Open House Discussion with Ambareesh Murty, Country Manager, 12 Jan, 4-5PM

[sapana@ebay.com]

Message from Ambareesh...

Hi Everyone

This is Ambareesh Murty, Country Manager of eBay India and I’d like to invite you to an Open House discussion with me on Wednesday, 12th Jan 2011 from 4-5 PM IST.

At the outset I will like to thank all of you for your continued passionate support and in helping us reinforce eBay as India's most preferred online shopping destination. With your support we made tremendous strides in 2010 and continued to deliver on our promise of making lots of safe easy deals available to our buyers. A BIG thanks to our seller community for expanding the available range of products, providing compelling deals and delivering high levels of service to make buying enjoyable on eBay.

1. Our 360 degree marketing campaigns ensured that a lot more users bought for the first time on eBay. 2010 was packed with TV ads, coupons, social media engagement and several high profile charity auctions.

2. The Category Team’s efforts towards ensuring wide spread seller success yielded positive results. More entrepreneurs started successful eBay businesses and existing sellers benefited from increased sales.

3. To enhance our user experience and give buyers more ways to pay, we expanded PaisaPay payment options with more OBT banks, more EMI options and also introduced the PaisaPay COD option.

4. The launch of eBay Guarantee* made it easier, faster and convenient for buyers to resolve their concerns in the off chance that they had a problematic transaction, thereby increasing trust on eBay.

I recognize that there is still lots to be done to deliver a seamless marketplace experience for our buyers and sellers and in 2011 we will continue to provide lots more safe easy deals to buyers to ensure that even more online Indian's try out eBay.

Our community has always been our most vocal supporter and our strongest critic and I look forward to your suggestions for further improving our user experience and answer your eBay related questions during my Open House discussion.

You can post your questions in advance on this thread, or join me live on 12th Jan at 4 PM. See you on the 12th!

Regards
Ambareesh Murty
Country Manager – eBay India

[ambareesh@ebay.com]

Hi 10.RUPINDER

I am having my team look into it and they will reach out to you soon.

Regards...Ambareesh

[netbizonline]

Recently I faced a strange problem when I listed some items for the first time in ebay.While listing I clearly mentioned that these item are only for shipping to India. But a buyer from abroad bought a few items without contacting me and started asking for payment instructions.So I gently regretted and opened a case in resolution center for the cancellation of the order as advised by your customer care Dept.But I was shocked to note the clause "if the buyer declines I won't be refunded the final value fees".But I was lucky my buyer agreed and I got the refund.But Item was not sold because Indian budget buyers (like me) who buy items at the stating bid could not get a chance to bid.I really don't understand as to why Ebay does not have a check in the system for such careless buyers so that we sellers don't have to suffer like this.
Another point I would like to highlight here.Why only buyers have the privilege to give negative feedback.Why this discrimination? This means that buyer can torture sellers to any extent and at the end can give negative feedback and spoil somebody's reputation which takes years to build.This a gross injustice to sellers.I am giving one example of suffering I had to go through.Recently one of my buyer did not mark item received at all even after sending a dozen reminders.Ultimately I was paid via system initiated payment that too after 15-20 days.Please let me know what is my fault.I think ebay must change its policy to end this discrimination.

[cruis_112]

Hi,

Wish You a Happy New Year. I bought a Nokia Phone over Rs.5000 and I applied a gift coupon (DIWALISP14) against my purchase which promised me a Jabra Bluetooth Headset BT 2035. This is a diwali gift. The Item Number which I bought is 170551840590. This transaction happened on 22 October 2010. BUT I didn't received the gift item yet. I queried for this to the customer support and they told "I WILL RECEIVE THE ITEM" for three items. I queried once every month roughly. What is the intention behind this type of statements and irresponsible answers and actions of not sending a gift which is promised. If you don't have the intention of giving the gift WHY you promised that in the first place and if you use this method for mere advertisement, you are actually cheating your customers which make you NOT trustworthy which is what I feel now about ebay.
P.S This is NOT just about my gift.

[happy.shoppee]

@ games.planet wow 15K + feedback but still restrictions you should seriously get a solution for this delivery issue from your end & from ebay.

[linusstudios]

.. I forgot to add one more thing.

eBay has all the database of which seller shipped which item to which pincode from which location using which courier.

A comparative study should be done and a performance report should be created out of the past data. Sellers should be provided suggestions for shipping using that database. For example along with the Successful paisapay mail a small column of recommended courier to buyer's pincode should be given. This small step will avoid a lot of confusion. And will help a lot of small and medium level sellers

.

[cruis_112]

Adding to the post below, I want to add one more important info, I was bothered about the gift because I was not just for me, Three of my friends and me bought various items with the DIWALI gift coupons, But none of us for none of the items received the gifts.

[rajelectroniks]

Ambareesh Sir,

Please help me here, is it all that difficult to incorporate in ebay software that NON-PAYING buyers cannot leave Negative feedback or open any cases. Is it really all that difficult ??. There are many such small things that go a long way in improving a persons over all experience, why does not ebay listen or have a "suggestion box" section where such issues and be put forth and someone from ebay is made in charge of such queries.

You are aware that a question survey is sent out every month for years now but what do you do with that, no action is taken on anything at all.
**************************

[vaidyars7]

Dear Mr. Murthy,

please help me in the following,

Sir, i had purchased GEB item # 380302854639 on 27/12/2010. My paisa pay Id is 28074151655. I came to know from International re-seller himself that he has submitted me false shipping details. You can verify the same by calling on 022-42468000 ext. 118.
This is nothing but cheating with me for no reason. I mean, if the 'i2cworld' the international re-seller has not purchased the item then why he is provided false shipping details and hold my refund?

Even after continuous following with ebay customer care they are not able to support me. They provided me assurance that Ms. Priya will call you and assist you but she also did not turned up.

What is that you can help? and What step you would take against i2cworld seller?

Regards,
Rahul.
Ebay Customer.

[ambareesh@ebay.com]

Hi AMIT_JAIPUR/RELIABLEENTERPRISE

You had questions/suggestions on the Community Court/Community Review Forum. Here is my take:

The community court was set up to ensure that sellers have a forum to appeal against unjustified negative feedback.
Recent changes and formation of the Community Review Forum ensure that ONLY community members with a strong past track record of delivering a great eBay experience review the cases that are filed.
We've also REDUCED the timeline for cases to be decided and the minimum number of votes for a decision.
Finally, we've limited the number of cases that can be filed by a member at a time as we noticed that certain members were filing an inordinately high number of feedback removal appeals.

As a jury member in the forum I believe that these changes will ensure that the key purpose of the community feedback forum will be better addressed and the forum will be fair to both buyers and sellers.

Regards...Ambareesh

[ambareesh@ebay.com]

Hi CRUIS_112/ARABHILASH/NIHIT2010/PRADEEPA_SATHYAN/VARAHB and ILAPRAVEENSHASTRI

Logistics of gifts are sometimes impacted by:

1. Incomplete registration addresses provided by our users
2. Buyers not being contactable
3. Buyers not being available when the courier's arrive

Issues 2&3 are responsible for 85% of cases where the delay's have happened and my team works hard to resolve/ensure that the gift items are redespatched at the earliest.

I have noted your specific issues and rest assured you shall receive the gift items soon.

Regards...Ambareesh