BBE Seller Rating?
Greetings to all eBay Community members, I have been an eBay seller since 2012. Right now I am facing a problem for which I see no solution, because every communication with eBay Seller Support only leads to more uncertainty about the future of my store. In August, shipments from the EU to the USA were suspended due to the new customs tariffs. Shipping was restored only at the end of October. Foreseeing that this situation would cause problems, I contacted our store’s eBay account manager on 25.08.2025. The communication took place via WhatsApp to the number provided by the eBay account manager. Her reply on 26.08.2025 was: “Hello good day. eBay has sent a message regarding the US tariff update, and we advise you to speak with your shipping partner to confirm any changes in shipping costs, and to continue communicating with your buyer to keep them informed about this change. If you want to exclude your item to us you can remove your listing in us site and can list your item to other sites on eBay. eBay Account Manager Janine.” The only solution offered was to delete my listings on eBay.com — what kind of joke is this from eBay? When I asked if it is possible to temporarily disable shipping to the USA, I received no answer. There was no other explanation or guidance on how to proceed. As we all know, on eBay.com sellers cannot disable the USA as a shipping destination. Therefore, buyers in the USA were able to purchase items from EU sellers, even though shipping was physically impossible. I also could not find any option to place a banner or notice to warn USA buyers that delivery to the USA was suspended. For every USA buyer who purchased an item, I manually sent an explanation that the order must be cancelled because delivery was impossible. About 50% of buyers understood and some even repurchased the item later when shipping resumed. The other 50% marked these cancellations as defects. As a result, my BBE is currently 25.1%. I have no other violations or issues that would justify shutting down my store, but I fully understand that with this percentage my store will likely be closed within the next month. Already now, even though I have not received an official notification of store restriction or closure, eBay has clearly applied a hidden limitation on my account — after receiving the BBE warning, my store traffic dropped by 80%, and of course so did sales. One eBay representative told me that I “should not have selected ‘out of stock’,” which is completely untrue — I know that this option must not be used. I always selected “buyer asked to cancel order.” I repeatedly looked for information in eBay’s internal seller forums, and several sellers reported the same issue: there was absolutely no guidance available on how to properly handle this situation. This is what the Seller Protection Program states: “We remove defects and/or late shipments when things happen that are outside of your control, such as severe weather or carrier disruptions.” This information is published by eBay itself. And this situation was completely outside my control — shipping to the USA was entirely suspended and only resumed at the end of October. Here is the official information, publicly available to everyone. I wasn’t allowed to add the link here, so I attached a photo where the official postal information can be seen. Why eBay chooses to ignore this, or pretend not to know, I do not understand. Please find included the links with all the relevant references, including information from the Latvian Post website. I am highly knowledgeable in my field, my customers appreciate us, and we strive to be the best in our industry. But I am not an IT specialist or a lawyer, and I cannot be expected to know the correct legal or administrative procedures in such a situation. eBay should have provided clear guidance on how to act so that sellers could avoid exactly the problem I am now facing. I would like to hear the opinion or advice of other EU sellers, because all communication with eBay so far has led to no useful solution. All replies I receive sound something like: “It’s your fault.” Thank you for understanding, and I wish you all a successful day.Best practices for improving your selling feedback
Maintaining a good Feedback score not only helps in increasing your reputation and building trust in your buyers, but chances are that your listing may get ranked higher in the search results too. Here are some best practices that can help you to improve your selling feedback: Make sure your listings have clear and accurate descriptions Add photos of the original product, captured from various angles Detailed item specifications Specify handling time which can be fulfilled by you Update tracking details within the specified handling time Invest in a logistic service that provides end-to-end tracking Take utmost care in packing to ensure item reaches in the proper condition Stay away from false promises Be prompt when responding to buyer queries Keep your buyer updated on every stage of the transaction Set up automated preferences for leaving feedback for your buyers Visit our seller center to learn more - https://sellglobal.ebay.in/seller-center/building-your-buyers-trust-feedbacks/ Regards, eBay INCBT TeamBuild confidence in your buyers by meeting your seller levels & performance standards
Do you know that the following factors impact your seller standards & performance: Transaction defect rate Cases closed without seller resolution Late shipments Tracking validation Making sure buyers receive great service from all our sellers is one of our top priorities. Our seller levels and performance standards help you track your performance and let buyers shop with confidence. Do you want to get a clear understanding on eBay seller standards and performance metrics? Then read out article by clicking the link below: https://community.ebay.in/t5/Selling-on-eBay/Understanding-eBay-Seller-Standards-And-Performance/ta-... You can also look for detailed information on our Seller Center here - https://sellglobal.ebay.in/seller-center/seller-performance-standards-why-it-matters/ Regards, eBay INCBT TeamDid you know that accepting returns can help improve sales?
