2021 has been a stellar year for eBay. As their first quarter earnings release is imminent, it seems the perfect time to take a look at some of the recent changes the online marketplace has made in response to feedback from their sellers. If you are an eBay seller you should definitely be making the most of these new changes. Also, don’t forget that we at J&P help countless eBay sellers each year expand their business, so get in contact if there are any tax-related or logistical services we can help you with. Without further ado, let’s talk about eBay’s new changes, and how you can optimize your listings.
eBay Replace Fast ’N Free With New Postage Message
The Fast ‘N Free badge has been a staple on eBay for almost 10 years now. The badge allowed buyers to see which items could be received in 3 days. When the badge was introduced in 2012, this was considered quite quick – ecommerce sellers will know that this is now considered standard.
In order to respond to consumer demands for faster deliveries, eBay have replaced the badge with a simplified postage message which simply informs the buyer as to whether they can expect their item in one, two, or three days.
This makes eBay itself a more attractive platform for users, and thus your listings will be exposed to more eyes. If you can offer deliveries faster than 3 days then be sure to update your listings.
Improvements Made To eBay Promoted Listings Ads
Essentially, eBay have given sellers the ability to make their ‘promoted listings ads’ automated. The promoted ads work by charging the seller a percentage of the sale price when a buyer purchases an item within 30 days of clicking on the ad. The fee for the sale will be calculated based on the ad rate that was live when the ad was first clicked.
Now, sellers have much more control over their ads. In order to protect profits, eBay sellers are now able to set ad rate caps and view suggested ad rates. The hope is that the new feature will allow eBay sellers to ‘set and forget’ their ad campaigns. This will undoubtedly lead to a more productive ad system.
Seller Access To Research Data Expanded
Previously, eBay’s Product Research Tool was only available to sellers who had a paid subscription to an eBay store. As of this month, the tool is now available to all sellers.
This is arguably one of the biggest changes to the platform. Insights are invaluable for sellers to find out what is selling and for how much, in order to adjust their own listings. The insights are even as detailed as to what percentage of your competition is offering free shipping.
If you are selling on eBay, you should definitely be making the most of these insights and editing your own listings accordingly.
eBay Introduce Coded Coupons
Another interesting change is the introduction of coded coupons. This feature will allow sellers to create their own coded coupons in order to share discount codes for their products. There is quite a lot of freedom for sellers to decide how they want to share the code. Once created, sellers can either opt to share the code privately with existing customers, or publicly on the platform itself.
The feature is available through Seller Hub Promotions to all who are shop subscribers. The system is easy to use as you simply create a code and select the products you would like to discount. You are guided through the process step-by-step, so don’t be apprehensive about trying out this new feature!
Future Changes?
There is likely to be more changes through 2021. One change we already know that is coming is video capabilities for listings and storefronts. Already available in the USA, this feature will allow you to add videos to your image galleries. Making the most of innovations like this will really help your listings stand out.
In order to stay up to date with all the latest eBay changes, be sure to follow our social channels.
To Conclude, Make Sure You Are Making The Most Of The New Features
These changes are really indicative of the amount of work eBay are doing to offer sellers a better selling experience. If you use all the above features to their full potential, you will almost certainly see a considerable increase in sales and profits. Before you go, be sure to check out the changes that Amazon have made in 2021.
Don’t forget our long history of working with eBay and Amazon sellers means we can offer you expert advice, so please do not hesitate to give us a call on 0161 637 1080 or send an e-mail to enquiries@jpaccountant.com. We would be more than happy to help you register for UK & EU VAT, the UK VAT deferral scheme, EU and UK EORI number, file your UK & EU VAT returns, and help you comply with VAT in case your account faces any issues. We can even offer storage and warehouse support!
