Ebay's new buyer protection scam

So I have been a seller on and off her since June 2001, Over the years I have sent items recorded delivery that either never turn up , or arrive with no notification of delivery.  Now someone wants to charge a buyer a fee for safe delivery, when they would have been charged that in the P&P cost.  Frankly it sounds more like a scam than customer service and Ebay are also trying to force us to use their shipping option, So much for free enterprise, sound like trying to get the monopoly on delivery as well.  As for hanging on the sellers cash til 2 days after delivery, really so post office goes on strike and you don't get paid, Think I may start looking to leave. So much for eBay's loyalty to us .

 

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Re: Ebay's new buyer protection scam

Certainly not quiet, however, you put "quiet"when I suspect that you meant quite 🙂

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Re: Ebay's new buyer protection scam

As a buyer it’s both confusing and annoying. You receive an offer which is displayed at the sellers offer price. You choose to accept the offer and suddenly the price increases. It’s not necessarily a game changer, but on a number of occasions I’ve not proceeded with the sale out of frustration and annoyance that the price displayed isn’t the price paid. I wouldn’t accept that from a shop, so unless I REALLY want the item I won’t accept it from eBay. Sorry to the sellers that are losing out as a result, but eBay needs to realise if you play stupid games you’ll win stupid prizes.
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Re: Ebay's new buyer protection scam

The price a buyer is shown from a seller offer is supposed to have the buyer fee already added by ebay.  I'm not sure why that's not happening for you.

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Re: Ebay's new buyer protection scam

Not for me either 
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Re: Ebay's new buyer protection scam

The price a buyer is shown from a seller offer is supposed to have the buyer fee already added by ebay.  I'm not sure why that's not happening for you.”


yes it shows both. For example a buyer offers £8.50 (their total they wish to pay). EBay says you have an offer and you click on “review offer” it then says £7.48 (what you will receive). I think it’s ok. 

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Re: Ebay's new buyer protection scam

What a stupid statement. For smaller items people are paying more for postage and blackmail than the actual item.

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Re: Ebay's new buyer protection scam

Another thing Ive just noticed which isnt right either, I've been watching an item Im looking to buy if its still about, so I have added it to my watch list! 

 

The watchlist displays the item price the seller is selling for and then sure as *bleep* when you click to visit the page its more expensive due to the page displaying the price now including the BPF! 

 

I dont think the BPF is the part in dispute here (well not for me, I get it they still make their money on private sales, its just under the illusion of its being free to sell, the same way on Vinted) 

 

What is annoying is that its just not consistent! All it needs as ive said before is to have it all clearly laid out, seller price, postage fee then BPF with a total you pay, and when negotiating the sell price is the only thing that is lowered and subsequently the BPF will be reduce also due to it being sell price calculated.

 

There is plenty of space on the screens to display this easily in the app or browser. 

 

All it needs is to display each figure clearly so if you send an offer for £15 on a £20 item the seller knows they will be losing £5.00 if they want to go ahead, the rest is immaterial to the seller and the buyer then knows that on top of the £15 they need to pay £5 postage and £3 BPF as and example resulting in a total for the buyer of £23

Instead of £20 + £5 Postage + £4 BPF total £29 for the buyer) as a rough example.

 

It wouldnt be hard for them to do just show each of the figures like an invoice, thats all it needs.

The confusion comes when a possible buyer asks via contact seller, whats the best price and they start to negotiate rather than using their 3 strikes on the best offer system. If the Seller then say Ill take £45 for a £55 item the buyer is then seeing that £55 item inflated with the BFP fee so it might appear as £62, then when they put in their  offer of £45, it will be based on the price they will pay not the seller actual price. This means that the the buyer is offering making and offer that will end up being lower than price the seller agreed too as the buyer is is seeing a price that is already inflated and not the price the seller is actually selling for.

 

Which is exactly what I had when I first noticed this I agreed with someone id sell and item for £25 when I was selling it for £28 via chat and when they put it their bid it got rejected by the system as it came in lower than £25.00 limit as they thought i was selling it at the prices they see advertised!

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Re: Ebay's new buyer protection scam

Doesn't uk legislation already cover the buyer if the item does not arrive?

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Re: Ebay's new buyer protection scam

That isn’t what the buyer protection fee is to do with (it’s poorly named) 

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Re: Ebay's new buyer protection scam


@fizzingems wrote:

Doesn't uk legislation already cover the buyer if the item does not arrive?


No, not when purchasing from a private seller.   

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Re: Ebay's new buyer protection scam

If the item was sent by Royal Mail and it didn't arrive then don't part of
the delivery charge cover the insurance ?
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Re: Ebay's new buyer protection scam


@johnmay1947 wrote:
If the item was sent by Royal Mail and it didn't arrive then don't part of
the delivery charge cover the insurance ?

Yes, loss or damage in transit is covered by the amount charged by the carrier/broker (eBay in the case of Simple Delivery).

 

The Buyer Protection Fee is mainly intended to cover the payment processing costs (secure encrypted payment hence the use of the word 'protection') and in part the eBay Money Back Guarantee which is also funded by the delayed settlement of payments. 

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Re: Ebay's new buyer protection scam

Trouble is: it’s not transparent enough. When’s buyer bids for an item and wins that auction, suddenly they are liable for extra costs above what they (maybe) can afford to spend. If eBay charge an equivalent listing fee, as they used to, everyone knows what the costs are!

Sent from my iPad
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Re: Ebay's new buyer protection scam


@parsnippete wrote:
Trouble is: it’s not transparent enough. When’s buyer bids for an item and wins that auction, suddenly they are liable for extra costs above what they (maybe) can afford to spend. If eBay charge an equivalent listing fee, as they used to, everyone knows what the costs are!

Sent from my iPad

Can you show an example of this?  A buyer's bid includes the BPF and the postage should be as shown on the listing. 

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Re: Ebay's new buyer protection scam

I know one thing , since this buyers protection have been in force my sales
have gone down overnight , is it just me or have other members noticed a
decline as well ?
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Re: Ebay's new buyer protection scam

I suppose you could offer to pay that BPF as the “listing fee” and actually
say that in your listing. Perhaps that would help recover your sales
volume.
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Re: Ebay's new buyer protection scam

Only if you are keen to make a loss. Most of my listings are £1.50 including postage - eBay's BPF is actually more than the net amount I receive! Sales in the stamps category were OK until BPF was introduced, now they are non existent 

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Re: Ebay's new buyer protection scam

Oh sorry didn’t think of that price point.
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Re: Ebay's new buyer protection scam

No. Gone up. A bit of a dip when buyers premium was first introduced then an increase after SD. I’ve sold 38 out of 39 since March. 

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