topic Re: Something is desperately wrong with eBay in Business Seller Board

Something is desperately wrong with eBay

cerulean-blue — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:57:19 GMT

I recently sold an item after reducing the price quite significantly. I’ve since seen someone selling on a private account the same item (same colour, size, condition etc) for 3 times the price over on the other site beginning with V. It has now sold. Oh and to top it all off said seller used my photographs!!

What I don’t quite understand is why people are willing to pay a huge amount more for the same thing on another platform and with no returns options.

Beyond baffled!

Re: Something is desperately wrong with eBay

jonatjonatjonat — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:04:07 GMT

Are you selling on the other platform yourself?

Often the reason for the pricing changes is more luck than anything else - there will be an audience who only now shop on the other site - and they just got lucky.

Re: Something is desperately wrong with eBay

therenewalworkshopltd — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:06:07 GMT

Maybe because they are unaware of the prices on the other platform?
And you are quite able to return an item over there if you are a buying from a business.

Also, just as it is on Ebay, if the buyer knows the system, then they can force a return anyway, just by claiming an issue.

But you could just as easily ask as to why on The River you can find a book for £50 which has sold, yet you can buy it on the same site for a fiver! People just don't bother looking and some of them have more money than sense.

Re: Something is desperately wrong with eBay

cerulean-blue — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:08:18 GMT

No, I’m not on other platforms, although it maybe a case of it you can’t beat them join them!

Re: Something is desperately wrong with eBay

tressygirl — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:10:51 GMT

@cerulean-blue wrote:

I recently sold an item after reducing the price quite significantly. I’ve since seen someone selling on a private account the same item (same colour, size, condition etc) for 3 times the price over on the other site beginning with V. It has now sold. Oh and to top it all off said seller used my photographs!!

What I don’t quite understand is why people are willing to pay a huge amount more for the same thing on another platform and with no returns options.

Beyond baffled!

They don't do their homework! They don't look around at what else is on offer.

Or, they don't have time to look, and buy the first thing they see online , no matter the cost, it doesn't matter to some.

I've done it myself, bought an item on eBay short of time, forgetting the Best Match >> Priced Lowest, later found out I could have bought sooo much cheaper! My fault didn't take the time to look around, as most items do have great competition whichever platform you are buying from.

Having said all of that above, it's not taking away the many reports, we are receiving daily of poor sales, most, I say most because those with good sale figures have no need to come to report this to a help forum, are experiencing poor results.

You are not alone ! 🤗

@cerulean-blue

Re: Something is desperately wrong with eBay

cerulean-blue — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:38:16 GMT

Thank you for your reply.

I think it maybe contributing to the declining footfall on eBay if people are preferring to buy on other platforms.

Re: Something is desperately wrong with eBay

bravergrace — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:10:02 GMT

I don't buy or sell on Vinted.

eBay is my first choice for some items - but honestly, for others, I buy from more specialist sites, or sites where the returns policy is more reliable.

Here are a few obstacles that I've met in the past week while trying to buy clothes and books on eBay:

- Boots, Brand New in Box, from an eBay trusted partner. The item images include a picture that states something like: "these boots have been refurbished, resoled, reheeled, with new insoles and minor repairs made where necessary". In other words, they aren't new. They're refurbished. The seller is registered as a private seller, not a business, so no returns. I report the listing, and eBay tells me their AI can't see anything wrong..

- Waistcoat. Listing is for one item, title states "we have hundreds of these for sale from our shop clearance", let us know your size and we'll send something similar. Private seller, no returns. Seller has dozens of similar listings.

- Book, search term something like "Marjorie Mopp-Buckitt's 1987 cleaning diary". A whole page of results, of which only 2 match the search term (except they're for the wrong year), and they're buried under a selection of promoted listings for mops and buckets.

Other sites do these things better.

Trying to find a decent item, that matches the description (and the AI-generated slop item specifics), is next to impossible.

Decent business sellers can't compete, and eBay hides the listings that buyers are looking for, because it's trying to generate clicks for promoted listings, rather than sell the buyer what they have asked to see.

Re: Something is desperately wrong with eBay

cerulean-blue — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:28:29 GMT

Thank you for your reply.

Yes, I can understand with more & more obstacles and problems people are using other sites.
I think I’ve probably just answered my own question!

Re: Something is desperately wrong with eBay

4_bathrooms — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 13:30:33 GMT

@cerulean-blue wrote:
Thank you for your reply.

Yes, I can understand with more & more obstacles and problems people are using other sites.
I think I’ve probably just answered my own question!

I think there is such a thing as "marketplace loyalty" where (private) buyers are concerned.

I know people (often Prime subscribers) who only buy from Amazon and wouldn't look for a product anywhere else online. A lot of long-standing eBay buyers probably don't look anywhere but on eBay; Vinted likely has its own hardcore buyer base as well. It's the online equivalent of supermarkets where many people remain loyal to one particular supermarket chain. Long-term eBay buyers are familiar with the MBG; Amazon buyers are familiar with their A-to-z Guarantee, Vinted have their Vinted Buyer Protection etc.

Another thing that prevents such buyers finding better deals elsewhere is that online marketplaces no longer advertise listings on Google Shopping unless sellers pay for the privilege. As these are always going to be listings sellers are paying to promote they are rarely going to represent the lowest prices to be found which probably reinforces the impression that someone is using the "right" marketplace.

Re: Something is desperately wrong with eBay

insidethe93 — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 16:08:11 GMT

Some buyers bid on a certain Item here but Watch an identical one sold elsewhere (here and/or on a different platform), as a backup if they don't win the auction. The knack is the maximum anyone's prepared to bid goes close up to the backup's BIN price.

There could be multiple losing bidders. They may end up in a race to grab the backup. The one who gains the backup already has it in their Basket and pays the fastest.

Losing an auction can be sobering, making someone realise if they truly want an item. Then they may be willing to pay excessively for it.

Re: Something is desperately wrong with eBay

cerulean-blue — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 16:35:14 GMT

Thank you all for taking the time to reply to my rambling rant!

There are many points I hadn’t considered before but make a lot of sense.