it to the real-word.

How Do You Raise eBay Selling Limits?

by: Anne

Wed Jul 20 19:11:25 2011

by: Anonymous Annie

Wed Jul 20 18:40:26 2011
Anne writes: ''So the fewer buyers you have leaving FB the less of a chance you have of getting low DSRs.''

It sounds logical on-paper, but there's a serious flaw in that plan when it comes to trying to apply it to the real-word.

I don't understand Annie. What do you mean.

It's not a "plan" as you state. It was a statement. There is no way to implement it as it is not a plan that can be, it is simply a statement. Most sellers are better off if buyers just don't leave FB period.

So what is it that you feel is flawed? Its only a statement, not an actionable plan.

.

How Do You Raise eBay Selling Limits?

This user has validated their user name.

by: Anonymous Annie

Wed Jul 20 19:58:13 2011

Hi Anne!

I think that it's a mistake to not encourage customers to leave positive feedback. I also think it's a mistake NOT to encourage them to leave all 5-star DSR's.

Your observations make a statistical conclusion (ie: fewer feedback participants would mean a smaller chance for negative fb/DSR's) but it neglects to take human nature into account.

In your follow-up, you added ''Most sellers are better off if buyers just don't leave FB period.'' ~ That statement may also have a kernel of truth to it, but it's not very realistic to think it's going to happen.

I can state with a great deal of certainty that an unhappy buyer will brave hell and highwater to be able to register their dissatisfaction.

It doesn't matter if they have to fill-in a tedious online form, or if they must to wait on-hold for 45 minutes... any unhappy customer (even if only slightly perturbed) will make the effort to make CERTAIN that someone ELSE is also unhappy.

When that ONE unhappy customer's 1-star scores are averaged out against a mere half-dozen other customers who bothered to leave 5-star scores, the results can be a catastrophic 4.33 average.

On the other hand, if the seller had been proactively encouraging EVERY customer to participate... his intention is to get as many happy customers in the mix.

We already know the unhappy ones WILL NOT be stopped. So the efforts to get happy customers to participate can only HELP the outcome.

This time, the 1-star scores of the unhappy customer are averaged out against 99 other perfect scores... and the 5.0 average will drop to 4.96 and that's still respectable.

You offered some great advice and common-sense solutions on how to improve listings and minimize the risk of having an unhappy customer. It was perfect!

But sooner or later, in spite of our best efforts, every seller makes a mistake. Sooner or later, every seller has the misfortune of having to deal with unreasonable customer who is bound and determined to get revenge.

When this customer comes along, nothing will stop him. The only thing you can do to minimize his impact is to prepare in advance. The ONLY way to soften the blow is to have as many 5-star scores ALREADY IN THE BANK so that his 1-star doesn't cause a lot of damage.

When you said: ''Certainly don't discourage it, but don't encourage it.'' ... Well, that bit of advice (or recommendation) kinda sounds like a plan to me. But I don't want to debate semantic distinctions without a difference. My apologies to you for using the word ''plan'' when characterizing your advice.

~ Annie ~

How Do You Raise eBay Selling Limits?

by: Anne

Wed Jul 20 20:59:18 2011

And Hello To you Annie,

I do disagree with you about encouraging buyers to leave FB and 5 star DSRs. I don't encourage or discourage my customers to leave FB. I'm a seller of well over a Decade on Ebay and close to 30k in FB. I'm also TRS. Now I only say that so you know I have some experience, not for any other reason.

It appears to me from what you have written above that you feel those buyers that leave negative or neutral FB are the most problematic, but in my experience and that of many I've chatted with, is not the case.

It has been my experience that the problem isn't with negative and neutral FB. As with those you can sometimes get them removed for one reason or another, or get the buyer to agree to change it or they don't leave DSRs as they feel the bad FB is what is hurtful to the seller. They aren't aware that the DSRs are really more important.

The problem that I experience the most and many other sellers that I've chatted with are the buyers that leave positive FB and then hit your DSRs for some reason. These are the most dangerous in my opinion to a seller, the hardest to get a handle on and impossible to get fixed.

