Multi-channel
Messaging rules that differ by marketplace
Talking to buyers seems like the part that should transfer cleanly between marketplaces. It is one of the parts that transfers worst.
Keep it on-platform
The one rule that is universal: conversations belong in the platform is own messaging. Moving to email or a messaging app looks helpful and removes every protection you have.
If a dispute is arbitrated, off-platform messages generally carry no weight. You will be arguing about a conversation the adjudicator cannot see.
Response time expectations differ sharply
What counts as prompt varies by platform, and TikTok in particular runs on shorter timescales than eBay sellers are used to. A reply that would be perfectly acceptable on one channel is a default finding against you on another.
If you run several, calibrate to the fastest one. It is simpler than remembering four different clocks.
What you cannot ask for
- Soliciting positive reviews, or offering anything in exchange for one
- Asking a buyer to remove negative feedback in return for a refund
- Directing buyers to your own website or off-platform checkout
- Including marketing material in messages about an order
That second one catches decent sellers out regularly, because it feels like good service. Offering a refund conditional on feedback removal is a policy violation on every major marketplace.
Proactive messaging is allowed and underused
Telling a buyer their parcel is running late, before they ask, is permitted everywhere and is the single most effective thing you can do to prevent claims and negative feedback.
The constraint is that it should be about the order. A note about the delay is fine. A note about the delay plus a discount code for your other listings is a different thing.
Templates need per-channel versions
A template written for one platform will often contain something disallowed on another - a link, a review request, a reference to contacting you directly.
Write the core message once and maintain a version per channel. It is slightly more work and it prevents the situation where a routine message triggers a warning.
Keep your own record
Platforms retain message history for their own retention periods, which may be shorter than your dispute exposure. Keeping your own copy of anything contentious costs nothing and occasionally matters a great deal.