I have a question for all the fellow ebay users. I have been selling on ebay for 7 years and had 100 percent rating with 1400 feedbacks up until 2 months ago. I had a problem and mailed out a few packages a week late. 3 people complained on my shipping time and now any sales I make my paypal payments get put on hold until 3 days after they can verify that it shipped through delivery confirmation. They said it could take as long as 21 days to receive my pending funds and as soon as 3 days. Does anyone know how long I would have to remain on this probation period for my paypal funds?

I'm really starting to reconsider using ebay at all. I usually pay $200 a month just in fees to use ebay and now that they are holding my funds so I have to come up with shipping cost in advance it's really not worth it.

i think 10 people have to rank you at 5 stars for shipping before you get off the probation....

You can get automatic 5 stars for shipping time if you do the following.

If you list items with 1 day handling time and print out shipping label by end of next business and buyer receives within 4 business days.

http://announcements.ebay.com/2010/09/enhancements-to-feedback-and-buyer-protection-to-help-sellers/

Welcome to eBay...

at work (selling 10 years, past 9 months off and on again top rated seller, 1,000+ items up at a time, invoices of $1-2,000 a month)... we are on rolling reserve and they give us NO idea if/when we are coming off of it.

We've been on rolling reserve for the past 7 years... you either give it up, or don't... it's entirely up to you.

Well Dom, I am ****ed at ebay right now because I lost my 20% monthly statement discount. I had a couple of people rate me at 1 or 2 stars on shipping time and you can only get two of those ratings within six months. I have power rating status but lost my top seller status, even though my percentages in all the categories are well above the minimum for top seller status. I argued with a CS agent for over an hour. My case made perfect sense. For instance, I had one customer who bought a new style vamp from me and complained that I had not shipped in a box, but shipped in heavy postage paper, that the box had a bent corner even though he was going to open it. I gave him a full refund on the shipping and he still gave me low ratings on everything. So you can get screwed by someone who has a beef against you.

What I would recommend is to change your shipping/handling times in your preferences to a higher amount. This way you can underpromise and overdeliver and your customers will think you are golden. The ebay way!!