How about more Promotions that favour the Seller ?

[santlache_sales]

In my line of selling, in early December 2023 ebay offered certain sellers with so many higher ticket items over £250 a offer which lasted six months until May 2024.

After signing up, this basically meant any new item listed that was over £250, they gave you an average FVF of 10% and this worked on a scale, so the higher the ticket price the more discount you got off this average 10%.

Items didn't exactly fly out the door, but I sold quite a few of these higher ticket items over the six months and it helped a great deal, but it also felt a lot more FAIR. It wasn't as if eBay were sacrificing much as they still got a nice cut.

I'd like to see more or even another offer like this please, eBay ????

[therenewalworkshopltd]

Ok, not every decision that Ebay will make is going to be the right one.  But I would expect, that as a company dealing with as much as it actually does, that in the main, they make reasonable decisions.

No, I don't think private sellers should have as many listings as they do, but in itself, I don't see why they shouldn't have some.  I do however believe that private sellers will benefit the whole system, by having free listings.  To be honest, for as long as I can remember, private sellers have been given free listings in one way or the other.  Maybe the view is outdated, but I really don't see it doing any harm and probably a fair bit more good than bad.  The market has changed considerably and there is a lot of competition from new marketplaces, which in turn has had an impact on Ebay itself.  But that doesn't mean that it's on it's way out quite yet.  

[therenewalworkshopltd]

Further to my last post, there is such a thing as goodwill and I don't mean in a charitable sense, a lot of business sellers have little to no goodwill towards Ebay now, commerically this isn't good for Ebay in the medium to long term however I very much doubt the existing Ebay CEO / board care about the long term.

See, I'm not so sure that is true.  How do you actually know this?  

If your judging just on the forums, then your are not anywhere near the whole marketplace and likely getting quite a skewed view.  People come to the forums to complain in the main, not to say how good things are.  And this seems to be forgotten.

[british-ceramics-and-paintings]

My view isn't based on the forums, it's based on the categories I sell in, many businesses have left or no longer list fresh stock. I don't see many legitimate businesses replacing them, I see more and more supposed private side hustle sellers. I think a lot of genuine small business sellers have had enough of the platform.

I can only say what I am seeing with my own eyes and research.

[therenewalworkshopltd]

Ok, so assuming that is the case, where do you think they are they going?

There are certainly no mainstream sites for the things that you are selling, though possibly some specialist.  Not that it's something that I am aware of.

So that only really leave their own websites, or the business are failing.

I don't have that many options with the clothing.  I can't use Vinted, at least until they allow business sellers and the likes of Depop is dying.

Amazon and so on is great for many things, but margins are certainly not one of them, nor used goods.  🙂

[technthread]

If you think back a few years the private seller would get £1 max FVF fees every fortnight and could really have it off selling high value items virtually for free. It just created a waiting game, people listed over the promotion weekend like clockwork. 

The 70% or 80% off FVF fees gradually replaced it so unless selling clothing, eBay have arguably closed the divide a bit although it is still a massive gulf.

I would like to see them offer business accounts something. 50% off 10 items every 6 months is better than nothing, they can easily fund it by pausing private seller promotions for just one weekend. 

[pg_kicks]

I got a whole load of offers last quarter, I say offers but they are basically offers to customers (which are badly advertised) and then you hope you get extra sales, the first few are fully funded by ebay then they go down to 30% ebay funded. Very hit and miss if they actually bring in more customers as like I said I personally think they are badly advertised, yes they are on the top of the screen but not in the biggest banners. There are ways eBay could push it much more, if customers are watching your items they could send an email/push notification highlighting your item is now in promo, on the search they could highlight the promo, its basically like Tesco having a sale but only putting it in 1 window of the entire store then on the tin of beans but at the back so you have to pick it up to actually see it.

They've even sent a few that were fully funded by me, obviously those were rejected and the reason put in but again I'm sure nobody read the reason. Of course its all in the T&C's but as private sellers get 70/80% off every 2 weeks you'd think they may give business sellers something to make them stay, I'm pretty lucky but like others have said sellers are leaving or just opening private accounts as they know its currently better to trade illegally.

I'll be bringing this all up again at the Open Event as it really does seem like eBay have buried their head in the sand and think they know whats best for the site as it burns.

The biggest annoyance for me though is that they charge fees on the full price before discount so whilst you are 'losing' money on both the reduction and the fee ebay only lose the part funded part of the coupon. It could be much better organised but again eBay know best, you know the people who have never ran an eBay business who dont want any feedback but they certainly know best.

[john8150_0]

The OP (like me) primarily sells items that are excluded from ebay promotional schemes.

I did the Pro Trader program last year and was sent loads of invites to the coupon schemes none of which applied to items in my categories. That didn't particularly upset me though as I already shell out enough in monthly fees to ebay without discounting to buyers and paying ebay more (based on more sales) for the privilege of doing so.

