eBay Seller Updates 2016 and how they will affect you
Ebay seller updates are always a source of confusion and controversy, and the Spring 2016 eBay UK changes to how your on-time delivery rating is calculated, are no different. Â
As well as the new on-time delivery metric, eBay are also changing how they measure defects from February 2016, and in May 2016 they will also be requiring eBay Top Sellers to extend their returns period from 14 days to 30 days.
How will the eBay UK seller updates affect your business
In light of seller feedback, eBay are changing defect ratings and delivery time metrics to reflect the factors that sellers can actually control. The new eBay updates place more importance on using tracked delivery services, and adding this tracking information to eBay. This means that you will no longer be held accountable for delays in the courier service, as long as you provide proof that you handed over the parcel within your stated handling time.
Changes to how eBay measures defects
From 20 February 2016 eBay are making some substantial changes to how they measure defects, which should improve your chances of maintaining a low defect rate.
Buyer feedback, Detailed Seller Ratings (DSR), returns requests that are successfully resolved with the buyer, and items not received request that are successfully resolved with your buyer, will not count towards your defect rate.
This just leaves two remaining criteria that will determine your defect rate, both of which are within your control:
Seller-cancelled transactions.
You can avoid this by making sure you have the stock you’re selling and that it’s not damaged, before someone buys it.Cases that are closed without seller resolution.
If a case is opened then you need to respond straightaway, and do everything you can to ensure the issues are resolved.
Read more about how to maintain your eBay seller rating.
New on-time delivery metric
The change to on-time delivery metrics seems to be in the favour of eBay sellers, but that doesn't mean it’s easy to understand.
The most important thing to know is that the on-time delivery metric won’t count towards your defect rating, at all. If on-time delivery is the only performance metric that you don’t meet, your seller level can remain Above Standard but eBay can limit the delivery options and despatch times that you offer.
How can your parcel be ‘on time’?
In general your delivery will only be considered late when you don’t use a tracked service or don’t upload tracking information, and the buyer leaves feedback to tell eBay that the delivery arrived late.
To be counted as ‘on time’ the order has to meet just one of these criteria:
Item tracking status shows as ‘Accepted’ within your stated despatch time
Item tracking status shows as ‘Delivered’ within your estimated delivery time.
The buyer confirms that the delivery was made on time.
Deliveries will be considered late when:
You do not upload tracking information, and your buyer states the item arrived after the estimated delivery date.
Tracking shows that there is no acceptance scan within your stated despatch time, and the item arrived after the estimated delivery date, and your buyer doesn’t confirm that the item arrived on time or says it arrived after the estimated delivery date.
If you’re still confused about the new requirements, take a look at this flow chart for on-time delivery metrics.
The eBay UK seller updates should mean it’s easier for your parcels to be counted as ‘on time’, but only if you use a tracked service and you upload the tracking information to eBay. You can already preview your performance against the new standards in your seller dashboard, which means you have time to improve before the changes come into effect.
How Zenstores can help with the new on-time delivery metric
When you use Zenstores to print shipping labels and despatch orders you can automatically upload the tracking information for each order to eBay. Instead of manually adding tracking information for your eBay orders, Zenstores can save you time by doing it for you.
Once you have created and printed a shipping label, click ‘mark order as dispatched’ and Zenstores will send the tracking information for the parcel straight to eBay. With the tracking information automatically uploaded to eBay, as long as you have posted the parcel within your stated handling time your parcel will be considered ‘on time’.
Read more about the Spring 2016 eBay UK seller updates.