You stated above "In your follow-up, you added ''Most sellers are better off if buyers just don't leave FB period.'' ~ That statement may also have a kernel of truth to it, but it's not very realistic to think it's going to happen." I didn't say it was going to happen, I only made a statement that we would be better off as a seller.

You appear to be trying to make more out of a statement that I made than I ever said or intended. It's merely a statement, not a plan, not a policy, not anything but a statement.

As to my statement about encouraging or not encouraging buyers to leave FB, let me make it clear, that is what my personal experience tells me. All sellers have the right to agree or disagree, do it or don't do it. It's merely my thoughts on the subject, nothing more.
.

How Do You Raise eBay Selling Limits?

by: woo hoo

Wed Jul 20 22:08:56 2011

@Armando

Sharing my tale of woe...

I'm a ''hobbyist'' seller with a full-time job. I sell on eBay because I enjoy(ed) it and I have a lot of stuff that sells pretty well on eBay. On an average month, I post 15-25 items, most of them in the Health & Beauty category (make-up / perfume / face care). Most of my items have well-known and are popular brands.

In early May and then again in mid June, I got hit with selling limits despite having 12 months of no 1's or 2's and my DSRs were all in the 4.85-4.95 range. When first hit by the selling limit, I looked for information in Help and also called Customer Service. All I can say is that Help had outdated / inaccurate information and Customer Service was useless and outright lied. Other than perhaps selling ''too many'' (5) anti-aging products (and these are simply face care items that have anti-wrinkle/line claims) and selling a particular brand, there was no rational explanation for the limit -- the customer service rep just regurgitated what was in their knowledge base -- could not explain why and was too inexperienced to walk me through what the help page said is on the seller dashboard and repeated the ''we'll review your account again on x-date'' that you yourself heard. That said, I was able to continue selling other categories of items.

So, my advice to you, if you choose to continue using eBay, is to diversify your product set if you can so that when you hit your selling limit on one type of item, you have others to sell.

Trying to have eBay raise your selling limit is like trying to prove a negative.

Good luck.

How Do You Raise eBay Selling Limits?

by: Francoise

Thu Jul 21 02:52:19 2011

Anne:

I thoroughly agree with your ''statements.'' Those regarding feedback in particular. I used to solicit feedback after a month or so from those who didn't leave any. Then one day, I began to suspect that perhaps it's better when they don't, so I stopped bothering.

The statement you made, ''FB ratings and DSR ratings are based on number of TRANSACTIONs NOT number of FB'' was a real eye opener and, I believe, supports my suspicion as well as your ''statements.''

Thanks for that!

P.S. I'm left wondering about one thing Anne, do you leave feedback for buyers or do you see that as ''encouraging'' feedback?

How Do You Raise eBay Selling Limits?

by: Anne

Thu Jul 21 03:24:49 2011

Franciose

I ALWAYS leave FB for those that leave FB for me. I value my customers greatly and I want them to return again and again. I do not ever hold FB hostage. If a buyer request that I leave FB before they do, I always do it and just apologize to the buyer for not getting it done sooner.

I honestly do not think it is a good idea to remind or ask buyers to leave FB. And I don't like it that Ebay sends reminders to the buyers either. It's a voluntary system and Ebay has no right to stick their nose in it or remind anyone to leave FB. Ebay micro manages sellers to a point of completely ridiculous behavior. And make no mistake, when Ebay does stuff like this, they do have their reasons and it's NOT in the sellers best interest. The more buyers that post FB, the higher the chances are that the buyer will ding those darn DSRs. And in turn lower the amount of sellers that can become TRS and get the discount. Once again, more money in Ebay's pocket.

I've been TRS for a long time, however next month I might just loose it and it is ALL due to buyers posting glowing FB, but dinging the DSRs. My overall DSRs are sitting at 4.9, 5.0, 4.9, 4.9. How ridiculous that I would not be considered a TRS. But that is Ebays game. They encourage confrontation between buyers and seller and in turn lower the amount of sellers that will get discounts.

