Business account versus Private seller account

[vodkadeborah1969]

Hiya all. I have been selling on eBay for 16 years now with the same user id and account (one of the longest), I still have 100% feedback score and I am proud of that tbh, but it has not been easy. I just wanted to ask you people if you have noticed the lack of views and bids for your listings? I have noticed terribly that views and bids have chronically dropped in the past 6-12 months. I only sell excellent condition clothing, most are like new. This is my job not a side line and I know somebody as a private seller who makes more money than me and sells more than me and ebay in their fees that they charge me also make more money than me for the majority of the time. I have done a lot of research comparing Business to Private and it appears that a Private seller does in fact make more money. I would so appreciate some feedback on this whether negative or positive to me. Thank you

[purveyor_of_tat]

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@vodkadeborah1969 wrote:

.....I have done a lot of research comparing Business to Private and it appears that a Private seller does in fact make more money. I would so appreciate some feedback on this whether negative or positive to me....

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Debs, it's not about money, it's about legalities. 

Look at it holistically - you have a successful business. You've got 20,000 + FB's, how many private sellers can boast that?

Chin up, girl, you've got a lot going for you. 🙂

[vodkadeborah1969]

Awwww thank you so much. Sometimes I just want to give up you know but I
battle on daily. At the moment it is all about earning to survive but I am
not earning enough to have a life, just survive.

[elitegiftsltd]

It varies by item type, some business fees are higher than personal fees even before you factor in the VAT we pay on top.

Whether to trade as a business or private seller? There are some private sellers who run a business - and because they incorrectly don't show business details and use a business account they give the buyers considerably better policies than business sellers do.

Not to mention ebay do occasionally notice the problem and require the seller to upgrade the account.

[purveyor_of_tat]

If you are not already, broaden your horizons. List on other sites and try and widen your product range - could you invest in selling in another category, for instance. 

You are in charge of your own destiny. Turn that frown upside down and be a go-getter. List like you've never listed before. Seize the day. 

Never give up, never surrender (unless it no longer makes financial sense to do so)

[vodkadeborah1969]

Yes agreed as I am looking into all of it as times have to change. Thank
you x

[vintagewatchpart]

You seem to be doing incredibly well as a private seller, I'd be thinking why are your sales lower the past 6-12 months?

Is it a change in what you are selling? I've heard of other clothing sellers who have seen a huge drop in sales since shops reopened properly.

During lockdown and particularly in 2020, Internet boomed for clothing sales as people couldn't go out and then were even fearful when shops did reopen. 

I think one of the most important things about being a business seller isn't necessarily about ebay fees or increased costs. It is the fact you are now officially "a business" - with being a business owner, motivation, productivity and the way you perceive what you do changes completely.

[i_failed_my_dna_test]

Listings and views have dropped over the past year or so .

Sometimes there is a day when nothing sells .

Business sellers pretending to be private frequently have buyer problems that they deserve,dodgy buyers know they can target these sellers and get away with it .

Make a bit more of a statement in your listings whenever possible that your items are in uk , are good quality , and can be delivered in a matter of days .

[vodkadeborah1969]

I am a business seller not private x

[vodkadeborah1969]

Oh I forgot to say that I am a Business seller x

[i_failed_my_dna_test]

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@vodkadeborah1969 wrote:

Oh I forgot to say that I am a Business seller x

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And a good one .

My dear friend Anastarsia likes some of your listings .

[sasdrivesuk]

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@vodkadeborah1969 wrote:

Oh I forgot to say that I am a Business seller x

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No, you didn't 😉 it was pretty clear from your opening post.

[secularsid]

Whether you have a private or business account depends not on how good or bad it is for you but what your legal standing is as a seller.  If you sell in the course of a business (as defined by HMRC and eBay) you must have a business account.

Many, many people selling in the course of a business sell as private.  Some genuinely do not realise the rules and many do.  Lots of small sellers have had visits from HMRC and been clueless to the fact they are business sellers.  HMRC have a special department for this and I always report to them when I see it.

Thus, if you buy from such a seller you have absolutely no consumer rights (which is a very big deal)….No rights of return, no rights at all…. Other than in contract and under the Misrepresentations Act… neither of which you can enforce because eBay refuse to give private seller names and addresses, in spite of the seller having the name and address of the buyer???

I mean… do eBay really want all buyers to just give up?

EBay refuse to give these details due to erroneous interpretation of GDPR.

For example; I bought a ring described as ‘gold’ from a seller.  I won it auction so the very low price was understandable..  It turned out to not be gold. eBay got them to refund me but in law I am entitled not just to a refund but the gold ring they sold me in the contract of sale. 

