eBay announced about updates it is introducing into its selling policy. In the company post Dinesh Lathi, Vice President, Seller Experience, said that eBay is changing feedback rules to remove negative comments left by customers towards the sellers because they wouldn’t mark an item as “gift” in order to sidestep customs fees. In addition eBay also is introducing two more third party payment processors to integrate on its auction.

The move to change the Feedback policy was prompted by numerous requests made by the cross-border sellers who received negative comments from customers while there wasn’t actual fault with the merchants. Now eBay will be removing feedback if: the listing meets the Customs Requirements and/or the seller receives a negative or neutral Feedback comment which references customs delays or customs fees. Merchants in turn are obliged to advise the buyers that import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping charges. These charges are the buyer’s responsibility.

eBay also announced that in February it will be adding Moneybookers and PayMate. Earlier in August 2008 eBay said that starting in early 2009 the auction will allow integration of all of the approved electronic payment methods into eBay.com checkout which at the time included Allpay.net, cash2india, CertaPay, Checkfree.com, hyperwallet.com, Moneybookers.com, Nochex.com, Ozpay.biz, Paymate.com.au, Propay.com, XOOM. 

Besides, for sellers who currently accept payments to an Internet merchant account eBay is upgrading checkout process. Now buyers will be able to pay sellers directly to their Internet merchant account by entering their credit card information in eBay’s secure checkout instead of sending information via phone or email.