Brian Burke

Including Neutral Feedback when calculating Positive Feedback percentage
Some sellers have seen their positive Feedback percentage drop since we introduced the changes. Though we mentioned that we would include neutral Feedback in the Positive Feedback percentage calculation, it seems that most sellers didn't realize this would impact their Feedback percentage.

We know that seeing your positive Feedback percentage drop is hard. But I want to be clear about why we did this. By not including neutral Feedback in our calculation, we were actually doing a disservice to our best sellers. Let me explain with an example.

Say two sellers have equal 1% negative rates.

• Under the old calculation – both sellers would have a 99% Positive Feedback percentage.
• Under the new (current) calculation – we count neutrals. If one seller has a neutral rate of 0.5% (roughly the site average), and the other has a neutral rate of 2%, under today’s calculation, their Feedback percentages are 98.5% and 97%, respectively. By including the neutral Feedback we are advantaging a seller who is providing a better overall customer experience (the one who now has a 98.5%), which is the right thing to do to create great buying experiences on eBay.

When looking at your percentage, I encourage you not to focus on the drop in your Feedback percentage as a raw number, but rather to think of it in context with other sellers' percentages on eBay.

Feedback Percentage Calculation
We've also received questions around how we now calculate the Positive Feedback percentage.

It's based on Feedback left for your transactions that ended in the past 52 weeks, including Feedback that qualifies for the repeat credit.

On your Feedback Profile page (found by clicking on your Feedback score), the "How is Feedback Percentage calculated?" link gives a numerical explanation. Here are the details in a nutshell:

• The percentage is based on the last 12 months of transactions
• The total number of positive Feedbacks for the period is divided by the total number of Feedbacks (including positive, negative and neutral). This includes repeat Feedback from members that have left Feedback for transactions that ended in different weeks.

Multiple Feedbacks left by the same member for transactions that occurred within the same week is not included in the calculation. For example, if a buyer purchased two items from you today and left you two positive Feedbacks seven days from now, only one Feedback is counted towards your Feedback score and Feedback percentage. This is to prevent Feedback manipulation.

Impact on PowerSeller Status
With the changes, some sellers may find that their overall Feedback percentage has fallen below the 98% threshold to maintain PowerSeller status. To help those who have fallen below the minimum 98% threshold get back above 98%, we will provide a 60-day grace period in which these accounts will retain PowerSeller status. After the 60-day period (ending on July 20), any PowerSeller who no longer meets the 98% threshold will no longer be eligible for PowerSeller status and benefits.

Other changes to your Feedback Percentage
Some sellers may notice a discrepancy between their Feedback percentage on the item page and on their Feedback Profile page – this is a temporary condition as we complete the system changes, and this information will be in sync again within a few days.

One last note: we have not yet removed negative and neutral Feedback left by members who are currently suspended. We'll begin doing so in late May, and it will take us a few weeks to complete. So, if you have negative or neutral Feedback from a suspended member, it should be removed by early June, at which point it will no longer affect your Feedback score and percentage.

I hope this helps answer some of your questions. You can also read my interview with our eBay Ink blog that addresses several other member questions as well. And if you haven't already done so, please read our information page and updated FAQ for more details.

Sincerely,

Brian Burke
Director, Global Feedback Policy

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Gui Bastos

How authentication and authorization works
The first time you connect to the eBay site with Turbo Lister 6.5 or higher, you'll be asked to sign in and verify your User ID and password (authentication). In the next step (authorization), you'll get the appropriate privileges to perform your Turbo Lister activities. During this process, we'll give your computer an encrypted security code that only eBay can read, which will be valid for 18 months.

You won't have to go through this process again for 18 months, unless you add a new user to your Turbo Lister subscription, or you uninstall and reinstall Turbo Lister on your computer. This update is optional, as always, but in the interest of making the overall eBay marketplace safer, this process will become mandatory later this year (we'll keep you posted).

For more information about authentication and authorization, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Sincerely,

Gui Bastos
Seller Tools team

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Kristin Cunningham

Hi everyone...This is Kristin Cunningham, General Manager of eBay Giving Works. Since we launched eBay Giving Works in November 2003, you've blown us away with your generosity – raising over $140M for nonprofits as a global Community. I'm excited to now announce that we're enhancing the program this week, making it even easier for you to support your favorite causes on eBay.

We're streamlining the process so that you no longer need to register separately with MissionFish (or leave a credit card on file with them) to sell with eBay Giving Works. All you'll need to do is accept the eBay Giving Works Terms & Conditions just one time and you're all set to create your charity listings. (Please note: Even if you've listed with eBay Giving Works before, you'll still need to accept the new Terms & Conditions before creating your next charity listing.)

Beginning May 22nd, once you accept the Terms & Conditions, you will be able to:

• Manage your eBay Giving Works activity directly in My eBay, from your new Donation Account. Here you'll find your listings, donations, tax receipts, and more.
• Pay the donations that result from your sold listings using the same payment method you have on file with eBay.
• Request donation refunds directly through the Unpaid Item process.
• Sell with eBay Giving Works even if you are located outside the U.S.

