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.

[vinylscot]

Why do you continue posting this nonsense on various threads, when YOUR OWN source clearly shows that visits to eBay.co.uk actually INCREASED in February 2025?

Here's the screen-shot again. Remember, this is the source that YOU provided. 

 

[kath3735_wxmjn]

I agree with you, as a private seller/buyer i never even thought that it was a problem, i just want someone to buy my item and i do not care two hoots whether they are private or business.  Whereas, as is often said,  my consumer rights are being broken by pseudo private sellers.    I also think that the majority of these type of sellers know exactly what they are doing!

[kath3735_wxmjn]

The question is though, does it bother you or are you just glad for the sale at the price you asked for?   I know in my car booting sundays it happens all the time but i care not, same as on here.   Just kick myself for not asking more for the item......

[kath3735_wxmjn]

My sales last feb - 5  this feb 15!   Go figure!   It depends on what you are selling.

[kath3735_wxmjn]

I really struggled when i started, a couple of my relatives were always going to show me and never got around to it (i am now selling their items on here - there is irony) but i battled through on the basics.  E bay guide is useless for the novice.   Then i discovered this site and so many of my problems etc were either already on here or i felt able to ask the question!    I just think e bay should actually promote this site a lot more for new users especially.

[kath3735_wxmjn]

you keep using that word 'most' but you have no real idea how many are put off or how many do not care.  A lot depends on the catergory of items that you sell.   

[andha-21]

@kath3735_wxmjn 

"I just think e bay should actually promote this site a lot more for new users especially."

Now that I would love to see happen, doubt it ever will though.

If everyone knew what the amount of *bleep* the eBay CS agents spew some might begin to think it's a deliberate business practice. That misinformation is their model.

Like the CS agents that advised someone to send an invoice via PayPal,

Like the CS agents that said invoicing is down because of Simple Delivery and that they don't need to worry, eBay will send the invoices for them,

Like CS agents giving authorisation for use of a different address that's supplied post sale via message.

Almost certainly loads more goodies too.

[lucy_farmer]

'I just think e bay should actually promote this site a lot more for new users especially."

Now that I would love to see happen, doubt it ever will though.

If everyone knew what the amount of *bleep* the eBay CS agents spew some might begin to think it's a deliberate business practice. That misinformation is their model.'

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Now I'm not a fan of conspiracy theories  (it's usually c**k-up then cover-up rather than on purpose!) but just occasionally even I get suspicious.....

And I've always wondered why ebay hid this place. It used to be so visible and un-missable in the top-right of your 'summary' page right next to 'watch list' etc.

Don't they want us to know how to solve problems?

Don't they want us to help each other out?

Don't they realise that a new user, who has problems they can't solve, answers they can't find, and 'official' advice that turns out to be complete cobblers, is going to push off and not come back? (and tell everybody they know that ebay is rubbish....)

If ebay did any staff training in CS, surely the 'total cobblers' advice would be improving? But it's not. It appears to be getting worse.

(I phoned ebay for advice about 16 or 17 years ago, and the advice given then was a lie, so this has nothing to do with 'new rules' confusing the staff)

Taking the most charitable view of ebay's attitude to helping users solve problems, you'd conclude that ebay just don't care.

The least charitable view is that it's done on purpose.☹️

[andha-21]

@vinylscot 

Not calling you out in a bad way, but my above post explains my reasoning for refusing to be drawn into the business seller Vs fake private seller argument.

It doesn't address the real problem.

eBay has been allowing it to happen, in some ways incentivising it.

So are fake private sellers the real problem or could it be that the real problem is the hypocritical, parasitic business model called eBay sat above them?

They are the ones letting what's happening happen.

What I see so many of you doing in these arguments is to me akin to curing the wrong thing. Even if you get rid of this problem, the real problem still remains.

[vinylscot]

You're absolutely right, but I do think you are splitting one problem into two.

eBay is hugely to blame for allowing this situation to develop - I don't think anyone on here would disagree with that.

However, the bogus "private" sellers taking advantage of the situation are at least equally to blame.

It's the old "speeding" problem. Are the police to blame for not enforcing the law, or are individual drivers to blame for taking advantage of the situation? The drivers know they are in the wrong, and acting illegally, but take the view that they are unlikely to be caught, as the police seem uninterested in enforcement. It's the same here.

