eBay’s newest Spring Seller Update is full of mostly good news.
For eBay sellers, the first sign of Spring every year usually comes in the form of a seller update. This year is no exception: The 2021 eBay Spring Seller Update was released recently. Thankfully for eBay sellers it’s mostly good news!
Let’s start with the eBay Spring Seller Update new initiatives around Listings and Promotions.
First of all, two words that should have you doing the happy dance: coded coupons! This is something for which sellers have long been asking. Starting in Spring 2021, coded coupons will be available to all eBay Store subscribers via Promotions Manager.
They’ll replace the codeless coupons previously offered.
The new tool lets you create and share a discount code that your buyer(s) can apply at Checkout. To use it once it goes live in April, go to the Marketing tab in Seller Hub and click “Create a Promotion”.
Also good news for sellers is the rollout of eBay’s new Unified Listing Flow.
It’s designed to provide a clean design and consistent interface across all of your devices, from smartphone to tablet to desktop. Furthermore, it brings eBay’s popular and coveted Background Removal photo-editing functionality — formerly only available in the mobile app — to the desktop. That alone is cause for celebration! You can opt in anytime now by clicking on the words “Try the new listing tool” in blue text wherever you go to list. I urge you to do so ASAP, and then to provide feedback to eBay regarding this new tool.
It is still under construction, so it behooves us to speak up now and help shape it to sellers’ best advantage. From now through mid-May, you may switch back to the traditional listing flow at any time. But the unified listing experience will eventually (as in sometime later this year) become first the default option and then the exclusive mode for listing on eBay.
The next bit of good news for sellers: Promoted Listings will now feature Automated Campaigns! Be on the lookout for this new timesaving tool on the “Create Campaign” page in your Promoted Listings dashboard within Seller Hub.
In addition, eBay is going to provide sellers with even more Terapeak data. They’ve also made significant improvements under the Performance tab in Seller Hub. A new Listing Quality report is already available to some sellers. It will be extended to all eBay Store subscribers over the next few months.
Now for the good news/bad news in the eBay Spring Seller Update:
Seller updates invariably include category changes plus changes to item specifics. By mid-May, sellers who list in Clothing, Shoes, & Accessories, Collectibles, and Media categories will see yet more “Required Soon” item specifics popping up in their listing flows.
Remember: Category and item specifics changes are all designed to help buyers find your listings more easily. It’s well worth the pain of updating your listings, because doing so will really boost your sales — especially since other sellers may not bother.
Let’s Talk About the Money, Honey!
Now get out your calculator. It’s time to take a look at the 2021 Spring Seller Update’s overhaul to Fees & Financials. Final Value Fees (FVF) are going up; that always stings, but it is what it is. Unfortunately, there’s no table showing the old and new FVF side by side for easy comparison. Offsetting these FVF increases, eBay is giving storeowners in Managed Payments lots — and I mean LOTS — more free listings for Basic, Premium and Anchor store owners.
eBay Spring seller Update 2021 is mostly good news for sellers!
So many, in fact, that it may actually pay to downgrade your Premium, or Anchor Store.
eBay has not said on eBay’s Announcements Board but I was told by a senior staff member that you can downgrade your store subscription with no penalty as long as you do it by April 30. Do the math: Depending on how many listings you have, the increased allotment of $0 insertion fee listings may allow you to save a bundle by moving down a level.
One tidbit of bad news: Top Rated Sellers and higher level store subscribers are not amused to learn that their popular Promoted Listings credits are going away April 1 st . Back on the sunny side, eBay promises that exciting store updates are on the horizon. These include a modern storefront with more merchandising options and better search function; optimization features to help drive repeat purchases; and (finally!) a newly improved store newsletter.
I talk about this and more in my YouTube “eBay Spring Seller Update More Fees Ahead!”
Where to find the 2021eBay Spring Seller Update!
Now that you know what to expect from this seller update, update, it’s time to read the details for yourself. Just go to ebay.com/SellerUpdate. I’ve given you a helpful overview here, pointing out the highlights (and lowlights).
