Digital Downloadable Goods...your questions answered

Brian Burke, eBay's Director in Trust & Safety who manages the Feedback system, recently announced that Digital Downloadable Goods must be listed using the Classified Ad listing format effective March 31st.  This policy affects items like eBooks, MP3 files, content in PDF format, recipes, etc. -- anything that is "shipped" to a customer via email or download link. These items cannot be listed any longer as auction-style or fixed price listings.

The Classified Ad format is a lead-generation tool which gives sellers an "ad" that shows up in default Search results for 30 days. Currently, the only accepted category is Everything Else > Informational Products. (To learn more, read Help: Advertising with Classified Ads.)

The reason for this change is the concern about Feedback manipulation (or artificially padding a member's feedback score). Since Classified Ad format listings are not transactional, no feedback is exchanged between buyers and sellers and no feedback manipulation can occur.

Members on the forums, as well as callers into Griff's eBay Radio show this week, have been asking some good questions about this change. The Chatter team made some time with Brian Burke to get additional clarification and insights. Our Q&A with Brian follows:

Question: Why is eBay requiring sellers of digitally downloaded goods to list their items in the Classified Ads format?

Answer: Most items that require digital delivery, once created, can be very easily replicated. This ease of replication creates the opportunity for sellers to list thousands of the same item in an attempt to manipulate the Feedback system. It also creates a perception that even legitimate sellers of Digital Goods are manipulating the Feedback system. This dynamic -- real and perceived -- undermines trust across the entire marketplace.

We understand that digital goods, by themselves, are not the cause of Feedback Manipulation, but clarity of policy and ease of enforcement require all digitally downloaded items to be offered via the Classified Ads format.

Parts -- And Parting With Them

As the title indicates, parts are parts unless they're your parts as my car enthusiast-husband would argue. Over the years, we've collected too many parts for our '69 Dodge Charger (my opinion, not his). On the threshold of spring-cleaning, as one looks around (around is the operative word) our garage, one comes to realize it is time to thin out this collection. The other alternative is to build a bigger garage.

As we sat down to dinner one evening last week, I calmly suggested that we consider thinning out this vast collection of bric-a-brac by taking advantage of the 1¢ listing fees promotion currently going on on eBay through the end of March, and by listing the 'no longer needed' parts and accessories on eBay Motors. From the look I received, you would have thought I suggested unsubscribing to all the sports channels.

Okay, so perhaps this wasn't the best dinner topic. Not to be deterred, I put the collective brain cells (all 3 of them) in gear (no pun intended) and came up with additional, more creative ways to get my point across, one of which was to approach the subject with the 'but others are doing' scenario. Hence, the Goldberg Project (refer to Mopar Muscle Magazine March 2008 for the full story). Seems that Bill Goldberg, muscle car extraordinaire, found a low mileage Coronet on Craigslist.com and according to plan, decided the end result was going to have the look and feel of a '65 Super Stock Dodge but it had to be street-legal. Okay, so what does this have to do with convincing my husband we need to part with some parts?

According to the Mopar Muscle article, 'Bill spent time searching eBay Motors for vintage parts, such as N.O.S. taillight lenses, a vintage Sun Tach, and a radio-delete plate. He also found eBay a handy resource to recycle a few other unneeded parts. Which is exactly the point I was trying to get across my over-parted and accessorized hubby. My original plan of action was to ask Bill to convince hubby (and others) that eBay Motors is a great place to help create much need garage space by parting with automotive items no longer needed but Bill's schedule didn't allow for a house call so I had to settle on referencing the magazine article.

So I once again approached the subject of listing some of the unneeded parts on eBay Motors making sure to reference that a certain former wrestler and football pro didn't mind parting with parts and tried to strategize the cleaning of the garage and 'departing' the parts/accessories we no longer needed or used. When my husband gave me one of those 'you've inhaled too many paint fumes' looks, I responded with 'You're idling' (car talk for stop stalling). Realizing I had reached a stale-mate, I decided to drop the matter and list the items I knew we are no longer using and go from there. But my husband buys on eBay as well. Any bets that we end up with the very parts I sell?

Doing Right by our Buyers

I feel that we in the eBay world don't do enough to highlight the good things that are happening every day in the marketplace between buyers and sellers.  Yes, we need to stay focused on preventing the bad experiences, and we have to do everything in our power to reduce the likelihood they will occur.  But I came across a story last week that reminded me why the vast majority of the transaction problems that are reported on eBay are worked out amicably between the buyer and seller without requiring involvement from eBay or PayPal.

