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?

[christine5224]

I’m going to use Vinted now. I’ve been with eBay since 2005 too. Like a lot of charity sellers, it’s the charities and those struggling financially that will miss out. Usually story unfortunately. Very hook luck to you.
Sent from my iPhone

[sawdoctor-uk]

I've been watching so many posts regarding the drop in sales over the past few years, and only now am i commenting because as a business it's completely died for me. I manufacture and sell bandsaw blades and up until 5 years ago, we was selling hundreds and close to thousands a month on two different ebay accounts, and roughly around 2022  we was only seeing a few hundred orders both accounts combined and come 2023/24 we was down to about roughly 50 a month and as of 2025 it's dead. We rarely get orders and i think what completely wiped us out, is ebays new policy on bladed goods, in which you can only use age verified postal services and the buyer has to age verify and from what i was told by an old customer, the only way a buyer can "age verify" is by using/ giving their credit card details! i had an elderly chap contact me the other day, to say he couldn't purchase and he didn't have a credit card to verify his age and i helped him as best as possible to no avail. So now i'm no longer getting orders on either of my two accounts. eBay has really gone too far with all the changes they've made. I'm looking to open an account on another platform soon, as it's no longer sustainable and especially at the cost of £35 a month per account for the shop and that i use promoted at the suggested percentage, with some being up there around the 20 to 30%! and some i've seen a lot higher and i'm still getting no sales. Hopefully everyone manages to find there way.

[embicycle]

Hello
I am appalled by your story , as a layman surely a bandsaw blade is a machinery part rather than an actual blade blade...
Have you considered selling your blades as a bandsaw kit , wherebyyou include several other parts with the blade , maybe lubricant etc!would that work 

[lucy_farmer]

'.....say he couldn't purchase and he didn't have a credit card to verify his age and i helped him as best as possible to no avail.'

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Yeah... this credit card thing means ebay is basically admitting that their 'age limit system' for setting up an ebay account doesn't work.

Otherwise (as you *have* to be over 18, apparently!,  to have an ebay account) just being on here should be enough.

(Recently somebody on here who'd had an ebay account for 20 odd years was asked for credit card ID...... ebay seemed to suspect they'd opened their account when they were minus 2 years old.........😁)

[christine5224]

It is upsetting that eBay have treated their loyal sellers and couriers in this way. I received m email from parcels to go advising that sellers can only use Evri. I dislike Evri because of their customer service, so reluctant to use them. It’s time for us all to vote with our feet. EBay have made it clear they don’t want our business.
All the very best.
Christine

Sent from my iPhone

[geoffrey6322]

Exactly.


Sent from Sky Yahoo Mail for iPad

[4_bathrooms]

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@lucy_farmer wrote:

'.....say he couldn't purchase and he didn't have a credit card to verify his age and i helped him as best as possible to no avail.'

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

Yeah... this credit card thing means ebay is basically admitting that their 'age limit system' for setting up an ebay account doesn't work.

Otherwise (as you *have* to be over 18, apparently!,  to have an ebay account) just being on here should be enough.

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eBay doesn't perform any age verification when accounts are opened. Due to changes to the Offensive Weapons Act it is a legal requirement for the seller to perform age verification during purchase and during delivery of knives and many other bladed items that are purchased online. eBay do however seem to be over-complying with the Act and treating absolutely anything with a blade as requiring AV checks. The Government's guidance on knives and bladed items that cannot be sold to under 18s is here.

However, even if eBay did perform age verification during account creation the requirement for AV checks during purchase and delivery would still exist for bladed items that are covered by the OWA. This is because the OWA holds the seller (not eBay) responsible for performing the AV checks.

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@lucy_farmer wrote:

(Recently somebody on here who'd had an ebay account for 20 odd years was asked for credit card ID...... ebay seemed to suspect they'd opened their account when they were minus 2 years old.........😁)

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This sounds like eBay requesting proof of ID from a seller under eBay's "know your customer" obligations under their Anti-Money Laundering Regulations supervision. Again, eBay probably over-comply with the regulations but they're not going to risk any non-compliance. 

[modelrailwaysales]

Yes my sales have dropped as well. But then if you sell on ebay a long time you get the impression that is their intention for us smaller guys. They listen to nothing we say but just add more and more fees.......we need a fairer platform to come along !

[*maetrix*]

My sales have now come to a total stand still...have said (many times) before - if I ain't making any money on ebay then I ain't spending any money on ebay.

Honestly,how can you run a company so,so badly?...some of the decisions ebay are making are insane.

Are they now just burying their heads in the sand or is this self-destruction deliberate?

[specialk1937]

Yes, of course we need a fairer platform, and yes, ebay have got
complacent, after leading the field for so long. Time alone will tell
though, having been blinded by corporate greed, whether they will ever wake
up to the fact that they have shot themselves in the foot, by treating
Private Sellers with utter contempt!
My conclusions on this subject are simple. It doesn't matter in life
whatever grievances you have, it is important in the final analysis that
rather than *bleep*ing about it between one another, it is far better to make
a concerted effort by going and taking your complaints straight to the top
and to those who are causing the grief!
Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong in expressing concerns here, or
anywhere else. I certainly have done my share of it, but it is only the
tip of the iceberg, and in the final analysis all complaints should always
be aimed at those who make policy, so it is time that we all now confront
ebay with this issue! The bottom line will then be:- How many people are
they prepared to see leave the platform?
I have just directed my thoughts to ebay direct, as well as having posted a
notice on all my listings that I am having a clearance sale, and as things
stand will shortly be leaving the platform, and to thank all those who have
supported me for over 20 years of trading and for giving me nothing less
than a 100% feedback rating!

[ems.treasures83]

Same for me, I went from selling 20+ items a month to now nothing, plus I seem to be getting very very low offers on everything at less than half the price, never had that before.  I've got many items still listed but what's the point if nobody is buying? I'm going to have to move them to another platform.  Shame as Ebay used to be the best.

[iow-watches]

Totally agree too slow and greedy

[jma2815]

I carried on selling until SD was forced on me last Friday. 

After the BPF came in I started getting offers (by message, as I never had ‘best offer’ turned on) of £5 - £8 and once £2.50 on VGC Toast clothing items that always sell quickly and comfortably at the £30 - £40 mark. 

I don’t use V* nted but I believe that’s how it works there. 

[rhough2]

I tend to buy car parts, my wife buys and sometimes sells clothes, but we are both reducing our Ebay purchasing because:

1. Other external sources are cheaper, often MUCH cheaper.

2. Ebay adverts now look super scammy with weird pence added to starting bids. I believe these are Ebay fees that are being charged to the customer, well that's not really a great idea from a buyer's perspective.