Hello everyone,

I’m Vidmay, Manager Trust & Safety and Buyer Engagement.

I would like to announce an update to the sale and distribution of digitally downloadable goods policy on eBay India.

Digital goods are often reproduced at little to no cost to the seller. On eBay, this creates the potential for Feedback Manipulation (both real and perceived). To preserve the integrity of the Feedback system, effective 18th April, 2008 00:00 IST, digitally delivered goods and items which are transferred electronically will no longer be permitted on eBay. Some examples of digital items are:

• Electronic books or ebooks
• Digital pictures
• Other electronic documents

Domain names and tickets which may be transferred electronically are excluded and may be traded on eBay.

This change is applicable for all listings uploaded on or after 18th April, 2008 00:00 IST.

Sincerely,
Vidmay Naini
Manager, Trust & Safety and Buyer Engagement

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Hello everyone,

I’m Vidmay, Manager Trust & Safety and Buyer Engagement.

Much of the company’s work around safety happens behind the scenes, but some of our efforts are also public-facing. Masking and protecting our Community’s identities on all bidder IDs on auction-style listings, our work with Yahoo and other domains to block email from unauthenticated addresses, and encouraging safer payments – each of these address a particular aspect of security and is making a dramatic difference in the overall security and safety of the marketplace and consumers’ confidence in shopping online. Our technologies – those that exist today, as well as those that we are designing for tomorrow – are helping to make the internet safer every day.

I’d like to inform you about a new safety initiative that launches next week.

Trusted Selling with Identity Confirmation

One of the ways criminals attempt to defraud people on eBay is by gaining access to member accounts with well-established reputations which they then use to set up listings in that person’s name. They gain this access often through a phishing email that convinces an unsuspecting member to click a link and enter their User ID and password.

To protect the Community against this type of fraud, beginning next week, eBay will start noting which computers members typically use to conduct their buying and selling activity. After our data collection phase, sometime in June eBay will begin verifying our sellers when they list an item to ensure they are logging in from the same machines they have successfully used previously – usually a home or business computer.

If you are a seller, and you attempt to list an item from a different computer – for example, from a PC you are borrowing in a hotel or library – eBay will make an automated call to the phone number you have registered with us to confirm it is really you. We may also prompt you to verify your identity in other ways.

Initially, this identity confirmation process will only be applied to selling, although we may be extending this to other high-visibility activity in the future.

Sellers, please update your registered phone numbers

Now more than ever, having a current phone number on file with eBay is vital to the safety of the Community and to your business. A wrong or outdated phone number may delay your ability to list items or respond to your customers, if eBay cannot verify your identity.

Have a cell phone? Registering it could save you time and money

If you carry a mobile phone, we encourage you to add this number as a secondary phone number in your registration details, so that we can reach you when you are away from your business or residence where you normally use your trusted computer. Your mobile phone number will not be shared with other members and will be treated in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Please take a minute to update your contact information. Update eBay Registration Information.

To read more safety tips, please visit our Security Center.

Sincerely,
Vidmay Naini
Manager, Trust & Safety and Buyer Engagement

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Promote your products on international eBay sites along with eBay India. Get more exposure for your products by promoting them on other eBay sites and enjoy increased chances of sales.

What is it?
Listers who have not used the International Listing Fee (ILF) feature in the last 3 months and who list during the promotion period will receive a flat 50% discount on International Listing Fee.

When is it?
The promotion starts on Monday 14th April, 2008 at 00:00:01 IST (12:00 AM plus 1 second) and ends on Friday, 18th April 2008 at 23:59:59 IST (11:59 PM plus 59 seconds).

What are the benefits?

Type of Listing		Starting or Reserve Price		International Listing Fee (Regular)		International Listing Fee (Promotional)
Single Item		Rs. 0.01 - 4,000.00		Rs. 15.00		Rs. 7.50
Single Item		Over Rs. 4,000.01		Rs. 30.00		Rs. 15
Multiple Item		Rs. 0.01 - 4,000.00		Rs. 15.00 X Quantity Purchased		Rs. 7.5 X Quantity Purchased
Multiple Item		Over Rs. 4,000.01		Rs. 30.00 X Quantity Purchased		Rs. 15.00 X Quantity Purchased

All other charges, FVF, and other Feature fees on the listings will be charged as applicable.

Who is eligible?
Sellers who have not used International Listing Feature in the last 3 months are eligible for the promotion.

The following are also included under the promotion:

• Online Auction and Fixed Price.
  
• All categories.
  
• Listings in 2 categories.
  
• Listings created before the offer period and going live during the offer period.
  
• Single quantity and multiple quantity listings.
  

What do you need to do?
Choose International Listing Fee with your listing.

What is excluded?

• Shop Inventory format and Classified Ad format listings.
  
• Listings created during the promotion period and going live after the promotion period.
• Listings that go live before the promotion period and are revised during the promotion to include the feature will be excluded.

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Dear PowerSellers,

We are happy to let you know about some exciting changes that we are making to the PowerSeller Program benefits.