Larry Phillips is an extremely experienced eBay stamps seller.  A month or two ago he received a multi-item purchase from a relatively new eBay buyer and he shipped the items out right away.  However, the buyer jumped the gun when the item didn't arrive in a couple days, and he filed PayPal disputes against Larry, firing off accusations of fraud.

Now this isn't a situation that comes as a surprise to any experienced eBay seller.  This happens quite frequently, as buyers often don't have any idea what a reasonable time is to wait for an item to arrive.  In fact, the number one type of buyer-reported problem we deal with on the site is Item Not Received, and the number one resolution we see to that problem is that the item eventually arrives and the buyer closes the dispute amicably.

As it turns out, that's what happened in this case.  The items eventually arrived, and the buyer was embarrassed that he jumped the gun.  In fact, he told Larry that he felt he had "egg on his face" and that he was "ashamed for causing any grief."

Now I have seen countless situations where the buyer reports a transaction problem and takes an aggressive tone.  As a result, the seller responds with a similarly confrontational approach, which generates ill will.  Then when the item eventually arrives, which should resolve the issue, the problem continues because of the tone taken between Buyer and Seller.  Such a clash can result in negative feedback and a sour taste in the mouth of everyone involved, even though the original issue was completely resolved.

Seller's masterful reply
Larry's response paved the way for the reconciliation in this case.  I think his email to the buyer (who, remember, had accused Larry of fraud unnecessarily) was masterful in its reserved tone in the face of buyer accusations.  Larry wrote:

"I am a reputable seller, and always try to treat my customers in the manner I want to be treated. Just please keep in mind that while I strive to give world class customer service every time, sometimes I get overwhelmed with orders, and being human, I sometimes make a mistake. But if you call that to my attention, I will always fix it immediately."

The beauty of Larry's language in his response is that it doesn't just fall back on "the customer is always right" platitudes. It emphasizes Larry's commitment to live up to his obligations as a seller, but it doesn't back away from the buyer's obligations as well. PayPal also played a key role in working this matter out. 

When the buyer emailed Larry to say that it was unclear how to close the dispute amicably, Larry suggested that a rep call the buyer to walk them through the process, which a rep then did.  That cleared the final hurdle, and then everyone could walk away from the process satisfied.

Research has shown that buyers who encounter problems and have them resolved to their satisfaction are more loyal than buyers who encounter no problem at all.  I think (and I suspect Larry agrees) that if we all stay committed to delivering these kind of smooth problem resolutions we can deliver a transaction experience that is not only equal to the direct shopping sites, but better.

Meet Kristin Davis on eBay!

Another Oxfam-ous celeb sighting on eBay, after last week's Scarlett Johansson listing. This time it's good girl Charlotte from Sex And The City who's doing the good works. Kristin Davis is auctioning off two tickets to the premiere of Sex And The City: The Movie, in which she reprises the role of good girl Charlotte.

It turns out that, in real life too, Kristin's been emulating the persona of the character that made her famous. She's been supporting Oxfam since the 2004 South East Asian tsunami. More recently, she's also devoted her attention to the efforts of women's groups and community-based organizations whose work focuses on the response to the HIV epidemic.

According to the listing description, the winning bidder will receive:

• Two tickets to the world premiere of Sex and the City in New York City on May 27, 2008.
• On camera meet and greet with Kristin Davis at the premiere
• Chauffeured car service to the premiere
• Hair and makeup for one person by Privé
• A pair of Jimmy Choo "Felix" shoes in your size. Size range: 35.5-40.5 (US 5.5-10.5)

In addition, of course, the winning bidder will also receive the satisfaction of knowing that the proceeds from this auction are going to Oxfam America, an international relief and development organization that creates lasting solutions to poverty, hunger and injustice.

