This is a smaller point, but I have a request. There’s an option when opting into the buyer protection program to show number of sales and number of shipments. Could that be amended to “shipments through MorphMarket?” Given that MorphMarket Shipping is fairly new endeavor, my number of shipments currently says 10. This is deceptively low. I got FedEx Certified back when that was necessary, and I have been successfully shipping snakes since 2010. I don’t actually know how many shipments, I’ve sent out but it’s certainly a lot more than 10.
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I’m sure we can change it to say “MM Shipments”, there isn’t much room to add more text than that without making the badge larger.
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“MM Shipments” would be appreciated, if that’s possible. Thanks, @drollinger.
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Thank you for doing this update. I think it’s clarifying. It’s much appreciated. 
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So ive read most of this discussion now, and believe both sides have some significant points. My comments to follow will be as a person who has bought around 30 snakes from this platform.
In Dariens defence, I agree with his point that you either use their shipping or pay a reasonable fee to have access to buyer protection. While we would all like things to be fair and equal, in business that simply is not the case. It is a 100% fact that MM as a business will need to pay out more money to customers whos sellers are using a system outside of MMs direct control. There will be exceptions, im sure there are some great companies out there besides MM shipping that may actually be safer, but across the whole, more control means safer, and MM will likely also make a little money from those using them for selling which goes to help fund this program. Those that are not using MM shipping arent contributing to this program( and to quickly address “we pay membership”, this is a new feature, and it costs more money than your membership covered so the options are raise membership which makes even those who dont want to use it pay for it, or charge a fee/set rules which makes it optional. They could have raised membership fees instead and forced sellers to pay for the feature regardless of whether they wanted it), so charging them for the extra risk and to keep the program sustainable is understandable and completely fair for any business that wants to continue to exist. End of day, MM is not a charity regardless of whether its a passion project or a corporate mindset, a company that loses money fails.
He also brings up buyer mindset when purchasing, and potentially seperating MM from other sites as an even safer option, and as much as he erroneously compared himself to meta vs a sit like amazon or ebay, that is much like this is. The reason people use a site like amazon or ebay is because they have protections vs a site like craigslist. That said, more buyer confidence will tend to lead to more sales and draw in more buyers.
Now, to the sellers points:
Im sorry Darien, but they are 100% correct having that shield on the thumbnail is a TERRIBLE idea. As a buyer, i am searching through hundreds/thousands of animals. I have every ability to be picky, and you may not see it now, but buyers will start ignoring animals without that shield readily displayed. Current buyers tend to know the old system and know how to search for safe businesses, but as old buyers are settled and new buyers enter, that shield will become a cheat sheet to the average buyer. That said, please, whatever you do, for the sake of the sellers, NEVER, add a filter that allows buyers to search for only those with buyer protection. You will kill your smaller breeders businesses, i promise you this. I think where the buyer protection is within the listing where it actually explains what it is works great without filtering away buyers before a seller ever even gets a chance for the buyer to click their listing.
Next, your point about old timers getting out and scamming people is a complete non point as a justification as to why MM shipping has to be involved. You muddied your arguement a bit bringing it up in the context you did. It is a good reason for this program to exist, but when sellers were asking why have MM shipping as a requirement was not the time to bring that up, it looked like gaslighting. MM shipping or a fee is required to allow the program to exist and be sustainable. Im sure what you meant was to explain why the program was needed and why it was a good thing, but it came off very wrong even from a buyer perspective here.
All said, i think the program is a good thing that can be executed better, ive attached 2 pictures. If you want to mitigate the damage from the implementation to sellers that dont use it, but keep it easily accessable for buyers who may want it, get rid of the first, keep the second.
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People seemed to be confused on shipping with mm vs anyone else. MM has no more control over shipping or it process than any other third party shipping contractor. They simple sell you the label nothing more nothing less. Fedex is ultimatley responsible for delivery of package. By shipping with MM they can call fedex and get the exact same info (ex tracking incase of lost package) and expidite an issue the EXACT SAME WAY AS ANY OTHER THIRD PARTY CONTRACTOR.
The packing and following of guildlines is still and will always be on the seller. MM would not have to pay more by having someone use redline, shipyourreptiles, reptiles2you, ect for the “buyer protection”
Now correct me if i am wrong here but the “buyer protection” is ONLY VAILD if the seller FAILS to correct an issue, such as DOA, wrong sex, wrong animal, ect. Then and only then can the buyer protection be used. This is not on top of the seller correcting whatever was wrong.
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I believe the point is that unless this service goes completely unused, it is going to cost MM money, so for the feature to exist, either membership rates go up, or they find a way to make it a bit profitable for them (such as requiring the use of their product in regard to shipping, or by charging a fee).
You do bring up a great point though, as a seller, your only benefit is customers knowing if you fail to correct the issue, they will step in. But, from a buyers perspective that does have value. If I have the choice all other things the same, i would choose the option where im covered if the seller pulls one over on me. Because of this, it becomes a selling point and therefor has value to the seller as well.
Ultimately from a buyers perspective the program is a good idea, but the execution needs work or it will kill new / smaller breeders businesses in the coming years as it becomes the standard and people look for that little shield before ever clicking on an ad.
I think the part you are missing in regard to shipping, generally if you ship with somebody else, MM cant just call fedex as if they were the one who shipped the animal, they lack permissions. If you ship through MM they have some level of control as they can contact support and actually work to resolve the issue, where as without using MM, MM would have to use the seller as a middleman and it complicates the process.
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No i fully understand that MM can’t track or escalate an issue with fedex if they are not the third party contractor.
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Gotcha! I was largely refering to this comment:
I just meant to say the difference is to say it is easier for MM to deal with things they shipped themselves to resolve an issue, than it is for them to work with a seller to work with the 3rd party shipper to resolve issues.
I agree with your point that MM has no more control than a 3rd party, but if MM is on the hook for making things right if all else fails with this program, it is a benefit to them to have direct control of shippping vs working with other 3rd party shippers.
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