It's Very Sad...

I thought I might take the time here on my Blog to talk about eBay and the MASSIVE changes they have made already, and will be making soon. If you've heard it all, or just don't want to hear it... skip this post.
The honest Sellers at eBay need your help. You, the customers help decide what kind of sellers we are perceived to be in the eBay Community through your detailed feedback following a transaction.

Here are some of the changes:
-The 'search' criteria has changed. There's a new thing called 'best match' that sidesteps the position that a seller takes when they list. It is no longer, first listed, first seen. The small seller like myself is pushed to the end. Sometimes the buyer never even gets to my listings. The power sellers have first 'dibs' in line. Please look past the 'best match' during your searches and find us?
-The Detailed Seller Ratings (DSR) are what you as the buyer see when you leave feedback. There's a '5 star' system where you rate from 1 to 5 stars the seller's performance. The five stars range from 1 being the worst, 3 being 'satisfactory' and 5 being excellent. The categories you are rating the seller on are, 1) Item as described. 2) Communication 3) Shipping Time 4) Shipping and Handling Charges. IF YOU as the buyer decide that everything about your transaction was SATISFACTORY (3rd star) which most people think is a good score... IT REPRESENTS a lower score for the seller. If our DSR scores drop very far (like only 4.5 out of 5) we sellers would have dropped into an area that eBay says is NOT SATISFACTORY.
-For instance.. if you think that shipping costs are too high for that transaction and you rate the seller for the higher prices that the USPS are charging, then you're punishing the seller for something that is completely out of control for them. I cannot control how much the USPS charges, or how many times they increase their charges, yet my DSR ratings will be affected by your choice of scoring.
-Now here's the kicker... if my DSR scores drop to 4.5 or below I could be penalized by eBay. They could percieve me as a BAD seller. They could even HOLD THE MONEY that was paid to me by the buyer through Paypal.. for up to 30 days...just because the newest buyer hasn't left feedback. I have literally DOZENS of sales that never show up in my feedback score because the buyer NEVER LEFT FEEDBACK. I don't think that eBay is going to FORCE the buyers to leave feedback.
-I sell dolls and other primitive items on eBay. I have ALWAYS listed them in the Categories, Antiques, Primitives... and I have always had the word Primitive in the titles because that's how buyers search... primitive dolls! Our primitive dolls will no longer be allowed in the Antiques/Primitives Category. It has been suggested that we list instead in the 'Art', Folk Art Category. My Extreme Primitive Dolls are NOT folk art... not really. Also... after this new change starts, IF we list an item with the word 'primitive' in the title, they could pull the listing and we could be SHUT DOWN for SPAMMING!!!! If you don't find our primitive dolls in the usual place, please search the Art category.
Ok... I'm off my proverbial soapbox for now. Thanks for reading if you did. I hope I haven't offended anyone. The object here was not to slam eBay, but to educate the buyers about these changes that so profoundly affect my eBay seller reputation.
God Bless you and hope you have a LOVELY day.
Penny