If you were EBay what would you have done to sort out the private/business problem

[spence0175]

Firstly can we all stop arguing amongst ourselves. This is EBay’s mess not ours. People are fed up and angry but we should not take it out on each other.

So many things could have been better thought through before implementation.

So they are coming down hard on private sellers.  If you make things hard for private sellers it will just drive them away

But they could have had better incentives to encourage people to becoming a business. Lower the shop fees especially the basic shop. 
Same fees for all across the board.

Limit private to used only. 
Cheaper promoted prices for those who want to use promoted

When it’s not expensive to have a shop or be a business surely it’s a way of attracting more to becoming properly registered.

Anyone else and please no arguing….

[therenewalworkshopltd]

No arguing.....  You'll be lucky with this topic.  🙂

I actually don't think that the changes are as bad as everyone thinks.

The one thing that I really don't like, is the holding private sellers money for a couple of weeks.

No other site that I'm aware of does this.  So seems a little unfair.

However, the biggest issue, is that because of the free fees for private sellers, many business sellers have taken advantage of it.  This in turn is what has caused all of the upset.

So that is what needs to be addressed.

Free to sell and the buying fee will work.  It's pretty much the way all of the sites are doing it now for most things.  Particularly so the likes of Vinted.  And as Ebay are challenging them, they are going to go down that route.  

So for the older "real" private sellers, it may put them off.  But all of the new sellers that come in won't bat an eyelid at it, as that's how things are done elsewhere.  So a bit of upset initially, but I think that will settle down.

Removing "new" status for items on private sellers will solve a lot of problems, but most certainly not all.  Particularly so for those of us selling clothing, collectibles etc.

Private sellers should not be able to have a shop.  Why on earth would they need one as a private seller?  Makes no sense to me.

I do think that the shop fees are expensive.  Much too big a jump from the intermediate, to top one. (can't remember the names right now).  Something in between would be helpful and they really need to be more generous with the total listings.  Especially when you consider that virtually no other site charges you to list something.

[da-vids]

There should never have been 2 types of account, remove 'private account' semantic and 'business account' semantic and have just a single ebay account. Just because there are laws differentiating doesn't mean there needs to be different accounts. A single ebay account where for example every user has to accept returns and all the other standards the law stipulates. Especially when 2 different accounts with different laws can't be policed the single ebay account holding to high standards could have been a good route, good for all concerned. That ship has sailed, or maybe not if just class all accounts the same.

[the_bald_orc]

Same flat fees for private and business accounts. Only business accounts can have shops which incur the same fees and privileges as they do now.

If everyone is charged the same fee for a basic sale, I feel most of the animosity will disappear overnight.

[spence0175]

We can try not to argue…😄.

I guess in reality not everything will suit everybody. 
Im frustrated as a very small time seller that I pay for the same amount of listings that a private seller gets for free.

When I started there were really good incentives to get a discount on fees. Then it just became too difficult. I remember selling a bag and they wanted it sent special delivery as per the terms of getting g a discount t.They opened a return because it just didn’t look as good quality as the picture  and that just wiped out my whole months discount.

[da-vids]

" I remember selling a bag "

Same thing happened to me, she finally found her way back home!

[vintique*violet]

Not introduced BIN as they did in 2000... auction only... and kept the site for private sellers pre-loved items etc and if they wanted to expand as a global Business platform opened a separate entity for Businesses only! 

[bravergrace]

I think in eBay's position, I would have gone back to the level playing field idea - one set of fees, and one set of rules for everyone, covering postage, seller standards and returns.

With possibly a little leeway for private sellers on the vexed issue of displaying contact details, and for brand new sellers who may find eBay selling more difficult than anticipated.

[game_raid]

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@therenewalworkshopltd wrote:

No arguing.....  You'll be lucky with this topic.  🙂

I actually don't think that the changes are as bad as everyone thinks.

The one thing that I really don't like, is the holding private sellers money for a couple of weeks.

No other site that I'm aware of does this.  So seems a little unfair.

If they use a tracked service they get paid once the item has been delivered, fair enough tracking is slow to update but at no point is their money at risk. Not ideal but there must have been a lot of sellers not completing sales for eBay to take this stance so adding tracking is the only way to solve it, it also does give buyer confidence when an item is shipped tracked.

Amazon have delivery date + 7 which means you can wait 10 days to get paid for a sale, up to 3 days for the delivery then an extra 7 days after the item has been delivered, they still have record numbers signing up each month to sell on there, even with this in place and all the verification required.

I have seen a few posts where sellers have said they will sell on there on the individual account, which is like a private seller account they offer but the rules and regulations would make most run a mile, the buyer is also number 1 no matter what, you won't win cases like you do on eBay.

However, the biggest issue, is that because of the free fees for private sellers, many business sellers have taken advantage of it.  This in turn is what has caused all of the upset.

So that is what needs to be addressed.

This has upset a lot of us, no business has an issue with a seller selling old items they no longer need or use to raise some money but when there is businesses abusing the situation down to sheer greed with nothing being done business sellers will get upset.

No matter what is suggested there will be those that think it's a personal attack on them, when it isn't. 

[moldosgifts]

Same fee for everyone no free listings at all, shop can only be opened by businesses, and only shops can sell new ( as in they must offer a 12 month warranty/guarantee as a minimum).

