Despite eBay pushing sellers to offer free shipping, it is passing on a fix that would allow sellers to save money when mailing certain types of packages because it doesn't have the engineering resources as it chooses to focus on other areas to serve a greater number of sellers.

eBay must prioritize projects due to a limit to the number of engineers it has, a moderator told a seller who had asked, "How can we use expedited shipping effectively if we can't factor-in the Regional boxes when setting up our listings?"

USPS offers a Regional rate for its Priority Mail service. But during ... Read More

Photos in some listings on Amazon are displaying a Guy Fawkes mask instead of the product. A seller noticed the image showing up in some listings for supplements.

There's no evidence the incident is related to the objections some Amazon employees have to the company's facial recognition technology, which it markets to government and law enforcement. 

However, the image is suggestive of a political motivation being behind the incident, having been used by activists in recent years, most notably Anonymous.

The incident also comes a day after the South Park television program featured the company in a blistering satire.

Sellers discussing the issue believe ... Read More

With holiday shopping in full swing, we had a thought about gifting. When is it okay to give used goods as gifts? Would it help sellers if the practice became more mainstream?

Giving a vintage item or antique as a gift is a great way to show someone you know their interests and help them reminisce or add to their collections. But what about giving used goods like clothes, novelty items, or household goods?

Have you ever been offended by receiving something that didn't come with tags? Or have you ever had a friend or relative show disdain upon receiving such ... Read More

Sellers say eBay is removing their listings for military surplus goods that they've successfully sold for many years, items they say comply with eBay's Military Items policy. One seller said she received a 3-day suspension. 

Adding to the frustration are the mixed messages from eBay customer service about the reasons for the removals, as well as eBay's refusal to provide guidance so they can ensure future compliance, telling sellers to take it up with the US Department of Defense (DOD).

A reader pointed us to this thread on the eBay discussion boards that started on Monday (November 26, 2018).

While there's all kinds of ... Read More

Is eBay delivering buyers to its army of sellers during Thanksgiving weekend and Cyber week? eBay kicked off an eBay Bucks promotion on Tuesday to try and boost sales during what should be a busy period for sellers. Invited members can receive 10% in eBay Bucks on qualifying items of $25 or more when buying with the latest version of the eBay mobile app.

We noted a similar promotion in September, but with this latest sale, eBay will also provide members of its loyalty program 8% in eBay Bucks on every qualifying item of $25 or more ... Read More