Will I pay a fee for reserve price again if my listing is auto-relisted for free?

[ma_999637]

I paid a fee (£10 or so) when listing my item in order to set a reserve price. I am told on the details of the listing it will be relisted automatically up to 8 times for free. I am wondering however if I will need to pay the fee for a reserve price again? The wording under reserve price (same as when I set it) is ambiguous to me.

May I politely ask that you respond if you know the answer to the question or are pretty sure, and not to just guess based on the wording. I appreciate it says 'whether the item sells or not' but I don't think that necessary implies each time, though am unsure hence asking.

 

[4_bathrooms]

It will apply on each relist; see here:

"We charge optional listing upgrade fees per listing regardless of whether your item sells – these fees are not included in your allocation of free listings. If you choose to relist your item, optional listing upgrade fees apply again."

Instead of setting a reserve why not start the auction at the minimum price you are willing to accept? There isn't an additional fee for doing that.

[douglaspuglas]

You can turn off the auto relist but you have to do it via browser not the app.

Go into your listing and untick the tiny auto- relist box that is located just above postage options.

[ma_999637]

This doesn’t even appear to be an option for me unfortunately.. cannot find it anywhere.

[papso22 · Accepted solution]

Are you using a computer and the desktop version?  If so, it should be there.

[tressygirl]

Yes, you will be charged that reserve price which is 4% of your set reserve when the item auto relists even if it relists for free,  this does not include the costs for any optional listing upgrades added  like a reserve.

If you cannot see where to end the auto relist, personally I would end the auction as near to the end of the auction as possible in case you get some bids,  you've been charge this reserve price anyway,  it was charged the second the item went live.

Ended it will go into your unsold listing.  From there either click on relist,  or preferably  sell similar, this makes it a ' new listing'  and moves it nearer the top of newly listed items.

Adjust the price to the lowest you are happy to receive it cannot sell for less,  then before you click the final List Items with Displayed fees button, just remove the reserve.

@ma_999637 

[douglaspuglas]

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@ma_999637 wrote:
This doesn’t even appear to be an option for me unfortunately.. cannot find it anywhere.

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Here's a screenshot of where it's located on one of my listing drafts using a browser.

The on/off button might be hidden in the drop down menu.

[arkwebus]

To emphasise that you really do not need to add a reserve [and pay for it].   The minimum is £50.  

To avoid it simply make the starting bid what you would have set the reserve to.  If someone bids it will sell and it cannot sell for less.   If it relists it does not [subject to ebay rules] cost anything.

@ma_999637 

[ma_999637]

I’m using an iPhone however I have ‘request desktop site’ enabled so shouldn’t make a different. Thank you, though.

[tressygirl]

apps, phones have limited options sometimes,  switch to a PC / laptop for full availability and to run your eBay account fully and successfully.  Chrome or Firefox work best.

@ma_999637 

[ma_999637]

Yes thank you this is what I thought I'd have to do, just wanted to check that I wasn't being daft and that EBay was in fact this unintuitive.

Thank you all who have responded. I do appreciate that I can set the starting bid at whatever price and hence, perhaps the minimum amount I want to receive for it, though I think it is clear that there are potential reasons to not do that (and why I didn't do that), however now being made aware that is a recurring fee I will opt not to in the future.

[ma_999637]

This is the page one sees on creating a listing and not revising it. The 'see pricing options' is not available upon revision of an existing listing.

[arkwebus]

Please explain the reasons!  Reserves are said to put off bidders and they would certainly deter me ...

@ma_999637 

[ma_999637]

As suspected, the site is identical on my laptop to the 'request desktop version' view on my phone. It is what it is. I will hope for a sale but if not, will just cancel the auction shortly before the time is up.

[arkwebus]

The reserve fee is - of course - still payable; but you knew that; of course

@ma_999637 

[tressygirl]

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@ma_999637 wrote:

though I think it is clear that there are potential reasons to not do that (and why I didn't do that), 

That's intriguing as it's not at all clear why one would wish to list an auction at a lower price than you wish to receive.

You can  then receive one bid,  which more than often happens,  and are obliged to sell at that price.

So you receive less than you wished for.

You must Always list items starting for the lowest amount you want to receive,  to avoid the above happening.

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[arkwebus]

If you set the reserve at [say] £200 that costs you £8. 

If you start the auction at £200 that costs you nothing. 

You cannot sell for less than £200.  You may get more.  

You also have a Buy it Now which - if anyone bids the reserve - will disappear

@ma_999637 

[douglaspuglas]

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@ma_999637 wrote:

This is the page one sees on creating a listing and not revising it. The 'see pricing options' is not available upon revision of an existing listing.

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No.

I've just checked on a live listing and the "see pricing" drop down menu is the same as on a draft listing for me.

Try a browser on a different device. 

[ma_999637]

As I said before I do appreciate the responses and I meant it, it was not intended to be perceived as having an undertone though I understand text can communicate ineffectively. I regret to say that I feel this thread has become a little passive aggressive.

I am not telling you to use reserve listings, or suggesting I think others should. I know they are not popular or commonly used; in fact I've never used a reserve listing before in my however many years of using ebay casually. I am not going to provide an in depth justification or explain the thought process I went through when I made the listing, because frankly.. it feels a little pointless. Perhaps you want me to do so so that you can dissect my flawed reasoning? At the end of the day, it is a feature for a reason, isn't it. Would I choose to put a reserve price on it with hindsight? No, I wouldn't.

[papso22]

The thing is that as none of us see the point we are interested in another perspective.

The reason for them is they are a money spinner for ebay, as you have found.