Though sellers will no longer need a My MissionFish Seller Account, MissionFish isn’t going away. They will continue to power the technology behind the program, collect and distribute donations and tax receipts, and help nonprofits make the most of eBay Giving Works.

A new look
As part of this upgrade, we're re-launching the eBay Giving Works site, giving it a fresh new look and making it easier for you to find the information you need to use the program successfully. From the new eBay Giving Works site, nonprofits can also easily go to the newly redesigned MissionFish site, where they can access user-friendly features and tools to successfully fundraise on eBay.

Scheduled outage during the upgrade
As you can imagine, this upgrade is a complicated process and requires close coordination between eBay and MissionFish. As a result, some eBay Giving Works features will be unavailable starting approximately at 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Wednesday, May 21st. This outage may last up to 24 hours, but we will bring the program back online as soon as possible.

During this outage, you will not be able to create new eBay Giving Works listings (but listings created before and after the scheduled outage won't be affected). We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and ask for your patience as we do our best to make sure that everything is working properly.

Join our online workshop
For more information about these improvements, please read our Frequently Asked Questions. You can also learn more by participating in our workshop on Tuesday, May 27th from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time.

We look forward to hearing your feedback and hope these changes will make it easier for you to support your favorite nonprofits through eBay Giving Works!

Sincerely,

Kristin Cunningham
eBay Giving Works

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Frederick Crosby

When you choose this optional upgrade in the Sell Your Item form, your item will be displayed in regular search results for buyers shopping on eBay UK. This way, your item receives added exposure for less than it would cost to list directly on both sites. Although this feature is only available for eBay UK today, we'll be adding more markets as time goes on.

Outline of Cross-Border Options for Your Listing
We saw a lot of good questions about sellers' international options after our original announcement. Here's an outline to help US sellers understand the different ways to get seen by buyers in the UK.

1. When you list on eBay.com and select "international shipping" on your listing, UK buyers will see it when:
   • they customize their search to find international items - your listing will appear within the regular search results, along with UK-based items.

   • their search returns a low number of UK-based items - relevant international items, such as yours, will be displayed in a box underneath the results (just like on the US site).

2. If you list directly on eBay UK, your listing will be displayed in search results just like any other UK-based listing. This would be completely separate from your US listings, and you would pay the UK listing fees.

3. NEW!! - If you list your item on eBay.com with the new International Visibility listing upgrade, your item will be shown in regular UK search results.

   Now sellers also have the option of using our International Site Visibility upgrade to give the items you've already listed in the US extra exposure in the UK. Simply select the "International Site Visibility" upgrade during the listing process, and your item will be shown in the regular UK search results like other UK-based items.

More exposure means more potential buyers – and selling internationally is especially attractive right now given the weak nature of the US dollar compared to other currencies.

Important note: Whenever selling internationally, make sure to specify your international shipping costs. Buyers are more likely to purchase items with this information, and it can positively affect where your item is displayed in search results when the buyer is using the Best Match sort order.

International Site Visibility Listing Upgrade Fees
In the US, the fees to use this optional upgrade are as follows:

Start Price	Upgrade Fee
$0.01 - 9.99	10 cents
$10 - 49.99	20 cents
$50+	40 cents

Also, as a reminder, per Stephanie's note, our previous test to display Collectibles items across markets has now been turned off as well.

I hope this helps more sellers increase their global reach and expand their businesses. For all the details, please see our information page.

Join our workshop
Join my team at an online workshop on Thursday, May 22nd from 10-11 a.m. PT to learn more about the International Visibility upgrade and how it can help your international sales. Bring your questions!

Sincerely,

Frederick Crosby
Director, eBay Cross-Border Trade team

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Jim "Griff" Griffith

• Jen Cano from Hammertap.com with advanced research tips for eBay sellers.
• Louis Fouquet, owner and operator of a Pak Mail Center in Gretna, Louisiana, who will show us how sellers can stay in front of the changing world of shipping.
• Colette Marshall, product sourcing expert with Worldwide Brands, who will discuss the very popular topic of "Drop Shipping."
• Eric Gazin, President of AuctionCause.com, with news about the current hot celebrity charity auction with eBay Giving Works, which includes a speaking role with big name stage and screen stars.
• Denise Hogue, Product Manager for TeraPeak Marketplace Research, who will talk about the new Hot Search tool on Terapeak.

Plus we'll have "The News" with Lee Mirabal, as well as the most important feature on eBay Radio: your calls! Call in during the show at 877-474-3302 (USA) or 001-858-678-8958 (Internationally) to talk with Griff and his guests or to ask a question and share your voice with the rest of the eBay Community.

Remember, one lucky caller per week, selected at random, will receive an autographed copy of Griff's book, "The Official eBay Bible".

If you can't catch the live show, you can always subscribe to the podcast , or access any past broadcast from the eBay Radio Archives. To subscribe to the podcast all you need is an reader (a portable MP3 player is optional). Visit www.wsradio.com/ebayradio for more information about subscribing to the podcasts and to listen to eBay Radio on your computer.

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John McDonald

Also, we wanted to give you an update on how to monitor your standing as a seller and improve the visibility of your listings.