Based on consistent feedback from Power Sellers to make the benefits package stronger and improve operational efficiencies in the current benefits we are glad to announce the following changes:

1. Account Management Service

   Account Management Service is a key service and support system that we provide to some of our esteemed sellers and many top sellers have benefited hugely from this service. We are extremely happy to let you know that w.e.f 5th May’08 all Power Sellers will have access to personalized account managed service from eBay. We will provide with the account manager details on 5th May. Your account managers will guide you, resolve your operational issues and provide business insights. They develop business strategies for you, recommend what it takes to grow your business on eBay.in and alert you of all the seller promotions we undertake. In other words, they are your consultants at eBay. PowerSellers who currently have account managers due to our Top Seller Account Management (TSAM) program will continue to have the same facility.

2. Exclusive Promotions for PowerSellers

   We realize PowerSellers are the best ambassadors for eBay and represent best practices related to eBay selling and the best deserve the best. Going forward we will be running exclusive pricing promotions for our Power Sellers from time to time. One of the first in this area is the ongoing price promotion on Marketplace research tools (Basic & pro subscriptions) which is available at a hefty 60% discount only for PowerSellers. For more details on the promotion click here. For more details on the Marketplace research Tool click here. We hope you maximize your benefit by subscribing to the tool within the promotion period.

3. FREE Dispute Resolution for PowerSellers on All Transactions

   We are pleased to let you know that w.e.f. 5th May’08 all PowerSellers will be eligible for FREE dispute resolution from our third party alliance ODR India for all transactions (including Non Paisa Pay).

4. eBay Visits Program

   PowerSeller program is also about providing emotional and intangible benefits and we will continue to do the same. PowerSellers get regular invites for eBay events and going forward we plan to extend this by launching an “eBay Visits” program wherein every month 1 PowerSeller will be invited to spend “A day in the eBay office” meeting key eBay staff and get to know eBay better. Look out for more details on the “eBay Visits” program on community boards by 5th May’08.

5. PowerSeller Merchandise

   We understand that there are concerns on the continued supply of PowerSeller merchandise leading to out of stock situation and at times due to logistic reasons face delays in receiving new monthly supplies. Going forward we are happy to let you know that we will be giving Quarterly supplies of merchandise to Sellers who have maintained PowerSeller status for 3 consecutive months. This will ensure regular PowerSellers do not face out of stock situation on packing merchandise. In addition we have revamped the design & the messaging on the bag to make it more user friendly and reinforce key message

   To optimize logistics and standardize processes we will provide 1 size bags and packing tapes. Based on feedback received from PowerSellers on under utility of some materials we will be discontinuing labels and letterheads will be given to Silver level and above w.e.f April’2008. Considering the significant changes being made in design, quantities and quarterly dispatch logistics this month we will be dispatching the material on 28th Apr as opposed to the standard practice of 18th of every month. Kindly bear with us and trust in the interest of overall betterment this is a minor compromise.

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Features included in this promotion:

1. Item Subtitle
2. Featured Plus
3. Bold
4. Border
5. Highlight
6. Gallery Featured
7. Buy It Now
8. Home Page Featured
9. Scheduled Listings*
10. 10-Day Duration
11. List in Two Categories**
12. Gallery Plus

* There is no Scheduled Listings fee for Turbo Lister, Selling Manager, Selling Manager Pro, and Shop users.
**Double the listing upgrades fees (excluding Scheduled Listing and Home Page Featured, to. list in two categories)

When is it?
The promotion starts on Monday 7th April, 2008 between 00:00:01 IST (12:00 AM plus 1 second) and ends on Friday 11th April 2008 23:59:59 IST (11:59 PM plus 59 seconds)..

What are the benefits?
Any* Feature at flat 50% off for sellers who have not used features in the past 3 months.

Feature		Regular Fee / Listing		Promotional Fee
Home Page Featured Quantity of 2 or more		Rs. 300		Rs. 150
Home Page Featured Single Quantity		Rs. 150		Rs. 75
Featured Plus		Rs. 60		Rs. 30
Gallery Featured		Rs. 60		Rs. 30
10-Day Duration		Rs. 25		Rs. 12.50
Highlight		Rs. 15		Rs. 7.50
Bold		Rs. 5		Rs. 2.50
Border		Rs. 5		Rs. 2.50
Gallery Plus		Rs. 2		Rs. 1
Buy It Now		Rs. 2		Rs. 1
Item Subtitle		Rs. 2		Rs. 1
Scheduled Listings		Re. 1		Re. 0.50

*From the list of selected features above.

All other charges, FVF, and other Feature fees on the listings will be charged as applicable.

Who is eligible?
All Listers who have not used the above features in the past 3 months while creating listings on eBay.in are eligible for the promotion.

The following are also included under the promotion:

• Online Auction, Fixed Price and Classified Ad format listings.
  
• All categories.
  
• Listings in 2 categories.
  
• Listings created before the offer period and going live during the offer period.
  
• Single quantity and multiple quantity listings.
  

What do you need to do?
Choose any feature from the above list with your listing.

