Change is in the air again on eBay with the release of the eBay Winter Seller Update 2022.
As is usually the case, the eBay Winter Seller Update is a mixed bag. You owe it to yourself to read the entire updateat ebay.com/SellerUpdate. Meanwhile, here’s a rundown of the high points and caveats.
On the positive side, sellers get access to some useful functionalities from Selling Manager Pro.
eBay is (finally!) taking steps to reduce Unpaid Items. And there’s a new messaging experience in the eBay Mobile app. In addition, there are updates to how feedback is collected and displayed.
That’s all good news. What’s not such good news (but isn’t unexpected) is that fees are going up in several areas: Final Value Fees (FVFs), listing upgrade fees, and Promoted Listings (PL) fees.
First, let’s look at the Final Value Fees announced in the eBay Winter Seller Update.
Higher Final Value Fees means less money into your pocket from the sale of each item. Keep a sharp eye on your profit margins, and price your items with the higher fees in mind.
Also as of Tuesday, March 1, the optional Subtitle listing upgrade fee will go up by $0.50: to $1.50 for Auction format listings, $2 for Fixed Price. Think twice before you opt for this expensive upgrade. Most listings really don’t benefit from subtitles.
The third fee increase won’t take place until June 1, 2022.
That’s when the calculation methodology will change for Promoted Listings Standard ad fees. Specifically, the ad fee will be calculated based on the total amount of each attributed sale. The fes will include taxes and shipping, instead of just the item’s final price.
So, plan topay close attention to your Promoted Listings dashboard. And while you’re looking at your PL dashboard, grab my free PDF guide, Winning with Promoted Listings. With the way Promoted Listings Standard fees are calculated, now more than ever its crucial to maximize your Promoted Listing sales results.
Getting back to the good news in the eBay Winter Seller Update, sellers can now automate feedback to buyers.
Seller can choose both what to say and when to say it. Furthermore, auction listings can be automatically relisted via Seller Hub. Last but far from least, Sales Reports will have new features and more detailed info.
These are all capabilities formerly available only to sellers who subscribe to Selling Manager Pro (SMP). SMP’s inventory management features will still be available exclusively to subscribers.
Even better news is that eBay is expanding its pilot program (launched in October 2021) requiring immediate payment from buyers whose Best Offers are accepted.
By midyear, this procedure will also be standard for counteroffers and offers to buyers.
You can opt out of Buyer Payment Requirements — meaning that buyers won’t have to provide a payment method before making you an offer — in your Buyer Management settings at https://www.ebay.com/bmgt/buyerrequirements.
In closing the Winter eBay Seller Update 2022 is mostly good news for sellers. Premium tools like automated feedback are now available to all sellers. On the down side is the increase in seller’s Final Value Fees. And there is a large change in the way the Promoted Listing Fee is calculated for PL Standard. The pain of the fee increases can be reduced with sellers reviewing their profit margins. Margins can be adjusted, and sell through rates increased to keep a sellers eBay business healthy.
eBay selling fees increasing in 2022!
So, do your eBay business check up now. And then onto a wonderful healthy and prosperous 2022 selling on eBay.
When it comes to the eBay Holiday 2021 selling season, shipping is the #1 issue for most sellers — and most buyers, too.
Last year at this time, postal systems worldwide were a huge hot mess due to the ongoing global situation. This eBay Holiday 2021 selling season should hopefully be better, but it will surely bring its own challenges.
So what’s a seller to do? The solution eBay seller is as easy as one-two-three.
1- Have backup shipping solutions in place for eBay Holiday 2021
Don’t be stymied if eBay Labels goes down; as an eBay seller, you can get a free Stamps.com account. You only pay for postage.
It’s also a good idea to have a spare postage scale on hand. Accutek scales are inexpensive and reliable. I particularly like my Accutek ShipPro W-8580; it weighs from .5 ounce to 110 pounds, and the display is detachable, which is handy when weighing odd-sized packages.You can buy it on eBay, too! (Full disclosure: This is my affiliate link.)
2- Offer paid shipping upgrades, including an overnight express option.