Visit Kristin Davis' eBay listing to watch a little video in which she talks about her support for Oxfam.

eBay Live! Visits Chicago in June

What comes to mind when you think of Chicago? Some popular answers might be:  jazz, deep-dish pizza, the '85 Bears (and Chris Farley's associated "Da Bears!" Saturday Night Live skit), Michael Jordan, or the Windy City. Well, how about eBay Live!?  Yes, eBay Live! is making its long-awaited journey to the Midwest, and we're pretty excited to visit such a great city.

eBay Live! will run from June 19-21 at the McCormick Place West. Those of you who have been to a previous eBay Live! event can relate when I say it will be the most exhilarating and exhausting 3 days you'll spend all year. In addition to over 150 classes and a brand new pavilion dedicated to product sourcing, you can also meet, mingle, and network with about 10,000 fellow attendees. It's always capped off with a closing gala which promises lots of food and entertainment. Previous acts have included Davy Jones, Weird Al Yancovic (singing the eBay song), the B-52's, Huey Lewis and the News, and last year's Kool and the Gang. The word is we'll have another great act this year, but we all have to stay tuned to find out who it will be. (They won't tell me yet!)

I've been fortunate enough to attend almost every eBay Live! event, and it really does have something to offer everyone, whether you're a part-time seller, a business selling on eBay, a buyer, or a new member of our Community ready to learn, grow and make friends. Take a look at the eBay Live! Chatter newsletter from last year in Boston to get a taste of what it's like. You can also check out the eBay Live! discussion board to chat about the event with fellow attendees and ask questions from the old pros who are eBay Live! veterans. Registration opens today, and from now until April 30th you can save $45 just by registering early.  Check out the eBay Live! site at ebay.com/ebaylive for all the details. See you in Chicago!

Meg's Retirement - Onion Style

I had to share this "infographic" - it's from The Onion, which is just about the funniest site out there. It speculates on the REAL reasons Meg is retiring. As my cube-neighbor Griff put it, "This is hilarious - I laughed 'til I stopped."

Check it out here. Now I've got to find my old PayAcquaintance T-shirts.

Celebrating Our Vancouver Support Teams

I started my eBay adventure way back in 1996 as first, a community member and shortly afterward, as eBay's first customer support rep. Although my actual position and responsibilities have changed over the years, I still proudly consider myself, at heart, an eBay customer support rep. I constantly remind all of my colleagues here that no matter what our job titles might be, we are all first and foremost, support reps. From the top exec to the newly hired, every eBay employee's purpose is to serve our customers --  eBay buyers and sellers.

Every day, I receive email from buyers and sellers and I consider it an honor and a delight to respond to each and every one. And I like to know how it goes with our customer support employees; what issues they face, their take on the current needs and concerns of our sellers and buyers, etc. So when our customer support team in our Vancouver, BC office asked me to come up and help them celebrate their 5th anniversary last week, I was more than happy to oblige (and I see that my friend Julie scooped me by blogging about the celebrations first!). I love a good party (and the salmon in BC is unequaled -- I ate so much I thought I would at any moment start swimming upstream to spawn). But more importantly, I would never miss the opportunity to meet up and share stories and experiences with my fellow support reps.

I flew up to Vancouver last Tuesday night and spent two full days (and one very late night graveyard shift) meeting and chatting with all of our fellow support reps. Our BC office houses several key eBay support teams including but not limited to, our Buyer teams (the bulk of our Seller teams including PowerSeller support are housed in our Salt Lake City office), Live Help Chat, Southeast Asia and Australia Support teams, and the lion's share of our Trust and Safety department.

It was quite a visit! The dedication, talent and enthusiasm our reps show for their jobs and for you, our Community, never fails to astound and inspire me. This trip was no exception. No one has a better take on the pulse and needs of our Community like our support employees. This was continually evident with each and every rep I had the pleasure of meeting and following as they went about their daily tasks.

It was definitely a week to celebrate. In five short years the BC office has grown from a small initial group of 30 to over 1,000 with an ongoing new hire training program. During my visit, the BC team was training a group of brand new reps destined for our Australia support team (Welcome guys!) As you can see from the photos (including some that Julie shared), we had a great time. I ate only a few of the cupcakes. Yes, just a few.... The separate teams decorated their respective office areas and cubes and we had a "Best of" contest (I was one of the judges). Special mention goes to John who manned the moose mascot suit for hours at a time.

I came back to San Jose totally energized and completely amazed by the men and women who make up our support teams both in BC and around the world. No matter what their job or there location, they take their responsibilities to you extremely seriously and I want to thank them for their hospitality, generosity and dedication and give them a moment to shine here.

Thanks guys. Keep up the good work!