.

How Do You Raise eBay Selling Limits?

by: Y.D.D.D

Thu Jul 21 08:29:03 2011

I have said this once, and I will say it again, I do not sell over 300 to 400 items every 3 months, all I need is just about 3 out maybe 100 or so to leave me a 1 or 2 star DSR even if positive feedback, and I may be history

It doesn't matter if I do everything right, and ship it out in 1 hour, or even if it is a buyer with (0) feedback or (1) feedback, the bottom line is they can destroy all my hard work for 1 calendat year

Damn shame Donahoe allows this evilness to honest hard working accurately describing sellers

I still am always looking for ways to free myself from ebay, and will, and I will never encourage anyone to buy and sell on such an unjust site

As I say, there are sellers who deserve low stars, but the abusers use it as a tool to put honest people out of business and extort

How Do You Raise eBay Selling Limits?

by: Armando
Web Site

Thu Jul 21 09:42:00 2011

OMG! There is light at the end of the tunnel. We just got our selling limits removed! We were limited for 3 months. After yesterdays evaluation we are free to list any limit.

Our main problem areas were descriptions and communication. We focused on improving both by using actual photos vs stock photos whenever possible and over describing any flaws. We sell cell phones by the way. Used cell phones can be hard to sell because people have high expectations especially if you have a stock photo and expect them to READ THE DESCRIPTION where it says used. Anyway, actual photos really helped. As far as communication, we reply within minutes if message sent during business hours otherwise we answer next business morning.

I'll keep you guys posted on what else we did right. For now we have listings to put up. Good luck to all!

Just in case you are wondering, we do sell on various other webstores that we created and have used eBay as a lead generator to send traffic to our stores. I hope they don't read that but my advice to you is that if you are still able to sell on eBay, keep a list of all of your buyers and add to it everytime you have a new buyer. Then you have something to work with when starting your own webstore. If ebay ever makes you hit the fan then at least you have a customer database.

How Do You Raise eBay Selling Limits?

by: Christine
Web Site

Thu Jul 21 11:09:25 2011

Tips:
* Offer free shipping for automatic 5.0 on your DSR.
* Make sure your picture matches your description. (e.g. don't list 2 if your item for sale is just 1). Show a picture in the correct color.
* Take closeups of any flaws and describe these flaws. As you describe flaws, end your description on a positive note. For example, "The flaws add to the vintage charm."

* Include a note to your buyers about DSRs and how you hope to meet and exceed your clients expectations.

Best wishes on improving your DSRs so that you can sell more on eBay!

How Do You Raise eBay Selling Limits?

by: Anne

Thu Jul 21 11:36:10 2011

Y.D.D.D.
Thu Jul 21 08:29:03 2011
I have said this once, and I will say it again, I do not sell over 300 to 400 items every 3 months, all I need is just about 3 out maybe 100 or so to leave me a 1 or 2 star DSR even if positive feedback, and I may be history.

***************************

It's not just 3 low DSRs, it would have to be 3 different buyers as well. If you got 3 low DSRs from one buyer, it would not cause you to loose your search standings.

While I respect your position in regards to smaller sellers, it's not so much different for larger sellers. The percentages are the same. We are held to the same standards as you are, it's just that we have more transactions.

For example: A seller with 400 transaction in 90 days, all it takes is 3 different buyers. For a seller that does less than 400 transaction in a 90 day period, they are evaluated on the past 12 months. So for every 200 transactions, you can't have more than 1 low DSR but keep in mind it does take 3 to downgrade your account.

Now here is where the difference comes in for smaller sellers vs larger sellers. It's easier for larger sellers to recover if they loose their search standings because they can rack up the transactions faster than a smaller seller can. A smaller seller can have to suffer with the lower search standings for a longer period of time trying to recover their account.

If this happens to you. Try to find something you can sell at low prices. Try to run as many listings as you can to boost up your transaction count. And remember its the transaction count, NOT how many FB are left. The DSR numbers are calculated from your transactions divided by the DSRs left.
.

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