Power Sellers Unite

Stockmiser · Joined: 03 Jun 2006 Posts: 1169

Just got this email from ebay about the 3/30 changes, and noticed a reference to a "new user agreement" for store owners.

The updated user agreement says:

Fees:
By using the software you agree to pay all subscription fees, if applicable, owed to eBay in connection with such use as described during the subscription process.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, you acknowledge and agree that eBay may, upon at least 30 days notice to you via email, change your eBay Stores subscription level if you do not meet eBay's then current applicable subscription requirements. Such change may increase or decrease the fees you pay eBay. You may cancel or downgrade your subscription at anytime, but Stores subscriptions are for a minimum 30-day period, and you will be billed for this period even if your subscription level is cancelled or downgraded within this period; subscription fees for subscription cancelled or downgraded after the first 30-day period will be pro-rated.

The biggest thing here, I think, is that they will give you at least 30 days notice before downgrading you if you don't meet their "requirements". Given the new DSR requirements, this could happen to anyone - at any time.

I had a big concern about how the downgrades could affect fees. Imagine if you have 1000 fixed price listings at .05/each (Premium Store), and suddenly you are "downgraded" to a basic store so you listings now cost .20/each. If this happened "immediately", you could be stuck paying a huge re-listing fee if you didn't catch it in time ($200 versus $50).

At least now we see that we will get at least a 30 day email notice of the downgrade so we can "adjust" our inventory accordingly 8)

missprintsvintage · Joined: 18 Aug 2006 Posts: 914

>Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein,

To think a person actually wrote such garble.
Baloney wrapped up in legalese.

What ebay is really saying:

''You must be aware by now at what level of regard we hold our sellers.

We will downgrade your store.
How?
We will raise the requirements.

Simple.
We pat ourselves on the back frequently over the cleverness quotient of our policies. We're scoring this one a 9.3 out of 10.

Your individual performance won't matter in our decision process.
Nope. That's history and as dead as Toynbee.

Instead, read this as your 30 day advance warning: on or about Mother's Day(synchronous that: we are Big Muthas. HUGE.) we will look at our own pocket (in between incidents of picking yours).

YIKES: all the lost revenue from the listing bargains of February - March.

We must recoup!
And we will.

That's where the downgrading of your store makes its entrance.
Your DOWNgrade will be our UPper. Our boys and girls in Accounting never sleep.

You, then, will pass your increases along to your customers or go out of business.

We collect more! (on increased costs that we injected and you implemented). There's a lovely multiplier effect at work here.
Like Vegas with loaded dice.

Isn't this fun!
Not that we actually care what you think: we were just being polite.

Regardless, we're putting on our paper party hats, pulling on our big floppy shoes, and donning our red noses that *Honk* when squeezed.

We'll get you twice (it's what we do) because we collect increased FVs AND we own Paypal. [mylar balloons are released from the ceiling]

We do so rub our hands with glee when we look at the little things. Consider the 3% of shipping that we collect even though we have zero liability.

Like Everett Dirksen: a little here, a little there, and soon you've got one helluvalot: we've got you by the throat, in some cases. In other cases, same concept; different anatomy.

Thank you for your business. We couldn't do it without ya.
We simply can't wait for you to take the new bait dtd 4/1/10 to join in the lockstep march to the Stores format.

Questions?

Don't call us~~ Griff will text you.

Our office is in San Francisco.
Drop in.
The Bay.
Not the office.

DaLizardsLair · Joined: 15 Feb 2009 Posts: 4780

Stockmiser wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")
Imagine if you have 1000 fixed price listings at .05/each (Premium Store), and suddenly you are "downgraded" to a basic store so you listings now cost .20/each.

At least now we see that we will get at least a 30 day email notice of the downgrade so we can "adjust" our inventory accordingly 8)

If a seller has 1000 fixed priced items in a Premium Store and eBay downgrades you to a Basic Store, the only SANE move would be to close that store altogether, and find a good alternative site to sell on.

Better still, make the move before eBay forces you to.

mojavelyn · Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 8:22 pm Post subject:

Backing Meg in the CA gov's race must be costing them a pretty penny. Saw one of the commercials last night... CHOKE!

Stockmiser · Joined: 03 Jun 2006 Posts: 1169

DaLizardsLair wrote: › docWrite("quote")

If a seller has 1000 fixed priced items in a Premium Store and eBay downgrades you to a Basic Store, the only SANE move would be to close that store altogether, and find a good alternative site to sell on.

Better still, make the move before eBay forces you to.

But how much was it in the past? For years I ran over 500 fixed price items at between .35-.50 each PER WEEK.

So it's a relative thing.

If I lost my premium status I'd probably cut my listings in half - just go with the prime stuff.

I had my PS/TRS status returned to me recently, so the 20% discount is also a factor again...

DaLizardsLair · Joined: 15 Feb 2009 Posts: 4780

Stockmiser wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")DaLizardsLair wrote: › docWrite("quote")

If a seller has 1000 fixed priced items in a Premium Store and eBay downgrades you to a Basic Store, the only SANE move would be to close that store altogether, and find a good alternative site to sell on.

Better still, make the move before eBay forces you to.

But how much was it in the past? For years I ran over 500 fixed price items at between .35-.50 each PER WEEK.

So it's a relative thing.

If I lost my premium status I'd probably cut my listings in half - just go with the prime stuff.

I had my PS/TRS status returned to me recently, so the 20% discount is also a factor again...

For many store owners, it was 3¢ per month per listing. They weren't using the 30 Day Fixed Price Listings.

And congrats on getting your PS/TRS status back.

wphamilton · Joined: 01 May 2005 Posts: 1940 Location: Georgia

By using the software you agree to pay all subscription fees, if applicable, owed to eBay in connection with such use as described during the subscription process.

This may be construed as a general waiver - you agree to pay the fees regardless of whether the subscribed services are delivered. I personally wouldn't interpret it that way, but it is consistent with the rest of the UA.

Beware of the vague language about the fees they may increase. You'd assume they are merely referring to the listing fee differences, but that's not actually spelled out here. It might be any fee they care to assess the way it's written here.

"By using the software" refers to even logging in. You might not even have to list or relist anything to be subject to the changed fees, whatever those may be.

Caveat Emptor.

DaLizardsLair · Joined: 15 Feb 2009 Posts: 4780

By using the software simply means that you haven't closed your account.

When your credit card issuer raises your interest rate, they usually add a blurg about "continued usage being an implied consent" or somesuch. They also state that if you don't agree, then you should see about closing your account.

Basically, it's the same thing. If you don't agree with eBay's new policies, then close your account with them. By not doing so, you have given them your implied consent.