Overstock cancels Trusted Merchant program name but not its benefits

[amy]

BuySafe announcement:

Dear buySAFE Merchant,
We wanted to let you know about some positive developments that will affect your business on Overstock.com Auctions. Today, Overstock.com announced that the Trusted Merchant program will be discontinued for Overstock.com Auctions merchants.
From its inception, the official name of the program was "Trusted Merchants Bonded With buySAFE." With Trusted Merchant branding prominent in the shopping experience, at times it created some confusion for buyers to see both a Trusted Merchant logo and a buySAFE logo in search results and in listings.
To make the shopping experience more streamlined for buyers, effective today, Overstock.com will discontinue Trusted Merchant branding. buySAFE branding for Bonded Merchants will remain prominent in search results and in bonded listings. All the benefits of the program will continue for buySAFE Merchants on Overstock.
As a buySAFE Merchant on Overstock.com Auctions, you will continue to benefit from:
1)  Exclusive inclusion in the main shopping site search results - only bonded items will be visible in the gallery at the bottom of search results on the main Overstock.com shopping site. This feature will still provide you access to a huge group of shoppers. The gallery spotlights listings only from buySAFE Merchants, and provides exposure to more than 10 million shoppers per month.
2)  The buySAFE logo in Overstock.com Auctions search results - the buySAFE logo will continue to appear in the Overstock.com Auctions search results. Shoppers will continue to identify bonded items in their Overstock.com Auctions search results, meaning they are more inclined to click through and make a purchase from you.
3)  The buySAFE Seal in listings - The buySAFE Seal will retain its prominence above the fold in bonded listings. The Seal is proven to increase sales for buySAFE Merchants and will continue to be featured prominently in your listings. With the removal of the Trusted Merchant logo, the buySAFE Seal will actually move up in a bonded listing, contributing to more sales for buySAFE Merchants.

We're excited to move into this new phase with our Bonded Merchants on Overstock.com Auctions, and we're confident these changes will benefit your business.

Regards,

The buySAFE Team

Overstock announcement:

We appreciate the opportunity we have had to honor you as one of the most trustworthy sellers online. However, because buySAFE is becoming known as a brand you can trust in the auction community, we have decided to discontinue the Overstock.com Trusted Merchant Program. Overstock.com Auctions will continue to promote Bonded Merchants in our site's integrated search. We also plan to prominently display the buySAFE icon and information throughout your listings.

Because your listings remain bonded with buySAFE, customers will know that you deliver quality items and outstanding customer service.

We hope you understand our reason for these changes and we appreciate your patience as we move forward with our modifications. Please email sellershotline@overstock.com if you have any questions regarding these changes or any other buySAFE concerns.

Kind Regards,

Overstock.com Auctions

[rossellini]

As a buySAFE Merchant on Overstock.com Auctions, you will continue to benefit from:
1)  Exclusive inclusion in the main shopping site search results

I don't care what it's called as long as I continue to receive inclusion in the main shopping search.

[bargainbloodhound]

[quote author=rossellini link=topic=5959.msg32402#msg32402 date=1163888167]

As a buySAFE Merchant on Overstock.com Auctions, you will continue to benefit from:
1)  Exclusive inclusion in the main shopping site search results

I don't care what it's called as long as I continue to receive inclusion in the main shopping search.
[/quote]

Ditto.  They can call the program whatever they want.  As long as my items remain in front of the 10 million monthly visitors on the main site, I'm happy.

The only change is one less annoying graphic cluttering the pages.