The refund was £1.50, the gold ring value is £190…  How can I sue without their name? Misrepresentation entitles the offended party to be put in the position he would have been had there been no misrep.  Clearly eBay policy deprives buyers of that protection and sellers avoid it by pretending to be ‘private sellers’, so conceal their identity. eBay know this and yet they let it happen all the time.  They say policy cannot overrule statutory rights but clearly in effect it does.

I have been on eBay almost 20 years,. Previously on a sale eBay would send the buyer the details of the seller and the seller details of the buyer.. That was perfect..  GDPR did not change that… eBay did to protect their sellers.

[elitegiftsltd]

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@secularsid wrote:

Whether you have a private or business account depends not on how good or bad it is for you but what your legal standing is as a seller.  If you sell in the course of a business (as defined by HMRC and eBay) you must have a business account.

Many, many people selling in the course of a business sell as private.  Some genuinely do not realise the rules and many do.  Lots of small sellers have had visits from HMRC and been clueless to the fact they are business sellers.  HMRC have a special department for this and I always report to them when I see it.

Thus, if you buy from such a seller you have absolutely no consumer rights (which is a very big deal)….No rights of return, no rights at all…. Other than in contract and under the Misrepresentations Act… neither of which you can enforce because eBay refuse to give private seller names and addresses, in spite of the seller having the name and address of the buyer???

I mean… do eBay really want all buyers to just give up?

EBay refuse to give these details due to erroneous interpretation of GDPR.

For example; I bought a ring described as ‘gold’ from a seller.  I won it auction so the very low price was understandable..  It turned out to not be gold. eBay got them to refund me but in law I am entitled not just to a refund but the gold ring they sold me in the contract of sale. 

The refund was £1.50, the gold ring value is £190…  How can I sue without their name? Misrepresentation entitles the offended party to be put in the position he would have been had there been no misrep.  Clearly eBay policy deprives buyers of that protection and sellers avoid it by pretending to be ‘private sellers’, so conceal their identity. eBay know this and yet they let it happen all the time.  They say policy cannot overrule statutory rights but clearly in effect it does.

I have been on eBay almost 20 years,. Previously on a sale eBay would send the buyer the details of the seller and the seller details of the buyer.. That was perfect..  GDPR did not change that… eBay did to protect their sellers.

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You know ebay cannot give out personal information that isn't relevant? So they give a seller the buyer's name and address - the seller is sending something and requires that information.

They don't give out private sellers name and address - data protection laws apply and the buyer doesn't need to know that information in the course of the transaction.

Ebay may be many things, daresay between us we have a very long list of their problems. They won't generally breach UK laws though. 

[btr.style]

They always breach UK laws by allowing private account business sellers. 

It doesn't take a genius or computer expert to do some searches and find some of the many thousands of clear cut business sellers who are on private accounts to take advantage of eBay's fee promos. 

I've reported several many times over the space of 7 months and eBay haven't acted. 

Isn't that a breach of UK laws as businesses have to show business details. eBay know full well it's happening but they turn a blind eye. Doesn't this mean they are breaching laws as well? 

[elitegiftsltd]

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@btr.style wrote:

They always breach UK laws by allowing private account business sellers. 

It doesn't take a genius or computer expert to do some searches and find some of the many thousands of clear cut business sellers who are on private accounts to take advantage of eBay's fee promos. 

I've reported several many times over the space of 7 months and eBay haven't acted. 

Isn't that a breach of UK laws as businesses have to show business details. eBay know full well it's happening but they turn a blind eye. Doesn't this mean they are breaching laws as well? 

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Is there a law about allowing private accounts?

The law relating to showing business details - the law requires 3rd party sites to be liable or applies liability to the business that is not providing it's contact details? 

Is it that you are not taking account of business promotions? You seem to have a thing for promotions offered to other people. 

[papso22]

The sellers are breaking consumer law, I  can't think of the law ebay would be breaking. 

[sam_in_barbate]

There are many just like you who thought eBay was the answer to their prayers, only to find we now have as good as no business on eBay, it is not just down to private sellers, few can compete with professional business sellers, it is down to visibility

[vodkadeborah1969]

I know, It is so unfair isn't it. We are paying the cost for the Private
sellers and yet we get hardly anything in return, IE 1000 Free listings a
month, Free allocated start times

[satellitedior]

Hi,

Lack of views & watched items have fallen off a cliff. Items which only a year or so back would have walked off the page as soon as listed, or within weeks had a mass of watchers has now vanished, I have fabulous items listed for 6 months with only a handful of views & no watchers, it is soul destroying.