The following FAQs will help with answering some of your questions about Best Match, the upcoming changes to Stores, search and fees.

Introduction

1. Why are we making these changes?

Best Match

2. What is Best Match?
3. How does Best Match work?
4. Why is eBay.com.au introducing Best Match?
5. What is happening to Store Inventory Format?
6. How will recent sales work with Best Match?
7. I list lots of identical Buy It Now items in separate listings at ten minute intervals to ensure I’m always featured near the top of search results. Will the change to Best Match affect this?
8. I’ve got a multiple-quantity listing running, but I need to change it. How will that affect the recent sales element of Best Match after the launch, 10 September?
9. When I relist and/or revise a listing, which changes will affect the recent sales score for that listing?
10. How will ‘Postage Cost’ work with Best Match?

Stores and listings

11. What happens to my existing Store on 10 September?
12. If I don’t have a Store do I need to know about these changes?
13. Can anyone subscribe to a Store package?
14. Can I list in Buy It Now format if I don’t have a Store package?
15. Can I list in multiple-quantity if I don’t have a Store package?
16. I only sell occasionally – do I need to get a Store package?
17. Is there a minimum subscription period for the Store packages?
18. If I subscribe to a Store package do I also get discounted Auction pricing?
19. Does eBay still care about Auctions?

Fees

19. Why is eBay changing pricing?
20. The price changes only seem to benefit larger sellers. What’s in it for smaller sellers?
21. Why are subscription fees for Stores going up?
22. Why haven’t you scrapped Insertion Fees altogether?
23. Why are some Insertion and Final Value Fees for Store packages rising in some instances?
24. Why haven’t you introduced free Auctions and gallery like they’ve done on other sites like eBay.com?
25. How will the listing fee for an Auction with a Buy It Now option be priced?
26. What happens to existing listings – will I be charged the new Final Value Fee?
27. What happens to my Store subscription fees on 10 September if I do nothing?
28. Am I locked into a Store package once I sign up?
29. Am I locked into a Store package or can I change the level of subscription?
30. Do I get a free trial for my Store?

1. Why are we making these changes?
Whenever eBay makes changes the obvious question is why? The short answer in this instance is one word − demand.

For those interested in the longer answer, eBay is a marketplace and to remain successful, it needs to keep up with the rapidly changing e-commerce environment. More and more buyers want Buy It Now quality products at great prices and they want them quickly. The changes being introduced are aimed at enabling sellers to better meet this growing buyer demand.

2. What is Best Match?

Best Match will replace Time Ending Soonest as the default sort order for search results on eBay.com.au

3. How does Best Match work?

Best Match, unlike Time Ending Soonest (which only considers end time as a sort factor), ranks listings based on a number of seller and item criteria, which vary based on the category and format. Example criteria include the:

• Detailed Seller Ratings
• Seller’s customer satisfaction rating
• Recent sales (for multiple-quantity Buy It Now listings) or end time (for Auction listings)

In some categories, Best Match applies caps to maintain a healthy ratio of Auction and Buy It Now listings which will appear on the search results page.

In practice, Best Match means that the most appealing listings from sellers who deliver great service, value and products are likely to be higher up on the page, which in turn is beneficial to sellers’ sales.

Find out more about how Best Match works.

4. Why is eBay.com.au introducing Best Match?
eBay.com.au is introducing Best Match for three reasons:

1. To help manage the increased number of listings in core search results. Buyers come to eBay.com.au for a range of products but are confused by the distinction between core and Store listings. eBay.com.au is removing this distinction by merging all listings into core. This change will result in an increase in the range of listings available to customers and this change may overwhelm buyers. Best Match will help manage this
2. To provide a fairer sort order for listings. The current default sort order, Time Ending Soonest, is traditionally the sort order for Auctions. Buyers are now increasingly choosing the convenience of Buy It Now listings, but Time Ending Soonest artificially favours Auctions over Buy It Now items. Best Match sorts listings based on a mix of factors which play to the strengths of both Auctions and Buy It Now formats
3. To recognise sellers who provide great customer service with improved rankings in search results. Sort order technology used by modern websites (such as search engines) reflects the merits of particular results, such as relevance or quality. In contrast, eBay.com.au’s current default sort order, Time Ending Soonest, does nothing to reward those sellers who offer great service, value and products

