Top Rated Seller: 2nd evaluation day
20/10/2009 at 10:38
Today’s the day that sellers learn if they’ve made the second cut for Top Rated Seller status on eBay.
Each month on the 20th all sellers are re-assessed and if you log into your Seller Dashboard today you’ll find out if you’ve been promoted or demoted from Top Rated Seller.
In the mean time eBay are continuing to expand promotion of items from Top Rated Sellers, both in search and other marketing. The latest buyer email as well as promoting the Daily Deals has a top graphic promoting Top Rated Sellers and all the product links from the email link only to searches for goods from Top Rated Sellers.
Have you been promoted or demoted this month? Do you believe Top Rated Sellers status has increased sales or has lack of the logo lowered your sell through rates? Has it made no difference at all to your business on eBay?
Lynne says
11:09 am on 20/10/2009
so far it doesn’t seem to be making very much difference not having the status, but we shall have to see over the entire Christmas period.
It’s those darned postage DSRs mucking me up
liz says
11:11 am on 20/10/2009
All i can say is i have 4 shops, 2 with top rating and 2 without all selling the same things and overall there has been no change in the level of business
JP says
12:26 pm on October 22nd, 2009
its a reflection of the very small margins that ebay operate on when rating sellers. The big long list of requirements can easily falter in one section. I am a TRS in Germany for one of my shops, and it makes a massive difference…also the Germans appreciate good service – I can’t say that’s true for UK customers. I am consistently beaten….and I post same/next day with free tracked postage.
Simon says
11:24 am on 20/10/2009
We’re TRS for the 2nd month also.
Have noticed a very slight decline in sales, probably due to the fact we’re gradually moving away from eBay in favour of our own website (we can offer postage discounts, but eBay won’t let us)
whirly says
11:42 am on 20/10/2009
Storming 18 days of sales, best in 3 years. We are not TRS.
Sadly, somebody has turned it off again, went dead all of a sudden on Saturday, since then it has been pathetic, traffic down,questions down, no best offers, sales dire. Go figure
P.S One of our most popular product lines that we have been selling daily for 12+ months hasn’t sold 1 since the 1st Oct. I find that a bit annoying, not because we are stuck with stock, more the fact that obviously no bugger can see them, products don’t go out of fashion overnight like that.
Jimbo says
11:43 am on 20/10/2009
When details were originally announced I seem to remember eBay saying that the icon would show in search. Wonder if this is still going to happen?
KeithS says
12:56 pm on October 20th, 2009
I saw the icons for TRS in search 2 days ago. I think they were just under the title where the paypal logo is.
SinBad says
12:34 pm on 20/10/2009
like bi-polar disorder, great for a week and now its crap again. I’m just glad my off-eBay sales are a bit more predictable.
whirly says
1:07 pm on 20/10/2009
@Chris, any idea when the trending data updates, I was expecting a month to drop off and be replaced…or does it not work like that
or is it broken 
Chris Dawson says
1:11 pm on October 20th, 2009
Happy to say I haven’t got a clue
whirly says
1:44 pm on October 20th, 2009
Arse. well if you don’t know that means ebay don’t know..no point asking them.
John says
1:42 pm on 20/10/2009
I got a your TRS is at risk icon!! I could not give a monkeys to be honest, it means nothing to me.
Holiday settings on, spare funds in Paypal account for any mishaps.
I,ll be back when the post strike is settled.Off to spend some quality time with the wife.
Be lucky if you are posting through the strike, make sure your communicating with your buyers.
Roger says
3:28 pm on 20/10/2009
I just made the grade this time, when will see the badge?
Chris Dawson says
3:58 pm on October 20th, 2009
Should be from the 1st November I believe
Andy says
3:55 pm on 20/10/2009
TRS has nothing for sales. Competitors who aren’t are doing the same sort of volume too.
I notice that the evaluation period is for the last 3 months for the UK and 12 months for USA and Europe respectively.
When did ebay change that to 3 months for the UK? Sue’s story here http://tamebay.com/2009/10/top-rated-seller-a-new-breed-of-dolphin.html on the 8th still talks about 12 month evaluation periods?
Or have I as usual missed something?
Chris Dawson says
3:59 pm on October 20th, 2009
It depends if you’re a low volume or high volume seller…
DBL says
7:01 pm on 20/10/2009
Well I dropped a PS level this month, but I got my TRS badge!
I would rather have the extra spondoolics but my sales nose dived 1st October. Good job this is not my only income
No TRS = Crap Sales
Crap Sales = drop PS level
Crap Sales = Less Fees to pay
Less fees = TRS
TRS = better sales?
We’ll see
Andy says
7:47 pm on October 20th, 2009
I’m with you. We have TRS but we’ve also dropped a PS level – would far rather have the bloody sales!
