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Hello Community,

eBay has just posted an important new policy announcement on their site. The essence of this policy is that eBay will begin prohibiting duplicate fixed-price listings items next month to declutter search results and give more sellers added visibility,

If you haven't seen eBay's announcement yet, you can read it here. More specific details can be found at this link. The Duplicate Listing Policy pages can be read here.

Beginning Oct. 26, eBay will begin enforcing the new Duplicate Listing policy, which mandates concurrent fixed-price items from a single seller be "significantly" different. Sellers who want to sell identical items in the fixed-price format will have to create a single multi-quantity listing.

"The purpose of the policy is to maximize sales for all sellers on eBay by ensuring that buyers consistently see the widest, most inspiring selection of items relevant to their search," say eBay's Laura Della Torre, Sr. Manager, Strategic Partnerships. "The policy is specifically intended to prevent situations where search results are dominated by multiple duplicate listings from the same seller—one of the most common complaints from sellers and buyers."

Once the policy takes effect, eBay says it will automatically end listings that are in violation of the new policy (and credit sellers for their insertion and listing enhancement fees). The new policy affects only fixed-price—not auction format—listings and will apply to all eBay categories as well as eBay Motors.

All merchants must adhere to this new policy, eBay notes, even those with multiple eBay IDs. Sellers who fail to abide by the new rule could have their listing cancelled, have limits placed on their accounts, lose their seller status or have their account suspended.

The only exception to the "one listing per item" rule are products that fit specific items, models or brands. These includes items like car parts, connector cables or phone charges, eBay notes.

So what makes listings significantly different? Attributes like color and size, eBay answers.

"A difference is considered significant when it addresses a significantly different user need or offers a significantly different value to buyers," the auction site explains in its FAQs. eBay adds that adding the Best Offer option does not make a listing significantly different from another.

While eBay has said 'enforcement' of this policy (e.g. eBay automatically ends fixed price listings they deem to be duplicates) will not begin until October 26, we strongly urge you to start now to comply with this policy.

eBay says in the announcement that they will be providing a tool to help you identity duplicate listings. This tool is NOT yet available; eBay says it will be in 'the next couple of weeks'. In the meantime, eBay says that "no action is required" for compliance with the new policy as they will automatically end duplicate listings commencing October 26. However, they provide a list of steps you can follow if you want to manage these changes yourself which you can read about under the 'Take Action' topic here.

Looking past October 26, we suggest that Auctiva Sellers pay attention to the following:

1) If you are using Auctiva's automated scheduling and/or automated relisting features, please look carefully at what you have set up to ensure that you will be using Auctiva scheduling or relisting to inadvertently post listings that will be 'duplicate' under this policy.

2) If you are listing fixed price items in categories that are open to multi-variation listings or in Automotive Parts and Accessories where Parts Compatibility listings are supported, we recommend you take full advantage of those features both of which are supported on the Auctiva site.
Auctiva Tony M. Sr. Product Manager, Auctiva.com
Last edited {1}
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Tony.. do me a HUGE favor.. and tell them IF they really want to "declutter search results" and add visibility they should sure be working on Multi-Variation for make up. i.e. Loreal Lipstick one kind and they may have 100's of kinds and of it may have 70 colors in each kind. (100's of kinds and colors) Maybelline same. . Revlon same, Almay, Clinique, Avon . .on and on blah blah. Then repeat this with 1,000 of manufacturers. Then x's this by same companies Mascara, Foundation, lip liner, lip sealer, eye shadow, Eye Liner, Blush, concealer, brow pencils, etc. in each color and kind. You get the message I am sure. This would sure declutter. I do not have mine listed waiting on either them to get multi-variation for OR when auctiva gets us set up with new sites that may possibly have them.

I can't even get them to respond at all to this after repeated notes to them. I will send another request today asking!

Probably just venting here. . as this is NOT your problem.. but if you ever get a chance to tug at them.. ask about this. Please.

This would declutter, save time and save money! (of course, I am sure it would not save ebay money when you look at 65,000 eye shadows ALONE listed, 56 ish lipstick.

thanks.. please pass it on if you get opportunity and let us know if you get an answer. .

Vickie
http://stores.ebay.com/VICKIES-VARIETY?_rdc=1
So what is going to happen in our case? We have 100's of different t-shirts on eBay, all of them different (each shirt has a different picture on front or back or both) but we use a similar title and description for all t-shirts? All of our t-shirts are of the same brand (Harley-Davidson).

If an auction has unique pictures, does that constitute "significantly" different?
IVHD.. am not sure answer to your question. however, they do have discussion board supposedly answering questions until 5 pacific time.. .needless to say they are HOT and HEAVY on this and DSR change announced today.

I would sure go on there. I would think because your photos are different you could get by.. but knowing ebay you will have some pulled when this starts.

Vickie

http://stores.ebay.com/VICKIES-VARIETY
Just update, I have been on phone with ebay for 53 minutes waiting on rep to answer plus 2 hours, YES, 2 hours of which about 1 1/2 were sitting on hold between responses. Of course, one question led to a wait, when they came back with BS answer and I called them on it, wait again.. this was over and over. So THEY do not know what is going on (not highly unusual).

