Ping, AfterPay and Cash now only options from November

I hope so too. What was once a great site, has turned so lame, that Marketplace has become a necessary evil because at least people look there. 

Not happy with the decision at all and like many have others have said, some of us 'In Trade' barely sell anything anyway and have to pay a high fees, add to that the fee for postage when that is not something we make a profit on (or should be making a profit on) it is a cost that just has to be charged.

WILL TRADE ME CATCHING OUT ALL THOSE THAT ARE CLEARLY IN TRADE THAT DO NOT DECLARE IT? I HAVE REPORTED OVER A DOZEN IN THE LAST FEW YEARS WHO ARE CLEARLY IN TRADE (CAN CLEARLY BEEN SEEN THROUGH THEIR FEEDBACK WHERE THEY PURCHASE AND THEN SEEL) AND DO NOT HAVE TO PAY THE FEES THAT WE DO AND ONLY JUST RECENTLY HAVE I SEEN 1 CHANGE. AT ONE STAGE I WAS REPORTING EVERY WEEK WITH NOTHING DONE. EVEN ONES THAT HAVE TWO ACCOUNTS BUY THROUGH ONE AND SELL THROUGH THE OTHER AND NEITHER ACCOUNT IS IN TRADE.

Feel like Trade Me is just wanting to make more money but not do much for those of us In Trade. We get mucked around and unfairly treated too. 

TM always do this when they go for a money grab, they come out with a "reason for the greater good" ie this time to make a safer site, and when they put success fees on shipping " to rein in those that charge cheap product price and hike the shipping to avoid success fees. While there maybe a a small element of truth in both, the reality we know it is only driven for the money grab, so weave a good story to justify it, and blanket punish all those by far majority traders who are good. Its very disingenuous and has lost so much trust in TM from its members.

Also doing it at this particular time is double poison. TM sales are plummeting due to the current economic climate so TM decide to make it far more toxic and uninviting for the intrade members whos incomes have rapidly declined.

On the subjust of bank deposits, I have a lot of buyers doing bank deposits. Many are businesses when buying stuff on credit card is not in their system. Also quite a number of people whos financial situation does not let them have a credit card.

Another valid question to ask is why do the extra prices only go on the proffesional sellers and not casual ones? Effectively they are saying the proffesional sellers are the bad boys and the casual sellers and good. In reality in general, the situation is quite the opposite so it blows all the reasoning up completely exposing the falsity of TMs reasoning, talk about destroying your members trust. 

If you do proffesional sales courses, the mantra is first develop trust in the salesman, then develop trust in the product. Dont think TM have been on these courses as they are doing neither of these

It has always puzzled me - in-trade sellers are Trade Me's bread and butter so to speak, and casual sellers the cream on top. Yet we as in-trade sellers are having more and more costs put on us (and for the most part we seem to do little about it). We come a very distant third in the popularity stakes - behind overseas sellers (who have different goalposts entirely), casual sellers and then the lowly in-trade who are treated as cash cows in difficult economic times. Certainly wasn't intended to be this way when Trade Me was started and was in NZ hands. 

Thanks again for nothing Trade Me. Around 20% of my customers pay by bank transfer. You are missing the needs of the demographic here. Many buyers of small items and clothing haven’t set up Ping and, if they are old, have an in built distrust of any automated payment systems. I fear this is another nail in Trade Me’s coffin.TM  seem to be doing your best to increase my costs to a point where my business might become unviable on your platform. I expect a significant drop in foot traffic due to this move. WHERE WAS THE CONSULTATION WITH IN TRADE SELLERS. Please get back to basics and stop over complicating everything.

And on another note, A lot of my customers buy stuff for schools, Playgroups, Toy Libraries etc. who can only pay by bank deposit. They cannot use Ping, so will I lose customers, Income, because they want to profit off me, being forced to use Ping against my will?, Some of us struggle now, They are literally going to be taking food out of others mouths,

Just because we are Intrade does not mean we are big Professional sellers making thousands, we are just stay at home people trying to make ends met honestly, so do not sell every week, just a few weeks here and there at a time, Why penalize us,

We are not the ones that cause the issues, where ping needs to be refunded through disputes, our feedbacks speak, But that means absolutely nothing to these poor decision makers, I have many repeat customers, that speak volumes, 

If all these changes actually improved the site, I wouldn't have such a negative response to them. But the reality is, TM has gone downhill since all the tinkering began. I will still buy, I'm addicted, but I will not list to sell here again, it is easier and quicker to donate my stuff to the op shops and let someone else worry about the latest round of added fees...

I have tried accepting Ping payments and it was a nightmare and so I chose not to accept Ping. Does Trade Me know the nature of my business better than me? It is complicated enough when trying to offer combined shipping on many different shaped/sized products, so having customers paying instantly on each item with Ping is ABSOLUTELY not helpful to the task.

