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?

[kolhannigan]

I am going to try and move to more physical locations, car boots, market stalls, craft fairs etc

[papso22]

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@gr8-models wrote:

Not sold anything now for weeks

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You have sold 7 things in March, the latest being on the 7th.  Did you not notice them?

[kath3735_wxmjn]

not to mention the 20 in Feb!!  Then again why spoil a good story with actual facts!!!

[game_raid]

First time I've read about a private seller being concerned about having lots of stock that isn't selling.

My second hand items either sell or they don't, if not they go to charity because as we all know not everything can and will sell on here.

[papso22]

The last couple of days on this thread have produced yet another batch of businesses trading illegally on private accounts, is there no end to people's stupidity or arrogance?

[jow1995]

The problem is Ebay have allowed this to go on for far too long. I am old enough to remember the days when Ebay would advise sellers to become business sellers or stop trading. This seemed to ended approx 10 years ago.

[buffster1963]

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@papso22 wrote:

The last couple of days on this thread have produced yet another batch of businesses trading illegally on private accounts, is there no end to people's stupidity or arrogance?

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Apparently not. They just keep on coming. 

[papso22]

It's really difficult to think of a solution though.  One would be to make ebay legally responsible for members having the right account, the same as they are legally responsible for the  undeclared VAT from sellers who should be VAT registered, but that comes with a host of issues such as:

Who regulates them?  TS are already overwhelmed, it could end up being toothless.

What are the sanctions?  Perhaps a £5,000 fine per account?

What parameters do ebay use?  Would these be set down in the legislation?

What is to stop ebay protecting themselves by going after the genuine private sellers?

I have been involved in drafting legislation for years and it's a lot harder than it might seem to get it right and cover all the angles.

[hayes1645]

As a private seller my 'lots of stock' consists of my parent's lifetime
belonging now they have passed, my hoarding that I have now got to grips
with and my ridiculous overspending on Lego for my family and myself. I
have nothing new to sell. Maybe a few items listed 'as new' that have never
been opened or used but that's it. I'm clearing out before I die so I don't
leave an unholy job for my family.
I hope that answers your question!!!

[papso22]

They were not referring to you in their post.

[game_raid]

Not really as I didn't ask you or anyone else a question because I wasn't replying to you, I made an observation so please check who I was replying to before getting on your high horse and typing your own response.

[jow1995]

When i first started selling on ebay 16yrs ago i was selling my own tools. Not sure how long it was before i got the message to upgrade to a business account, but it certainly was not in the many 1000s.

I can speak with experience ebay are very hot on the VAT limits. 

Problem being the Chinese sellers on many accounts, who are registered to the same address, when you ask for a VAT receipt, most do not know what it is!

[hayes1645]

OK...point taken....we all make mistakes...I'm only human and getting
old....BE KIND pls!

[kath3735_wxmjn]

this is probably controversial but maybe a start would be to make the limit 300 items in total, not the way they do it now where you get the 300 (which is in reality not 300) but actually do not allow anything over that at all.  Whereas at the moment there are so many of these pseudo private sellers with over 1000 items.   They could make an exception for say stamps/postcards etc but then that would set off other sellers moaning.  Then again maybe those types of sellers could just sell as bundles.  

[kath3735_wxmjn]

It is the use of the term 'stock' that raises the question.  Most genuine private sellers would not refer to their stuff as 'stock' (not saying you are not one by the way but as a generalisation).  I for one have never considered my items (e bay or car boot) as stock and i have a small bedroom full of the junk!

[hayes1645]

OK, my grammar error, however I was only replying to someone who said they
had a lot of low priced stock....so I used the same word in my reply.

[kath3735_wxmjn]

using the wrong word is fatal on this forum, i have done it myself!  What you mean to say is sometimes nothing like what you meant to because so many are writing with their feelings and  it is so easy to miss out a vital word or use the wrong one which completely changes everything.   The problem is that so many on here complaining really are pseudo private buyers whose easy life is coming to an end but we are all caught in the web.

[hayes1645]

You are so right! Thank you for your understanding and kind reply.

[andha-21]

@kath3735_wxmjn 

Did you just say "word"?

How dare you, you fake business private seller you ..

No wonder you're always complaining...

😝

[hospitalpaul]

I only sell my collection .Get off your high horse this is a supportive group .Sent from my Galaxy