Open Discussion with Sharat on Seller Growth & Trust&Safety (28 Feb 4-5 PM)

Hi,

I am Sharat Digumarti and I have recently taken charge of a very challenging role as Senior Manager - Marketplace Health for eBay India. Under this role, my team and I are responsible for enhancing both Trust and Safety and Seller Development and Growth.

Trust and Safety
I will like to take this opportunity to have a look at the various TnS initiatives in the year gone by. Last year, we undertook various initiatives based on your feedback and requirements. Some of the key initiatives were:

Reduction in Genuine Seller Suspensions: Last year we introduced Enhanced Consequences Guidelines which, depending on the nature of a violation, warned sellers adequately before suspending them. This helped genuine sellers who were unintentionally violating policies to correct their mistakes. In addition, we also made it easier for good sellers to get a faster reinstatement. The introduction of ODR India on the eBay India site further helped sellers in resolving disputes. These initiatives helped us reduce unwarranted suspensions of genuine sellers.

Reduction in Unpaid items: Based on seller feedback, we took various initiatives to reduce unpaid items on eBay. In certain categories which are prone to a high UPI rate, we also initiated controlled buyer verification. This and other similar efforts helped us bring down UPI rates to some extent. However, we have a long way to go to achieve what we desire in this field.

Enhancing Buyer Experience: Our buyers often expressed their displeasure at excessive shipping charges charged by some sellers and bad browsing experience due to multiple listing of same product. We clamped down on high shipping charges and saw good results on the same. While the problem of excessive shipping charges is not yet eliminated, it has reduced significantly. Unfortunately, we were not able to replicate this success in reducing unnecessary multiple listings across the site. However, listing fees in Mobiles and Accessories category brought a significant improvement in improving finding and buying experience for buyers.

Proactive Action against Counterfeit and Infringing Items: In order to remove counterfeit listings from eBay, in addition to co-operating with Right Owners, we recently put stricter measures in place. For items reportedly favoured by counterfeiters, we’ve started requiring additional seller verification. We will continue to keep an eye on products which are prone to counterfeit and will take proactive action against those sellers

Success in Law Enforcement cases: Last year we did extensive outreach to law enforcement agencies and worked closely with them to solve cases against fraudsters who targeted eBay buyers which led to bad buying experiences. Though these buyers have been fully covered under our Buyer Protection Program we still actively supported and worked with various agencies to nab the fraudsters. Learning from these cases further helped us strengthen our filters to catch bad elements at the initial stages itself.

Increasing Transparency via Feedback System: The eBay Feedback system had pioneered the trust levels between complete strangers who transact on the Internet. With evolving times, we enhanced the transparency of the feedback system such that it will help buyers take more informed buying decisions and help identify good sellers. Some initiatives in this regard were the restriction in use of Private feedback by sellers, limitation in using Pre-approved bidder functionality, proactive action against feedback manipulation. The introduction of granular seller feedback will be another step in this direction.

All of the above will tell you about the change in Trust and Safety approach over the past. As my colleague Rob Chestnut mentioned in his message, TnS will be taking a proactive approach to increase trust on the site. I will like to discuss more on the next steps for TnS in my next Open House Discussion on 28th February 2007.

Seller Development Program
Last year we also saw an encouraging increase in Power Sellers on the site. My congratulations to all the sellers who worked hard to achieve the status!

Meanwhile, the Power Seller team worked on various initiatives to increase the value of the Power Seller Program. Some such efforts were the Power Seller Recognition program, Power Seller interaction events in Delhi and Mumbai, Free Packaging Material for Power Sellers, dedicated marketing links for Power Seller products etc.

While I will be taking up this role, my focus will be on enhancing the seller development program to ensure that our sellers grow their eBay business. As we finalise the program details, I will request your inputs on how you think we can help you increase your eBay business. The suggestions could be in area of, but not necessarily restricted to, business development support, customer support, increased interaction with eBay team required by you. Your inputs on the above will help us build a robust program that would benefit everyone.

I will be present on the Community Boards for an Open House Session and encourage you to post your thoughts, comments and suggestion on this thread. I am looking forward towards this meeting and I hope to gather lot of useful feedback on the new role which encompasses both Trust and Safety and Seller Development.

See you on 28th for Open house discussion at 4-5 PM!

Regards,
Sharat Digumarti
Senior Manager
Marketplace Health Team
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Open Discussion with Sharat on Seller Growth & Trust&Safety (28 Feb 4-5 PM)

krishnaindia
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Hi Again ,

PowerSeller programme has been very successful , every ebay seller wants to become one someday.