Paul says
7:01 pm on 20/10/2009
…about a lucky man who made the grade.
(name that tune).
I’ve kept TRS despite the pillock who stuffed me on delivery ratings this month. (I’ve got a main PO two minutes from the office with a 6.30 last collection & if I get an order at 6.20pm, it’ll still arrive next day).
Sales, although small in comparison to some on here, have definitely increased over the last month or so – but only to a level that they should have been at anyway before the unexplained summer slump. Is it because of TRS or some Ebay algorithm? God knows. I’m not complaining. (Because it’ll get me nowhere). I’ve also got items that stop selling without reason that I now find myself overstocked with.
Ebay is a very, very strange place.
Andy says
7:01 am on October 21st, 2009
Paul, we have the same situation. A collection at 6pm from our DO just 5 mins away so orders received up to 5.30 still go the same day and generally 95%+ arrive the next day but we still get 0.3% or thereabouts of buyers in the UK marking us down (1/2) on despatch time DSR.
So it’s clear they’re not marking despatch time but delivery time which even ebay admits we have no control over.
Gerry007 says
7:40 pm on 20/10/2009
Not there again……
But as we’ve 13 (out of 769) buyers who
reckon our dispatch time is crap don’t know if we’ll ever get there.
Frankly I’m coming to the stage that I couldn’t care less………..&………..just fed up with ebays’ attitude to Sellers
kiteman says
9:18 pm on 20/10/2009
THE DICTATOR SWITCHED US OFF LAST WEEK 99.9 PERCENT 9895 FEEDBACK WE WHOLESALE MANUFACTURE AND RETAIL FOR 30 YEARS IN BUSINESS YOU DO WHAT PAYS SORRY EBAY.REFUSE TO PAY YOUR ADWORDS NOT NEEDED BEFORE BEST MATCH, WE USED TO AVERAGE 90 ITEMS A DAY NOW 15. OUR OWN WEBSITE GROWS WEEKLY
Bigpoppa says
11:01 pm on 20/10/2009
I can’t seem to find the bit where it says how many 1′s 2′s etc…anyone?
Gerry007 says
12:06 am on October 21st, 2009
Here I think;
http://cgi6.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?SDPerformance&spsThreshold=TOP_RATED
fozz says
11:37 pm on 20/10/2009
Its pot luck.
We missed TRS last month by 0.1% , so spent the month focusing efforts on our own website and other things away from ebay.
This month we’ve made TRS. But will it make more sales – who knows…
PJ says
2:11 am on 21/10/2009
People who qualify for top rated seller should be aware that apparently not “everyone” gets the “badge” to go along with the designation. I qualified as a Top Rated Seller today, but still have no badge, and no subsequent elevation in search standing.
Heidi says
8:09 am on 21/10/2009
People who qualify for top rated seller should be aware that apparently not “everyone” gets the “badge” to go along with the designation.
We have also met this now . We’ll wait and see if this is bcause the search page is slower than the Dash Board
fozz says
8:52 am on October 21st, 2009
i think its from 1st nov. we will wait and see..
Donna says
8:38 am on 21/10/2009
Not made it again…
My sales are definitely down too. It’s the postage one that’s the problem for me… We charge 6.75 for up to 30 kilos (all items exceed 10 kilos), and most listings are for 30kg. Rate we pay is £5.80; but with with Fuel surcharge and VAT on top of this, plus packing materials to pay for (just paid out 4k for 16000 mailing sacks) I’m losing about £1 per parcel. Buyers see the postage price and still mark us down on it – this is so unfair (12 low ratings over the year; 7 were in July)
Kevin A says
9:25 am on 21/10/2009
We got TRS again, but we also have a warning. Looking into the numbers, guess what? It’s the old postal one pulling us back. Some nice eBayers (4 to be exact) have given us a 1 or a 2. We offer combine postage discounts, some items even go free of charge. We try to keep our prices as low as possible, this means we have to cover our postage costs, but I feel some eBayers are using the system to manipulate the numbers and drag certain sellers down – It seems if you are an eBay buyer you insist on the lowest prices, you want it next day and you want it sent free of charge – I may register as a charity soon, because it feels like I’m becomming one. Love eBay, but their complicated rules seem to be totally against the seller. Our own website is growing at a steady pace, thankfully.
Paul says
11:21 am on October 21st, 2009
Does anyone here send an insert with their despatches explaining the Ebay rating system and to prompt top DSR ratings?
Much as it goes against the grain to do anything resembling a pathetic, hand-wringing plea for ‘good marks’ from a buyer after having given good service all my business life, I’m going to get one together this week to see the results.
