Ina Steiner EcommerceBytes Blog
News and insight focusing on ecommerce.
by Ina Steiner, Editor of EcommerceBytes.com
Mon Apr 4 2016 10:48:04

eBay Fails to Fix Costly Glitch on Its Mobile App

By: Ina Steiner

Sponsored Link

Imagine you were purchasing an item that showed free shipping and suddenly the seller was demanding you pay shipping costs. That's what's happening to buyers who are using eBay's mobile app, and it's causing friction between buyers and sellers.

Here's a seller explaining the dilemma they are facing as a result of a known but yet-to-be-fixed bug on the eBay mobile app:

"I had a customer make a Best Offer using their cell phone that showed Free Shipping at the time it was viewed, but this was not a free shipping item. I accepted the offer, but there was no mention of free shipping in the Message section of the offer.
 
"The customer is pretty upset with me. I am aware from the message boards that this is a glitch, but how do I convince the customer of this? ... and hopefully doing this without making them even more upset."

Many sellers say they're frustrated that eBay has yet to fix the problem and say they have nowhere to point angry buyers to in order to prove it's a problem with eBay and not a scam they are trying to pull on unsuspecting buyers. eBay has a board designed to update users on technical issues, but rarely uses it for that purpose.

Sellers are left to do the explaining to skeptical buyers, and some sellers say they are eating the cost of shipping so they won't make their buyers angry.

Look for more about this issue in Tuesday's Newsflash.



Share

Comments (9) | Leave Comment | Permalink

Readers Comments

Perminate Link for eBay Fails to Fix Costly Glitch on Its Mobile App   eBay Fails to Fix Costly Glitch on Its Mobile App

This user has validated their user name. by: Ric

Mon Apr 4 13:04:02 2016

eBay's unending "glitches" add to the antagonistic relationship between buyers and sellers.

Sadly, with system failures like this seller integrity suffers hits with buyers, adding another level to the antagonistic relationship eBay fosters between buyers and sellers.

eBay management dismissively refers to these system failures as "glitches" in an attempt to down play the severity and hinder investors from understanding the severity of their IT breakdowns.

If investors understood how broken eBay's IT infrastructure is, there would be a stampede to unload shares and the share price would be decimated.  As such, eBay executives refuse to publicly acknowledge system failures on the appropriate announcement board since a decline in share value would hit them in their wallets.

Each and every system breakdown leads to frustrated buyers and damages sellers ability to convert sales effectively.

The resulting negative impact on both buyers and sellers is one of the primary reasons eBay can not grow sales, and eBay's executives are unable or unwilling to digest this simple fact.
 

Perminate Link for eBay Fails to Fix Costly Glitch on Its Mobile App   eBay Fails to Fix Costly Glitch on Its Mobile App

by: FeelingFroggy This user has validated their user name.

Mon Apr 4 15:09:14 2016

Ebay has bigger issues to fix.

As long as it doesn't affect the bottom line the glitch is relegated
to the bottom of the glitch list.

Perminate Link for eBay Fails to Fix Costly Glitch on Its Mobile App   eBay Fails to Fix Costly Glitch on Its Mobile App

by: Bidderboy This user has validated their user name.

Mon Apr 4 16:23:29 2016

eBay takes a percentage of the shipping cost, so it's easy money for them to add shipping costs to orders and run with that as long as they can.  

Perminate Link for eBay Fails to Fix Costly Glitch on Its Mobile App   eBay Fails to Fix Costly Glitch on Its Mobile App

by: gizmo This user has validated their user name.

Mon Apr 4 19:05:59 2016

Surprise , a glitch. Whats new?

Perminate Link for eBay Fails to Fix Costly Glitch on Its Mobile App   eBay Fails to Fix Costly Glitch on Its Mobile App

by: Mark4 This user has validated their user name.

Tue Apr 5 08:31:08 2016

Another "glitch" that impacts ebays bottom line in a positive way in that ebay takes 10% of the shipping cost in it's illegal/imoral money grab. Bonanza.com folks, the new ebay

Perminate Link for eBay Fails to Fix Costly Glitch on Its Mobile App   eBay Fails to Fix Costly Glitch on Its Mobile App

by: Leesantiques This user has validated their user name.

Tue Apr 5 09:57:10 2016

As much as I would like to blame this on an Ebay money grab, I can't.  Since Ebay gets the same amount from the seller whether the seller offers free shipping or not, this one - in my humble opinion - has to be chalked up to the general incompetence and indifference to their sellers that Ebay sadly so often displays.

Lee

Perminate Link for eBay Fails to Fix Costly Glitch on Its Mobile App   eBay Fails to Fix Costly Glitch on Its Mobile App

by: RoKphish This user has validated their user name.

Tue Apr 5 11:41:45 2016

I'm seeing a marked increase in Unpaid Items, after not having ANY for over a year, and suspect it's due to this glitch. I think the scenario is pretty close to ... A buyer is purchasing an item with their phone, thinking ''what a great deal, free shipping!'', and then seeing the true shipping fees as were originally listed. Buyers are then just not paying as payback for what they unfairly see as seller ''bait & switch'' tactics.

Perminate Link for eBay Fails to Fix Costly Glitch on Its Mobile App   eBay Fails to Fix Costly Glitch on Its Mobile App

by: alaska This user has validated their user name.

Tue Apr 5 16:47:24 2016

This has been going on FOREVER with the Chinese sellers. The listings say free shipping and when you click on one you see there are shipping charges.

Perminate Link for eBay Fails to Fix Costly Glitch on Its Mobile App   eBay Fails to Fix Costly Glitch on Its Mobile App

This user has validated their user name. by: VV

Wed Apr 6 09:51:52 2016

Can we do away with the term "glitch" and call it what it is.  Piss poor programming or better yet a failed IT initiative.  



Login is required to post comments.
To sign in to leave a comment, fill in the form below. If you have not yet signed up for AB Verify, or if you'd like more information, go to the Registration Page.

Login for AB Verify
Be sure and use your email address and password to log in.
 
Email:
Password:
 
 Forgot Your Password?
 Even though you are signed in with the AuctionBytes Blog, you will have to sign in to the EcommerceBytes blog. But you can sign in with your existing AB Verify info.