eBay below standard: why it happened and how to fix the defect rate
eBay below standard means the account went over eBay’s limits for transaction defects or cases closed without seller resolution at the monthly evaluation, with the 6% fee penalty attached. The evaluation window decides how fast you recover, and new defects decide whether you do.
We fix it for you: eBay defect removalStep by step: How to lower your eBay defect rate
Which eBay defects count, and the thresholds
eBay's seller standards track two defect types. A transaction defect is recorded when the seller cancels an order unexpectedly, usually because the item is out of stock, or when the buyer reports an issue and the seller does not resolve it. A case closed without seller resolution is the second of those, and it is tracked separately as well.
For eBay.com, Above Standard allows a transaction defect rate of no more than 2%, and no more than 2 cases closed without seller resolution (or 0.3% of transactions). Top Rated tightens the defect rate to 0.5% from no more than 3 buyers and adds a late shipment limit of no more than 5 (or 3%). Late shipments do not make an account Below Standard; they cost Top Rated.
| Metric | Above Standard | Top Rated |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction defect rate | 2% or less | 0.5% or less, from 3 buyers or fewer |
| Cases closed without seller resolution | No more than 2, or 0.3% | No more than 2, or 0.3% |
| Late shipment rate | Not counted | No more than 5, or 3% |
Source: eBay seller standards policy.
Why defect rates climb
- Out-of-stock cancellations
Stock sold on another channel, a supplier that failed, or a listing that should have ended. Each seller cancellation is a defect.
- Cases nobody answered
A buyer opens a return or item-not-received request, the response window passes, and the case closes against the account.
- Small volume, long window
Accounts with 400 or fewer transactions in three months are evaluated over 12 months, so a handful of defects weighs heavily and stays for a year.
- A single bad week
A supplier delay or a holiday week without cover produces a cluster of cancellations and cases at once.
- Returns handled as disputes
Arguing a return instead of accepting it and recovering the cost later turns it into a case.
Review these this week
- Seller Hub > Performance > Service metrics and Seller level: current rate, the projected rate, and the next evaluation date
- The defect list: which orders, which type (cancellation or unresolved case), and the date each one leaves the window
- Every open return and item-not-received request: answer them inside the window today
- Stock sync across every channel you sell on, and listings that should be ended
- Handling time: set to what you can actually meet on your worst day, not your best
- Defects you believe were caused by eBay or by events outside your control, with the evidence
Want us to read your notice?
Send it for a free review. We tell you which route applies and what to do first, within 24 hours.
How Slayva handles a Below Standard account
We list every defect in the current window with its type, its cause and the date it drops out, then project the next two evaluations. Defects that can be challenged are challenged with evidence. The rest are left to age out while we stop new ones: cases answered inside the window, stock synced, handling time made realistic. You see the projection before we start and each month after.
- Defect list with drop-out dates
- Evaluation projection for the next two months
- Evidence-backed challenges where they qualify
- Case and return handling so new defects stop
- Fee penalty tracked until it ends
- +6% on final value fees while Below Standard
- +7% after four consecutive months
- Lower placement in search results
- Selling restrictions until the next evaluation
eBay Defect Removal & Account Health: defect challenges, case handling and monthly standards monitoring.
Common questions
What is the Below Standard threshold?
An account falls Below Standard on eBay.com when its transaction defect rate is above 2%, or when it has more than 2 cases closed without seller resolution and those cases are above 0.3% of transactions. Late shipments do not affect Above Standard status; they only affect Top Rated.
What does Below Standard cost?
An additional 6% on final value fees while the account is Below Standard, rising to 7% after four consecutive months, plus reduced search placement and some selling restrictions until the next evaluation.
When will my rating change?
eBay evaluates on the 20th of each month. If the account had more than 400 transactions in the past 3 months, those 3 months are counted; if fewer, the past 12 months are counted. That decides how long a bad month stays in the numbers.
Can I get defects removed?
Some. Defects caused by events outside your control or by an eBay error can be challenged with evidence through Seller Help. Most defects are removed only by time passing out of the evaluation window, which is why stopping new ones matters more than chasing old ones.
Does negative feedback count as a defect?
No. A transaction defect is a seller cancelling an order unexpectedly, or a buyer reporting an issue the seller does not resolve. eBay states that negative and neutral feedback do not affect seller performance.
Read next
eBay Defect Rate Explained
The two events that count and six moves that bring the rate down.
Read the guideHow to Cancel an eBay Order Without a Defect
The cancellation routes and which ones cost you.
Read the guideeBay account suspended (MC999)
If performance has already led to a suspension.
See the solutioneBay Seller Level Calculator
Defect rate, cases and late shipments against eBay’s limits.
OpeneBay Defect Removal & Account Health
Defects appealed where eBay allows it, and the causes fixed.
See the serviceeBay Account Warning: How to Handle It
What a warning means before it becomes a restriction.
Read the guideGet a free account health review
Send your store link. We list the defects in the current window, when each drops out, and which can be challenged.
Need more than this fix? See all our eBay seller services, from recovery to account management.
Paying the Below Standard penalty?
Find out exactly when the account can be back above standard, and what it takes to get there.