Ebay's new Buyers' protection fee from the 4th Feb

[rsbrickshop]

I'm a private seller. Items I sell are between £2.90 - £10. Is It just me or will ebay's new Buyers' protection fee from the 4th Feb make it near impossible to sell competitively. A few months ago Ebay got rid of Sellers' fees for private sellers, which was a welcome move. But this new change and getting rid of multi-buy discount for private sellers will make it worse than it was with the original fees.

[ricwat-3243]

I had a business account probably 7 or 8 years ago that I gave up on when eBay assisted a customer with a fraud (returned a light cluster as defective, when they actually returned their old defective unit, scrupulously cleaned - except for the dirt in the fixing screw recesses). About a month/6 weeks ago I got a "You haven't used your account for ages, we are wonderful" message - about the same time I'd just closed my previous private account to this one due to their appalling attitude... So, yep, they do trawl through dormant accounts. At least occasionally.

[Anonymous]

They,are treating us worse than employees!

They have no right at all to dictate postage options or hold on to your money. I'd love to see this tested in court by a bloody good lawer. I still think they are breaking consumer law.

[ricwat-3243]

It's probably legal, terms and conditions of use and all that, but it is based on the American way of doing things. That said, they clearly aren't, or choose not to be, aware of UK consumer law including on-line selling regulations, automatic 12 month refund/repair/exchange warranty on all goods sold (the US has 'limited warranties', i.e. no warranty in effect) and 'merchantable quality' for example. When selling as a business UK consumer law was never mentioned in their term and conditions (unless it was well hidden away somewhere). I wish I could remember their names, but a couple running an eBay shop had a wonderful YouTube thread running about a refund issue in which eBay instructed them to go to a Police station to get an non-existent form filled in by them that was supposed to be to do with a non-existent law. The couple, as they expected, got laughed at by the Police. All to avoid eBay admitting their refund policy had a gaping hole in it. 

[papso22]

Consumer law for online selling is between the seller (when they are a business), and the buyer.  Not ebay and anyone.

The MBG gives buyers' rights in addition to their consumer rights, and sellers agree to that when selling, in the same way they agree to let ebay be the final arbiter in disputes.

I am sure ebay understand their legal responsibilities perfectly well.

[ricwat-3243]

That's not the point - eBay will force you to refund irrespective of the law - have a watch of this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2dAa-afItU

[Anonymous]

Just look at the posts on here! 

[Anonymous]

They won't get away with it when 75% of account holders have gone elswhere.

[Anonymous]

The Rise Of Ebay: 1995-2023

The Slow Death  Of Ebay: 2023-4th February 2025

The End Of Ebay As We Know It:

February 2025 - ? *

*Answers on a postcard please to enter you into a free draw for an all expenses paid tour of eBay Headquarters. Lunch will only be provided to those that have bought into the LPF or Lunch Protection Fee.

N.B. As its in the States, no wokes please (Donald won't like it).

Good luck.

[papso22]

It is exactly the point.  When a seller uses ebay they allow ebay to act in accordance with the user agreement,  including the money back guarantee.  If sellers don't like that they shouldn't use ebay to sell.

There is very little seller protection.

[papso22]

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@Anonymous wrote:

They won't get away with it when 75% of account holders have gone elswhere.

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Where do you get 75% from?  Plucked out of thin air as usual?

[headfodder]

Just seen my first sale listing with BPF applied.  On my active items page I see 99p bid and on the actual listing its showing at £1.75 as the current bid, similar to what other folk here are reporting. I guess it will be a few months before we see the full effect but its certainly going to hit low cash value item sales IMO.  eBay will no doubt monitor changes in sales volumes from Private sales over the coming months and make a decision to continue or adjust in due course based on their revenue. I'm still pesonally baffled why they have made the change when the previous Private Sellers fee system was so transparent.

[jasonsdad]

I will miss Papso when I receive my final funds in 10 days 7 1/4 hours, trying to take down everyones comments isn’t an easy task, good luck to you, as an unpaid soldier we should at least salute you.

[jma2815]

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@Anonymous wrote:

They won't get away with it when 75% of account holders have gone elswhere.

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100% of private account holders could leave at this point and ebay would still be absolutely fine. 

[jasonsdad]

JMA,  welcome to earth.

[papso22]

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@jasonsdad wrote:
I will miss Papso when I receive my final funds in 10 days 7 1/4 hours, trying to take down everyones comments isn’t an easy task, good luck to you, as an unpaid soldier we should at least salute you.

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Well you never were one to appreciate factual information over sensationalism and anti ebay propaganda.

I won't miss you.

[jasonsdad]

Factual information like waiting 14 days for payment,  I believe I have understood that quite clearly,  I wasn't suggesting it will be longer than 14 days.

[privatebaldrick]

I've been lucky and managed to complete most of my clearout of old stuff before 4th Feb. I un-listed my remaining items that I allowed delivery for, on 5th Feb. Now my only listings are collection only. At least that way I get paid when the buyer collects, confirms receipt and my item actually leaves my hands.

When I sold my last delivery item (5th Feb) I watched something that was rare, irreplaceable and modestly valuable go into the Post Office's hands and I'd had no payment or indication of a payment in my eBay account (it just said pending). It wasn't a nice feeling. Luckily I did get paid before the item got delivered so eBay didn't apply the new new rules I guess.

I don't know of any company that works on a payment on (or 2 days after or even 14 days after) delivery basis, but that's what eBay now expects private sellers to accept. I guess they own the platform and provide it for free to private sellers so they do what they want. We are very much only the little people. 

I'll keep an eye on how things progress with all this, but for me, I'm done with selling anything privately that includes delivery. 

[ricwat-3243]

Nope, the point is that eBay are placing themselves above the law - consumer rights work both ways, a vendor is legally entitled to refuse a refund with sufficient grounds (I checked). eBay should assist the seller when necessary. After a very similar incident some years back I did indeed stop selling on eBay (business) as they, in effect, actively supported a fraudster. Not a good look - it means I inherently mistrust eBay and only buy/(used to) sell low value items now, and even then I'll look and see if they have their own web site first.  

[jma2815]

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@jasonsdad wrote:

JMA,  welcome to earth.

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What? 

[jasonsdad]

you wrote:-

 "100% of private account holders could leave at this point and ebay would still be absolutely fine " .       

          I think perhaps not,  but we can all have an opinion.  

 The EBay stock price is currently $68.50/share,   Hopefully it won't follow the fortunes of Nike whose SP was $170  just 3 years back and has continually fallen to $70 presently.    Nothing to do with me though,  I have no further interest.