eBay Promo Requiring Free Shipping Catches Sellers' Attention

by: Marie

Ebay appears to be getting more and more restrictive with its promotions.

However with this one.  If you use TurboLister or some other type of listing tool.  Pull your listings from Ebay into your listing tool program.  You can capture sold, unsold, active or whatever it is you need.

Then select the ones you want to do for this promotion and upload them.  They will all come into Ebay as a brand new listing.

by: lagunalps

God I hate what eBay has become under this CEO.

by: Marie

As problems on Ebay goes, this one is pretty easy to work around.  If they were all this easy, we would be far happier.

And we don't know if this is JD doing this or Wenig.  

by: retiredcatlady

Sounds like moe, curly and Larry are in charge  

by: WhatWas

These idiots are so far behind the marketing curve, desperately trying new campaigns to fix the last 8 years of ''FUBR'' er I mean Donahoe, or is that Doughnut Hole?

This will really drive sales... So lets give some of the sellers a .20 free listing and then to participate they have to give a lot say $5-$15 in free shipping - Do these idiots have any clue on the cost of shipping rates. 2 lbs Priority Mail from east coast to west is $9!

And they want me to do this 3000 times for free! What a great idea, why didn't I think of that? These ppl have zero marketing skills -

Idiots - I know... but it bares repeating.    

by: dans parts

I've read all the fine print about 3 times through, and I don't see that free shipping is a requirement.

Yes, they do have a banner at the top of the email promotion about free shipping, but it appears to only be crowing about the boost you'll get if you convert to free shipping, not that you can't participate in the promotion if you don't convert items to free shipping.

Maybe I mis-read or mis-interpreted, but does anyone else see it as a REQUIREMENT to use free shipping?

@Marie - don't forget that Sellers using third-party listers like inkFrog, Auctiva, etc, also have tools to submit auctions to eBay as ''new'', if they have things set up in their listing service properly.

by: Volvo351

Does this promo contain a link to a website operated by the Free Shipping Fairy?  Oh…I didn't think so!    

by: iheartjacksparrow

@dans parts - Look at the banner at the top of the page that Ina has linked to: First thing it states is "Must Offer Free Shipping."

by: noblechuck

@iheartjacksparrow- The link that Ina is providing does state that you must offer Free Shipping. However the offer I received from ebay does not include that wording in the banner or the body of the fine print. Apparently this offer is not the same across the board.

by: noblechuck

Here's a link for the ''Non-Free Shipping'' offer.

http://pages.ebay.com/promo/2015/0302/MarchListings.html

by: Marie

@Dansparts

I didn't forget about other tools.  I stated "or some other type of listing tool."  

And Jack is correct.  They are pretty clear about the free shipping must be there.  

You can see it in the graphics on this thread.  The first statement is "OFFER Free shipping and you can list..."  Also if you click on the link in the article to get to the actual announcement, look to the right of the green area [it is exactly like the graphics above], it states "MUST offer free shipping".

And in the details it states:
What is the Promotion?
Sellers who activate the offer and then create a listing that: (i) is listed in the fixed price format; (ii) OFFERS FREE domestic shipping;.....

by: baconsdozen

There is no point in giving a deceased equine a severe beating. That is though,what ebay is fast becoming.

by: iheartjacksparrow

I read through the information in the link provided by "noblechuck" and I could find nothing concerning the need to offer free shipping to qualify for the promotion. The conspiracy theorist in me suspects the free shipping was intentionally left off the other link so sellers would list 3,000 items and be charged for all those not offering free shipping.  

by: Marie

@jack

If they did that, it would create problems for them.  While they aren't always the brightest, I don't think they would intentionally set themselves up for another lawsuit seeing the more recent settlement on listing fees cost them almost 7 million in settlement and who knows how much in legal fees.  

What may have happened is they rethought the promo and issued it without such a restriction.

I wasn't invited to this one, so I didn't get either email.

by: gizmo

Last week good sales , yes I listed things under my 1 remaining account. Top rated got me a lot of views , ok bids , this week I did not open any offers , deleted them all , now sales are back to  , lets say , less than last weeks normal. Screw you Deadbay , you drones are out of your board.

Garbage scowl called deadbay !

by: gizmo

By the way , Im not interested in anything, deadbay offers for free.
I occasionally use their 50 free if I have something not good enouph for my other venues , Ill take a try in the scowl.

by: Basset

I'm apparently in the group without the Free Ship requirement. It does throw hints that FS would get better exposure.  

No re-lists tho, must be a fresh listing.  

by: Rexford

Great....another sales killing listing sale.  I'd rather pay for listings and actually get sales than to get free listings with no sales.

by: Maui5150

Just a correction... I have the 3000 Free Fixed (no free shipping requirements) and I have been able to create listings with "sell similar" and get credit.  I verified this on the auction counts chart at the bottom of my page

by: Terry in Texas

I just activated the promo (not sure why except maybe it will keep the invites coming) and read it thoroughly. I received the promo WITHOUT free shipping required.  i actually have 5 new items i can list.

The promotion clearly states "The Promotion excludes the following: ‘relist’ and ‘sell similar’ items, items listed in the auction-style or auction-style with Buy It Now format, and items listed with 3-day, 5-day, or Good ‘Til Cancelled durations."

i'm just wondering if i have all my listings set up in Inkfrog, can i simply upload those selected listings and they will be considered NEW?

on a side note: i totaled 5 sales all of February. I downgraded my store to basic and will probably dump the store altogether in april or may (depends on when i land a real job). it makes me really angry and sad.