DROP IN SALES SINCE NEW BUYER PROTECTION 4TH FEB 2025

[lo.maggi]

Has anyone else noticed lack of sales since the buyer protection update 4th february 2025. I used to sell quite a lot and virtually sold nothing since 4th Feb. Can anyone else relate to this and what can we do?

[the_bald_orc]

Hasn't affected me, (yet)... Sales up 12% for the past 31 days compared to the same period previously.

[loftcellar]

Yes, I've had very low or zero views for many listings over last couple of weeks. I get feeling this new buyer fee will ruin it for a lot of low value sellers.

[pinkrabbitprinces82]

yes many complaints on here and their ukebay facebook and various internet forums as well. please read/sign and share my petition against this and also make your complaints direct to ebay as well as that is the most important thing, as legally they can't take forum comments as an official complaint.  https://www.change.org/p/ebay-gone-to-far-with-new-policy-change-from-4th-feb-2025

[kath3735_wxmjn]

you keep pushing this petition but it is factually wrong.  You claim that you will not get paid if it is not tracked and declared delivered.  That is completely incorrect.  You do get paid, just have to wait 14 days.

[jazz_monkey]

 And ebay don't listen, not much value in a petition that will be ignored. They've sent me plenty of surveys over the years and I'm absolutely certain nobody asked for this fee structure (I'm not arguing against the principle of fees). They'll only change course if this hurts revenue, though they'll probably try something else just as bad.

I just don't think they're very well run anymore and there's more competition now that wants to eat their lunch.

[eskimonell22]

I agree!! My sales have dropped too.. I think it’s so u fair! The way they add it to the sellers price instead of a separate cost at checkout is not fair. At least Vinted reflects it on their site, you know what you’re in for. If a buyer makes an offer, and I am amend the listing for that amount, then they complain. It’s not that amount it’s extra because of the insurance on top! Why should we lose out because of this! I’m fuming… so much for free to sell on eBay! Buyers were protected before this ‘insurance’ came in.. makes absolutely no difference now.. just everything is more expensive because of it.🤬

[kath3735_wxmjn]

over 1000 items of clothing and you are a private seller!  No wonder business sellers get so fed up, it really is time e bay took direct action instead of making us all suffer because of those selling incorrectly.

[lyndylooops]

*devils.advocate* Not accepting returns doesn’t affect the statutory
rights of genuine returns as per Ebays policy. But it does deter fraud
attempts by deliberately unscrupulous ‘buyers’ Swearing isn’t permitted
on here BTW – even backwards…

[eskimonell22]

Sent from my iPhone

[jow1995]

totally agree, seller has sold 10k of items and has the neck to come on here moaning!

[colins83]

I've been an eBay member since 2003 and started selling electronic components about three years ago. I don’t buy and resell components—these are simply items I’ve accumulated over 50 years in electronics.

To simplify pricing, I offer free postage (included in the item price). Under the old system, this didn’t matter much—I was charged 30p per listing plus a 1.28% fee, which applied to the total sale, including postage.

For example, if I sold an item for £2.50:

• eBay took 62p

• The post office took £1.55

• Leaving me with just 33p.

When eBay introduced free listings, I lowered my prices by 20-30p. Now, I sell the same item for £2.20, still paying £1.55 for postage. While I make a little more per item (65p instead of 33p), customers also save, paying 65p instead of 95p—a win-win.

But now? That same item listed at £2.20 costs the customer:

• £2.20 + 4% + 75p = £3.04
  Meaning they now pay £1.49 for the item instead of 65p.

Thanks, eBay—you really know how to look after the little guy.

Unsurprisingly, my sales have tanked. To make matters worse, eBay is withholding over £100 of my funds, supposedly for "Buyer Protection." With around 60 million private sellers in the UK, even if they hold just 1p per seller, that's £600,000 sitting in eBay’s bank for a month. Imagine the interest they’re making!

If this money is meant to fund the Buyer Protection scheme, then isn’t that illegal? It’s our money. I certainly didn’t give them permission to use my funds to run their business—did you?