If you private no shop cant sell new as you cant offer said warranty/guarantee.

Add a New condition of like new same as new but without the warranty/guarantee. 

Oh and stop charging 10% on postage never understood why they require a cut of the postage cost.

Maybe a fixed postage cost so we know how much a letter/large letter etc costs so have that as a fixed for all of us. based on the service required. Although private sellers are getting that with simple delivery

[the-bee-keeper]

Ebay should have two different websites one for private sellers and one for business sellers.

Ditch promoted listings for a start!

Cut out all the harassment abuse violence and threatening behaviour.

Now that ebay are adding this extra fee maybe they will actually allow private sellers to sell!

Now that the buyer has to pay a buyers premium ebay will be making money off the private seller from the sales!

The more ebay push private sellers to reach the public the more money ebay will make!

[vintique*violet]

Private sellers never had a shop - it is what eBay implemented when they changed the layout... I assumed it was for further enhancements? We do not pay for a shop either and our listings are shown as normal... Those who had a shop and paid for a shop had a " blue door"... 

New items do not all come with a warranty... there is an option New/other.. which can cover most " new" items. eBay categories are specific. 

Charging a fee  on postage was initially to deter sellers who were charging extortionate postage fees and pocketing the difference... it has only penalised genuine sellers and perhaps a sign of things to come - ie Simple Delivery whereby you can only purchase postage via eBay ( they have done deals for discounts /profit etc) 

Fixed postage is certain dealing direct at the post office , many have been caught out with postage online through eBay etc due to sizing possibly... 

[spence0175]

I would love to see a fee cut back to what it was when I first started. 5% and no international fee, plus an incentive reduction on fees on postage.

I mean things like that can only encourage people to stay and people to come back. I see so many ex sellers, selling on fb and marketplace now

I sell very little internationally now especially with the loss of Europe and NI. A sale to USA usually costs around £5 more to sell there. 

[blackcatbooksuk]

1) A shop only for business sellers seems like a no brainer to me

2) A limit of 200 items at  any one time for private sellers. Why would they need more than that ?

3) Drop the price of  shop fees. They are too expensive for what they offer.

4) Give business sellers the opportunity to convert "Auction" listings into "Good till cancelled" ones.

5) "NEW" should only be available to business seller. As should "Multiple items"

I do think it has been interesting reading some of the comments from disgruntled private sellers. Especially when they start saying things like "Will hurt my profits, will make me less competitive". That sounds very business like to me.

[game_raid]

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@blackcatbooksuk wrote:

I do think it has been interesting reading some of the comments from disgruntled private sellers. Especially when they start saying things like "Will hurt my profits, will make me less competitive". That sounds very business like to me.

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This is what been causing an issue, they don't think they are a business because they bought from a car boot, charity shop or Facebook to resell, they have the mindset of a business because of what they paid for the item and how much they want to make but refuse to acknowledge that they actually are a business because they don't have a warehouse or wholesale account.

We all want as much as we can for our items but personally as a private seller we are generally happy with what we can get as it generally owes us nothing if its been in the shed for 5 years, we sell privately most of the time just to get rid rather than throw it away, another man's junk and all that.

[bravergrace]

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@vintique*violet wrote:

Not introduced BIN as they did in 2000... auction only... and kept the site for private sellers pre-loved items etc and if they wanted to expand as a global Business platform opened a separate entity for Businesses only! 

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They did try this at one time - splitting the site into two separate sites, one for business sellers and one for private sellers - but it was a total disaster.

[da-vids]

"This is what been causing an issue, they don't think they are a business because they bought from a car boot, charity shop or Facebook to resell"

And eBay gives 70% and 80% off of fees when no one asked for it. Got the odd promo before, then covid both private and business got promos and they made promos permanent for private and never for business.

[moldosgifts]

Private sellers never had a shop.     except they do

New items do not all come with a warranty.  we are on about what would you do not what they do right now.

Charging a fee  on postage was initially to deter sellers . i know this but why do they do it because they want to milk the seller not for the reason they claim. Fixed postage cost would stop all this.

Fixed postage is certain dealing direct at the post office , many have been caught out with postage online through eBay etc due to sizing possibly...  The solution is you cannot move on until you've entered this size of the package when listing

But that is all what i would do

[blackcatbooksuk]

"We all want as much as we can for our items but personally as a private seller we are generally happy with what we can get as it generally owes us nothing if its been in the shed for 5 years, we sell privately most of the time just to get rid rather than throw it away, another man's junk and all that.!

And that has been what has gone through my mine since this all started. They have the "Business mindset" If I was a small private seller profit margins wouldn't go through my mind. I would just be happy to get rid of it.

[bravergrace]

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@moldosgifts wrote:

Same fee for everyone no free listings at all, shop can only be opened by businesses, and only shops can sell new ( as in they must offer a 12 month warranty/guarantee as a minimum).

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I'm not sure that a 12-month warranty/guarantee would be practical in all areas - though for some items, like new cars and washing machines, they are a basic (possibly legal?) thing.

But not everything - for instance, I sell stockings and collars.  They aren't "like new".  They are new.  But they aren't actually designed to last for 12 months.

Other sellers sell toilet rolls, balloons, cakes, flowers, contraceptives or sticking plasters...

The other big problem with 12-month warranties/guarantees, is that it means business sellers can't close down their accounts for a whole year, in case of claims being made.