Best Match rewards sellers who deliver great customer service by giving them greater listing visibility in the search results. So by looking after your customers and pricing competitively, you could benefit from Best Match

 5. What is happening to Store Inventory Format?
From 10 September, all Buy It Now listings will appear in main search results, even if they are listed through a Store. This means there will be no difference between Store Inventory Format and Buy It Now format. Best match will help manage the increased number of listings in core search results (see above), and make it easier for buyers to find your products.

6. How will ‘recent sales’ work with Best Match?
‘Recent sales’ (how well a relevant Buy It Now listing has sold over the past 7 days) is one of several factors Best Match will take into account when a buyer conducts a search. A listing’s recent sales will help determine how high up it appears in search results, as this is a good indicator that it is an item that buyers want. The more items you sell from a single Buy It Now listing, the more likely that listing will appear higher up in search results. So, by selecting a longer duration and listing multiple-quantity identical items in the same listing, sellers can get a better recent sales result and improved listing rankings.

‘Recent sales’ is not the only criteria used to rank Buy It Now listings. Other criteria which evaluate the seller’s customer service ratings, postage cost, title relevance and price are also used in conjunction with recent sales (see Best Match page for more details).

7. I list lots of identical Buy It Now items in separate listings at ten minute intervals to ensure that I’m always featured near the top of search results. Will the change to Best Match affect this?
Yes. Buy It Now items will now have a strong Best Match element based on recent sales. That is why listing identical items in multiple quantities in one listing will be the best way to get a higher ranking in search results.

Simply – the more items you sell from one listing, the more likely that listing is to appear higher in search results.

Time Ending Soonest will continue to be an important factor in how Auction format listings are ordered by Best Match in search results. However, to ensure buyers view Auctions from the best sellers, seller criteria will also be considered for Auctions. These include customer service ratings, listing end time and postage cost.

8. I’ve got a multiple-quantity listing running, but I need to change it. How will that affect the recent sales element of Best Match after the launch, 10 September?
‘Recent sales’ is relevant to your listing’s position in search results only if it is a Buy It Now listing.

If you are simply relisting an item without changing any details, the listing's recent sales information will be the same – as long as you relist within 7 days of the listing.

If you make any of the changes listed below, recent sales from your listing will be reset to zero. As recent sales is one of several factors contributing to how Best Match will rank listings in search results, your revised listing's appearance in search results may be affected.

• Change of listing title
• Change of item condition

• Change of category

9. When I relist and/or revise a listing, which changes will affect the recent sales score for that listing?
Any of the following changes will affect the recent sales (popularity) score of your listing:

• Title change
• Change to the item condition
• Change in listed category

10. How will ‘Postage Cost’ work with Best Match?

Best Match looks at average postage cost for listings from the same category and promotes listings that offer average or below average postage costs for the category.

If your item is heavy, unusual shaped or requiring special attention for delivery, you might want to consider whether to specify postage or not. Not specifying postage cost will neither promote nor demote your listing’s rank in search results.

11. What happens to my existing Store on 10 September?
If you currently have a Store there are a few things you need to consider.

• Your Store will not appear to have changed at all. You will still have access to it and your listings will still be displayed as usual. What’s more, you still will have a store icon displayed next to your username
• All your Store listings will automatically appear in main search results
• The pricing associated with your listings will change. This also effects any Good Til Cancelled listings you may have
• Your Store subscription price will change and will be pro-rata'd for the month
• You may want to change your Store package – familiarise yourself with the new Store packages which include new pricing

12. If I don’t have a store do I need to know about these changes?
Yes. While you may not be directly affected by the pricing changes, the introduction of Best Match and the visibility of Store listings in the main search results may have an impact on you. You may want to find out more information about the significant volume discounts and other benefits you can get if you do have a Store.

