New mix-and-match feature: choose 10 items freely for a fixed price
Summary: One participant suggests a mix-and-match variant display to the eBay team that would let buyers choose exactly ten items from a larger selection and buy them at a fixed total price. This could make trading small parts like toy pieces and jewelry accessories easier. The proposed feature is meant to take the pressure off sellers and buyers and bring additional benefits such as higher order values and less administrative effort. Another participant thinks the idea is good, but raises concerns about return options in such a model and doubts that eBay would implement it.
Good day dear eBay team,
as a commercial seller, I would like to suggest a function to you that could create significant added value for buyers, sellers, and eBay, especially when selling small items.
The desired feature would be a mix-and-match variant display based on the following principle:
• The seller lists, for example, 20 or more different items with the respective available quantities.
• The buyer can choose any 10 items from them.
• Only when exactly 10 items have been selected can the bundle be purchased at the set total price – for example, €7.99 plus shipping.
• After the purchase, the stock of the selected items is automatically reduced.
Such a function would be ideal for toy parts, collectibles, craft materials, jewelry accessories, buttons, fabric samples, and many other small items, among others.
At the moment, sellers have to either put such bundles together themselves in advance or painstakingly coordinate the selection with the buyer by message after the purchase. Both cause unnecessary effort and often do not exactly match the buyer's wishes.
The proposed function would have several advantages:
• larger shopping carts and higher order values
• more attractive offers through individual selection
• fewer uneconomical individual orders
• less packaging and shipping effort
• automatic and reliable stock management
• fewer questions between buyer and seller
• additional sales and fee revenue for eBay
A simple selection rule like „Choose any 10 items at a fixed price“ would make a completely new and very attractive sales format possible for numerous categories.
I would be happy if you forwarded this suggestion to the responsible product development department.
Kind regards
R.A.
ramona*ardelean
OP3 weeks agoThanks very much for your feedback. 😊
The points raised are, in my view, important questions for the technical design, but they do not fundamentally speak against the feature.
Since each selected variant would in any case be backed by its own inventory, eBay could also track which component is being claimed. Whether, in the event of a return, only individual parts or the complete package can be returned would have to be regulated accordingly by eBay within this new sales format.
In addition, the buyer puts together their ten items themselves. The risk that they won’t like individual components is therefore likely lower than with a pre-assembled surprise package.
With regard to fees, too, ten individual purchases would not be the realistic alternative. Small items are often not bought at all because of the repeated shipping costs and the effort involved. A combined package can therefore generate a sale and a higher basket value that otherwise would not come about at all.
It is correct that technical and organizational questions still need to be resolved for implementation – which is exactly why the suggestion is aimed at eBay’s product development. 😊
hasjana
·3 weeks ago@ramona*ardelean
is certainly interesting for buyers ...
... probably not so much for eBay, since then less fees come in and not more; after all, only 1 purchase is completed then, instead of maybe 10
perfect-sally
·3 weeks agoI basically think it's a very good idea, especially for sellers who, let's say, sell small stuff (not meant in a demeaning way).
Now for the but: what happens if, out of say 10 items, 1 or 2 aren't acceptable to the buyer and they want to return them?
On eBay, when it comes to returns in the actual sense, it's basically all or nothing.
And what about complaints? For example, 10 items bought and the customer complains about 1 item. The costs for the sellers in this return aren't really calculable, since in fact the return shipping still has to be paid and not to mention any defects for the seller.
Sure, you could waive a return shipment, but then we'd be back to all or nothing.
I don't think eBay would implement and plan something like that. After all, they can't even get their platform running without errors!