In every issue, readers soundoff about issues important to them. From feedback to payment services, from increased fees to posting policies, AuctionBytes Soundoff gives you a chance to air your views.

Hey Ina,
Not sure if you have covered this....

This weekend I've been listing things I normally don't sell as a consignment. I'm noticing new "sponsored links" at the bottom of eBay search pages! In many cases, the very exact, identical thing I am listing shows as a sponsored link at the bottom of the search, directing people OFF EBAY to buy the same thing on Amazon, QVC, or elsewhere! Picture, link, and price!

Now others are discovering this and we're talking about it on the PS board.

This is the single craziest, most harmful thing I have seen eBay do. Now, not only do we compete with other eBayers in this very crowded marketplace, we are competing VERY DIREcTLY with the whole internet! That was true before for careful shoppers who looked around, but now shoppers can find our competition in the same place they find our listings.
Donna

Note from the editor: You can see a blog post and readers' comments about this issue here:
http://tinyurl.com/3bgc9f

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Ina
Love your column and check it regularly. I think most Ebayers are frustrated with the current state of unending glitches. The boards (technical, store, and feedback) are all being pounded with unhappy sellers and Ebay continues to do nothing. Writing to you was a way to provide hope that may Ebay can be embarrassed into fixing some of the glitches they have been made aware but choose to ignore.

I won't get long and complicated but at a Silver PS level- my Selling Manager Pro bulk upload feature couldn't be used for postage rate changes because it will alter inventory levels. Markdown Manager first time used it two weeks ago and it marked the items down wrong. 10% sale became 40-80% off. Ebay Express software is not compatible with .com site software. Revisions to a listing made on the dot com side do not cross over. So any item selling on the Express site does not have the new revision. Therefore the item for sale can be "interesting" to read for a better word on the Express side. Selling Manager Pro has had logo sizing requirement changes made for it's customized invoice notification feature to buyers. If you use it this nasty mixture of a custom logo and Ebay's default colors are mixed together so you send one ugly looking invoice to a buyer. SIY 3.0 still is so buggy it's laughable. It's never ending and nothing every gets fixed. Most sellers are boycotting Live as a protest. Watch attendance records for Live unfold. Keep up the good work.
Sandy

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Hi Ina,
I have a store on Ebay with 1700 products. Recently, with the USPS change, I had to bulk change the shipping costs to reflect the new shipping costs.

Using Sales Manager Pro, I found that bulk changing the shipping did not work. I queried Ebay support and finally (after getting nowhere for awhile) I got a reply stating that it did not work and customer support emailed me the disclaimer that stated at one point that SMP did not warrant "fitness for a certain task" or something like that. What they really meant to say is that "not all product features work" and by our disclaimer mumbo-jumbo laws, they do not have too.

Now I have never bought anything in my life with a disclaimer that states that the product may not work or will fail to work, etc. Amazing! I feel really stupid.

What I seek is a solution. Does Blackthorne have such a feature? What about the product that is sponsored in a link to your email, what will that do for me that SMP does not and cannot? I guess if there was a story you did on the subject, could you please provide me with a link to it? If not, is there any possibility that there will soon be a story on the subject?
Thanks,
Trevor

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Dear Ina:
As we all know, the Feedback system is a farce, as everyone is afraid to tell the truth because if they rate first and it isn't nice, the recipient will retaliate with a similar poor rating, even if it was warranted. The new system does give the Buyer a chance to rate the sellers honestly with no fear of rebuttal. At least with the old system (and still is possible) one can make a comment in their favor, with the "real facts". I must agree that the new system strongly favors the buyers. Personally, I do not use it. Waste of my time. How can Ebay honestly diagnose the zillion reply's they receive and be fair. Will they "go after" Sellers that receive poor ratings? I highly doubt it. If they do, the sellers will go elsewhere to sell. You can't bite the hand that feeds you.
Respectfully,
Bob

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Hi Ina,
Actually, I know it's hard to detect from the email, but eBay is cracking down on eBay Stores Pages that contain phone numbers. eBay emailed several Pesa members this past week with similar letters.

eBay says they want to improve the buyer experience but this action dictates otherwise. Sellers are now subject to Feedback 2.0 which assess sellers on "Communication", yet eBay is not allowing sellers to have their phone numbers on eBay Stores pages?

eBay Motors sellers typically have their phone number accessible as certain products such as cars have many options and are sophisticated and customers need to ask questions before they consummate the transaction.

I recall seeing Rob Chestnut on the Oprah show this past year and his main contention was that people are being pulled off the eBay site and "defrauded". Rather than penalize everyone for a few bad apples, eBay should just require eBay Stores sellers to include certain information such as "Call xxx-xxx-xxxx but please insist the transaction be done on eBay in order to protect yourself". An outright ban is wrong. Regards,
Dan

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Hi Ina,

I just had an interesting idea.

Perhaps eBay could (should?) implement a system similar to that used by Construction companies. I believe that construction companies offer their employees bonuses if a construction job is completed by or before a certain date (finished the job early).

I think that some BIDDERS would be willing to award bonuses to Sellers who ship on or before a certain date. This would be verified by tracking info.

maybe a crazy idea... maybe not...

Brian

******** Can't say I pay much attention to feedback, star ratings or otherwise. Buyers and sellers learn who you are, and they pass the word along, and you learn that way. I've learned feedback to be a pretty useless tool in general, but the one thing I will comment on is how sellers love and adore leaving feedback for you only AFTER you leave it for them, which is code for, "We'll zap you back if you leave us anything but glowing feedback", which is, of course, total bullshit.

The idea is not "wait to insure you have the item and leave us glowing feedback as a guarantee not to hit us with a neutral or negative, or we'll zap you back". How come that reeks of moderate extortion, if not cyber-bullying tactics?

Here I thought the idea is get your payment, get the order out, and leave feedback based on prompt response to your invoice, prompt payment, proper payment methods, and good communication. Similarly, as a buyer, is not your feedback based on good communication from your seller, prompt and accurate invoicing, and an accurately described product?

So, are we now saying that your transaction is NOT rated on any of the above, and your feedback is based 100% on the feedback you give to me?

No wonder ebay is all screwed up.

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Ina,
I wanted to just thank you for providing such a wonderful newsletter service for everyone (and for free!)

I look forward to your newsletters all the time. You probably don't get thanked enough.
Thanks!
Justin

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Hello Ina,
I just wanted to say thanks for your continued commitment to Auctionbytes. I have been a loyal reader for years and love the changes that you have implemented over the years. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!!
Regards,
Mike

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Ina,
Thought you might be interested in some recent action taken by eBay on a post I made to the Bidding Discussion Board......I think I hit a nerve......Is eBay pulling All posts that are contrary to their policy decisions??? Perhaps you could address this type of action taken by eBay in the future....eBay pulled my post and sent me the following email ...

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Ina,
In your article Sunday about Yahoo auctions closing, you mentioned a thought by a person who believed that something was brewing because the last day to list an item was the 3rd and the last day to bid was the 16th which they thought odd because Yahoo's max listing was 10 days. What you may not realize is that Yahoo does have a 14 day duration.

It is not well known and you can only list for that duration if you use their bulk loader which imports a .csv file. The only place it is mentioned on the site is in the table of values for the bulk loader.

When Yahoo charged listing fees, I used to use this on all my listings. I switched to 10 days when they went free again, but I assume they have not removed the capability since they haven't updated anything else.

In closing, I suspect that's why the last day to bid is the 16th.
Steve