13. Can anyone subscribe to a Store package?
Yes. Sellers are required to have a minimum feedback score of 5 and have been registered with eBay for at least 14 days prior to subscribing to a Store package.

14. Can I list in Buy It Now format if I don’t have a Store package?
Yes, but you will be limited to a maximum 10-day duration for your listing and there are minimum requirements for listing in Buy It Now format. By having a Store package, you’ll get access to 30-day and Good ‘Til Cancelled (GTC) durations. GTC automatically relists for a further 30 days until you cancel the listing or until you run out of stock.

15.  Can I list in multiple-quantity if I don’t have a Store package?
Yes, provided you have a minimum feedback score of 5 and have been registered with eBay for at least 14 days. You are able to list multiple quantity, Buy It Now listings for 3,5,7 and 10 day durations. If you require a larger duration it might be worth considering if one of our Store packages is right for you. Take a look at the options.

16. I only sell occasionally – do I need to get a Store package?
No. The pricing changes will only affect those who do have a Store or decide to open a Store. If you want to increase the amount you are selling, you might want to consider if a Store package is right for you. The pricing changes will only affect those who have a Store or decide to open one.

17. Is there a minimum subscription period for the Store packages?
The minimum subscription period is one month. Your subscription will automatically continue unless you choose to unsubscribe. You can change the level of your Store package at anytime.

18. If I subscribe to a Store package do I also get discounted Auction pricing?
No. Auction pricing remains unchanged regardless of whether you subscribe to a Store package or not. 

19. Does eBay still care about Auctions?
Absolutely! Auctions are still important to eBay. The changes we’re making are a direct response to consumer trends. While we believe Auctions still have a very important role to play, more and more buyers are looking for fast, convenient shopping. If you list in Auction, there are no changes to standard pricing.

20. Why is eBay changing pricing?
Demand for Buy It Now products on eBay is growing quickly. To help sellers meet this demand, eBay is introducing price changes that make it easier and more cost effective to offer more Buy It Now listings.

Auctions continue to be an important part of the eBay experience, so that’s why there are no changes to eBay’s standard pricing.

21. The price changes only seem to benefit larger sellers. What's in it for smaller sellers?
The changes are designed to help boost Buy It Now inventory on eBay.com.au to meet the rapidly growing buyer demand for Buy It Now listings. Satisfying buyer demand for more Buy It Now listings will make eBay a better place to shop and in turn help all sellers regardless of their size.

Larger sellers will be able to benefit from lower Insertion Fees by choosing a Featured or Anchored Store package. Many smaller sellers may also see significant savings on fees by choosing a Basic Store package. To understand which package will work best for you, check out our calculator (link).

If one of the new Store packages isn’t right for you, the great news is that the standard pricing on eBay.com.au is not changing. This means you can have your listing available to the millions of Australian buyers who visit eBay each month at a standard price starting from just 30 cents.

22.  Why are subscription fees for Stores going up?
The introduction of new Store packages which include new pricing, combined with the increased exposure provided by Best Match, means the value and benefits of owning an eBay Store will increase significantly.

Store owners will be able to take advantage of:

• Significant discounts on most Buy It Now Insertion Fees, especially if you’re listing lots of items
• FREE Gallery
• FREE Additional Pictures
• FREE Selling Manager Pro
• Access to sales and marketing tools

23. Why haven’t you scrapped Insertion Fees altogether?
Insertion Fees are important for two reasons:

1. They play an important role in ensuring that eBay.com.au is not flooded with items of little interest that simply do not sell
2. They give sellers the opportunity to utilise features such as Bold and Subtitle, which assist in making listings stand out from the crowd

From time to time, eBay runs free or extra-low Insertion Fee promotions. We will continue to hold these promotions as a way of rewarding sellers and boosting supply in response to buyer demand.

