EBAY BUSINESS of 20+ YEARS BUYING FROM PRIVATE SELLERS - NO MORE

[felix7black]

Well I've just had an interesting conversation with an eBay customer service chap based in Ireland who judging from the tone of voice used has been told to robustly defend the Buyer Protection Fee (BPF), as in his job depends on it attitude, that eBay have introduced that now effects buying from private sellers. Now as  business seller I operate on thin enough margins now that eBay take 20% off me plus VAT on sales, even worse when you add in the VAT theu take for EU sales. The most recent order I have placed was for gross GBP36 and change of which over GBP7 plus was the so called BPF,  as a buyer that's a 25% premium I have just paid for nothing other than inflating eBay's bottom line.  I am guessing the seller has no option but to include BPF, as opting out, which would be the easiest solution, does not seem to have crossed the eBay' execs mind. This is now over inflating the prices that a potential buyer sees and if eBay sellers are buying from private sellers reducing their margin overnight by 25% on those goods bought.  The net effect is that I will not be buying from private sellers anymore and once sellers release that there lising prices are over inflated by 25% I would hope they look elsewhere like Vinted etc. EBay seem to be doing a Ratner or as the current generation call it, a Musk, and shooting their brand in the foot. 

As a foot note* the Customer Service chap 'said' he would pass on the feedback....  in all the years I have had to contact eBay, which until lately was maybe once a year, I have never seen feedback responded to. 

[jckl1957]

I found this slightly confusing:

'The most recent order I have placed was for gross GBP36 and change of which over GBP7 plus was the so called BPF'

Are you saying that you were charged over £7 on a single item?

BPF is 4% + 75p per item so, if you buy a lot of low value items, the the BPF will be proportionately very high.  On 10 items the seller priced at 99p, you might be paying over £7 to Ebay.

On a single item for £36, say the price the seller wanted was £34, the BPF would add £2.08 onto the price and the buyer would see that end price, rather than £34.

Ebay private sellers will still have unique items that you won't find for sale from business sellers.  Don't give up on them because some of your payment now goes to Ebay.