As for bank transfers, they can't stop me accepting them later, they can only stop my options STATING that I accept them. In fact 95% of my sales are paid by bank transfer. It is an easily worked system that transfers exactly the final required amount for multiple purchases including their complicated shipping charges, once all the emailing and to-and-fro is completed. But Trade Me's big problem with bank transfers is that Trade Me can't get their grubby hands on any of it.

This is an appalling decision TradeMe, made with zero consultation, alienating your valued partners.  I also note comments are turned off at your announcement thread, meaning In Trade sellers have no way to communicate directly at that thread about the implications, impacts, or even the legal basis on which TradeMe are imposing these onerous requirements on professional sellers. Seriously poor stakeholder management.

I find it unbelievable that TradeMe can arbitrarily dictate that –

• a particular payment method that imposes a transaction fee using your own payments system is now compulsory...particularly one that has a surcharge for sellers at a time that the Government is banning surcharges on some financial transactions (i.e. PayWave); and
• other sellers on the system have no similar compulsion; and
• an existing payment method used by all other sellers on the platform - not to mention all other business in New Zealand outside of TradeMe - is being completely withdrawn from Professional Sellers. It is bad enough that you force Ping on us. It is COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE that you withdraw our ability to accept bank transfers.

I note that TradeMe say this is to "create a safer and more streamlined experience" and that "By moving to secure payments, we're better protecting your business and our members with every transaction". To that I say a loud “Pffft!”

There are so many other avenues for TradeMe to create safer and more streamlined experiences, such as making it much, much easier to report the listings of accounts that have been clearly compromised by scammers. (I genuinely struggle to find the link where I can do this, and I practically live on your site. I have previously hit buy now on auctions for the same goods offered by a scammer purely to get them off the site, weeks after reporting the account).  Or allowing auto relisting of auctions without having to use My Products (which is useful, but comes with a learning curve quite steep to non users). And I’m sorry, but my business is not “better protected” by moving to secure payments…but rather *worse off*, thanks to the Ping transaction fees for a service I never wanted to offer, not to mention through a decrease in sales to folk who won’t or can’t use Ping. Not to mention I will be *less secure*, thanks to having to handle increased amounts of cash in the instances that otherwise I would have accepted bank deposits, and with the additional risk of having TradeMe act as my bank, instead of my bank. What’s your credit rating, TradeMe? Is it better than ASB’s?

This looks less like *protection*, and more like *a protection racket*. Many "In Trade" sellers like myself avoid Ping due to the additional cost, and instead rely on our excellent feedback to signal that we are safe to deal with. We value our positive feedback. Our accounts are less likely to be used fraudulestly or to be compromised than non professionsals. In short, we are a *better bet* despite not always offering Ping than many of your other customers that do.

I personally can’t believe that this pricing is anything less than predatory. It certainly is uncompetitive. To that end I have already emailed an enquiry to the Commerce Commission asking if in their opinion this requirement to provide of a payment option that includes a surcharge is anti-competitive.

I strongly suggest other In Trade sellers fire off a quick email to the Commerce Commision to PaymentsTeam@comcom.govt.nz as they often require a few enquiries before they look at an issue. Don’t just comment at this thread…COMPLAIN TO THE COMMERCE COMMISSION and then post back here that you’ve done it. It’s easy…just forward them the email you got from TradeMe advising of this pricing decision and state that you believe it to be anti-competitive.

TradeMe: I strongly suggest that you open comments at your announcement thread, so that we can comment DIRECTLY in response to that notice; seek clarification on this decision; and raise valid questions about being forced to accept one payment type against our will.

I for one feel so strongly about this that unless this decision is reversed I will be protesting outside TradeMe – hopefully with some other resellers and with media in tow. I already have my protest sign sorted:   “Ping Off, TradeMe!”

I have already alerted media to this thread, so hopefully we’ll hear from TradeMe on Morning Report about how they can so blatantly gouge small NZ businesses in the midst of a recession, at a time when Government is forcing other players to remove transaction fees.

This is going to perpetuate so much fraud by buyers,ive lost count of the amount of times ive had buyers claim an item wasnt as described,not working or faulty in some way and when they are told to return the item at my cost and once received and there if there is the isdue they decribed i will refund them in full including return postage and then i never hear ftom them,now under the new system they will just be able to lodge a dispute and get refunded and then the seller is left not only out of pocket with no item as well as out of pocket for shipping costs,stuff like this could have a severe impact on small traders who do this to make a living,feed themselves and their children instead of relying on living on a benefit.

I personslly have had multiple problems with buyers who have bought items they intend to pickup and then get really demanding as they think that because they have paid for a item then my availability is irrelevent to them,demanding that stuff be left out for them to pickup like they have a right to come onto my property when im not home or not available.

And thats not even starting on the multitude of traders who tick and pay for the aucklsndwide only shipping option and then provide a out of auckland address,or send through rural address on a non rural delivery option and then start disputes instead of paying the extra shipping owed.

