We wanted to let you know that over the next few weeks we’ll be testing how buyers react to different displays of Shops items on eBay UK search results pages. These tests are part of our continual efforts to optimise of how we display items to buyers on eBay.co.uk.

The testing will affect a minority of buyers; sellers aren’t required to do anything different or new.

Regards,

The eBay Team

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Between 27th June and 24th July, we're offering first-time sellers the chance to list their first three items for free. So there’s never been a better time for Irish members to start earning their eBay fortune!

This includes a free Insertion Fee and a free Gallery Listing Upgrade Fee for the first three items listed by a first time seller.

Terms and conditions apply.

Regards,

The eBay Team

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eBay Live! - eBay’s annual community event bringing together eBay members and employees from around the world – has been taking place this week in Chicago.

We wanted to share some of the news coming out of eBay Live! and what it will mean for eBay members in the UK, as well as give an update on some other changes we’ve introduced this year on eBay.co.uk.

PayPal buyer and seller protections

eBay Live! saw the eBay.com and PayPal teams announce significant increases in protection for buyers and sellers using PayPal on eBay.com. These will give buyers greater confidence to buy more, and sellers greater protection and coverage for their listings.

We’re looking forward to announcing similar improved protections for buyers and sellers on eBay.co.uk soon. We already have every listing on eBay.co.uk offering PayPal as a payment option, giving buyers the choice of protection on anything they buy.

Feedback matters

We’ve changed parts of the Feedback system this year to make it a more effective and reliable measure of reputation on the site. One month on, our DSR data shows that sellers are offering better service than ever before, while the proportion of Feedback left by buyers on eBay.co.uk that is positive has stayed the same.

At the same time, buyers and sellers have told us they want to be able to change negative or neutral Feedback if a problem is resolved. We’re now developing a new Feedback-withdrawal mechanism that will allow negative Feedback to be withdrawn in some circumstances – we hope to have this in place before the end of the year.

Rewarding great seller service

Earlier this year, eBay.co.uk started to reward high-volume business sellers who offered great service with fee discounts of up to 40% off their Final Value Fees.

5,000 PowerSellers who didn’t qualify for discounts when they were first introduced have raised their service standards and now do. Overall we’ve seen a big reduction in buyers having bad experiences, meaning more confident buyers, buying more.

Building on the launch of the Seller Dashboard, we’ll be launching more enhancements this summer, giving sellers greater visibility to monitor and act on their service levels.

And more…

This week we announced a new search experience on eBay.co.uk allowing buyers to find sellers’ items quickly and more easily.

A more secure email system for communication between buyers and sellers was discussed at eBay Live! and we’ll update you on timings for eBay.co.uk in the next few months. We’re pleased to say that by protecting the identity of people bidding on items, we’ve already seen a 90% reduction in emails attempting to defraud buyers on eBay.co.uk.

We’re continuing to reward our best buyers with vouchers, encouraging them to buy even more from the great sellers on eBay.co.uk. We’re also proud to now offer phone support to over a million of the biggest buyers on eBay.co.uk, as well as to all PowerSellers. We’ll continue to expand phone support this year so that more and more people can get live help if and when they need it – watch this space for news!

Finally, we also know that buyers are searching for more Buy it Now items on eBay.co.uk – so in the coming months we’ll make it even easier for sellers to offer them.

We’ve made lots of changes on eBay this year – all of them designed to create a safer marketplace where everyone can buy with confidence. We’d like to say thank you for all your feedback and support in making eBay.co.uk such a great place to buy and sell online.

Regards,

The eBay Team

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We’re changing the way search works, and giving our search pages a new look. Everybody who searches on eBay.co.uk will see the changes from this week.

You’ll see that we’ve updated the layouts and improved the way that search works.  You’ll have greater flexibility in how to refine your searches and the results will be more comprehensive.

• Find out more about how the new search looks and works
• To try out the changes in advance, visit the eBay Playground

Previously, buyers only saw search results where item title keywords exactly matched their search terms.  For example, a search for a broad term like ‘MP3 Players’ would not return items with specific titles like ‘Apple iPod Nano 8GB’.  Search now looks at the category an item is listed in and any item specifics the seller provides so that buyers are more likely to find what they want.

While you get used to the new system, you’ll be able to switch to and from the old and new systems from within the search results pages.  This ‘opt out’ will last for 4 weeks, after which the old search system will be retired.

We strongly encourage you to try the new search, become familiar with it, and find some great items you wouldn’t have found before.

Regards,

The eBay Team

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In line with the recent change requiring all listings on eBay.co.uk to offer PayPal, the Accepted Payments Policy has been updated. Learn more about these changes.

This policy also includes a new section titled ‘Misleading and Discouraging Payments’, which has been put in place to allow buyers to bid on or buy an item knowing that all the payment options in the listings will be available to them. This means sellers must not act in any way to discourage buyers from paying by methods that they offer in their listing.

Regards,

The eBay Team

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On Thursday June 12th 2008, Insertion Fees are just 5p* for any listing using the Auction-style, Auction-with-Buy It Now and Buy It Now only (fixed price) formats in an eligible category on eBay.co.uk.

Final value and feature fees are not included in this promotion.

*Terms and conditions apply

Regards,

The eBay Team

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We wanted to let you know that from Tuesday 10th June 2008 the eBay.ie motors classified ad fee will change from €9 to €20.

The classified ad duration is 28 days.

Regards,

The eBay Team

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As announced in March and May, all items listed for sale on eBay.co.uk will have to offer PayPal as one of their accepted payment methods. This change will take effect today.

Learn more about these new payment changes.

We thank you for your support in these changes as we make constantly evolve the eBay marketplace to ensure buyers and sellers are increasingly protected and confident transacting on the site.

Regards,

The eBay Team

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