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 Team
