eBay.com have published the third and final seller update for the year which includes some enhancements to My Messages, Shipping and updated selling tools.
eBay Value Box
In time for the run up to Christmas eBay are promising US Top Rated Sellers better exposure with the introduction of a “” in iPod & MP3 Players, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), and DVDs, HD DVDs & Blu-ray categories.
In search results for these three subcategories, buyers will see results showing boxes with specific products summarizing the total number of listings available instead of individual seller listings. The Value Box will be prominently displayed on product pages featuring the best price (item plus shipping) from an eBay Top-rated seller.
The big question sellers are likely to have is how to get chosen for the Value Box, will it be the very cheapest item or will it be from a selected few sellers such as Outlets? Time will tell and the eBay Webinar on Thursday 15th July will be the first opportunity to find out more.
The product pages will be powered by existing eBay catalogue data sellers will be required to list using the catalogue from September. As an incentive listing using eBay Catalogue on eBay.com will be free (no insertion fees) from September 13th to the end of the year and Top Rated sellers will be eligible to win the Value Box position.
New Seller Tools
New seller tools include a , enhanced of listings and an update to the which will automatically relist inventory that’s not paid for.
Shipping changes
Starting in September delivery estimated times will be replaced with more generic service levels – . In the shipping details section of the listing buyers will still see the service you’re offering if it’s a UPS or USPS service and the change is intended to help reduce questions on shipping times.
Shipping options will be classified under the four new services levels so sellers know how they’ll be displayed during the listing process.
Other changes to shipping will be shipping discounts and the ability to offer insurance with ShipCover when you buy USPS shipping and print labels on eBay.
Sellers will also be able to such as Alaska and Hawaii from buying, or choose to display specific (higher than continental US) costs to these areas.
Communications
will be enabled for all sellers in the “Ask Seller a Question” contact flow and if you’ve blocked buyers from bidding they’ll also be blocked from contacting you.
As many sellers have complained that buyers don’t read seller descriptions the Ask Seller a Question link will be moved lower down the page as a test. Currently 25% of buyers are already seeing the link in the new position and if it continues to reduce questions without affecting sales it’ll be introduced for all buyers by the end of the year.
There are also some very welcome including auto out-of-office replies for when you’re on holiday or away from the office, customised email signatures and filtering to show just eBay alerts, emails from members or emails from eBay.
Summary
There’s not a lot to upset sellers in this seller release but quite a few much needed enhancements. It’s likely that the Value Box will be the most contentious change as it’ll be driven by the lowest total price and only available to Top Rated Sellers, but that’s pretty much the same as the Buy Box on Amazon. The other changes should all make sellers lives easier and that has to be a good thing.
As always these changes apply to sellers on eBay.com and we’d expect to see the UK Seller Update at some point tomorrow.
8 Responses
Chris
In Bulk Editing is there anyway to alter your email/ISP address? in bulk?.
Why is ShipCover so expensive? I used to use DSI which was underwritten by exactly the same group and a $19.99 package would have only cost me $0.40, not $1.23.
Looking forward to the value box and mandatory catalog listing.
eBay Bulk Editing Tool. Constantly asked if there is a way to amend or add information in the Custom Label field of a live listing, without ending the item amending it and then relisting. Any ideas??
Value box is a huge improvement, especially in media. Any news on when this will hit eBay UK?