Final Value Fee on Postage

[mh297]

Why do ebay cream money off for a service they don't provide (postage) and is this legitimate?  Sellers advertising a legitimate postage cost, on top of the value of an item, are left out of pocket due to a 'final value fee on postage'.  I understand the significant profits made on the value of items that supports the ebay that we have clearly all created but I do not understand how this can be justified for postage costs or how this can possibly encourage fair pricing.  Lesson learned for me - ebay will be my last choice for buying and I'll never sell on here again.  Can non-legitmate or disproportionate costs be recovered?

[*guinevere*]

Ebay have been charging FVFs on postage for over 4 years now, and the reason they started it was because some sellers were blatantly overcharging and making a profit on postage.

They would sell a £20 item for 99p and charge £21 postage.

Most sellers nowadays add the price of P&P to the price of the item and sell post free or charge very little postage.

[tressygirl]

There is a reason for this,  and yes it is legitimate,  it has been in place now for quite a few years.

In the past,  some sellers had found a loophole for not paying any seller fees.  For example,   if you listed an item for 99p and added say,  a £60 postage you received £60.99 for the sale,  but did not pay a penny in fees to eBay.  As you can appreicate,  this could not be tolerated,  so now this cannot be achieved,  the playing field is equal fo all. 

So,  it is not eBay,  but the few who spoilt it for the many.  Those offering ' Free Postage'  always paid this fee.

Calculate this extra cost,  add it to your starting price,  so the buyer pays,  and you are not out of pocket.

[mh297]

Hi and thanks for the extremely sensible response. I take your point but I can't perpetuate the situation anymore so I'll just walk away. I'm an extremely little fish and will make no difference. Clearly, if everyone did the same, ebay wouldn't be so lazy about their solution. Imagine a world in which things were just 🙂

Thanks again for the response - what you suggest is a way ahead currently but I can't perpetuate the situation.

[tressygirl]

Fully understand, and thankfully we live in a society where we do have those choices to just walk away !

[*vyolla*]

When this was introduced over 4 years ago there was a big outcry about it, and many sellers who claimed to be top dollar lawyers or have access to top dollar lawyers/Watchdog show producers/journalists were going to stop it because they decided it was illegal.

Years later we're still stuck with it so clearly it's not illegal.

[plpmr]

"is this legitimate?" - Yes as you signed eBay T&C.

This charge has been in for over 4 years, you must have noticed before now?

[mh297]

Thanks for the comment. I've noticed and fallen into line like the sheep that I am. I thought that putting the exact postage cost on the last item I sold was fair, I don't want to make a profit on something I don't provide, it's not legitimate; it doesn't feel right and hence should not be tolerated. I appreciate I'm one voice and walking away makes no odds to anyone but me.

[tressygirl]

Please read my comment, see if that explains a little of why eBay had to do this, to stop those, avoiding paying their fees. That loophole , is no longer there.