As this site:
http://leavingfeedback.com/page2.html
that I found last week rightly points out, most people would be very happy with a 4 star hotel room. In online trade surveys, I’m usually hesitant to give the ultimate top marks unless the company in question has genuinely and regularly pulled out all the stops for me. So, just because I’ve paid for something and actually received it, why should I consider that exceptional service from an Ebay seller? I’d probably give myself 4 stars and think I was being generous…
I’ve used the other idea of putting ’5 star’ comments in my customer feedback already, hoping it has some subliminal effect. More useful than the bog – standard ‘great communication’ responses, yet just as glib, I suppose.
Hereford United Fan says
11:25 am on October 21st, 2009
Paul
That is exactly right. That, I understand, is why ebay have switched to a method measuring 1′s and 2′s.
Provided you ratings are over 4.6 I wouldn’t waste your time.
Lino says
8:22 am on October 22nd, 2009
Is it possible you could be rated 3s and 4s for all your DSRs, making you a Top Rated Seller, but also an eBay below Standard Performance Seller?
Jimbo says
11:29 am on 21/10/2009
I wouldn’t bother. If you are having problems with DSR’s I don’t think a note in the package would help.
Steve Antony Williams says
12:25 pm on 21/10/2009
The trouble with DSR’s is eBay is applying objective methodology to quantify you based on subjective “feedback”, it’s never going to be right, end of.
whirly says
2:15 pm on October 21st, 2009
Give that to me in English please Steve..
I was a high school drop out.
Steve Antony Williams says
4:21 pm on October 21st, 2009
It means eBay are trying to “measure” your ability as sellers based purely on values (eg DSR’s) created by people’s opinions and personal opinions. How can it be fair ? It can’t, because you simply can’t please everybody. Especially in today’s “cheaper cheaper cheaper” marketplace, something has to “give”.
whirly says
4:51 pm on October 21st, 2009
Gotcha.
Donna says
3:58 pm on 21/10/2009
My ratings are 4.98, 4.95, 4.96 and 4.84. but I still don’t qualify for top seller because from 2300+ ratings in the last year, we’ve had 12 low ratings on postage (7 in July)
Also, what is there to stop me or anyone else from buying similar items from competitors and marking DSR’s as low, thereby trashing their status’s too?
Steve Antony Williams says
4:22 pm on October 21st, 2009
Those hurdles ain’t half high ….
Gerry007 says
5:08 pm on October 21st, 2009
“Also, what is there to stop me or anyone else from buying similar items from competitors and marking DSR’s as low, thereby trashing their status’s too?”
Makes you wonder if/how any competitors have actual already one that…
My commets to them;
1.
Gerry007 says
5:16 pm on October 21st, 2009
“Also, what is there to stop me or anyone else from buying similar items from competitors and marking DSR’s as low, thereby trashing their status’s too?”
Makes you wonder if/how any competitors have actual already one that…
My commets to them;
1. PATHETIC
2. Jealosy is a dangerous thing!!!!
3. If they are that worried. they need to get themselves a life (the competitor that is1! )
Donna says
6:39 pm on October 21st, 2009
I agree, but people are going to do it aren’t they? The poor ratings on my dashboard happened in same period as when I reported a competitor for copying my listings and pictures… but maybe it’s coincidence and I’m just being paranoid???
Lino says
8:30 am on October 22nd, 2009
Gerry007, you can guarantee that if people on here are talking about it, there will already be people on eBay doing it. It’s probably happened to us. I’ve been told that multiple item purchases count as separate DSRs so long as the individual feedback and DSRs are left more than 24 hours apart. It only takes 1 person with a grievance to stop you being Top Rated.
But I really wouldn’t worry about it. There are 1000s of sellers’ changing their selling practises trying to meet Top Rated Seller status, but what’s the betting eBay will change their policy within the next year making all that effort a waste of time?
Bigpoppa says
9:03 am on October 22nd, 2009
Also, what is there to stop me or anyone else from buying similar items from competitors and marking DSR’s as low, thereby trashing their status’s too?…
Oh I don’t know, integrity maybe
JP says
12:22 pm on 22/10/2009
We offer free postage and have 13 (1′s / 2′s) for postage costs – so I am gonna put my postage prices up.
nick says
9:42 pm on 02/11/2009
The top rated seller is poorly design, you can make any seller lose there top rated seller status very easily. You just buy two of there cheapest item and leave them low rating and the top rated status is gone. My competitor did that to me and I did that to them and it work.
Bigpoppa says
9:52 pm on November 2nd, 2009
What is it they say…Sandwich short of a picnic…
SAIN says
2:33 pm on 04/11/2009
TRS might not make a difference, but try having below standard dsr’s and you will see how big it impacts your sales, i was shifting atleast 12 high value items a day and now am only shifting 1 or 2 due to very low ratings by evil customers