eBay Sellers Left Hanging On Shipping Authenticated Sneakers
UPDATE 10-27-22
We're now less than a week away from the new authentication seller protection policies taking effect and still don't have any answers as to how sellers are supposed to comply with the new requirement to provide full address proof of delivery.
The new policy states:
Effective November 1, 2022, we will update how we define evidence of successful delivery for Authenticity Guarantee transactions in our eBay Money Back Guarantee program and Payment dispute seller protections.
You’re required to use a tracked shipping service showing the delivery status to the authenticator’s address in order to qualify for “Item not received” protection. Previously, we looked for evidence showing at least the city or zip code of the address. Starting November 1, we’ll look for evidence of shipment to the authenticator’s full address. Once an item is marked as received by an authenticator, delivery of the item to the buyer becomes eBay’s responsibility, and if there are any delivery issues, we’ll work with the buyer to resolve them.
We will continue to require signature confirmation for orders valued at $750 or more, and we strongly recommend shipping insurance for high value orders.
We also encourage you to save documentation from the carrier that shows the full address your orders were shipped to in the event of any disputes.
All efforts to get any details about what specific documentation eBay will require/accept as full address proof of delivery have hit a brick wall- eBay simply copies and pastes that exact text every time anyone asks.
If eBay cannot provide the most basic information to sellers to be able to comply with this policy update, they should postpone the update until such time as they are able to do so.
UPDATE 10-17-22
eBay Twitter reps are now telling sellers the rollout could take until the end of November, "worst case scenario."
Hey there, the free FedEx shipping label for orders going through Authenticity Guarantee is being rolled out gradually now through the end of November. Please allow a bit more time for the updates to complete. ~Veronica
— Ask eBay (@AskeBay) October 17, 2022
Hey, good afternoon. Worst case scenario, end of November. There's time between now and then, we're just rolling it out gradually. As soon as that's available to you, you'll see it when you list an item. ~Carl
— Ask eBay (@AskeBay) October 17, 2022
eBay introduced updates to the sneaker authentication program last month that it said would "lead to a better experience" but sellers are finding themselves in the dark with no exact dates for when the new policies take effect and little details about how the new shipping program and seller protection policies will work.
Liz Morton ~ Founder
First, eBay said they are introducing a new shipping program that will charge the buyer a flat rate $14.95, which will be paid to eBay, and then eBay will provide a free label to the seller.
Streamlined shipping with required handling time of 3 business days or less
We’re removing the complexity tied to shipping for both sellers and buyers. Beginning in October, eBay will provide you with a label at no cost to you upon sale to ship your Authenticity Guarantee-eligible sneakers to our authentication center. The change will apply to new and revised listings and eBay shipping will be the default domestic shipping service. When you use eBay’s shipping label, we’ll also provide you with loss and damage protections if anything goes wrong during the first leg of shipping to the authenticator.
In addition, our new handling time requires that you send Authenticity Guarantee-eligible sneakers to the authenticator in 3 business days or less, and buyers will receive their items within 3 days from the authenticator following authentication. We're also taking the guesswork out of shipping costs to enhance transparency, build trust, and drive velocity. Buyers will pay a flat shipping fee of $14.95 in the US. We'll share more details about these shipping updates soon.
Many sellers thought this new shipping program would take effect October 10, based on the wording of the announcement:
However, those sellers were left wondering how to access the new labels.
my listing that sold has a 1 day handling time and has the authentication guarantee badge. I was charged the new fee structure of 12% for shoes under $150, but I am not seeing the eBay provided fed ex label.
when I go to create the label it says it is going to charge me and deduct the funds but ebay chat assured me it will be free which I doubt and they didn’t have much information on this new system at all either calling it a “promotion” when this is the way the authentication guarantee program will be moving forward.
does anyone know how to get the label?
A seller who asked the same question on Twitter was told by @AskeBay that the program is "gradually rolling out" - something that was not clearly stated in the announcement about the new program.
So sellers won't even know if they've been enrolled in the new program until their sneakers seller and htey see it on the order details page?! That's ridiculous. 🤦♀️
I have confirmed it does appear to be a phased rollout. Searching for Jordans, filtered by Authenticity Guaranteed shows some listings have it and some don't.
For the ones who do have it, here's what it looks like on the listing page:
Making this a phased rollout not only creates confusion, it also gives an unfair advantage to those who are in the early phases because sellers don't have to pay Final Value Fees or Ad fees on the shipping amount with this new shipping program.