Meanwhile, eBay reportedly has 300,000 business sellers in the UK. So, let me get this straight—60 million private sellers versus 300,000 business sellers. It’s clear where eBay’s priorities lie. But here’s the issue: private sellers are also customers for those business sellers. If we all move to platforms like Vinted, Facebook Marketplace, eBid, or Amazon, who will they sell to?

My options:

1. Shut up and accept it – Keep making one or two sales because you "can’t fight the bully."

2. Become a business seller – But I don’t buy, manufacture, or source items for resale. So, I’d be a fake business seller—just like the 60 million other “fake” private sellers undercutting real businesses.

3. Move to a different platform – Maybe it’s time.

eBay, how do you justify charging my customers 75p for Buyer Protection on an item that costs 65p?

Take off the clown suits, put away the oversized boots, and stop trampling on the very people who made you what you are.

[colins83]

My Listing price is 2.50 but when a buyer views the listing the price is shown as 3.35p , I include the postage of 1.55 in the price so the customer is paying for the item  0.95  plus 0.85p buyer protection. That can't be justified.  

[lucy_farmer]

'If this money is meant to fund the Buyer Protection scheme, then isn’t that illegal? It’s our money. I certainly didn’t give them permission to use my funds to run their business—did you?'

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unfortunately, yes.  We all did. Simply by using ebay.

(*using* ebay is their version of 'tick this box to say you agree with our terms and conditions' . And ebay are well aware that very few people wade through the entire pile of  impenetrable legalese and turgid business bullsh** that makes up 95% of all companies T's and C's )

[mle_supplies]

Alright, buckle up, eBay sellers, because it's rant time!

Basically, my eBay accounts (yes, plural, because I like pain) are flatter than a pancake. It's not just the "buyer pays fee" (BPF) scare, though that's a gem. Turns out, buyers mostly click "buy" and don't care if it's Brenda's attic or "MegaCorp Inc." (I miss the good old days of private seller TLC).

But now, the internet's screaming "eBay = Extra Costs!" and buyers are scarpering. Result? Everyone's broke. UK sellers, especially those not shifting clothes, are stuck. (Anyone know alternatives? My sanity depends on it.)

eBay tries this BPF madness in the US? They'll join AOL in the "remember them?" graveyard. They're not that stupid, though. They'll ditch this dud and invent a new, equally bonkers scheme.

BPF idea? Should've been optional. Data, eBay, data! Missed opportunity.

Sorry for the rant, but thanks for the free time, eBay! (Guess I'll go stare at a wall now.)

[t_purdy]

I have noticed a drop too, and this system is a joke as a buyer and a seller!

As a seller I don't mind so much that the money is held by eBay and I understand why they are doing it, but charging the buyer a % fee to do it is bulls**t considering the interest eBay must earn for holding the sellers money in their accounts. Not only that as a seller one has to attempt to adjust the listing price to counter eBays stupid buyer fees which means the seller won't get nearly as much as they should!

Edit: I too would like help finding somewhere else I can buy and sell stuff.

[ccccchhrriis]

As far as im concerned ebay have *bleep* it,after 20+ years here i look at ebay as a parasite just like 2 tier stalinmers lot.

We knew where we stood with paying sellers fees etc and could understand it all.(the postage fees were the start of the decline).

I am not alone in ending listings that are not cash on collection only,5 of my selling mates have quit here now and have also stopped buying  here.

I eagerly await more of the ebay fanbois attempts at justification.

[valleyrc1]

Is there anything worse than unsubtly shoehorning political views into places they don't belong....

[cartermk]

It seems to me that effectively ebay have just hiked their fees for sellers by 75p + 4%. Its no good saying the buyer pays - there is an amount that buyers will pay for an item and you have to price within that or the buyer will go elsewhere. It would be better to be explicit about the seller paying the fee - that would at least make things less messy at the buyers end.

[t_purdy]

I agree, The old way was fine and there is enough buyer protection out there from eBay its self (which I have had to use a few times due to scammers) to Paypal to your bank / credit card!

[cartermk]

I think it depens onwhen the item wa slisted - I see the new items I am listing include the BPF inthe listing itself -but someof my older listings do not have it yet - only when they get relisted