eBay launched its second seller release of 2012 on Tuesday, on the heels of delivering very strong Q2 2012 earnings. To improve the quality and service buyers expect, eBay is turning to Top-Rated sellers to help drive rapid, continued growth.
"With more than 104 million global customers, we continue to believe that eBay is the best place to start and continue to grow a business,” said Michael Jones, Vice President, Merchant Development. (To watch a video interview with Michael, check out the eBay Ink blog.)
“We don’t compete with our merchants,” he continued. “We invest heavily in technology, we invest heavily in advertising on our merchants’ behalf, to continue to help them grow their business. Not only where they live today, but also in a global marketplace. We want to help them increase their footprint and overall increase their sales, and we believe very strongly that eBay is the absolute best place to do that.”
The release includes a number of features that aim to make selling easier and more profitable.
“One of my personal favorites is Fast 'N Free shipping,” Michael said. “This allows products to get into the hands of our buyers quicker, within a 4-day window, and also importantly, it allows our merchants to see more lift in their overall business.”
This release also provides safeguards for sellers, including a requirement that buyers contact sellers before opening a Buyer Protection case. In addition, number of open cases will not be held against a seller until resolved. Lastly, this release makes it easier to report abusive buyers.
There are also a number of new features that are intended to drive better buying experiences. A new Top-Rated Plus seal, coming in September, will highlight listings from Top-Rated sellers that offer 1-day handling and 14-day or longer money-back returns. It will replace the current Top-Rated seller badge.
“By raising the bar on our merchant partners, it allows our buyers to be able to continue to get great value, trust and selection at eBay – now with a money back guarantee,” Michael said.
Starting in October, new listings and re-listings will be required to include a picture. This complements additional photo requirements announced earlier this year, coming in 2013.
For more information about the new Seller Release, please see this AB post. You can check out details of the 2012 Fall Seller Update here.
Michael Jones and other eBay leaders will hold a Town Hall meeting on July 25, 3:30 to 5 p.m. PST.