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?

[janrom2]

This is going to kill sales dead.

If I went to Tesco and picked up a pack of burgers marked at £4, then got to the checkout and got told "that's £4.91 please", the burgers would stay in Tesco.  How many would accept that and buy anyway?  Maybe 10%, but it would not be many.

On here, a seller reducing heir prices would still have loads of buyers balking at the checkout because he price they would be charged is different to the advertised price.
Ebay clearly haven't thought this through.

It's almost as if someone put Trump in charge of Ebay.

[sdjwales]

Not sure why you're likening private sellers to Tesco?

More like you go to a car boot sale, and there's all manner of second hand items in varying conditions.

They all have the total price on them with small print under the label stating a buyer protection fee is incorporated into the price.

You are free to look over the items and determine which one you feel is the best value, and then you buy it.

If I go on ebay looking for a red jumper, I only have a vague price in mind, I'm not going to be like "oh this jumper is perfect but it's exactly 75p + 4% more than than I intended to pay, and I know there's one on another online marketplace that's exactly the same brand, condition and size but it's 75p and 4% less"

I don't see the issue for the most part unless you are consistently selling in competition to someone, which shouldn't be the case if you're a private seller, but if you are, you could always lower you price 75p + 4%, you don't have to pay a 13% final value fee, anymore, after all, so you can easily absorb that fee, and still be better off compared to last year.

"On here, a seller reducing heir prices would still have loads of buyers balking at the checkout because he price they would be charged is different to the advertised price."

You see the final price when you look at the item. It is broken down at the checkout. Just like when you buy from a Chinese seller and the VAT breakdown is shown at the checkout but the total is the same as you saw on the item page.

[lucy_farmer]

'But if a private seller pays their tax, why do they need to register as a business seller on ebay.  If ebay doesn't set a clear definition on what constitutes a private seller as opposed to a business seller, why can't people remain as private sellers? '

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The rules about what constitutes a private seller as opposed to a business seller aren't set by ebay.

They're set by UK consumer law.

Which states : if you buy, make or grow something with the intention of selling it on, you are a business. And as such you have to adhere to online business selling laws.

(And there's lot of them; and ebay's private sellers don't have to worry about them...mostly!)

It doesn't matter how much money you do or don't make, or how many sales you do or don't make.

Consumer law isn't interested in how much money you make in your business, or even whether or not you pay your tax;  worrying about that is HMRC's job.  (and they *are* interested. And soon all online selling financial details will be given to HMRC, so they'll know what everybody is up to)

Another part of the UK Consumer law about online trading, is that you have to have your business contact details on your listings.... ebay resolutely refuse to allow private sellers to have any contact details available to potential buyers ; this stops easy 'off ebay' selling.

Basically, the business-or-not definitions are not ebay's to legislate.... they have to follow the laws of the country they're operating in....

[rabwendy]

Hi if you lower the price the buyer still has to pay the 4% + £0.75 your price is lower but they still see a buyers fee. That’s the problem 


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[jma2815]

That’s my problem with it -  Any seller who lowers their price because of the BPF during listing may well find that they’’ll have to make a performance of lowering it again to get a sale. 

Buyers who know about and object to the fee won’t know (or believe) that the price already takes it into account, they’ll just see a fee.  Some will just not buy, and some, perhaps those used to Vin ted, (where very low offers are often accepted) will make a low ball offer, demand to be sent an offer, or ask for the fee amount to be removed by the seller just before checkout. These are the buyers that need a ‘deal’ to feel that they’ve ‘won’. 

There will of course be those who will either not notice it, think the overall price is OK, or just really want the item. They will just go ahead and purchase, but I’d be surprised if most buyers fall into that category. 

[wyntersemporium]

Other places also have this buyer protection though 

[wyntersemporium]

Why?? I already pay lots to eBay. Only get a pittance back now. 

[wyntersemporium]

Same here started selling late 1990’s as a private seller. And then sister suggested i have a business as had to look after mum (since passed with dementia). And work from home. Which I still am. Used to get up to 20 sales per day. I’m lucky if I get one now. 

[wyntersemporium]

I’m a business seller and I don’t make a lot lucky to get one order per day now . This time last year it was 20 per day. Business is no longer viable. 

[wyntersemporium]

Not from the seller either. Hardly get any sales now 

[kath3735_wxmjn]

the BPF is included in the price you see advertised, when you put in a bid it shows what amount the BPF is of that amount.  So the original price was £1.75 say and the BPF of that is 77p,  

[kath3735_wxmjn]

but you are not being shown the wrong price, the price you are shown is what you will be charged, the BPF is included in that figure.

[kath3735_wxmjn]

i have bought one item and put a bid in for another and the buyers fee has not bothered me, i looked for an item and i wanted within the price range of what i was willing to pay, found them and could not care less how much goes to the seller or how much goes to e bay.   I got what i wanted for a price i was willing to pay.  I had specific wants and got what i wanted.

[rabwendy]

Hi I think people like yourself are very few on eBay and that’s the problem 


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[jazz_monkey]

I'd love to know whether ebay's traffic overall has dropped, the small private sellers are often also customers.  If the small private sellers aren't visiting the site, that probably impacts everyone.

[poshboutique2]

There has been a negative impact due to the BPF hence the complaints. I have had no viewings for a week, others are saying the same thing. eBay should be enticing buyers to buy on eBay not pushing them away.  Less buyers will also adversely impact business sellers on eBay so it is not good news for them either.

[lyndylooops]

Yes I really have noticed a general drop in buyer interest.  I am a genuine private seller selling  my and my parents possessions that we've accumulated over the years (at less than bought for) to try to top up our state pensions to a survival level.  There are a lot of real private sellers here for this very reason so please don't presume we're all hustling! Ebay used to be a good place to de clutter and find good homes for things.  Views and sales had been OKish and were dribbling in until the past couple of weeks when both views, watchers and sales have gone very quiet.  Buyer protection amounts have only just started showing on my listings.  I only noticed it when I went in from the front end of one of my own listings and saw a weird price with odd pence, which not only knocks out the pricing but gives the impression of currency conversion and that the seller is overseas which is very likely to put buyers off unless they take the time and trouble to check out the seller info.  Also I've had the odd item by specific artists who don't have lot of internet presence, yet still my listings don't show in Google et al when searched by name  - even after a while which indicates that ebay is investing little or no time or money on any kind of SEO.  No wonder little is selling...  Ebay does have the feel of being run as a primary school 'let's pretend to have our own business selling platform' project,  with the pupils arguing and trying new things every other day!  Ebay are also allowing some business sellers to advertise their mobile phone numbers on all their listings even after having multiple complaints logged about them over 9 months!  I had a listing erroneously blocked for a violation that even ebay themselves agreed did not exist but it was picked up automatically. and now they can't clear it!  Ebay would make a great example for a business studies course on 'How not to do it'!  Rant over but Wow the lack of professionalism is quite staggering!

[pinkrabbitprinces82]

its nothing to do with buyer protection at all, many have left including myself from selling and buying, i'm only keeping it open encase any disputes arise from last sales I had before 4th feb, i'm not even going to buy anymore. please read/sign and share my petition against the new policy. https://www.change.org/p/ebay-gone-to-far-with-new-policy-change-from-4th-feb-2025

[ghostbay-killah-420]

THE NEW BUYER PROTECTION is so rubbish hence why i am not buying much on ebay anymore i be mostly buying on amazon.

[*devils.advocate*]

LOL - no returns accepted - part of the problem and the cause of it.

As has been pointed out ad nauseam but you deliberately do ɹǝƃƃnq all about it.