Email a copy of 'Good News: eBay Stops Hiding Shipping Options from Buyers' to a friend
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Ina Steiner is co-founder and Editor of EcommerceBytes and has been reporting on ecommerce since 1999. She's a widely cited authority on marketplace selling and is author of "Turn eBay Data Into Dollars" (McGraw-Hill 2006). Her blog was featured in the book, "Blogging Heroes" (Wiley 2008). She is a member of the Online News Association (Sep 2005 - present) and Investigative Reporters and Editors (Mar 2006 - present). Follow her on Twitter at @ecommercebytes and send news tips to ina@ecommercebytes.com. See disclosure at EcommerceBytes.com/disclosure/.
Excellent news. One of those ideas that makes complete sense to people who have never sold anything online for a living, but flies in the face of the experiences of anyone who has done any selling themselves. Unfortunately eBay hires in their own image and recruits whizz-kid programmers who can analyze terabytes of shipping rate data to figure out that ‘eBay knows best’ when it comes to shipping choices and that trumps doing what makes the customer happy.
Now that they’re sitting in the confessional, perhaps we can ask that they recognize that 500 character feedback is massively asymmetric, to the detriment of sellers? No one is going to write an essay on why you’re a great seller, but some ill-informed buyer will cheerfully fill all available screen inches with a rant on why you should be chastised for USPS delaying their package.
When a buyer selects a higher priced shipping option, say Priority Mail instead of 1st Class, who profits the most?
A. The Seller
B. USPS
C. eBay
The correct answer is C.
““We listened to your feedback and we’re again showing all shipping services you offer in your listings. Now buyers can select their preferred carriers, shipping costs, and estimated delivery dates from the options in your listings. We expect the expanded shipping options will create greater efficiencies for sellers and improve the buyer experience.”
Can someone tell me when eBay was asked to make the change in the first place?
Be “just the venue” you told the courts you are and be nothing else (like being a greedy lieing cheating SOB not asked for partner).
We ALL told you it was wrong in the first place … maybe listen to your customers? (you know the ones who actually sell things all day !)
eBay doesn’t know what my customers want. Most of my stuff will ship First Class Parcel but, on those rare occasions when a customer is willing to pay $8+ Priority Mail postage to ship a $7 item, the customer should have that option. And now they will. 🙂