Date / Time last seen

[HerMajesty]

I like the ideas presented and here's my take:
I would suggest that sellers of any type be required to log in at least monthly. Any time they log in, they get the little last seen logo updated. Mags' scenario says that the person goes off for a few months and doesn't know about the changes, but was just talking about monthly log in. If a person is a seller, they (and I don't know who else does) get the newsletter, which has news and updates. If there is a big rule change, I'd think it would show in there.....so it would be a heads up. An email could be sent to all Ebid sellers informing them of any change, which doesn't essentially change any major terms of the contract....it should benefit sellers all around.
I do like Julie babe's idea, and I've said it before, to have the login tied to items being put on hold if there is no timely login. This is done on a photographic stock image site I am on. It's a good thing for everyone, and certainly helps prevent buyers from dealing with people who maybe got hit by a bus, or who have gone out of business without deleting their items.

I suspect da boyz DO have a to-do list, that puts most of ours to shame.

[DZAMBO]

Much as I would like to see it made necessary for all sellers to sign in once a month, I have no doubt it could cause problems.

Hypothetical situation.......

I pay my 50 notes for seller+ lifetime membership.
I list 1,000 items and make sure my emails are set up to receive mail everytime I have a sale.
I then go and do lots of other things for the next few months, knowing I have 1,000 listings online, I have not broken any rules and regulations as per the T&C at sign up time.
One day, 6 months later, I sign in just out of interest.
To my dismay, I find that the rules have changed and all my listings are not viewable because I didnt sign in once a month.

I wouldnt be a happy bunny, and would certainly be asking for my 50 notes to be refunded.

Multiply the above scenario by a few hundred (possibly) - ebid could find themselves having to refund a lot of dosh!

Well in other auction site person can receive daily e-mails just to remind you for everything and top of that person receive e-mail even if not selling enough and if is Top Rated Seller just to remind you go back you are on risk…and go back and start selling we need more fees…heheh….

[booksforsale]

I'll say no thank you to this.

I can get by on ebid without having to log in everyday (although I generally do). If I don't manage to log in, I will pick any sales or queries up within my email and customers will be replied to or sales dealt with.

In this day and age where consumers expect 24/7 service, the appearance that someone has not signed in for any more than one day could be off putting. All it takes is for a seller to see someone hasn't logged in for two days and they might wrongly assume the store is not being attended to - where in actual fact the seller may be monitoring ebid activity via email messages.

I say take away any indication when a seller was last here.

Here to sell / Here to stay icons:

Also take away icons/logos such as here to sell, especially when the icon is not a simple icon, but actually a button taking the clicker of such away from ebid to a further site which offers advertising space for a fee.

Schemes like Here To Sell should not be allowed by ebid - If buyers begin to perceive the "here to sell" idea as normal, there is an implication that sellers who choose not to display such logos are sellers who are not here to sell - dump and run if you like. I don't wan't sellers perceiving my store in this way, because I have not chosen to remind buyers the reason I am here in the first place.

If we need a system for flushing out the dump and runners, how about an automated email being sent out every week or so, requiring the seller to sign in. If they ignore this first time, account is put on hold (and listings put in a state of abeyance, rather than deleted, in case there is a genuine reason). Ignore it a second time and listings are deleted. Ignore it a third time and bye-bye.

[Juliebabe25]

I think a monttly minimum sign in would be satisfactory.
Weekly is over the top.
Ioffer require bi-monthly.

After all if you can't be bother to check into a selling venue once a month, then you you obviously don't have much commitment to it.

[HerMajesty]

If we need a system for flushing out the dump and runners, how about an automated email being sent out every week or so, requiring the seller to sign in. If they ignore this first time, account is put on hold (and listings put in a state of abeyance, rather than deleted, in case there is a genuine reason). Ignore it a second time and listings are deleted. Ignore it a third time and bye-bye.
This is what I was trying to say - but on a monthly basis.......requiring people to log in once a month (week - whatever) or their listings go on hold. Just relying that people read their emails without having some verification that they are actually gettting their emails is not guaranteeing anything. Nobody (I think) says you need to log in everyday, tho many do log in that often.

[madelaine]

I'm not sure what the right solution is, but we shouldn't have to warn new buyers to contact a seller before paying.

[HerMajesty]

I'm not sure what the right solution is, but we shouldn't have to warn new buyers to contact a seller before paying.

In a perfect world, you are correct.
If RUS were done away with, some of the contact problems would go away, but not all. Some people just don't respond....for whatever reason....in the time frame a buyer should be able to expect. I don't know the answer. In fact, I've forgotten what the question is.

[madelaine]

I found a related problem - a book I wanted was £99.99 which was plainly silly. Every book belonging to the same seller+ member was that price. I emailed to ask about the proper price and eeeeventually received a reply saying that the book was not available and they were not selling here any more. After emailing support, all the listings were removed. I think support asked the seller their intentions but it was a group of thousands of listings which did not represent opportunities to purchase. All very bad for the site and, happily, now removed.

[florida33549]

I still think requiring sellers to log-in once a month is not asking much. What does it take....2-5 seconds? If they don't sign in, all listings should be closed...not deleted...until seller signs in again.

[johnwash1]

I still think requiring sellers to log-in once a month is not asking much. What does it take....2-5 seconds? If they don't sign in, all listings should be closed...not deleted...until seller signs in again.

Some people like the idea, some people don't.

The solution is obvious. The site should allow sellers to opt-in to this process, so that those sellers who wish to be kicked off if they don't sign in once a month can have their wish granted!

(I'm hoping there's nobody humour-impaired around here!)

Once again, if I don't log in regularly it does NOT mean that I don't respond to emails within hours and generally try to give prospects and buyers a good experience in every respect.

And if the site were to put such hurdles in place, or display when a seller last logged in, I would spend 5 minutes knocking up a script to automate logging in to my account twice a day.

Let's have real meaningful checks on sellers, for example, kick them off if they fail to give good service or if Madelaine spots their stupid 99.99 book listings. Oh, hang on, fancy that, it already happens.