Individuals who teach people how to use eBay got a little break today. Education Specialists are the people trained by eBay to teach local classes and individuals how to sell on eBay. They basically teach the courses once offered nationally by eBay University. Among other things, these individuals must have at least 98% positive feedback to be in good standing and qualify for the program.
Due to the upcoming implementation of eBay’s new feedback changes next week, feedback scores are about to change. The change will knock some out of qualification, with an adjusted feedback score of less than 98%.
American Research Institute through PowerU runs this program for eBay. In their email to Education Specialists today they said:
As a result of these changes, you may see a change in your Positive Feedback Percentage that could possibly impact your standing in the Education Specialist Program. Note that in order to maintain a valid standing in the Program, you must maintain a Positive Feedback Percentage of 98% or higher.
In order to provide some of you with the opportunity to increase your Positive Feedback Percentage, we are implementing a 60 day grace period for existing Education Specialists. On July 21st, we will re-instate the 98% Positive Feedback portion of the validation procedure and you may be suspended at that time if your Positive Feedback Percentage has gone below 98%. However, we do run the validation process every day, so you will be reinstated once you have reached the minimum criteria.
It really is a shame that these individuals who bring new sellers (and often buyers) to eBay are getting caught up in this. In an effort to “improve the buyer experience” there will likely be many less:
- Powersellers
- Education Specialists
- Trading Assistants
Evidently improving the buyer experience may mean that the buyer goes somewhere else to buy.
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3 comments ↓
Perhaps the best way around this problem is to use the 100% feedback account to be an educator etc and have a 2nd account for actual trading.
Your students can always be referred to your ‘real’ account with an (affiliate!) link.
It is a shame how something meant to help eBay appears to be a sinking ship… If eBay is willing to give these “specialists” a grace period are they doing it for all powersellers who have fallen bellow the 98% feedback rating? eBay needs to wake up and smell the coffee!
eBay is also giving PowerSellers the 60 day grace period to bring Feedback up to 98%. There’s more about it here at: http://pages.ebay.com/help/basics/faq.html under Item #5 “How is the 98% positive Feedback score calculated to determine PowerSeller eligibility? “. This was not publicized though. I happened to come across it today while researching a Feedback 2008 White Paper I wrote for our Members at WhatDoISell.com.
-Lisa Suttora
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