I got accepted on EPN - This is what I did...
I found my driving test easier to pass than getting accepted by EPN. This was my process in the hope that it might help others get accepted.
1st Attempt: Crappy site, no privacy policy, disclaimer or contact page etc. I didn't put much effort into my application letter (1000 characters allowed). I was rejected unsurprisingly about 4 days later.
A month or so later...
2nd Attempt: Brand new wordpress blog, brand new domain name with no history, different site, different niche. I had 15 posts in all - it looked good and included a privacy policy, disclaimer and contact page. I was SURE I'd get accepted as I'd spent a lot of time making sure it looked good and professional and had everything I'd been told it should have. Got rejected about 4 days later and I was absolutely gutted.
3 days later...
3rd Attempt: I applied again using the exact same site that they'd rejected 3 days earlier...
I read a post on here saying that it was important that eBay could access your web stats and if they weren't accessible, then 'of course' one would be rejected. I contacted Hostgator and they tweaked something which meant that my stats could be accessed.
On my rejection letter I'd been told that I could re-submit any new information to the customer services department. However eBay fails to give you any contact information. I searched around on the web and found this name to contact: Chris Worthy -email address: c.worthy AT ro-eye DOT co DOT uk [He is based in the UK and so I'm not sure he would cover US sites? However, there would be no harm in writing and asking him for a US contact?]. I wrote to him and gave him TONS of information about my site that I hadn't ever included before with my application. I then wondered if I"d really messed up as he didn't actually work for eBay but as an agent...
So just in case the Chris contact was a dud, I reapplied on the ebay partnership site putting in all the same information that I'd put in 3 days earlier (you have to use a different email address though)and I actually linked my application to my normal ebay account which I'd not done before (it gives you the option of giving them your ebay username). This time I really utilized the space to describe my site which I've copied and pasted below for your interest:
ABOUT MY SITE:It provides professional,easy to read information about finding, buying and using [my keyword] FOR WHOM? For the new and intermediate user in the UK. STATS:My blog is ranked for Phrase match:#15-Google & #2-Yahoo. Broad match:#65-Google & #2 on Yahoo.I have been carrying out intensive, extensive on&offpage work & expect my site to be ranking in the first 10 on Google within the next couple of weeks. My main keyword phrase has over xxxx searches DAILY for [my keyword] (in the UK alone) but under xxxx competing web pages.To date people spend 4 minutes on my site and read approximately 7 pages. This shows that my site is of value.The only element missing on my site, are the actual [my keyword] for sale.I very much prefer the quality feel that eBay provides and I know that it would enhance my site enormously.I also hope that my site will compliment eBay too!There are statistics available should you wish to go and check.Thank you
Just for your interest, everything else remained the same on my site apart from the colours which I changed but not for eBay's sake.
Normally I would have heard within 3 days, but 6 days later I got an email from Chris who said he thought my site 'would be a good fit' and he would speak to his contact and see about getting me approved. A little bit later on, I received an email from eBay saying I'd been accepted.
1st Attempt: Crappy site, no privacy policy, disclaimer or contact page etc. I didn't put much effort into my application letter (1000 characters allowed). I was rejected unsurprisingly about 4 days later.
A month or so later...
2nd Attempt: Brand new wordpress blog, brand new domain name with no history, different site, different niche. I had 15 posts in all - it looked good and included a privacy policy, disclaimer and contact page. I was SURE I'd get accepted as I'd spent a lot of time making sure it looked good and professional and had everything I'd been told it should have. Got rejected about 4 days later and I was absolutely gutted.
3 days later...
3rd Attempt: I applied again using the exact same site that they'd rejected 3 days earlier...
I read a post on here saying that it was important that eBay could access your web stats and if they weren't accessible, then 'of course' one would be rejected. I contacted Hostgator and they tweaked something which meant that my stats could be accessed.
On my rejection letter I'd been told that I could re-submit any new information to the customer services department. However eBay fails to give you any contact information. I searched around on the web and found this name to contact: Chris Worthy -email address: c.worthy AT ro-eye DOT co DOT uk [He is based in the UK and so I'm not sure he would cover US sites? However, there would be no harm in writing and asking him for a US contact?]. I wrote to him and gave him TONS of information about my site that I hadn't ever included before with my application. I then wondered if I"d really messed up as he didn't actually work for eBay but as an agent...
So just in case the Chris contact was a dud, I reapplied on the ebay partnership site putting in all the same information that I'd put in 3 days earlier (you have to use a different email address though)and I actually linked my application to my normal ebay account which I'd not done before (it gives you the option of giving them your ebay username). This time I really utilized the space to describe my site which I've copied and pasted below for your interest:
ABOUT MY SITE:It provides professional,easy to read information about finding, buying and using [my keyword] FOR WHOM? For the new and intermediate user in the UK. STATS:My blog is ranked for Phrase match:#15-Google & #2-Yahoo. Broad match:#65-Google & #2 on Yahoo.I have been carrying out intensive, extensive on&offpage work & expect my site to be ranking in the first 10 on Google within the next couple of weeks. My main keyword phrase has over xxxx searches DAILY for [my keyword] (in the UK alone) but under xxxx competing web pages.To date people spend 4 minutes on my site and read approximately 7 pages. This shows that my site is of value.The only element missing on my site, are the actual [my keyword] for sale.I very much prefer the quality feel that eBay provides and I know that it would enhance my site enormously.I also hope that my site will compliment eBay too!There are statistics available should you wish to go and check.Thank you
Just for your interest, everything else remained the same on my site apart from the colours which I changed but not for eBay's sake.
Normally I would have heard within 3 days, but 6 days later I got an email from Chris who said he thought my site 'would be a good fit' and he would speak to his contact and see about getting me approved. A little bit later on, I received an email from eBay saying I'd been accepted.
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