Think yourself as a buyer – what are the factors that influence you to make a purchase? Factors that influence most buyers include: Is the item priced too high or too low? Does the item meet your requirements? Are the photographs of the item clear and detailed? Does the listing have multiple variations and/or quantities? What feedback have other sellers given the item? Does the seller offer multiple shipping options? Does the seller provide free shipping? Does the seller accept returns, if the item has a defect? Why should you be offering Returns? Gain Buyer Confidence: Offering returns boosts buyer's confidence in you and the products listed by you. Encourage repeat buyers: By providing a return policy sellers take a big step towards developing buyer loyalty. A good returns experience can give you an increased repeat business. Drive online traffic: The eBay search algorithm actively boosts the search results ranking of listings with 30 or 60 days returns policies. Improve your sales: Global buyers are experienced online shoppers. A 30-days returns policy is the standard "best practice" that many buyers expect from trustworthy sellers. Global buyers are experienced online shoppers. A 30-days returns policy is the standard "best practice" that many buyers expect from trustworthy sellers. If returns are not offered, buyers tend to doubt a seller’s intentions and/or the product quality. By not offering returns you might lose an advantage compared to your competitors. Put simply, buyers need to know if they can trust you. Note: Sellers that offered offering 60-days free returns on their listings have seen conversion lifts of up to 25%* (*Conversion lift seen based on Q3 2017 data. Individual results may vary. eBay does not guarantee that each seller will experience the same lift or any lift at all. "Free returns" refers to when the seller pays return shipping no matter the reason for return, with no restocking fee.) So, if you are not offering returns, then no matter how good your listing or product is, you will simply loose the chance of appearing in the search results of certain buyers. Regards, eBay INCBT TeamCan defects, late shipments or feedback be appealed?
We know that a seller’s reputation on eBay is an important factor in helping build a successful business. For this reason, we always want your seller performance ratings and feedback to properly reflect the service you provide to your buyers and will adjust these in situations where we find that you were not at fault. Let’s first understand: what’s a defect? A defect is a part of a transaction that eBay considers to have created a bad shopping experience for buyers. A transaction can get a defect in two ways. When a seller cancels a transaction for out of stock; If a seller is unable to resolve a problem through the Resolution Center and eBay steps in, and the seller is found responsible. A seller’s transaction defect rate is the percentage of their total transactions that had either defect. Note that these defects often measure how satisfied your buyers were with a transaction. We don’t count more than one defect per transaction. How does eBay measure my seller performance? We measure seller performance using data from your seller account on your defect rate, late shipment rate and cases closed without you resolving them. What kinds of defects can be removed and how? We automatically remove defects in certain situations, including where we find the buyer was at fault, if the problem was caused by an eBay site issue, or if there was an issue outside of your control like shipping service delays, or items being delayed because of an extreme weather event. You can read the guidelines here. If you've had a defect removed for any of the reasons mentioned above, please note it can take up to two days for your ratings to be adjusted. Appeal a defect If the defect you received can’t be removed automatically, you can appeal it if any of the following circumstances apply: The buyer opened the request by mistake; Tracking was uploaded and shows that the acceptance scan is within your handling time; Tracking was uploaded and shows that the item was delivered to the buyer’s address within the stated estimated delivery date. If the order’s total cost (total of item(s) cost, shipping and tax) is $750 or more, signature confirmation is required; An item sent through our Global Shipping Program or WINIT arrived on time to the processing center but was delayed in international shipping, or the buyer never received it; The transaction was canceled by eBay or the Global Shipping Program; You have proof that a returned item was delivered to the wrong address. Things to keep in mind: Automatic adjustments happen daily, but please allow up to 72 hours for them to show in your seller standards dashboard or your feedback profile; Appeals aren't considered if tracking shows the item is still in transit, if there is an open eBay Money Back Guarantee request, or a refund hasn't been issued for a returned item; You may qualify for automatic 5-star detailed seller ratings and other protections outlined in the Seller Protection Policy. Regards, eBay INCBT TeamDid you know that leaving a feedback for your buyer can turn to a repeat purchase?
