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?

[twin--turbo]

Not sold much in 2025, I have been very busy with other things though so not done much listing.

But.

I went and had a look, as a buyer, at vinted and spent £100 there and not on ebay....  Vinted is utter *bleep* though in terms of the platform, it's almost a total turn off but I am just about able to do what I need to. 

[thevinylrevolution]

No!
Sent from my iPhone

[signed-sealed-delivered]

YES ebay fast becoming a closed market, they are killing sellers off and killing buyers who are shopping  in other markets, ebay only interested in China!

[ecjewelleryuk]

Yes, A drastic change since beginning of the month.  I have been selling handmade jewellery for a few years and it has been quite good until now.  I have a clean sheet 100% positive feedbacks etc....  I can't afford to put the prices down as they are already very low.

Ebay should show the real price of the item as the seller is listing it, then add the BPF at check out, and they should add the buyer protection fees only to new sellers and sellers listing 2nd hand items (Like in vinted) and not to small sellers trying to make a living with handmade crafted items..... not good. 

[lucy_farmer]

'And not to small sellers trying to make a living with handmade crafted items..... not good. '

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Hello especarmona,

There are a few reasons why ebay have made these changes (mostly to do with dragging more money out of sellers, it has to be admitted!)

But one of those reasons appears to be to persuade people who are trading (i.e. small businesses like yours) on private account , to change to business acounts.

(They're doing this by making the payment holds and BPF awkward and un-wieldy to do business around, in the hope you'll change to a business account, where there are none of these changes)

I can quite understand *why* small businesses sell on private accounts and have been doing so for years : ebay have basically been encouraging them to do so (with 1000's of listings, 'shops', 'out of stock options', 'multi buy options' etc) and have never be active in telling sellers what sort of account they *should* be on.

Unfortunately, business selling on a private account is actually against UK Consumer Law .

You *should* be on a business account, and in my view, ebay should have been a lot more pro-active in letting sellers like you know this ☹️

[snowgeese2007]

Hi thanks for your post. I understand, this now makes sense.

[ecjewelleryuk]

Hi Lucy,

Thank you for your reply.

I totally understand your point but just to mention that I am registered self-employed, I declare all ebay earnings on my tax return, I pay my taxes so I am within the law.

I can not be on an ebay business account as I can not afford £20 each month. It is sad, isn't it.

I would prefer to pay ebay a % for each item I sell as we did before. This method is fair for both parties.

e

[signed-sealed-delivered]

i DID NOT MENTION THAT, nor have i any interest in your business activities
- you asked in relation to lack of sales, I made a reply! Temu have also
took a massive chunk from ebay buyers as 50 to 70% lower price, have a
look, if you do not already know about TEMU.co.uk

[buffster1963]

---

@ecjewelleryuk wrote:

Hi Lucy,

Thank you for your reply.

I totally understand your point but just to mention that I am registered self-employed, I declare all ebay earnings on my tax return, I pay my taxes so I am within the law.

I can not be on an ebay business account as I can not afford £20 each month. It is sad, isn't it.

I would prefer to pay ebay a % for each item I sell as we did before. This method is fair for both parties.

e

---

Business accounts are free unless you subscribe to a shop. As it is, your buyers are now paying fees they do not need to, plus you are breaking consumer law. You are doing everything else right and say you would prefer to pay fees, so why not upgrade to a business account? 

[buffster1963]

---

@signed-sealed-delivered wrote:
i DID NOT MENTION THAT, nor have i any interest in your business activities
- you asked in relation to lack of sales, I made a reply! Temu have also
took a massive chunk from ebay buyers as 50 to 70% lower price, have a
look, if you do not already know about TEMU.co.uk

---

That poster was replying to somebody else. Please check the name at the top before being rude. 

[hayes1645]

Not sure who is getting knarky with who but chill everyone and be kind and
respectful pls.

[onlinehawker2011]

I buy and selling eBay daily

Since the buyer protection fee has been added I have noticed a huge drop in sales.. I always market my items at very reasonable prices if not the lowest on eBay... I spoke to eBay and it is only UK buyers that are being charged..some of my items have been automatically put up by £40.. on the sellers side you can only see the prices you put on you have to click in to the item to see the price the buyer will actually pay.. so when I'm scrolling down my items or wanting to send out an offer I have no idea what the price or offer looks like on their end..  I am no longer the cheapest on eBay with a few items so obviously customers are going elsewhere.. also eBay sellers that are marked as businesses..their customers do not have to pay the buyer protection fee. it is only for eBay sellers in the UK that are private not business...

[lyndylooops]

Absolutely. I cannot understand why people seem to enjoy being so nasty.
Especially engagers and advisors... be ashamed.
Just play nice and help each other. All kinds of sellers are at the mercy
of ebay at various times so stick together to make it better. People power.
..?

[scarlets247]

Take no notice of the Mentors on here as most don't sell on here on regular bases so they cant give you any worth while Advice but from a person that runs a business here and trying to make a living sales are rock bottom at the Moment and yes since they brought in all this not so good stuff and will get worse.

Why would buyers what to pay a charge for the privilege of shopping on eBay they dont and they won't so it's only going to get worse unless ebay see sense and do a few roll backs and If I was them I would do it sooner rather then Later..  

Best to talk to people that sell!

Moving from a Private to a business will not make any difference to your sales performance What so ever and will not get you anymore sales as only a limited few are getting the traffic It all come's down to visibility and the fabulous not so great search Engine and how much you want to pay extra to eBay for the visibility.

But that dont even work most of the time the sites Broken and Has been for a long time.

Hope it Helps and best of luck selling..

[papso22]

Most mentors use posting accounts and do not post with their main selling accounts.

[andha-21]

Let me guess. You run a store specialising in whips?

[hayes1645]

Stop it and grow up.

[andha-21]

Believe it or not, I'm not actually being nasty. I actually quite enjoy Papso's posting style. Sharp and abrupt.

[*devils.advocate*]

Leaving any asinine comments apart, some sellers still use posting accounts in case idiots take exception to any comments/posts and “ruin” current listings.

It was rampant before (reference the old Boards) and could very easily happen again today.

Once bitten ……………….

It’s what said which is important, not who says it.

[vintique*violet]

I do not know about the " mentors" or their selling activities...however  as a long time seller and buyer for over 17 years, I removed my few listings ( only sold a few items in 3 months anyhow as no visibility for whatever reason unbeknownst and ebay are not letting on 😉 ) giving myself a holiday break for a month to digest all of the new information plus due to some personal health reasons...some of which are not  conducive to the new " selling rules" for private sellers particularly Simple Delivery....  but wanted to make it clear that registering  as a business seller (  to avoid the funds held and BPF etc) on eBay when you are not running a business can open another  " can of worms"... particularly with HMRC... so please people if you are not trading and are selling your own items, research further so that you can do the right thing by and for yourself.