eBay Comparative Pricing Policy & It’s Ramifications

A hit tip to Marcus for this one, as I had overlooked it and focused on the better use of the eBay resolution centre that is coming soon, that was announced last year in the Autumn 2012 updates.

Marcus has pointed out that there is a new “Comparative pricing policy”  and when you start to read the details, this is going to cause some fun.

 

eBay’s Comparative Pricing Policy

In short this is an attempt clean up of the wild RRP’s that are being used on eBay & to be fair on most Internet sites too and makes it clear that as a seller you can now be held accountable for any RRP claims on a product that is being sold.

The are a few parts of note, these are as follows:

If you’re a brand owner, you can’t set an RRP?

RRP will not be used for products that are only supplied by the Seller.

You’ve got to keep them up to date

The referenced pricing will be accurate and current throughout the entire duration of the listing (if the RRP changes, the seller will promptly update the listing information accordingly).

But we’re allowing you this loop hole

In relation to each item, the Seller held a reasonable expectation that a significant number would sell at the higher price.

Prove it

Upon eBay’s request, the Seller will provide (within 2-3 days) written documentation to substantiate the previous selling price (receipts or detailed sales records showing that a number of the items were bought by customers at the previous selling price), or RRP (e.g. letter from the manufacturer confirming that the RRP used is up-to-date).

Play nice now or we boot you where it hurts[in the wallet]

eBay may, in appropriate circumstances and at its sole discretion, suspend or terminate a Seller account, or impose other consequences (such as removal of eBay Top-rated seller status) as a result of failure to provide substantiation, or our, or a regulatory body such as the Advertising Standards Authority’s, determination that the comparative price is false or otherwise misleading or deceptive.

The full Comparative pricing policy can be found here:
http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/comparative-pricing.html

This goes live in just over a months time (12 March 2013) but right now I’m thinking this could cause some fun between fierce competitors the moment that this policy comes into effect and I also wonder how many sellers will actually get requested to prove an RRP in the end.

What do you think of this pending update?

Is it a good move or do you think this is just going to be a tool to wind up competing businesses with?

Let me know in the comments box below, Matt

3 replies

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  1. eBay Comparative Pricing Policy & It’s Ramifications: A hit tip to Marcus for this one, as I had overlooked … http://t.co/FdHc68Cl #in

  2. @day2dayebay says:

    eBay Comparative Pricing Policy & It’s Ramifications: A hit tip to Marcus for this one, as I had … http://t.co/rtzmxXqe @lastdropofink

  3. @Printaway says:

    RT @lastdropofink: #eBay Comparative Pricing Policy & It’s Ramifications http://t.co/OIjLmYK7 <= Just posted

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