What is eBay Plus? eBay Plus Review

eBay Plus is a paid program for eBay buyers that provides members with exclusive benefits and features that are only available to members, including free delivery and free returns of products on the eBay platform, high-quality customer service, etc., similar to Amazon's prime service. The program officially took effect at the end of June 2018 and is currently available in Germany and Australia.

cost

eBay Plus offers a 30-day free trial and costs $49 per year, and is currently available at a discounted price of $29.

Applicable products

Supports over 15 million diverse products across technology, home goods, fashion + products and baby products, excluding large items such as large household appliances and furniture.

Benefits of eBay Plus

1. Free delivery: More than 15 million products are available for delivery when purchased by Plus members.

2. All eligible orders can be returned free of charge.

3. Exclusive offers: eBay Plus members can enjoy special offers and discounts, such as up to 60% off on popular products and the right to be the first to purchase new products.

4. Extra Flybuy points: eBay Plus members can enjoy double Flybuy points when placing orders.

5. High-quality customer service: eBay is equipped with a professional customer support team to provide all-round support.

develop

In October 2015, eBay launched the eBay Plus service in Germany for the first time.

Effective July 1, 2017, the final value fee discount for eBay Plus transactions will increase from 15% to 20%.

In June 2018, Australia will become the second market in the world to launch the eBay Plus service.

Benefits for Sellers

1. Highlight eBay Plus’ own logo in search results and listing pages to increase click-to-purchase conversion rates.

2. A separate eBay Plus page to increase marketing campaign promotion opportunities.

3. After becoming a member, buyers will have a higher loyalty to eBay Plus listings.

4. For German eBay Plus, you can also enjoy free shipping labels and eBay protection for compliant sellers.

5. eBay will promote this program and eBay Plus listings through extensive marketing and retail activities.

6. There is no additional fee to participate in this program - eBay will not charge sellers any additional fees (including final transaction fees) for displaying the Plus logo on their items.

7. 68%* of shoppers would choose to shop online more often if free shipping was offered.

8. 45%* of shoppers would shop online more often if free and easy returns were offered.

Conditions for participation in the program

1. The seller's performance rating is qualified seller or eBay Excellent Rated Seller (eTRS).

2. New items listed at a fixed price.

3. The seller accepts returns.

4. The item is located in Australia.

5. Not large or heavy items.

FAQ

Q: Why is the eBay Plus logo displayed on my listing?

A: eBay Plus is a subscription program launched by eBay for loyal buyers. eBay will display the eBay Plus logo on all items that meet the conditions of this program to highlight items that can provide premium services, such as free delivery and free returns.

Q: Do I have to pay additional fees to have my listings included in the eBay Plus program?

A: No. Sellers do not need to pay any additional fees to list items in the eBay Plus program.

Q: I do not want to participate in the eBay Plus program. How can I opt out of the program?

A: You cannot opt ​​out of this feature. The eBay Plus logo on your listing will tell buyers that your listing offers great services such as free shipping and free returns, which will encourage buyers to purchase your items.

Q: Am I required to offer free shipping on my listings to participate in the eBay Plus program?

A: Sellers are not required to offer free shipping. However, eBay recommends that sellers offer free shipping to encourage all shoppers (not just eBay Plus members) to purchase your items.

Q: If I don't offer free shipping, how will eBay Plus free shipping work?

A: Even if you specify shipping costs in your listing, your listing may still qualify for the eBay Plus program. eBay Plus members will receive free shipping as part of their subscription to the program. In this case, eBay will cover the shipping costs.

Q: Am I required to offer free returns on my listings to participate in the eBay Plus program?

A: For listings that participate in the eBay Plus program, sellers must accept returns, but sellers can decide who pays for return shipping. eBay Plus members receive free returns as part of their subscription to the program. Therefore, in the event that the buyer is responsible for the return shipping costs, eBay will provide the buyer with a return shipping label free of charge.

However, eBay recommends that all sellers offer free returns because it is excellent customer service and will help make your listings more attractive to buyers who are not eBay Plus members.

Q: How does the return process work under the eBay Plus program? Do I have to do anything different?

A: The purpose of the eBay Plus program is to make shopping on the eBay platform easier for loyal eBay buyers. With this in mind, eBay will speed up the return process for eBay Plus orders.

In the event of a return, eBay Plus buyers will still need to initiate a return request and indicate the reason for the return. eBay will automatically accept their return request and provide them with a return shipping label directly. Therefore, sellers only need to inspect the items when they are returned and provide a refund to the buyer.

Q: Will eBay charge me for return shipping?

A: In cases where the seller pays for return shipping (for example, the seller offers free returns or the buyer returns an item because it is damaged, defective, or not as described), eBay will provide the buyer with a return shipping label and include the return shipping costs in the seller's corresponding invoice.

Q: What happens if I offer free returns and normally include a return shipping label with the package?

A: It is good practice to offer free returns, and it is an even better practice to include a return shipping label in the package for the buyer to use if they need to return the item.

In this case, eBay will still provide the buyer with a return label, so it will be up to the buyer to decide which return label to use. eBay will only charge the seller the return label fee if the buyer uses the return label provided by eBay. eBay will include this fee in the seller's corresponding invoice after the return label is scanned for the first time.

If you would rather buyers use their own return shipping labels, please let them know in the buyer-initiated return request. eBay recommends that sellers frequently check their returns dashboard, where you can still send messages to buyers if eBay has accepted the return on your behalf.

Q: What happens if I want to offer a replacement service to the buyer, or allow the buyer to transfer the goods?

A: Offering a buyer an exchange or allowing them to transfer items is a form of excellent customer service, and sellers can still do so if a buyer requests a return for an eBay Plus order.

eBay will accept the buyer's return request on behalf of the seller and allow the buyer to return the item, but the seller can still send the buyer a message to exchange or exchange the item. If they agree to exchange or exchange the item, the seller needs to send the exchanged item to the buyer and upload the tracking details to the return request page. If the seller has already provided the buyer with a refund, the buyer can purchase the seller's exchanged item by placing a new order.

Q: Can I still provide a partial refund to the buyer on an eBay Plus order?

A: If a buyer returns an item in a different condition than when the seller shipped it (for example, the packaging has been opened on a brand new item), and the seller offers free returns, the seller will be able to provide the buyer with only a partial refund to compensate for the reduced value of the item.

Q: How will the eBay Plus program affect my seller performance?

A: There will be no changes to seller performance requirements. eBay Plus transactions will count towards your seller metrics as usual.