New – more flexibility for selling similar items
Two important changes are being made to simplify our policies and add convenience for our sellers.

1. Removal of the Choice Policy
   First, starting immediately, the Choice Policy, which has required sellers to list similar items in different sizes and colors in separate listings, has been removed. Sellers may now create listings that offer choices such as size, color, and configuration. For example, a shoe seller may now offer a particular shoe in multiple sizes in one listing.

   This change adds significant cost savings and convenience for sellers, while helping them delight their buyers with more choice.

   Keep in mind that it will continue to be the seller's responsibility to accurately represent the available inventory in a listing. Being unable to fulfill a buyer's choice of a stated offering is considered a violation of the Seller Non-Performance Policy. Offering a choice of completely different items in the same listing is also prohibited under the Fee Circumvention Policy.

2. Removal of the Multiple Listings Limit Policy
   Starting early June, the Multiple Listings Limit Policy, which limits sellers to 15 identical listings at any one time, will be removed. Soon sellers will be allowed an unlimited number of identical listings.

   To prevent buyers from being overwhelmed by identical listings, advancements in Finding will limit the display of duplicates from the same seller. The listing displayed will be determined by the sort option that the buyer chooses, such as Time Ending Soonest, Newly Listed, Total Cost, and Best Match.

   Also, the number of listings from any one seller will be limited to ten per page, unless the only available listings that remain are from the same seller. This change ensures that buyers will have a variety of sellers to choose from. (For more information, please read our Frequently Asked Questions).

New simplified Search & Browse Manipulation Policy
Starting in early June a new Search & Browse Manipulation Policy will take the place of the Keyword Spamming, Misleading Title, Miscategorization, and Brand Name Misuse policies. The new Search Manipulation Policy simplifies the guidelines for sellers, prohibiting any unfair methods of diverting members to their listings. This includes any addition to a listing not related to the item being sold or other activity that harms the shopping experience by making it difficult for buyers to find the items they're looking for. More information can be found in our FAQs.

Mystery Auctions prohibited
Due to the high rate of claims and bad buying experiences related to these listings, starting early June, the Chance Policy will now also include Mystery Auctions as a prohibited item.

Updated Links Policy
Starting in July, an updated Links Policy will take the place of links guidelines that were previously covered in several policy areas. Under the updated policy, only specific types of links are allowed in a seller's listings or other content on eBay, including eBay Store pages, About Me pages, eBay Blogs, Reviews and Guides, and forums. Allowed under the new policy are links to:

• Any page on eBay or an eBay property including PayPal, Half.com and StubHub.
• Photos of the item for sale, as long as the page displaying the photos does not offer, or link to, a site that offers a product or service for sale off eBay.
• Embedded videos within a listing, as long as the content and format comply with all eBay policies for videos.
• Third-party solutions and services directly related to the particular listing.

Monitor your seller standing and increase visibility in Search
An expanded version of the Seller Dashboard will be available this week, with more information about where you stand and how to maximize your business on eBay. We encourage you to check it often. Watch for a follow-up post on this Announcement Board as soon as the expanded Dashboard is available.

It's important to note that as part of eBay's ongoing efforts to raise the bar on selling standards, violations of eBay policies are subject to serious consequences, including restrictions, forfeiture of insertion fees, seller demotion in search results, and suspension. This is intended to drive any selling practices that hurt buyers and good sellers alike off eBay.

As we continue to raise the bar, we also wanted to give you an update on changes we've made to Best Match since the rollout of this new sort order in March. As you know, Best Match considers a number of factors including Time Ending Soonest, item relevance, other item attributes, and seller performance.

Since launch, we've been monitoring and making adjustments. Some of our adjustments will result in a larger number of sellers with below average performance scores being lowered in Best Match search results. If either of the following conditions apply to you, the visibility of your listings may be reduced:

• Your 30-day shipping cost DSR is 4.5 and below
• Your buyer satisfaction rate (shown on the dashboard) appears as "needs improvement," "poor" or "unacceptable."

If you're in this situation, we want to help you get back to the top in Best Match. Many sellers are discovering that making small changes in their approach can make a positive difference in their DSRs and business results. Here are some tips on how you can improve your buyer satisfaction and DSRs.

Check our previous announcement for more complete details on what impacts the visibility of your items in Best Match search results.

Good news for our top performing sellers
Starting this week, sellers with 4.7 and above on all 4 DSRs over the last 30 days may start to see an additional boost in their search standing in Best Match. It's important for good sellers to be rewarded for providing excellent buying experiences. We're going to test this in a few categories to start, and will expand to the others shortly afterwards.

To make sure you stay in top standing, get familiar with eBay's User Agreement, monitor your Seller Dashboard (once it becomes available) on a regular basis to be aware of potential issues and changes in your status, and resolve any issues in a timely fashion. Sellers who delight their buyers will win on eBay, and we thank the vast majority of sellers who abide by our policies and strive to deliver the best buying experience possible.

For more information on the changes above, please see our Policy Change FAQ's.

Sincerely,

John McDonald
US Trust & Safety

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