How about introducing .. "catch 'em young" the probable pwersellers based on the trends and keep a watch for them .. I am sure that will make that upcoming lot (about to become PS) very motivated and will help ebay to get more powersellers in future . Give them success stories from existing powersellers through the meets you have and other tips and suggestions from the seniors.. they will improve and make them speed through much faster to that status .

Hope it makes sense.


Kind Regards

KrishnaIndia
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Open Discussion with Sharat on Seller Growth & Trust&Safety (28 Feb 4-5 PM)

ritu@ebay.com
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Sharat will be here for another 10 minutes to answer you Live. After which he will respond to the unanswered posts.

This thread will be archived and can be used for future reference.

Regards,

Ritu
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Open Discussion with Sharat on Seller Growth & Trust&Safety (28 Feb 4-5 PM)

krishnaindia
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Ritu ,

Thanks for the initiative and Sharat, thanks for being so forthcoming and being involved in our woes and celebrations.

You people are good people and doing a yeoman job, and so are we . Isnt that the base of how ebay started - People are basically Good !


Looking forward for similar events in more regular intervals.

Kind regards,
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Open Discussion with Sharat on Seller Growth & Trust&Safety (28 Feb 4-5 PM)

yash@ebay.com
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Dear manishadiamond-usa

Thanks for your post and not sure whether I understood you concerns correctly or not as it talks about selling limits, others accounts, new account, customer service response etc

It seems from your post there are multiple accounts and not sure why you accounts have selling restrictions. There are valid reasons why restrictions are placed on accounts and all restrictions have remedies and an example of remedy for Policy Violation is Tutorial.

In this open house it would not be possible for me to access your account related issues and reasons.
Regards

Yash
Regards

Yash
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Open Discussion with Sharat on Seller Growth & Trust&Safety (28 Feb 4-5 PM)

bhagwatistore
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Hello,

Will someone please reply to my post # 6 posted on 22 Feb 07.

Thank you.

Prashant.
eSales, Shree Bhagwati.
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Open Discussion with Sharat on Seller Growth & Trust&Safety (28 Feb 4-5 PM)

yash@ebay.com
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Dear veedeedirect

Thanks for the post and valid point. From the post it looks like this policy is there on certain sites and I know that US has this and there is falls under the "CONSUMER PRODUCT WARRANTIES"

I will talk to various counterparts on sites which have this policy and develop this for India.

In the next 4-6 weeks I will be able to give a complete answer on this topic

Thanks once again
Regards

Yash
Regards

Yash
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Open Discussion with Sharat on Seller Growth & Trust&Safety (28 Feb 4-5 PM)

krishnaindia
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Hello BhagwatiStore ,

My heart goes out to you .

I can well imagine how bad would handling 3000 items all over again , I couldnt even managing 10 goods at a time !!

But. learning from my past experiences , if you really need answers, come and ask or even reapeat your questions when Yash or Sharat or Ritu is actually handling them . Another EBAY TIP and Strategy !!!!

btw , you sell very good items . Much impressed !

Best Wishes
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Open Discussion with Sharat on Seller Growth & Trust&Safety (28 Feb 4-5 PM)

yash@ebay.com
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Dear shop4999

Thanks for your post and sharing your concern.

If one finds anything suspicious or abnormal activity I recommend one should double check.

More as a Safety Tip I suggest you keep all records of suspicious activity like POD, Payment Proof, Buyer Details which may be handy if your suspicion turns out to be true

I will ask my fraud investigation team to check activity on your account and get in touch with you if needed
Regards

Yash
Regards

Yash
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Open Discussion with Sharat on Seller Growth & Trust&Safety (28 Feb 4-5 PM)

indconcepts
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Hello Sharat,

We were told that ebay is coming out with an MRP Policy, on the lines of VeRO programme.

It's really a welcome step, if it happens, and would ensure that innocent Buyers are not taken for a ride by Sellers who try to sell above MRP.

When can we expect the said, MRP Policy ?

I hope that my question is not missed out. .


best regards

Umang Midha


IndConcepts logo7
.


best regards

Umang Midha


IndConcepts logo7
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Open Discussion with Sharat on Seller Growth & Trust&Safety (28 Feb 4-5 PM)

indconcepts
Not applicable
It seems there is something wrong at ebay's end.

The replies are just not coming from Sharat Digumarti.

12 replies in almost 120 minutes. .


best regards

Umang Midha


IndConcepts logo7
.


best regards

Umang Midha


IndConcepts logo7
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