Most of the times sellers don’t think about leaving feedback for a buyer – as it’s simply going to positive feedback! This is an activity that sellers seem to easily ignore and don’t consider it important. The fact is that leaving feedback for your buyers is not only a great way to say “thank you” but also to say “I would like to see you make the next purchase from me”. Buyers love it when their sellers take trouble to leave them feedback – even if it means that they can only leave positive feedback. Remember that feedback is about your experience with the buyer – it’s not a review of the product they bought. Have you read our article on Feedback and Its Importance on the community? If not, then please visit the following link: https://community.ebay.in/t5/Selling-on-eBay/eBay-sellers-need-to-Know-About-Feedback-and-Its-Importance/ta-p/160931 We recommend you leave feedback for your buyers as soon as they’ve paid — they’ll be more likely to leave prompt feedback for you in return. Regards, eBay INCBT TeamBuild confidence in your buyers by meeting your seller levels & performance standards
Do you know that the following factors impact your seller standards & performance: Transaction defect rate Cases closed without seller resolution Late shipments Tracking validation Making sure buyers receive great service from all our sellers is one of our top priorities. Our seller levels and performance standards help you track your performance and let buyers shop with confidence. Do you want to get a clear understanding on eBay seller standards and performance metrics? Then read out article by clicking the link below: https://community.ebay.in/t5/Selling-on-eBay/Understanding-eBay-Seller-Standards-And-Performance/ta-p/161009 You can also look for detailed information on our Seller Center here - https://sellglobal.ebay.in/seller-center/seller-performance-standards-why-it-matters/ Regards, eBay INCBT TeameBay Guide on Keeping A Track Of Your Performance - Service Metrics And Benchmarks
One sure way to success and providing great service to buyers is keeping yourself updated on your service performance as compared to other sellers who sell similar items. And, that is the reason why eBay provides its sellers with competitive insights on service metrics and peer benchmarks to measure buyer satisfaction. What are Service Metrics and Peer Benchmarks? Service metrics provide you with data on the percentage of your transactions that result in 'item not as described' return requests and 'item not received' requests from buyers. Peer benchmarks are an indicator of how you are doing in these areas compared to other sellers who sell similar items. Did you know that - These metrics can influence your search ranking in Best Match? Sellers with low rates of Item not received and Item not as described return requests receive higher ranking. What exactly do the Service Metrics include? Item not as described return requests rate Item not received requests rate Peer benchmarks comparing the seller’s metrics with similar sellers with similar items, prices, shipping options, and terms of sale Insights into why buyers are making these requests Tips to help reduce rates of these requests Service Metrics Evaluation: eBay assesses/recalculates the service metrics on the 20th of each month. High Volume Sellers Sellers with 400 or more transactions during the last 3 months You are evaluated on your transactions during the previous 3-months period Low Volume Sellers Sellers with fewer than 400 transactions during the last 3 months You are evaluated on your transactions over the previous 12-months period Staying up to date with your service metrics and peer benchmarks helps you understand how you are performing and how you compare to other sellers. Read here on how to Monitor Your Service Metrics. Read the Service Metrics Policy in detail here. Staying up to date with your service metrics and peer benchmarks helps you understand how you are performing and how you compare to other sellers. Regards, eBay INCBT Team