I assume "making it fairer" is meant to be applied against a vast proportion of competitors in our sector who are trading on private accounts with the associated free listings, fortnightly FVF discounts etc.

[therenewalworkshopltd]

I actually don't disagree with you.  They don't promote these things as well as they should do at all.

A little more effort put into them and it would improve things a lot.

I actually wouldn't mind some being fully funded by myself, but it would very much depend on the discount that they want to offer.  I have noticed an uptake in sales over these promotions.  

Yes, Ebay could do things better with their sellers and boost things, but I'm not a fan of discounts on fees at all.  I don't think that in themselves, they actually accomplish much.

If they do nothing at all other that one things on the entire site this year, they need to sort out the "private" accounts.  That is killing things for everyone.

And I have a strong suspicion that I will be joining you at the Open and making my views known to Ebay directly.

[bojangled]

I opted in for a few promoted listing ads offers last year, and the horrendous Low Cost FVF. 
My margins are quite tight and I like my eyes on the fees, so these offers are sometimes more hassle than they are worth, particularly on low value items. 

I'd like to see something simple, a credit for a months shop subscription for example. 

Jo

[british-ceramics-and-paintings]

I think many of the genuine smaller businesses have pretty much stopped trading, a few sell on the well known hand made site beginning with E however I'm not going to sit here and build that platform up as something it isn't.

[therenewalworkshopltd]

I'd like to see something simple, a credit for a months shop subscription for example. 

They actually have been doing this recently.  There have been a few posts about an upgraded shop subscription for 3 months free. 

[british-ceramics-and-paintings]

I believe those offers have been made to sellers who have downgraded their shop subscriptions. 

[therenewalworkshopltd]

That may well be the case, (I don't actually know) but it is exactly the kind of thing that is being asked for.

It's a boost that a flagging business may well need and get them to the next level.  It literally costs nothing bar time and effort.  And could possibly gain you a lot more.

[bojangled]

@therenewalworkshopltd I have seen those. Not a sniff my way, but then my inventory is suited to the featured shop allowance. Hence it would be nice to see something like a credit for mid range business seller stores. 
Jo

[pg_kicks]

I agree the one thing they need to sort is the business on private, it makes a joke of the site when you can trade illegally and get amazing benefits, it could be solved overnight but that wont happen.

Fully self funding wouldnt be the worst if they really highlighted it, I've had part funded coupons from eBay for 25% off then ran a 10% off sale afterwards and the first 3 days have had more sales than the 3 days of eBay coupon with an extra 15% off, and thats with the exact same stock. Its like they dont want people to know about the coupons some times.

I've made it known to them at last years open event, then the roadshow earlier this year, but this time I'll be taking paperwork and offering to send documents electronically so they cant deny anything. I already have a list of accounts that eBay enable to break the law.

Just a heads up if you are going to open event you have to apply for each seminar which they didnt really highlight last year, you cant just walk in.

[therenewalworkshopltd]

Just a heads up if you are going to open event you have to apply for each seminar which they didnt really highlight last year, you cant just walk in.

Thanks, I've not been to one before and I didn't know about that.  Shame, but I can see why they would want to keep it to named persons.

Still not certain that I will be able to make it, but I do want to go.  Just wish that it was a bit closer.

[santlache_sales]

It was a lot more FAIR as on the offer sellers weren't paying eBay's rather extortionate fees.

Or would you class that as UNFAIR ?

For an overseas sale 17% is not quite as FAIR as the 3-4% we paid was when I first started here.

So yes, I'd be a lot happier paying 10% across the board and would consider that a much FAIRER charge.

[santlache_sales]

eBay's offers usually include you making a sacrifice of some type or another, like Free P&P when this is never free, or you take a bigger hit through a FVF.

It's very rare ebay offer something like they did to sellers in my line for that six months between Dec - May, in fact I have never been given such an offer before in over 22 years I've been here.

[santlache_sales]

This must be to do with what you are selling, as I've just checked all my eBay messages for the last month and I've had no offer for Aniversary25.

This is the first I've heard of it.

[therenewalworkshopltd]

No, you stated that "YOU" getting lower fees for a period was fairer.

That is only fairer to the person receiving it and nobody else.  Can you not see that?

What does it actually matter what fees used to be, they are what they are and you either pay them, or go elsewhere.  Nothing you say or do now, will get them to reduce fees.

Just becuase you think that the fees are extortionate, does not necessarily mean that they actually are.

Have you compared selling on other sites?  The main one being Amazon, where it is quite easy to pay considerably more than you are doing on Ebay.

You need to bear in mind, that what you are paying for, is the traffic at the end of the day, which the site is bringing to you.

If you want to do the same and pay less fees, then you run your own website and pay for all the advertising etc that is required, to bring that traffic to your own website.  I can guarantee, that it's far cheaper to sell on the likes of Ebay, than to promote and sell on your own website, untill it is well established.