Promoted listing costs - what a con.

[berkshire-bazaar]

As a 20 year veteron of selling on ebay at various levels (£1m+ business to a hobby business), ive seen lots of changes.  What I am quite alarmed about is the costs of promoting your listing on effectively a closed site (ebay!).  Ive experimented and it makes little difference as to whether I put 15-20% promoted listing levy on an item, or just rely on organic search.  Ebay have effectively doubled their fees in a sneaky way with promoted listings, yet they release videos of how much they care about business.  Ive never seen such a hike in costs of sale on ebay as in 2023, and yet one of the most difficult years for business.  Instead of spending thousands running roadshows and giving out awards, just reduce  your fees and cap it at 10%.  I fear that the decline of ebay as a viable place to sell with just intensify.

[mybrandoutlet*]

100% Agree.

Independent sellers are paying marketing fees for not much in return as the big boys on eBay have larger marketing budgets to burn on this type of advertisement.

Controlling customer choice is ultimately illegal under the Monoploies act. Google The Us Justice dept acting against Google in respect to search term tech and monopoly.

[tech-tonix]

Of course it's the combination of the promoted listings (aka fee hike) scam *combined* with the impenetrable  & non-transparent algorithm favouring the big sellers. To the detriment of buyers who no longer effectively see the cheaper stuff from smaller sellers. Problem re: Monopolies Act is Ebay would always claim there are other "channels" like Amazon, Etsy, Facebook & the rest to "provide choice"

[mybrandoutlet*]

Amazon does promote price... But the other SE's and Market places agreed do not.  Be interesting to see how the case for the US Justice dept develops against google in the US... As they are targeting SEO, Sponsored ads etc under the guise of the technology that controls the SE is ultimately resticting the customer's 'freedom of choice'...  Even though there are hundreds of other channels a customer can buy from, if the customer's freedom of choice is being restricted / controled and consiquently that controlled choice is of financial gain to the SE then the US Justice Dept see that this ultimately defies US the monoplies laws in place there, hense the case.

Not so long go all the the US Market Places were avoiding co-orporation tax etc and now have to have UK registed businesses for tax purposes of both the market place and us as business sellers.. So I personally do believe that SEO will in turn come under the government spotlight, it's gained too much pace the past 5 years to not do so. 

Also, interestingly enough my store's number of impressions have halved in Dec without paying for ads....  The decline corrolates with eBays claim that the sponsored ads improve impressions by 200%... Rant over 🙂 

[nigel_paul_wright7557]

If someone wants your items then it doesnt matter if its promoted or not they will find it.

The problem comes when your selling same thing as hundreds of other sellers.

Best way to use ebay is with rarer items that no one else sells.

You can then jack up the price and make some money.

[mfkv4568]

eBay' s promotion fees algorithm is so crazy that even if you choose the highest % they suggest, as soon as your listing is published you check again and their % suggested has significantly gone up 🤨

[mia18388u6p]

I still don't follow what the [extra if so] cost is if I use promote items? I am an private seller[retired]offering myprivate collections of many years, any advice welcome MIA [A.Griebler]

[trekker9999_123]

I had the same experience.  Ebay add fees are just disgusting. They basically force sellers to click on add fees because they block traffic to the item otherwise. Only when ad fees are activated an item gets traffic. In many cases ebay steals 20 or 30% of the item value in fees. I am not even sure how they scam those fees is legal. There is no transparency over the traffic flow. The scam works because they force people to use adds. Until everyone leaves of course..

[mia18388u6p]

thank you for message once I have sold my personal collections I will stop
anyway so their new sheme is of no value or use to me now but thanks anyway
MIA [A.Griebler]

[do_76658]

Do you think you have to offer some sort of percentage promotion fee ie 5% accross all your listings just to appease the algorithym . Theres no way at all I could afford their suggestions ( 17% anyone!!??)  on some products.

I think I am going to see what happens when I take all my 5% ' off my listings.

[dunstun365]

Yes, I get very few views on listings now & take forever to sell so I tried some promoted listings recently.  3 out of my last 5 listings sold were promoted but 2 of these were for only £5 each (incl shipping) so I got very little for the items. Better off selling them on Amazon because at least the tell you the fees which you pay upfront which ebay doesn't just the confusing pecentages. Now the listings say £1 per day campaign cost which is hard for the ordinary seller like me to understand.

[loande-73]

Absolutely agree. I was shocked by costs to sell a roll of fabric, I foolishly promoted. Sold for £185 , paid nearly £45  in costs, excluding postage.

If this wasn't disappointing enough, I was informed Ebay wouldn't be paying monies  for 2 weeks as I am a relatively infrequent seller.

[berkshire-bazaar]

You will pay ebays final value fees (10+%) then on top a variable % promoted fee (typically 10 to 20%) to get your item seen.

[berkshire-bazaar]

I've tried different methods including capping at 5% - if you go below their suggested amount if drops your position to obscurity.  What if found aswell is Chinese sellers selling fakes of genuine brands I sell - they hike up the promoted costs to 20%, so when I compete with genuine items, I can't!!  I reported them as fakes and got told by ebay that I was doing too many reports!! You can't win.

[debbie3858]

Hi, I agree with you they are a con. Do you know how to cancel the promotion setting on an item.?

[berkshire-bazaar]

You have to go into the app, select a listing, and click the 3 dots, then
click "edit promoted listing" then "cancel promotion"

[nannasattictreasure]

Im what they seem to now call a veteran, selling since Ebay uk started. I'm not a big price seller just my collections of stuff and various one off items.

I've been angry about their promote your item charge since it started. Surely, as I've said before,  if NO ONE PROMOTED we'd all be on level playing field anyway?? So WHY DO WE DO IT? I've  sold 20+ years before they dreamt up the scam. 

Also you used to get regular Free FVF offers now they've  whittled that to 80% ... no end to their sneaky ways. Then there's the way  "good till sold" isn't now actually that.  Anyway rant over, as everyone says just leave but I've sold so long it's just sickening that they do it in such a sneaky complex way instead of 1 upfront price.

[berkshire-bazaar]

Fully agree with your points. It's just a way of doubling fees. I'm glad
I just sell as a hobby now.

Places like vinted, b&q and other marketplaces are more viable for
commercial sellers.

[nannasattictreasure]

Hi Berkshire B. Im beginning to think Im being persecuted for having the nerve to comment on Ebay fees!!

I've sold NOTHING for weeks, the last one was a refund as Royal Mail didn't deliver?? 😫🤣😫

Have they made my 125 LISTINGS invisible  ??  Can "they" do this?  After 25 YEARS  on here ! Aaaggghhh. X

[trekker9999_123]

I am convinced that EBay 100% controls the visibility of all listings
without sellers knowledge. For example my listing often do not get a single
view until I pay extra for promotions. I only sell popular items and always
at low prices but still I don’t get visibility until I pay 20% promotional
fee to EBay (and that’s on top of all normal fees).
Essentially it’s a scam as EBay does not disclose how they manipulate
traffic.