New eBay Changes?

[FalconForever]

eBay has gone mad. I assume this is world wide, but definitely in the UK.

I had noticed a couple of long time watching items had gone up in price which is odd as I usually watch something unsold come down until it's in the ball park I'd be willing to pay.

Turns out that in February they have added a percentage to all goods being sold by private individuals for 'buyer protection ', despite buyer being well protected by eBay policies and the law.

Businesses are exempt from this charge. So lots of tobacco related items and estate pipes are now going to cost you even more than they already do and that extra is going to eBay not the seller.

On top of that as a seller now you won't get paid until AFTER the item you've sold has been delivered. And I mean it's not like couriers or Royal Mail ever lose anything, right?

So with these combined changes I can see way less items being sold through eBay as sellers won't want the risks and buyers will now pay even more right out the gate.

Crazy.

 

[sablebrush52]

Are they still taking a percentage from the seller? eBay is almost unique in the auction world in that they haven't charged the buyer, instead charging the seller. Bid in a typical auction house auction and you pay the auctioneer an extra 15 to 25 percent above the selling price, while the consignor gets the full amount of the bid.

 

[FalconForever]

Are they still taking a percentage from the seller? eBay is almost unique in the auction world in that they haven't charged the buyer, instead charging the seller. Bid in a typical auction house auction and you pay the auctioneer an extra 15 to 25 percent above the selling price, while the consignor gets the full amount of the bid.

Not to list apparently. I just don't understand making items more expensive for customers is good business?

 

[sablebrush52]

Not to list apparently. I just don't understand making items more expensive for customers is good business?

It reads like they have decided to exchange the buyer's advantage for the seller's, in line with the rest of the auction world. Guess we'll see how that plays out.

I'll have to take a look and see if that's been instituted in the States.

 

[woodsroad]

I haven’t sold anything on eBay in quite a while, but as I clean out my office (then the garage and basement) I’m collecting a pile to start posting. I do see that eBay is heavily promoting seller listing, offering a $15 credit for each $10-up item sold, or something like that. Honestly selling on eBay has become so cumbersome, with sales being reported to the IRS, that many sellers have moved to Facebook Marketplace.

 

[sablebrush52]

Took a look through the selling section and the only announcement is a slight increase to the fee that sellers pay, like .035%.

 

[Dave760]

Not to list apparently. I just don't understand making items more expensive for customers is good business?

Someone, somewhere calculated that this change is good for eBay. That's the only thing they considered. Sellers and buyers exist to provide eBay with money. Everything else is just detritus. They figure that the extra money they make will offset any loss in business they'll experience.

There is a way to prove them wrong, but it would take convincing a noticeable percentage of their customers to forego using eBay long enough to prove a point. Good luck with that.

 

[FalconForever]

I tried listing an item to see what the new process was like. And yes, it's mad. My selected price is not the price the potential buyer sees as eBay show me what I'm asking but buyers the same but with the new fees added on top. Very confusing for everyone as the fees are a combined fixed and percentage. And of course that makes for a complete mess when people barter via the make and offer system as the seller and buyer are using two different points of reference as a starting point!!

And that's definitely confirm regarding getting paid. As a seller now I'd have to list the item, sell it, wrap it, post it via a tracked service, the buyer needs to receive it and be recorded as such then up to TWO weeks later I'd get my money. Any issues, my fault or not, no payment or delayed payment.

So upon querying all this with CS their answer was essentially if I don't like it tough. So I closed my account. Absolutely crazy way to run a business imo but I suppose I'll save some money!!!

 

[FLDRD]

Last I calculated, it looked like Ebay was taking 15% from me as a seller. That was before this supposed change.

 

[9mmpuffer]

Too cumbersome, I no longer use eBay