That means effectively they are getting a fee discount other sellers who do not have access to the program yet aren't getting. 👎
It's also created frustration for sellers who have already made price adjustments to accommodate the new program.
Are they joking? I’ve already went back and lowered the prices on my authentication items to accommodate the higher shipping cost to the buyer by subtracting several dollars off my asking price. Now I come to find out it’s a slow roll? This company is just f*cking unbelievable!
On top of the confusion and frustration with the shipping labels, sellers are also confused and frustrated with the new seller protection policies for authenticated items.
Liz Morton ~ Founder
Effective November 1st, eBay will require full address proof of delivery for seller protection on items sent to the authenticator.
Effective November 1, 2022, we will update how we define evidence of successful delivery for Authenticity Guarantee transactions in our eBay Money Back Guarantee program and Payment dispute seller protections.
You’re required to use a tracked shipping service showing the delivery status to the authenticator’s address in order to qualify for “Item not received” protection. Previously, we looked for evidence showing at least the city or zip code of the address. Starting November 1, we’ll look for evidence of shipment to the authenticator’s full address. Once an item is marked as received by an authenticator, delivery of the item to the buyer becomes eBay’s responsibility, and if there are any delivery issues, we’ll work with the buyer to resolve them.
We will continue to require signature confirmation for orders valued at $750 or more, and we strongly recommend shipping insurance for high value orders.
We also encourage you to save documentation from the carrier that shows the full address your orders were shipped to in the event of any disputes.
When pressed for details about how exactly sellers are supposed to comply with that policy and what documentation eBay would accept, it took a week and a half for the "the team" to respond...literally copying and pasting the exact text of the original announcement verbatim with no additional answers or clarification. 🤦♀️
I asked:
devon@ebay what specific documentation would eBay be looking for that shows the full address to qualify for this seller protection?
If the seller purchases the label through eBay, would that automatically provide enough documentation since eBay can see the address on the order?
For labels purchased outside of eBay what documents will be accepted?
A week and a half later Devon responded:
I have an update to share from the Sneaker Team in regards to the recent Seller News Announcements that went out last week and this is what they wanted to share:
"For reference: 9/26 sneakers SNA - “Updates to the sneakers experience on eBay”
Effective November 1, 2022, we will update how we define evidence of successful delivery for Authenticity Guarantee transactions in our eBay Money Back Guarantee program and Payment dispute seller protections.
You’re required to use a tracked shipping service showing the delivery status to the authenticator’s address in order to qualify for “Item not received” protection. Previously, we looked for evidence showing at least the city or zip code of the address. Starting November 1, we’ll look for evidence of shipment to the authenticator’s full address. Once an item is marked as received by an authenticator, delivery of the item to the buyer becomes eBay’s responsibility, and if there are any delivery issues, we’ll work with the buyer to resolve them.
We will continue to require signature confirmation for orders valued at $750 or more, and we strongly recommend shipping insurance for high value orders.
We also encourage you to save documentation from the carrier that shows the full address your orders were shipped to in the event of any disputes.
One seller who expressed their frustration with the lack of information gave the very reasonable suggestion that if eBay can't get their act together on this, they should delay the effective date until after the holidays.
I have to say, this has all the hallmarks of some higher-up issuing an edict without any clear understanding of the situation, and now his minions are scratching their heads over how to actually implement it, given the (lack of) tracking detail available to sellers by the carriers. This might explain the silence (which will be a week this coming Wednesday) in responding to what seems like a pretty clear question.
That quote does in fact say that "Effective November 1, 2022, we will update how we define evidence of successful delivery," so one could argue that they have given themselves a month to figure out how to describe what they want sellers to provide before announcing it, but obviously it would be better if they could explain it in advance, and not just spring [something] on everyone on that day. If they can't describe their updated definition before November 1st, at least postpone its activation day to December or even post-Christmas January.
I couldn't have said it any better myself - both the shipping label program and updated seller protection policy have all the hallmarks of yet another hastily slapped together, not ready for prime-time, half baked effort from eBay and I don't blame sellers at all for being frustrated.
If eBay can't or won't give clear, direct and explicit detailed information about how and when these programs are supposed to work, they need to be shelved, period.
If not, I'm afraid we'll have to conclude eBay has intentionally hung sneaker sellers up by their shoe strings on this one and that sellers should simply assume there will no longer be any protection for when shoes go "missing" after being delivered to the authenticator.