If you ship via USPS First Class, offer paid upgrades to Priority and Priority Express. You can bulk edit your listings to add these additional servicesor create a business policy that includes them. I have story after story from seller friends of sales they got, where their buyer paid more for shipping than the cost of the item. Customers that need items right away are glad to purchase shipping upgrades. Some buyers are very willing to pay for express shipping as they need an item fast. Not all sellers offer expedited shipping choices. Don’t lose sales by not offering paid upgrades to consumers.
Turbo-charge your communications with courtesy and kindness. If and when customers message you about a delayed package — and they will! —never promise that an item will arrive by such-and-such date; instead, quote the buyer USPS’ estimated delivery window for that mail class, as listed under Compare Mail Services at usps.com. You can even send your customer the link so that they can see the information for themselves. Just remember that it’s always what USPS estimates, never on you.
When customers are in a rush, remind them that you offer paid shipping upgrades. Above all:Be patient, be professional, and stay sweet as pumpkin pie.
3 Top eBay Shipping Tips Holiday 2021
3- The holidays can be super stressful, but shopping with you shouldn’t be.
In fact, you and your eBay store are the solution to a stress-free holiday. You offer great items, accurately described. Your sales are packed well, and you offer an array of wonderful shipping options. Shopping with you, your eBay customers are treated to outstanding customer service from start to finish.
Armed with this timely trio of top tips, you’re ready to cope with holiday shipping challenges. So stay calm, and keep on selling — and shipping!
Happily for sellers, it’s mostly good news. However, there are a few new initiatives that cry out, “Seller, beware!” I boil it down for you here as I “decode” the Fall Seller Update. I let you know what requires your careful attention. For more details, check out my YouTube video eBay Fall Seller Update 2021: Good, But Watch Out!
To see the 2021 eBay Fall Seller Update, go to ebay.com/SellerUpdate. That’s the URL where you will always find eBay’s most recent Seller Update, along with a link to the previous update.
eBay Seller Updates are simpler
Seller Updates in the past resembled an encyclopedia. They were so many moving parts, crammed with so much information that it took hours to get through it all. It was easy to miss something in all that fine print. Fast forward to 2021. Kudos to eBay. This 2021 Fall Seller Update is huge step forward in clarity and brevity.
Many previous Seller Updates featured changes that weren’t coming for a year or more. And sometimes the promised changes never came at all. In contrast, this Fall Seller Update is all about initiatives that are rolling out now. Or changes happening in the next few weeks, or at most, a couple of months.
For the most part, these pending changes benefit sellers. But there are a few things that eBay more or less glosses over. And you know me: I don’t gloss over!
eBay Fall Seller Update – eBay Stores
Fresh enhancements are rolling out to eBay Stores. These include an upcoming dedicated Stores tab in Seller Hub. There’s also a new About tab coming to your store itself. So, put that new feature to good use. It’s an aid for branding your business! Last but not least, there’s a newly robust store newsletters tool.
More good news: new research and performance tools in Seller Hub!
The Listing Quality Report is most useful if you’re a commodities seller. However, sellers of unique items (e.g., collectibles) should not overlook this data.
eBay may not compare apples to apples, oranges to oranges, where your items are concerned, but you can get a sense of what other sellers are doing and what seems to be most successful. For example, you can look at free versus paid shipping as well as see which of your listings might benefit from adding more photos.
Listings & Promotions: Changes to Categories and Item Specifics
The not-so-good news is under “Listings & Promotions” on the 2021 Fall Seller Update’s home page. Actually, changes to categories and item specifics are good news/bad news. All of the changes to category names and structures as well as to item specifics are designed to make it easier for buyers to find your listings via eBay, Google, and other search engines. Unfortunately, thee changes roll out during Q4, the busiest time of an eBay seller’s year!
Pay close attention to this part of the 2021 Fall Seller Update
Starting in October, if you have listings in a category impacted by the changes, eBay will automatically move them to what it thinks is the most relevant category.
Furthermore, new soon-to-be-required item specifics will become available starting on October 12. They are required in early 2022. Once mandated, eBay will not let you submit a listing unless you’ve filled in its required item specifics.
