Realistic suggestions that would / could improve Ebay UK

[british-ceramics-and-paintings]

I will get the ball rolling:

Change the default search to UK only, if people want to search worldwide they can select that as an option, I don't think it should be the default.

As an example I just searched impressionist painting 

The search gave me over 100,000 results which is way too many to deal with. I changed the search to UK only and the results dropped to under 6,000 which is more than adequate.

I imagine the vast majority of UK buyers buy from UK sellers so why are the searches dominated by overseas listings ?  It is one of the many things that is killing the UK platform.

I believe it would be an easy change to make and literally everyone would benefit.

[darth_baggins]

For those of us who've been around long enough to remember when some of the eBay higher-ups tried the 'Kiss From a Pink' campaign. Basically it was auctions for things with a personal touch from some of the eBay senior UK staff (eBay posts were in pink on the forums so they became known as 'pinks').

It was a total disaster. They posted out items to winners with inadequate packaging, so they were damaged. Or they stuck labels on postcards, obscuring some of the details and causing damage when they were removed. Other stuff too. It clearly showed they had no idea how online retail worked. And they got very snarky when people pointed out their shortcomings, claiming it was for charity so they shouldn't be complaining.

I see little evidence that anyone with decision-making power at eBay has any kind of clue how selling on eBay works. Like removing the order details from buyer messages. Who would think that's a good idea?

I've been selling here for about 20 years now and I've seen a lof 'last nail in the coffin' type posts over the years, but something drastically needs to change IMO, or eBay is going to get worse, which is sad.

[bravergrace]

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@british-ceramics-and-paintings wrote:

Sorry to go back to my opening post as I don't want to dwell on it however if 95% of the listings shown on the UK site are from overseas sellers it's little wonder why so many UK business sellers appear to be struggling / have had enough of selling on Ebay.

I would love to see the numbers in terms of how many UK based users buy items from sellers based overseas, in most categories I would say the percentage is likely to be very very low, close to zero in some categories so why on earth are overseas listings dominating so much.

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I have a different perspective on this, because I sell in categories where there is a great deal of international trade.  

- In some categories, collectors are very happy to buy from abroad, because the items are fairly rare, and they can't get them in their home countries.  You've just spilt your printer ink over volume 14 of an 18th-century set of sermons from Oklahoma.   You'll probably not want to restrict your search to the UK.  Similarly with antique china, and replacement parts for vintage motorcycles.

- In some categories, UK-made stuff is desirable (eg men's collars).  International buyers will pay a premium for it, and there may be more international buyers than UK buyers.

Over the course of a year - most years - international trade fluctuates.  eBay sites play with international visibility, or alter their categories so "foreign" items don't show up on the main search. Governments set taxes, onerous paperwork and customs duties to discourage imports.  This has a big impact - and when the American eBay site does as you suggest and makes it really difficult for American buyers to see items from the UK, the trade in these categories goes through the floor.

I would suggest a big button at the top of the search, for "UK only" or "Worldwide".

This button is well hidden at present, but it needs to be prominent.  Otherwise buyers assume "there's nothing on eBay" and go to other sites.

[british-ceramics-and-paintings]

If items are rare they should be shown, I agree and have no problem with that however when a search returns 100k results and only 6k of them are in the UK I don't think it is the right approach.

I agree with your UK or worldwide button option as well, this has been mentioned many times before and seems like a simple and logical move yet ebay doesn't want to do it.

[just-got-personal]

Level the playing field.

Either apply "Sell for FREE" for all ie. Business and Private or  Everyone pays a minimal percentage FVF across the board, one so low that nobody feels the need to circumvent.  Happy sellers and cheaper prices for buyers, everyone's a winner including eBay who would see more sales.

Display MVL's listings in searches using the highest price to determine the position which will stop the 99p for a pair of curtains nonsense overnight.

Get rid of the links to other similar items on the checkout pages. Allow banner advertising for Brand awareness etc. from manufacturers and service providers.  Anyone that is not trying to nick the sale at the last possible moment.

Use AI to find and remove the low hanging fruit "Duplicate" listings which wouldn't be hard and would improve search results whilst not cost eBay anything in terms of lost listing charges.

eBay should step in and pay no fault refunds in cases where it is highly likely that the buyer is making false INR and abusing "Item not as described" returns and then warn/limit the regular offending buyers.

There's five minutes of my thinking on this subject that eBay can have for nothing!  I haven't thought any of it through and it may well be flawed but it won't get taken up anyway so it doesn't matter.

