| November 02, 2009 |
 Problem with eBay's Free Shipping Display |
| By: Ina Steiner |
| Mon Nov 2 2009 02:57:56 |
To the Editor:
I would like to let you know of a serious site-wide problem on eBay that's been happening since Wednesday 10/28. No one at eBay has a clue. I reported it several times to eBay but nothing as been done. This is the problem:
Ever since Wednesday, if the shipping method on a listing is Standard Flat Rate Shipping, Expedited Flat Shipping or Other and free shipping is provided, the listing does not display the words "Free Shipping" underneath the price. Yet, if one clicks on the "Shipping and Payment" tab and then click on "Get Rate", the words "Free Shipping" appears underneath the price. Nevertheless, the words "Free Shipping" are always displayed underneath the price if the shipping method is USPS or UPS.
This is a serious problem for those of us who use FedEx. Since FedEx is not one of the shipping options, we have to use either Standard Flat Rate Shipping, Expedited Flat Rate Shipping or Other. Because buyers don't see "Free Shipping", they go elsewhere. My sales have been down 30% to 40% due to this problem. Here is an actual question that a buyer asked, and there are others:
"I saw your listing last week and thought it was listed with free shipping. Did you take the free shipping off?"
As I said earlier, I have reported this to eBay several times in the last few days and nothing has been done. In one instance, an account manager told me this:
"The more detailed a specification of a shipping service (USPS UPS), the detail of free shipping will appear in the 'Shipping' section just under the starting bid or price in a description. Not specifying a specific carrier will result in general information displayed such as other see description. This is a feature by design and not any type of technical or design error."
Why should eBay discriminate again free shipping provided by carriers that is not an eBay partner (for example FedEx is not an eBay partner). If what the account manager says is true, then eBay is unfairly exerting power to favor shipping carriers that is has dealings with (and potential kickbacks from those carriers). It is bad business practice, unfair, unethical and possibly illegal.
Can you please publish this so more seller can see what eBay is up to?
Thanks,
eBay Power Seller
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