[andha-21]

Sound logic

but if you accept that eBay are at least partly at fault here then the next logical question is are they intentionally allowing (you/others like you/business sellers/consumers losing rights) to be shafted?

There's no way they don't know this is happening so intent becomes questionable.

But following that through if you remove the bogus private sellers all you are doing is removing a single tool from their arsenal.

Do you think the shafting will stop?

Or do you think they may transfer out to a different tool?

I'm not getting the caring/considerate vibe from them. What I see is ruthless and very, very sneaky.

So my money is going out to the latter of those 2 questions.

So potentially all you accomplish is changing the way you're screwed. 

Sorry, I just don't see that as any form of progress.

[rsbrickshop]

 

 for lego it seems like there are more sellers but a lower sell through rate and lower selling price

 so less items are selling and the items that are sell for lower prices.

 

[rsbrickshop]

Sorry i ment to say about the selling price is that it is lower for the seller but in most cases higher for the buyer in markets that have not died yet.

[andha-21]

I don't look at stats like that, just go from my memory but that's exactly what's happening in the arenas I follow too.

Things spending weeks relisting when previously they would have sold instantly and auctions are bottoming out.

Yesterday I had a chance to get 2 really rare models I've always wanted. Not sure why but I lost one because my bid wasn't counted, yes it was in time. The other I won.

2 months ago they would have cost me north of £180. Yesterday with BPF and post I could probably have had them both for less than £130. Got the expensive one for £66.

[vinylscot]

Yes, some version of that would probably occur.

But, do you think the option is to continue turning a blind eye to such an egregious (sorry) abuse of the system?

If eBay can find a new way to "screw" people (and get away with it), then business logic would suggest that they do so.

The same business logic would suggest that, once you are no longer getting away with it, you need to change your approach, and eBay has made no suggestion that they have any inclination to do this. 

So you're right in that the power to resolve this issue lies with eBay, although I still maintain that the blame lies largely with the law-breaking individuals taking advantage of the lack of oversight.

[andha-21]

"But, do you think the option is to continue turning a blind eye to such an egregious (sorry) abuse of the system?"

If it distracts people from the bigger/real problems, possibly. What's the point of trying to win a battle if you know you still lose the war?

& what you guys doing, calling out every fake private seller out there, helps eBay. It doesn't help you. 

"If eBay can find a new way to "screw" people (and get away with it), then business logic would suggest that they do so."

If isn't a factor. It's more when and what. Could be as simple as increasing business seller fees, or making Simple Delivery mandatory for them too.

"The same business logic would suggest that, once you are no longer getting away with it, you need to change your approach, and eBay has made no suggestion that they have any inclination to do this."

If the users are constantly distracted complaining about the wrong things then by default they are getting away with it.

Right now, Invoicing. Loads complaining and rightly so. But they are complaining about the symptom, not the cause.

It's wood for the trees, hiding in plain sight 

"So you're right in that the power to resolve this issue lies with eBay, although I still maintain that the blame lies largely with the law-breaking individuals taking advantage of the lack of oversight"

& that's where we diverge again. If I go into hospital for treatment for Crabs and Stage 3 cancer and they only treat the crabs, turn round and smile at me and say "at least you aren't so itchy now", I'm going to be *bleep* off.

[podpages]

Exactly this. It used to be worthless to try to sell small items on ebay, then with free selling it was worth while, and now it pointless again. They should at least have no seller fees for items under a certain amount. 

Ebay seems like a ghost ship run by a very poor AI, no chance they will listen to feedback or just do things intelligently  

[jonat_broad]

They should at least have no seller fees for items under a certain amount.

Not a chance - for a start ebay would have a card transaction fee that they would have to pay.

Why would ebay take a loss on every single order placed under a certain amount?

This is the reason its free to sell on Facebook Marketplaces - no card transaction costs for facebook.

[carrotdrusus2]

Probably because there are not too many WW2 medals under a fiver.

[jonat_broad]

They should at least have no seller fees for items under a certain amount.

ebay at the very least have a card processing charge they would need to cover. They aren't a charity.