Ebay's Controversial New(ish) Rating System Is Kicking Off Small Sellers
There have been grumbles since the policy was implemented in January, but according to a recent article in Business Week, the sellers are becoming increasingly vocal in their frustration. The tightening of the credit markets, drop in consumer spending, and higher fees have fueled the frustration. The biggest complaint centers on the shipping and handling charge, with which many of the smaller sellers are having a difficult time keeping costs down, resulting in 3s and 4s on the ratings. Larger operations such as actual brick and mortar retail stores can offer free shipping and still come out ahead.
Many of the sellers knocked off of eBay's sellers list are finding it extremely difficult to contest these expulsions as a result of eBay's canned e-mail responses and frustrating mazes of automated phone trees. The article cites examples of sellers who wake up one morning to find that access to their sellers' accounts is denied.