What is excluded?

• Shop Inventory format.
  
• Listings created during the promotion period and going live after the promotion period.
• Listings that go live before the promotion period and are revised during the promotion to include the feature will be excluded.

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All PowerSellers will get Marketplace Research Basic & Marketplace Research Pro Subscription at discounted prices for the months of April, May and June.

What is it?
All PowerSellers who subscribe to Marketplace Research Basic & Marketplace Research Pro during the offer period will get the subscriptions at discounted prices of Rs. 99 & Rs. 399 respectively. Existing PowerSellers who continue their Marketplace Research Basic & Marketplace Research Pro subscriptions will also get these subscriptions at discounted prices.

When is it?
The promotion starts on Monday 7th April, 2008 between 00:00:01 IST (12:00 AM plus 1 second) and ends on Friday 11th April 2008 23:59:59 IST (11:59 PM plus 59 seconds).

What are the benefits?

Tool Subscription type		Regular Fee / Listing		Promotional Fee
Marketplace Research Basic		Rs. 175		Rs. 99
Marketplace Research Pro		Rs. 999		Rs. 399

All other charges, FVF, Insertion fees, feature fees and other tool fees are charged as applicable. Once the promotion ends the normal Marketplace Research subscription fees will be charged. Hence if you do not wish to continue with the tool please unsubscribe from the tool at the time the promotion ends.

Who is eligible?
All sellers who are PowerSeller status during the promotion period i.e. Monday 7th April, 2008 between 00:00:01 IST (12:00 AM plus 1 second) and ends on Friday 11th April 2008 23:59:59 IST will receive the discounts for the subscription for 3 consecutive months.

All subscriptions made during the promotion period are eligible for the promotion. PowerSellers who have subscribed in Mar and continue their subscription in April, May and June will receive the discounts for the respective subscriptions. The following are also included under the promotion:

What do you need to do?
Subscribe to Marketplace Research Basic or Marketplace Research Pro during the promotion period. If you have already subscribed to the tool in March just continue your subscription through April, May and June.

What is excluded?
Non PowerSellers are excluded.

How will I receive a credit for the Marketplace Research Basic or Marketplace Research Pro Fees??
All sellers eligible for the credits in April will receive the credit by 30th May‘08.
All sellers eligible for the credits in May will receive the credit by 30th June‘08.
All sellers eligible for the credits in June will receive the credit by 31st July‘08.

Keep watching for updates on new promotions!

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We are happy to announce that we've now added two automation rules to Selling Manager. You can set these automation rules in Selling Manager to:

1. Relist an item once if doesn't sell
2. Relist an item continuously until it sells

Whether you choose to automatically relist them just once or until they sell, your items get maximum exposure to buyers and minimum downtime, and you don't have to monitor manually to make sure unsold items get back up.

Automatic relisting is easy to use. You can apply relisting preferences to a bunch of listings at once, or do it item-by-item right from your Active Listings page in My eBay.

Setup is easy:
Sellers can assign auto relist rules through the following steps:

1. Go to Active listings in Selling Manager.
2. Select the listings that he would want to assign rules to.

   

3. Select the “Assign automation rules” from the dropdown and click on select.

   

4. Set the relist rule by selecting one from the dropdown.
5. Select the rule settings and click on submit.

   Boost profits, work faster, and save time with automatic relisting in Selling Manager.

   Regards,
   The eBay Team
   

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Hello sellers,

I’m Vidmay Naini, Manager, Trust & Safety and Buyer Engagement.

I’m here to make an important announcement regarding additional requirements for listings that include VAT. Based on consistent & strong feedback from our community on removing VAT functionality we are taking this initiative. Effective 05th May’2008 (listings starting 05th May 2008 00:00:01 hrs IST) any Seller charging VAT has to necessarily mention the VAT % charged by the seller on the item in either Item Title or Item Subtitle.

The additional requirement will be made as listing guidelines under the Tax policy and any listings that violate this policy will be taken down and appropriate action will be take against the seller under the existing Tax policy. eBay would reach out to all sellers who are currently charging VAT and communicate about this policy change.

Based on the community feedback we are implementing this change effective 05th May 2008, and also working on removing the product functionality for sellers to charge VAT separately on site. Once that change product change is implemented –The item price should be total cost of the product inclusive of VAT.

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This is Prashant Kumar, Business Head, PaisaPay.

As announced in Rajan’s open house earlier last month we have been working to deliver on the additional requirements of our community to make PaisaPay a best-in-class payments system. We have already relaxed Express Remittance criteria and have also announced the launch of PaisaPay Seller Protection Program.

It is very important that we understand your views and expectations from PaisaPay so that we can deliver on our promise of best-in-class payments system. I will be here for an hour from 4 – 5 PM on Thursday, 3rd April to answer your questions regarding PaisaPay. I will also share some of the upcoming product enhancements in PaisaPay. Please feel free to ask any questions regarding our PaisaPay enhancements, policies, features and requirements. Click here to post a message.

See you on Thursday, 3rd April, 4 – 5 PM!!

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