Google Shopping Defaults

[astral276]

The piece I quoted was from the site's Terms and Conditions. This was an unannounced change not long after GS became a pay-per-click service.

I objected at the time because the change to the T&C broke two of its own 'rules'; that such a change be announced and that users should have the chance to reject the modification to the T&C.

I think admin did say at that time that if sellers were not happy they could close their account and get a subscription refund in accordance with the T&C. As that is the sum paid less the sub cost for each 7 day period used (or part thereof) and cost of goods (T-shirt), then most users wouldn't see any refund.

eBid do not pay to upload to GS. The costs arise when someone clicks on an item on GS that takes them to eBid. So if a click-through does not result in a sale then eBid's money is wasted. You may appreciate that if a seller is getting a lot of GS hits but no sales then eBid are going to question if their money might be better spent elsewhere (e.g. on increasing the GS presence of other sellers). As far as I am aware, eBid do give sellers the chance to review their listings. If that does not improve matters then they will, understandably, stop throwing good money after bad.

[TiasTreasures]

The piece I quoted was from the site's Terms and Conditions. This was an unannounced change not long after GS became a pay-per-click service.

I objected at the time because the change to the T&C broke two of its own 'rules'; that such a change be announced and that users should have the chance to reject the modification to the T&C.

I think admin did say at that time that if sellers were not happy they could close their account and get a subscription refund in accordance with the T&C. As that is the sum paid less the sub cost for each 7 day period used (or part thereof) and cost of goods (T-shirt), then most users wouldn't see any refund.

eBid do not pay to upload to GS. The costs arise when someone clicks on an item on GS that takes them to eBid. So if a click-through does not result in a sale then eBid's money is wasted. You may appreciate that if a seller is getting a lot of GS hits but no sales then eBid are going to question if their money might be better spent elsewhere (e.g. on increasing the GS presence of other sellers). As far as I am aware, eBid do give sellers the chance to review their listings. If that does not improve matters then they will, understandably, stop throwing good money after bad.

We got an average of around 5 "clicks" per month each on over 2,700 items. That's around 13,500 per month, for which eBid got charged. Some items sold, most did not. That's normal for the things we list, and many will run for a long time before the right person sees them.

I understand eBid can't afford those charges.

Unfortunately, that makes sellers with a large number of listings more vulnerable to this policy. That's the reason I'm considering moving some of our listings to another site; if the total number is low enough we will stay under the limit on both of them.

Unless we could have the option of selecting which items should be uploaded. I would use it for things like vintage denim clothes and 78 RPM records, popular items where I know we are lower-priced than other sellers. I would not use it for the one-of-a-kind items, where basic Google, Yahoo, and Bing show them, usually on the first page if the keywords in the search are specific enough.

[astral276]

This issue does illustrate why you should never click on your own items on GS (Just seeing if it works...). You are not going to buy your own stuff so you would just be wasting eBid's money.

[ZonkersCollection]

But google shopping upload is promised with the membership fee. Here is what it says on the ebid home page.

Want zero selling fees for life?

SELLER+ Lifetime June Offer [COLOR=#CC0000 !important]$49.99[COLOR=#333333 !important]*[/COLOR][/COLOR] Free T-shirt * Zero Listing Fees * Zero Final Value Fees * 5 Free Photos * 5 Free eBid Stores * Uploads to Google Shopping * Import from eBay * Unlimited Listings * For Life.Upgrade now. *24hr offer from time of signup. Usually $99.98.

That is just an ad.
Not the Terms.
That is about as binding as a campaign promise.

It also says "import from e-vil"
but that is not automatic nor garunteed either.

[astral276]

But google shopping upload is promised with the membership fee. Here is what it says on the ebid home page.

Nothing wrong with that. All qualifying members do get Google Shopping uploads - as long as their listings meet the requirements.

The site Terms & Conditions give eBid the right to revoke GS uploads.

Not sure how it would affect me, as that wasn't in the T&C that I agreed to when I joined and I was never given the option of accepting/rejecting the modified ones - though the T&C say I should have been.

Changes to the T&C should be announced, T&C should have Last Modified and Effective From dates, and on any change all users should have to acknowledge that they accept them or close their account.

As the T&C are the bedrock on which the site is built they really should be handled a bit more professionally than they are.

[HaleysComics]

It is not always the sellers fault that there are a lot of click through's that don't result in a purchase. Here are 2 important factors that may play a part in the results.
1. A potential buyer clicks through a Google Shopping link but has issues joining, there have been many posts about this issue.
2. A potential buyer clicks through a Google Shopping link, once they arrive on the listing they leave because they have never heard of eBid.

[JaBek1]

That is just an ad.
Not the Terms.
That is about as binding as a campaign promise.

It also says "import from e-vil"
but that is not automatic nor garunteed either.

Actually, if it is a benefit advertised to induce people to purchase the Seller+ Lifetime membership it might be considered to be false advertising if it turns out the T&C makes it an untrue statement.

[MPS16]

It is not always the sellers fault that there are a lot of click through's that don't result in a purchase. Here are 2 important factors that may play a part in the results.
1. A potential buyer clicks through a Google Shopping link but has issues joining, there have been many posts about this issue.
2. A potential buyer clicks through a Google Shopping link, once they arrive on the listing they leave because they have never heard of eBid.

Point number one is not valid.

A potential buyer will not have a problem with joining eBid to buy the item they have found via Google Shopping.

This is because Buy It Now items do not require a customer to join eBid.

All they have to do is click the Buy Now button and either pay immediately, or request an invoice from the seller.

[HaleysComics]

Point number one is not valid.

A potential buyer will not have a problem with joining eBid to buy the item they have found via Google Shopping.

This is because Buy It Now items do not require a customer to join eBid.

All they have to do is click the Buy Now button and either pay immediately, or request an invoice from the seller.

Point number one is valid because if the listing is an auction format with a starting bid price the buyer will need to sign up with eBid.

Auction formats have a starting bid price & can have a buy it now price with it to be uploaded to google shopping, if the buyer wants to place a bid instead of using the buy it now option they will need to join eBid.

[astral276]

Actually, if it is a benefit advertised to induce people to purchase the Seller+ Lifetime membership it might be considered to be false advertising if it turns out the T&C makes it an untrue statement.

The Terms & Conditions do not make it untrue; they merely place, errr..., terms and conditions on the feature. All sellers have to agree to the site Terms and Conditions when they join, including those that pertain to GS uploads, so they should be fully aware before they 'purchase'.

Maybe the typical advertising 'Terms and Conditions Apply' could be added in tiny text at the bottom of eBid ads. I would have added 'with a link to the T&C' but, despite prodding by me, eBid still refuse to put the site T&C in a linkable destination.