Jeffrey. If I may comment on one of your points. It is a simple matter to report accounts that have been hacked. In my experience Trade Me act fast on these when reported. You use Community Watch and the relevant drop down filter as shown here.

dixie. If a buyer pays with Ping and lodges a dispute, they still have to send the item back to you (tracked) so you can assess the item before making your decision on refund/repair/replace. Trade Me does not just refund buyers if they open a Dispute. The buyer still has obligations to fulfil and will listen to your side of the story. 

Hey Callum, why are only in-trade sellers looking to be hit with the no bank transfer option? Are everyday sellers some form of better class or are we just the needy lepers that actually need to sell things for an income? I think it would be o for oarsome if Trade Me removed the no bank transfer option full-stop, force Ping on all & sundry & then see how popular Trade Me is with the general public.  

Martin. Trade Me CAN stop you offering bank transfers because with Ping activated and no bank transfer option a buynow can't be made unless the buyer pays with Ping or Afterpay. 

Yes, you may be able to do a workaround somehow with auctions and no buynow loaded. But if you have Ping activated, and you will as Trade Me has mandated it, most buyers are going to use it.  

There might also be a loophole where a buyer selects cash, but actually wants to do a bank deposit. Time will tell how that is going to play out. 

Callum. I clearly hope TradeMe are reading the room here. This decision is very unsettling for TradeMe In-Trade Sellers. I think your Management need a meeting about this.

Callum: It's not simple *enough*.

It should be available as an option in the "Why do you want to report this" dropdown itself.

Making it available only as a sub-menu under "Another Trade Me policy is being breached" is really, really bad design. As a newbie, why would I think to look under such as obscure choice as "Another Trade Me policy is being breached"? 

When I first reported a comprimised account, I checked under numerous other options that seemed more relevant. Burying it under "Policy" is a weird choice. It's not a policy issue. It's a scam issue. Deserves its own *easily discoverable* main category. :-)

Hello Harlem. You would have to ask Trade Me yourself. I am just a member like you. However I will say they always differentiate in various ways between casual and in-trade. There are things that casual sellers can do that in-trade can't (Make an offer for example) Likewise in-trade sellers have legal obligations around returns and refunds. In-trade sellers also have a tiered fee structure. For some items it can be cheaper than casual sellers, for some it can be more.  

Peter. I do not work for Trade Me. Never have. Never will. They can't afford me :) I am a member just like you. 

What a Walter Hadlee you are then champ!

Hey...if TradeMe don't change their tune on this, are any Wellington professional sellers up for an early morning peaceful protest outside TradeMe HQ in the next week or so?

I've got some media folk interested.  Having a few resellers with "PING off, TradeMe" placards is an instant draw for them, given it is in direct contrast to the "New Zealand's most beloved brand".

Bit of media scrutiny to refocus their thinking wouldn't hurt...

Callum - sorry the "your" was for TM - hoping someone from there is reading this. Surely they are. Else they are more disconnected to their Sellers than I could have imagined haha.

Pending...

Anyone else getting their replies marked "PENDING" in this thread? 

I've got a suspicious mind...can't help but think there is potential for censorship in this Trade Me run forum for this thread on contentious Trade Me pricing practices....

(Happy to hear otherwise, Trade Me...)

Yes Jeffrey. I have 3 or 4 pending. It has never been explained fully by Trade Me. It frustrates them as well. But there are certain keywords that trigger it. Also just the amount of posts you make can seem to cause it. Often it doesn't like links either

Kia ora everyone, 

We appreciate any change to how you do business on Trade Me comes with questions and feedback, which we of course welcome. 

The announcement earlier this week that we would remove bank transfer as an option for in-trade sellers, effective as of 3 November, has not been a decision made lightly, nor to inconvenience you, but we do believe it to be necessary. 

Moving to bring all transactions under our secure payment gateways (Ping/Afterpay), which offer Buyer Protection, is something we believe to be beneficial to both buyers and sellers. It gives buyers increased confidence when trading with you, knowing their purchase is covered if it goes wrong. For you, as a seller this change will speed up your payments as they appear in your account instantly and most importantly, it's what customers tell us they prefer. Over 70% of in-trade purchases already use Ping. 

The Ping fee charged to provide this secure payment method is also very competitive compared to other online merchant fees, and covers the cost to receive a credit card payment without having to sign up as a merchant with your bank or other e-com provider. 

Your voices are important to us and as always we listen to and take on your constructive feedback. However, our commitment remains to ensure Trade Me is the safest, most trusted, and most successful platform for you to sell on.

Michelle, why are casual sellers exempt from the infliction of Ping? I'm sure it would be a popular decision for the rest of NZ to get on board, China too. How's the bug fixing coming along also? I guess if you add something to your watchlist, that doesn't really mean it should stay there. All part of the 2024-25 Trade Me service.

Leaving aside the question of whether or not it is “necessary”, why is it only necessary for professional sellers who undoubtedly have better metrics re safety and trust than non professional?

If it’s necessary to remove, then surely it is necessary to remove for ALL users if the platform.

If you can’t satisfactorily explain that, you are never going to win us over and you are going to have a very public spat on your hands