Did you see this this letter to the eBay community?
To our seller community,
eBay is always open, and now, more than ever, small and medium sized businesses are using our platform to connect with buyers and deliver what they need most. When people shop eBay, they are supporting you and sellers like you around the country.
Despite unprecedented circumstances that involve “social distancing,” it has been incredible to see the eBay community come together and spring into action. Sellers have been jumping in to support one another – from creating web videos with tips and tricks for successful selling despite the outbreak to sellers simply offering up words of much-needed support to one another.
We’re grateful to the countless sellers who have taken the time to give us candid feedback over the past weeks; and for being crystal clear about what’s necessary to strengthen and sustain your businesses amidst COVID-19.
Based on what you told us, the following moves are being implemented for our small and medium businesses:
Deferred Fee Payments: When we asked how we could help, many of you shared that help with cash flow and flexibility with payments was top of mind. For that reason, we are deferring most selling fees for eligible Store subscribers for a full 30 days. If you could use help with your payments, check here or your email on Wednesday, March 25, for complete details and how to request support.
Seller Protections: We want to reassure you that you will not be penalized for being unable to get an item out the door as fast as usual or if you have to unexpectedly cancel an order. To this end, Seller Performance Standards will not be negatively impacted for the next 90 days. For more on this topic, check this announcement board where we post frequently.
100,000 Incremental FREE Listings: As the way we spend our time has changed – with more time at home and with family – there has been a shift in the type of items that are most in demand. Now is the perfect time to test new inventory, and I’m excited to share a new promotion for eBay Store owners. Subscribers can now list 50,000 additional fixed price listings FREE in March and 50,000 additional listings FREE in April*. Your success is our success and we want to help keep you listing and selling on eBay.
Additional Updates:
Shipping: Carriers inside the U.S. are considered essential by the government at this time and there has not been disruption to date. The team is in direct communication with USPS, UPS and FedEx – and domestic deliveries are continuing as usual, with slight variations on their signature required processes. Don’t forget you can schedule a USPS pick up if you are unable to drop off your packages.
Trusted Marketplace: Finally, we continue to take steps to ensure our marketplace remains safe and trusted. That includes removing listings that include health claims and misuse of keywords, or any inflated prices on items like face masks and hand sanitizer. We’re working as fast as possible, but if you see something that doesn’t look right then please let us know here.
Along with these actions, our government relations team continues to find ways to support our marketplace and help those most affected by COVID-19. There is also a dedicated resource center, tailored for small businesses, in response to the pandemic. Stay up to date on this information and these efforts at Main Street.
More to Come
So much continues to change due to COVID-19 and we are committed to helping you navigate the uncertainty. While we’ve had to postpone many of our UpFront events, we will continue to stay connected and share updates on our COVID-19 Community Hub, podcast and Facebook. You can also contact Customer Service with your questions. We are providing sellers who host in-person Community Events with resources to run these forums online.
As I’ve shared in the past, eBay’s top priority continues to
be the health and happiness of our community – especially our employees and you, our sellers. Please stay safe and, as always, thank you for selling on eBay.
Jordan Sweetnam
SVP and General Manager, North America