In my case it ended with first you can list each lipstick as singles with same photo. I said that is not what new rules say. Back blah. . blah. blah.

She decided I guess to show me and she tried to list herself even though I told her there is no multi-variation for my item. She did a single listing and said NO problem, I just listed one. You just have to do for the other 50 color + colors and kinds. ... . arg. . new rules woman.

In end she said
quote:
I will get back with you IF EVER I get an answer
I said, what do you mean "IF EVER"??????? Finally pinned her down to 24-48 hours would get detailed selling explanation under new plan. Doubt it.. but there you have it.

No one knows what the heck is going on.. .SHOCK> >SHOCK>> SHOCK!!!!!!!!!!!

During this entire time I had a chat window opened figuring who I get first is stuck with me, which had 53 people waiting and 45 minute wait shows, 3 hours later it is still a 25 minute wait.. but that time goes up and way down and up again.


If you need them I would NOT call today. (or ever for that matter).

Also discussions yesterday where reps answered questions, were as I figured, the one on this subject the person was there about 1 hour and answered 5 questions only.

Interesting way to run a business. .I feel like I belong in an insane asylum after talking with them. (and probably do).

Later. .laugh.. laugh
quote:
Originally posted by lvhd:
So what is going to happen in our case? We have 100's of different t-shirts on eBay, all of them different (each shirt has a different picture on front or back or both) but we use a similar title and description for all t-shirts? All of our t-shirts are of the same brand (Harley-Davidson).

If an auction has unique pictures, does that constitute "significantly" different?



Auctions are not affected by this new policy - it only applies to fixed price items.
Luckycat. .I would think, note I said think because I do not know for sure that you would be ok because of the photos being different... though I would be willing to be there will be pulled listings that should not be pulled. Do we "really" think ebay is going to go through each listing looking at photos?? No.. they will pull listing probably and then let you fight it out with them. They may do the "let other sellers report violations" routine. . I do not know.

I did think of this.. wonder what they will do if you start them at different prices such as $19.95 for one.. $19.97 for another, etc.,???

"IF EVER" I get an answer from ebay will be happy to post it though I am not sure our issues are exactly same.

However, I honestly do not think I will get an answer back because they have NO answer!!

Vickie


http://stores.ebay.com/VICKIES-VARIETY
What I am worried about is that, in my case, due to the new Duplicate Listing Policy, I am going to have to go back to doing it the old way... putting different models and years in the title and having thousands of listings instead of using Parts Compatibility.

My listings that are listed one by one (thousands of them) are not flagged as duplicates. But, the ones that have Parts Compatibility are being flagged as duplicates because, for some items, I have like 10,000 different cars that my items are designed and custom made for. So, I have been using about 15-20 identical Parts Compatibility listings for each kind of item (floor mats) instead of thousands of listings like I used to do. Sad that I can't consolidate them anymore into Parts Compatibility listings (which is what eBay designed PC for in the first place).

Does that make sense or am I just rambling? I haven't received a reply from anyone about how I can go about doing this in my case. I don't want to flood eBay with thousands of listings because that would defeat the purpose of PC and the Dup.List.Policy.

Check out my store... ( Automotive Style ) Heavy Duty mats and Sunshades are still in my old style of listing items. Clear Vinyl and Diamond Plate mats are using Parts Compatibility... notice the difference? PC works so much better for me to consolidate my thousands of listings into just a few but the duplicate listing policy just destroyed that option for me

Any ideas? Suggestions?
Last edited by automotivestyle
Hi where are you all finding the tool to check duplicate listings?

I got an email "supposedly" from ebay saying I have 4 and to download something. I did not do it because I have been getting tons of emails that ebay says are not coming from them regarding gallery pictures so was leery of opening it.

Ebay said notes from them will be be my messages IF they are from ebay and mine on duplicate listings was not.

Frankly I do not fully believe them but that is their story.

IF there is online tool to check would you tell me where it is?? Not that I am going to remove them anyway, but would like to see how accurate their tool is. We will see how well they do their job and are able to execute their rules. Funny, since they announced this, the pages are LOADED and I mean LOADED with people trying to dump their wares. I was looking for printer ink and the kind I use had about 300 from the same seller.

Thanks so much.

Vickie

http://stores.ebay.com/VICKIES-VARIETY?_rdc=1
Last edited by lookandbuyme
Is yours in your ebay messages?? I was told Sunday that IF email is NOT in MESSAGES INBOX it is not from ebay. I found this very interesting since they used my full name and ID which is ebays norm. Mine today was not in INBOX so I did not trust it at the time. Once again, funny the email specifically said 4, when I went to download you gave it said 2. When in fact I know there are more than 4.

I think if you change condition like from like PERFECT OR EXCELLENT to GOOD and change price a little that may do it. Also, maybe different photo background?? or Angle. You could do a test or two an download again before 26th to see.

Good luck.
vickie
Last edited by lookandbuyme

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