[the-nutwood-collection]

Perhaps it would help if eBay decision makers in the selling arena were given 25% of their salary in items, not money.  They would source packaging, photograph the items, decide on a price, create the listings, decide whether to promote, answer daft buyer messages and, when the item sold, pay business FVF, transaction fee, reg op fee, pack it and send it on its way.  As new sellers, they will have to wait weeks for payment.  

Their objective would be to make up the salary shortfall.  For every item that arrives after the EDD, a fine would be deducted from their wallet.  That shouldn't be an issue, because eBay will assure them that the EDD is always right.  They will be compelled to refund or replace any item that hasn't arrived within the three day INR window, and heavily fined for SNAD returns.  They will be called to their manager's office to explain themselves if their INRs are greater than those of their peers.  If their seller level drops to below standard the FVF will increase, their listings will be downgraded, and HR will put them on a performance plan devised by the Seller Clinic experts.

The items will be a mix of low-value LL, and high value scam magnets.  A percentage of the high value items must be offered worldwide.  If they encounter problems, they will call CS in the Philippines.  They will not be given access to Dublin CS. 

When they've demonstrated that they can consistently recover the salary shortfall, they can cease being an eBay trader and go forward to make sound decisions based on their experiences.   

[theelench]

I'd give you 10 Kudos if I could for the brief but spot-on summary of why ebay is failing increasing numbers of sellers.

To put it simply, ebay has become a horrible place to try to sell on for me as a private seller and (I'd guess) even worse for businesses trying to earn a living for it.

Too much effort for too little reward, while watching ebays earnings grow.  Only to see them siphoned off and given to shareholders while the site falls to pieces around them  -- and us, if you are still trying to use it.

[pillarboxred]

Honest to goodness, "Impressionist Painting" is a ludicrous thing to search for on eBay. If you found one, you would be doing well.

[pillarboxred]

An Impressionist Painting would be a good item to offer internationally as the interest would be world-wide. Apart from your example not being a good one, I agree with the argument you make.

I am now listing more items for UK only as I am fed up with eBay taking the lion's share of the proceeds: you paid £20 for an item, it sold for £40 plus £35, postage a total to a foreign buyer of £75. Ebay takes £7.50  plus listing fee and wrapping materials cost £5. Your profit dwindles to  £7.50. Oh, I forgot about Promotion. Your profit goes down to about £2.50.

The UK market is large enough to find a consumer to buy most items. The days of North American buyers paying a premium over the UK price seems to have gone. North American sales just have more expensive postage and larger eBay fees.

[pillarboxred]

And it is why most UK antiques and collectables dealers are giving eBay the heave-ho. I've been told that they do better at car boot sales: one said he can go home with £800 having sold a lot of things quite cheaply  and the time and work of turning it into more on eBay isn't worth it.

[pillarboxred]

Ebay doesn't work the straightforward Search of Title/Specifics and Description to work. They want us to pay up for "better placement". 

[charleysshop]

From 20th ish! Of January 2025, private sellers will be limited to 100 listings. I only happened to come across this announcement when I was looking at the subscription packages on eBay help section. This is a step in the right direction but many more steps are needed yet!

[mrdandt]

@charleysshop this sounds like promising step in the right direction from ebay if this happens.

There seems to be a growing number of business trading under private accounts that crippling genuine businesses trying to make a honest living. @charleysshop would it be possible to share the page you found this, i would be interested in reading it.   

[british-ceramics-and-paintings]

Hi,

Do you have a link to this ?

Thanks

[wyntersemporium]

Probably the same one I saw 

[bojangled]

@charleysshop 

I’ve had a good dig around in Help section and announcements, can’t find this info. 
Only the Subscription notice that if as a private seller you have a shop you get the extra 100 free listings, but that’s not really new. 
Jo

[charleysshop]

Annoyingly, I now cannot find it. Maybe it has been removed? It was definitely there in a red box that I read out to my partner, so I’m not imagining it!

[charleysshop]

Sorry no, I cannot find it now! But, it was definitely there in a red box. I wonder if it’s been removed?

[charleysshop]

Hi Jo, 

it definitely wasn’t about the extra 100 listings. I read it out to my partner and we were discussing it, saying that will help to improve things.

Charley

[cosmic_vintage_clothing]

Offer business sellers a pick and mix option for number of fixed price listings and auction allowance. For most sellers its either one of 2 options, basic or featured, the jump in price to anchor is crazy, and not affordable or viable for most sellers.

Get rid of basic , featured and anchor, and give an option of, for example increments of 500 fixed price listings for a set price, and something similar for auction allowance.

[bojangled]

@cosmic_vintage_clothing I would welcome a discussion into that set up, the  leap from featured to anchor isn’t something I can contemplate at that price increase. 
Mix up the 600 auctions for those that don’t need/want/use them, or as you say make it an option. 
Jo