Many hard working top-rated eBay sellers probably received yet another devastating email from eBay disguised as a benefit to sellers. "To maintain your eBay Top-rated seller status, simply carry on providing the great service and good shopping experiences that your customers have come to expect – and you’ll continue to receive greater visibility in Best Match search results." That's how they introduced their latest changes. The reality? A series of ridiculous requirements to keep top-rated seller status including: Offering express delivery (1-2) working days) Offering free postage Other ridiculous changes including 14 day Return Policy On top of this, they are increasing the cost of both a basic and featured shop, and reducing the discount associated with power seller status. How will express delivery affect businesses on eBay? Can business who offer custom-designed goods such as tailor-made suits be able to guranteed next day dispatch? NO! Can business who operate in remote regions of the UK be able to guarantee next day dispatch? NO! Can people who also work jobs be able to guaranteed next day dispatch? NO! The result? Hard working sellers are forced to offer an option which they cannot realistically provide and customers are dissatisfied with any delays because they are expecting a service which the seller may not be able to provide? The alternative, the seller loses TRS. How will free postage affect businesses on eBay? Can sellers who are selling large bulky items such as furniture realistically offer free postage? NO! Can sellers who sell multiple low-cost items offer discounts for multiple purchases? NO! The price of postage inevitably ends up included in the cost of the item. In all possible scenarios the buyer or the seller (or both) loses money. If the item was selling for £1 and postage was £0.60, the price must be changed to £1.60. Previously, if a buyer bought ten, he would pay £10.60 but now its £16! Why have eBay introduced this policy? Because every penny they can move from postage to the price they can add their final value fees! Lets have a look at just a few comments from the eBay board: "some of the bigger LED TV's (46" and above) there is no way i could offer free P&P as i have to deliver them myself and charge petrol money depending on location" "Currently I charge 99p per item and 99p postage up to 12 items It still costs me the same to post 1 item as 12 you really expect my buyers to stomach an included 99p postage per item? "We have lamented on these boards asking ebay to help provide a solution on RMs raised prices - And what does ebay do? Raises shop fees. Asks for TRS sellers to use freepost options to retain TRS - why yes of course, because this means super profit for ebay. Asks for same day despatch when: some sellers also have jobs other than ebay, some sellers provide custom made items - same day despatch impossible. Some sellers run their businesses around disabilities and other impairments and the flexibility of posting on odd days assists here ebay: This is simply not good enough. Under the guise of 'Excellent fulfilment' you have shafted smaller businesses. Do you think 20-60 free listings pcm is going to cut it? "More madness from the 'change for change sake' department at eBay. "More money made by eBay off the hardworking backs of honest sellers." "Do they really want to drive all the good sellers away?" "They have lost sight of all that made eBay such a great place to buy and sell, disgusted and disillusioned." “free postage to qualify - ebay are you serious? royal mail have announced price hikes next month and you expect us to offer free postage regardless of weight / size of parcels “ “I think the worst aspect of these changes, is that there are simply too many qualifying criteria now, and the idea of TRS rewarding sellers for pleasing their buyers, is now replaced by a straight calculation - is the extra visibility and the 15% discount worth the extra work and the eBay "fines". “Free postage is not helping the buyers unless they are just buying a “one off” item. For example, I have some heavier items such as shoes. When a buyer buys a pair of shoes the postage cost of GBP 10.50 is applicable. For all other items they want the postage cost is FREE due to the maximum postage costs I have set up in my postage discounts. EBay has not considered this in the new requirements. As I can see, these new requirements will force sellers to move to new platforms, to run their own web-shop which in the end means less revenue for EBay.I would ask EBay to seriously re-consider the FREE Postage option as being a requirement for remaining a TRS” Dear eBay, you need to wake up, and realise that all us hardworking top-rated sellers who are devastated by these changes will not tolerate this continuing money-grubbery. Every year more changes are introduced to squeeze every bit of profit we can make. It comes to a point where it’s not worth it. I and many others are at the end of our wits with this system. Please reconsider your short-term perspective; yes you will make more money on final value fees as many sellers are forced to offer free postage. In time… eBay sellers will move to other online offline outlets to sell, and eBay will collapse as both the sellers and buyers move. You will make more money long-term by settling with the enormous amount of profit you already make, and leaving us buyers alone to make a few quid on the evenings and weekends! If we are no good at what we do, feedback and DSR’s will demonstrate that and we will lose customers. Those who work hard deserve to earn money and not have it taken from us! Sign the petition if you agree!