So, if you see notifications in Seller Hub about adding required item specifics, do so ASAP. Especially for those labeled “Soon to be required”. There are tools to help you do this. I tell you all about them in my 2021 Fall Seller Update video on YouTube. While updating your item specifics, it’s a good time to optimize your entire eBay Listing. The tips in “Start Selling on eBay. the ABC’s of Success!” will help.
These ABC’s to successful eBay selling will start your selling with a bang!
New Coded Coupons!
Sellers have long clamored for the ability to create coded coupons. Well, now you can! To read all about this terrific new functionality, which is only available to eBay Store subscribers, click on “Learn More” under “Listings & Promotions”.
eBay Fall Seller Update – Promoted Listings Expansion and Rebranding
Meanwhile, Promoted Listings Advanced has launched in Beta. It’s a pay-per-click model. Pay-per-click advertising charges a fee whenever your listing is clicked on, not just when your item actually sells. This can be expensive. Be careful if you decided to give PL Advanced a tryout.
eBay Fall Seller Update – Your Bottom Line
eBay Fall Seller Update 2021 decoded for you!
With the changes announced in eBay’s 2021 Fall Seller Update, many sellers will be busy revising listings during Q4, adding soon-to-be-required item specifics and preparing for category changes.
Read through eBay’s2021 Fall Seller Update in its entirety And remember, my YouTube video will help walk you through it. There are many new changes rolling out. However as always high-quality listings that follow eBay’s best practices will always do just fine.
eBay Holiday shipping delays are a major seller headache right now. What can sellers do to help buyers without losing hundreds of dollars?
I’ve heard from dozens of sellers that many of their packages have one or no scan. Those packages sit for days — even for more than a week — with no further movement. Then when a buyer reports that they have not received their item, eBay is forcing the seller to refund them.
What to do about eBay Holiday shipping delays?
First of all, if this is not happening to your packages, then lucky you! 2020’s holiday shipping snafu is not impacting every seller. Personally, I’ve had only a handful of packages in limbo out of the nearly 100 packages I’ve shipped lately. All of the others arrived in timely fashion. So if you’re not having shipping issues, don’t borrow trouble. Enjoy the Holiday rush and keep shipping!
Currently on the USPS site and in the eBay purchase sequence, buyers are warned of shipping delays.
So, if your holiday selling season is haunted by the Spirit of Christmas Gifts Yet to Arrive, then you’ve got three options:
1. Continue shipping. In all likelihood your packages will reach their destinations eventually.
2. Keep selling and shipping. Extend your handling time to 5 or 10 days. Ship same or next day. Also you can wait X number of days before shipping.
3. Use Time Away (formerly known as Store Vacation). You can block your listings from being viewed and not sell until 2021. Additionally you can sell and start shipping at the end of the year or on whatever date you set.
Here’s the bottom line: It’s your business to run as you see fit.
Right now, eBay does not reimburse sellers for funds lost due to refunds being given for items delayed in transit.
What can eBay sellers do if their package(s) are stuck in transit and late in arriving to the buyer?
So, there are a couple of things you can do when tracking shows that a package has gotten hung up somewhere enroute to the buyer. Sometimes logging the tracking number
into USPS.com will goose it along.
To do this, click USPS.com. In “Search or Track Package” field, fill in the USPS delivery confirmation number. Then click “Fill in the form” to send an online service request. This often yields results within 48 hours. You can share with your buyer that you logged an inquiry for them with the USPS. Helpful customer service goes a long way to calm frustrated shoppers looking for their purchase.
Read this eBay Announcement to find out what eBay tells buyers of the current state of holiday shipping. Basically eBay adds protections for sellers’ Top Rated Status with problematic shipping scans and delivery. However, don’t look to eBay to reimburse sellers for delayed or lost packages.
To note, lost packages have always been a sellers responsibility. Furthermore, this is true on most online sites. What’s different now is how many items are stuck in transit. For some sellers it’s hundreds of dollars of products. Even with this increase in stuck and lost packages refunds for lost packages remains at the sellers’ feet.
Seller help for late eBay packages!
In closing, every seller is in unique situation this Holiday season.