Regards,

Griff

Let Your Voice Be Heard at the Community Town Hall

Hey Chatter Readers,

I hope all is well for you and your families. Today at eBay, we're holding our monthly Community Town Hall event. If you aren't familiar with an eBay Town Hall don't fret. They are basically very much what you're probably thinking they are like. We invite everyone who trades on eBay to participate. You can do this by clicking on the Town Hall graphic on the eBay Town Hall page.

After that, you'll navigate to our partner who assists producing these events, www.wsRadio.com. They host the weekly eBay Radio program hosted by our very own Griff. He also moderates the questions, comments, and suggestions on various eBay and PayPal topics raised by Community members. Griff is regularly joined by a group of eBay leaders called the Town Hall panel. Each of the panel members are responsible for different areas with eBay. They provide answers to questions about their respective topics, explain the rationale for a variety of the decisions the company makes, and listen to comments and suggestions about ways to improve the eBay and PayPal experience. You can email your questions and suggestions to TownHall@eBay.com or call the toll free number, 877-474-3302.

You're invited to join us today at 3:30 PM Pacific Time to listen and submit any question, comment, or suggestion.

Just go to the Town Hall page (http://pages.ebay.com/townhall/) to participate. We've scheduled 90 minutes for this opportunity to interact with some of the leaders at eBay. If your schedule doesn't permit you to join, you will be able to listen to an audio archive recording or read a written transcript available generally a few days following the event. Bookmarking the Town Hall Archives page will allow you to access the archive information easily for future reference.

During and after the event, come back here to the Chatter blog to view photos. If you have comments or suggestions about today's Town Hall or about Town Hall events in general, please start a thread on the Chatter Blog Comments board and share your thoughts and opinions.

We hope this information is helpful and you learned more about our Community Town Hall events.

Happy 5th Birthday eBay Vancouver

The week of March 3rd marked the 5th Anniversary of the eBay Vancouver Customer Support center. Since its humble beginnings with a handful of employees in March of 2003, the center has grown exponentially and now proudly provides 24/7 support to eBay members around the world!

The week was filled with a number of celebrations for the Vancouver employees, but the highlight for everyone was a two-day visit from "Uncle Griff"! As many of you know, Griff was eBay's FIRST Customer Support Representative, and he is adored by eBay members and eBay employees alike. The Vancouver employees were thrilled to welcome Griff to Vancouver and they enjoyed tapping into his rich history in Customer Support and hearing his great words of wisdom. Those of you who know Griff also know that he is a barrel of laughs - we've had a lot of good chuckles during his visit :-)

Griff, thank you for coming to visit us all in Vancouver, and..... HAPPY BIRTHDAY VANCOUVER!

Here are a few photos from the week:

(Clockwise starting with photo on top with moose: Baywinkle Moose with some Customer Support reps, Griff with some Trust & Safety reps,  Griff & yours truly, Julie Drossos, Trust & Safety team celebrates 5 years, and finally, Baywinkle Moose with French-Canada rep, Vincent.)

Meet Scarlett Johansson on eBay!

The Scarlett Johansson adrift in hotel hallways or Tokyo's neon-streaked disorienting streets in Lost in Translation we know. The luminous Scarlett (just like a Vermeer painting) from Girl with a Pearl Earring we know as well. And we know Scarlett as the charming yet steely Annie the Nanny in The Nanny Diaries. But do we know the real Scarlett? There's always been an aura around her (I think) of being far-off and unreachable, in all the roles I've seen her in.

Not any more. In her latest role, Scarlett Johansson is playing herself –- and she’s doing it on eBay! The winner of her charity listing will get to meet Scarlett in person, at the premiere of her upcoming movie He's Just Not That Into You. The winner can take pride in knowing that the proceeds from this auction are going to Oxfam America, an international relief and development organization that creates lasting solutions to poverty, hunger and injustice.

As a fan of Scarlett Johansson, I would have loved to spend a few minutes getting to know her in person. Last time I looked though, the high bid on the auction was up to $19,100 -- an amount way beyond my modest means. Some other lucky winner will have the joy of being chauffeured in style to the premiere, their hair and make-up cleverly crafted by Prive. But if I had enough doubloons in the old war chest, you can be sure that I would have snapped up a date with Scarlett with a quick Buy It Now, so that in years to come it would be said of me, "His BINs were Scarlett, but his blogs were read."