eBay is expected to announce changes next week to its PowerSeller program and shipping insurance guidelines that will go into effect in September.
According to reports, eBay PowerSellers will be divided into two classes starting, regular and top-rated, starting in September. Top-rated PowerSellers will receive "increased exposure" in search results, 20 percent discounts on final value fees and another 20 percent discount when they offer free shipping. Regular PowerSellers will reportedly get 5 percent off their final value fees and a 10 percent free shipping discount. They, along with "casual" sellers, will get "neutral exposure" in search results.
eBay is further expected to remove PowerSeller branding and increase the minimum Detailed Seller Ratings requirements for PowerSellers from 4.5 to 4.6. The new DSR threshold is thought to be the criterion for determining PowerSeller classification; however, details have yet to be released.
Shipping insurance may also be a hot topic next week. That's because eBay is expected to announce it will no longer allow sellers to offer shipping insurance as an optional fee. Instead, starting in September, sellers will either have to include the price of insurance in an item's sale price or include it in a handling fee.
"The changes reflect CEO John Donahoe's focus on improving the buyer experience and transforming eBay into a more mainstream retail marketplace," AuctionBytes reports.
Auctiva Education will continue to monitor these developments and provide details as they become available.
Auctiva staff writers constantly monitor trends and best practices of those selling on eBay and elsewhere online. They attend relevant training seminars and trade shows and regularly discuss the market with PowerSellers and other market experts.
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