Some sellers have little to no problems with packages stuck in transit. Others suffer with dozens of “stuck” parcels. eBay offers seller reputation protections but not financial reimbursement for lost packages. Every seller needs to look at their sales and chose what is best for them.
Now is the time to buckle down and focus on your eBay seasonal sales must do’s seller! Get ready to throw away your eBay To Do list. Yes, I said throw it away.
eBay seller last minute “Must Dos” for Seasonal success!
Because now it’s time to start on your eBay Seasonal “Last minute must do list.” It’s not too late to score holiday sales!
Here’s what should be on your “Last Minute Must Do list.” It’s as easy as 1-2-3:
First, be sure to keep plenty of shipping supplies on hand! Don’t run out of anything. If you need more polymailers, free USPS Priority Mail boxes, or eBay-branded packing tape, order them NOW. Better to have too much on hand than too little! Besides, you’ll use them up eventually. Order now and more than you’ll need as the USPS website is already warning of shipping delays on their free supplies.
Next, keep sourcing and listing!
Brick-and-mortar stores have predetermined financial goals — i.e., they must sell $X by Y date. Watch for 50%-75% off sales on any and all things holiday related. And remember, Christmas sells all year long. And don’t overlook listing those Holiday goodies you are buying. As fast as your purchase Holiday products, get them on the eBay site!
Your area may have an abundance of twinkle lights in stock, but the next state over may not be so lucky. My recent YouTube video “eBay Hot Item to Sell? Yes? No?” will give you more tips and ideas for last-minute holiday product sourcing. I actually went to two stores in NYC in search of candy canes! Neither store had them. Guess who bought candy canes online this year?
IIs it worth it to list on eBay?
Ship FAST, as in ASAP! If you can get sold items out the door the same day they’re purchased, by all means do so. And while you’re doing so, share that fact via social media. Post pics of your packages going out — being picked up by your carrier, getting dropped off at the post office, etc. Be sure to blur or strike through any visible shipping addresses! Check out my blog post Last Minute eBay Holiday Sales Tips for more Holiday shipping ideas.
There’s a postscript on your eBay Seasonal Last Minute Must Do list!
While listing, packing, sourcing and shipping, don’t forget to take good care of yourself as well as your business on eBay.
What pumps up your holiday spirit? Play your favorite Christmas carols or other holiday tunes while you list, pack and ship; sip a cup of hot cocoa (marshmallows and/or spiking optional);relax in a peppermint-scented bubble bath…you get the idea.Whatever jingles your bells, indulge yourself.
Must do’s to score last minute eBay Holiday sales!
‘Tis the season to be jolly! So yes, take care of your customers, but also take care of YOU. I wish you the happiest of holiday selling seasons!
That means it’s time to get down to business and sell, sell, sell. Yes, states are beginning to modify or even lift restrictions on retail stores, but safe shopping practices are still the order of the day. Check out the National Retail Federation (NRF) guidelines for brick-and-mortar retailers.
The good news for you, eBay seller, is that millions of consumers are choosing to shop online.
So your eBay 4th quarter could be amazing! Here are four things you can do to help make that happen.
First, be aware that products that may not have been big sellers in the past are now hot, hot, hot. Use Terapeak and eBay’s Advanced Search function to check prices and trends. In most cases, it’s best to look at recent prices, because prices from last year could be very different than what they are now. After all, a lot has changed since then!
Second, here’s a heads-up regarding Halloween: Don’t stock up on Halloween costumes; instead, think home décor! Because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, there will be much less traditional trick-or-treating this year. But there’ll be plenty of folks staying at home, so decorations and seasonally themed items should continue to be in high demand.
Third, it’s true that all four seasons sell well on eBay all year round. However, right now many shoppers are looking for Fall and Winter items. If you have any unlisted inventory, this is the time to sort through it with an eye towards the Q4 calendar.
For example, do you have any sweaters, coats, boots, and/or other Fall and Winter clothing on hand? If so, get those items listed ASAP!
Its 20 pages list dozens of items thatwill keep selling throughout the holiday season. Print out this handy guide, then take it with you to thrift and consignment stores, wholesale sources, or your favorite top-secret destination for retail arbitrage.
So there’s your four-part plan of attack for eBay 4th Quarter:
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