24. Why are some Insertion and Final Value Fees for Store packages rising in some instances?
While most Insertion and Final Value Fees will be reduced from 10 September, there are a few instances within the three Store package options where they are increasing slightly. The reason for this is, the added value that sellers will be getting by choosing a Store package that’s right for them outweighs the small increase in Insertion and Final Value Fees. For more information on the Store packages, go to the Rebalancing fees page (link).

25. Why haven’t you introduced free Auctions and gallery like they’ve done on other sites like eBay.com?
At this stage we are focused on boosting Buy It Now listings on eBay.com.au. Once the changes are live and sellers have had time to adjust, we will investigate some of the pricing initiatives that have occurred in other eBay markets and think about how they might be suitable for eBay.com.au.

There have been several free listing promotions this year for Auctions starting at 99 cents, as well as Free Gallery promotions. We look forward to running similar promotions in the future, so please stay tuned!

26. How will the listing fee for an Auction with a Buy It Now option be priced?
The listing fee for an Auction with a Buy It Now option will be the same as today i.e. the Insertion Fee ($0.30 to $3.50, depending on the Auction starting price) plus the cost of adding the Buy It Now feature ($0.10).  Final Value Fees will be charged at the existing auction rate

27. What happens to existing listings – will I be charged the new Final Value Fee?
Any listing that commenced prior to 10 September will be charged the current Insertion Fee and Final Value Fee. Listings commencing on or after 10 September (including Good Til’ Cancelled listings that recommence on or after 10 September) will be charged the new Insertion and Final Value Fees.

28. What happens to my Store subscription fees on 10 September if I do nothing?

Subscriptions for existing Store owners will increase in line with the new Store package prices. eBay encourages all sellers to consider which Store package will provide the greatest value and choose the level that is right for them.

Let’s assume a seller subscribes to a Featured Store on 25 August  when the subscription fees will be the existing fees ($49.95) and that the sellers billing cycle falls on 1 September (invoice date). eBay launches the price changes on 10 September and the fees change to $99.95. The subscription fees that will be charged to this seller will be as below:

The seller will be charged for 25/8 – 31/8 and also in advance for 1/9 – 30/9 on a pro-rata'd basis as below:

Pro-rata'd from 8/25 – 8/31 @ $49.95 per month

Pro-rata'd from 9/1 – 9/10 @ $49.95 per month

Pro-rata'd from 9/11 – 9/30 @ $99.95 per month

29. Am I locked into a Store package once I sign up?
No. You can discontinue your subscription anytime you like. However, the following rules apply:

• If you unsubscribe from a Store package within the first 30 days, you will be charged for a minimum of 30 days
• If you unsubscribe from your Store package after the first 30 days, you will be charged only for the number of days you have used the Store pro-rata'd over the days of the month

Please note that all your Buy it Now listings will automatically end when you cancel your Store subscription.

30. Am I locked into a Store package or can I change the level of subscription?
You can change the level of your Store package any time you like. Different Store packages incur different pricing options.

• If you upgrade your Store package, the new level will be effective immediately and the higher fee will apply from the day you change
• If you downgrade your Store package within the first days of choosing your original Store package, you will be charged the higher fee for the 30 days
• If you downgrade your Store package after 30 days, your fee will be pro-rata'd and any overpayment will be reflected in a later invoice.
• Insertion Fees and Final Value Fees will change for new listings at the same time you change your Store package
• All Good ‘Til Cancelled listings will renew at the new Store package level and the new Insertion and Final Value Fees will apply

31. Do I get a free trial for my Store?
At present, eBay offers a free 30-day trial for Basic and Featured Stores. However, this will be discontinued 30 days prior to the launch of the new pricing structure. This change is happening to prevent any misuse of the new significantly lower fees for Store packages.