Fee Changes have KILLED Private buying & Selling

As a buyer and seller on here for 22 years, I'd like to congratulate the people who came up with this buyer protection scam. Let me refresh you with the original announcement and I Quote:

"At the end of 2024, we changed our fee structure, making it free to sell for private sellers. We know that fees are one of the biggest barriers to selling and we've seen a great reaction to the change, with an increase in the number of new sellers coming to eBay to list and sell. "

Totally agree with this part.

" As well as being a positive change for our private sellers, it’s also great news for buyers, as it means more of the things they love - and it's always good news for business sellers when there are more buyers on the platform. "

Agreed again, Completely as the seller's fee was an issue for years especially when they added the extra fee for postage costs too. True some sellers were charging too much postage, but the simple solution for that was not to purchase anything from them.

"Starting from 4 February, Buyer Protection will be live to give buyers more peace of mind when shopping on ebay.co.uk. To minimise any potential disruption on our platform"

This is where it started going downhill fast. If like me as a buyer and seller, sending items sold or bought tracked through whichever service you use, why do you need the extra buyer protection? You are already protected through E-Bay's money back guarantee.

"By removing barriers for private sellers and making it free to sell and simpler to list, we’ve seen many more sellers join the platform to bring buyers the unique inventory that they love. Buyer Protection is the next step, to ensure they keep coming back."

Wrong on so many levels, for example the ability for a seller to send a combined invoice to a buyer who has bought multiple items from them has disappeared. It seems with the conversations I've recently had with the unhelpful customer service, that the buyers are expected to pay the total amount so E-Bay can maximise their fee, and hope that the seller will be kind enough to issue a partial refund for the difference, I don't know about you but that seems like a massive barrier for private sellers and buyers alike.

"As part of Buyer Protection, starting from 4 February, a fee will be included in the item price when purchasing from private sellers, paid for by the buyer to eBay. Buyers will only ever pay what they see, so there are no surprises at checkout. "

Wrong, The fee will be ON the item price which is 4% + 75p PER ITEM. So no wonder E-Bay have removed the combined tool, otherwise they would lose out on the fee.

"Starting from 4 February, UK-based private sellers will also be paid after item delivery. Funds will typically be available in your eBay balance two calendar days after delivery confirmation.

OK I don't agree with this method but it's not a big issue, Unless the service you've used doesn't update their system to say it's been delivered. So you've sent the items tracked, paid for that service, and E-Bay will only pay out if they have a complete turnaround. If not they withhold money your owed until they decide to pay it out.

"Using tracked delivery services can also provide a better customer experience for your shoppers, and for you, with sellers seeing a 50% decrease, on average, in buyer complaints and queries when using tracked delivery."

I personally only send items I sell tracked, No exceptions, and I've received items that were listed as tracked but they weren't, especially from business's who have never provided a tracking number.

In Conclusion, I'd like to say that my recent experience's buying and selling since these changes have not been great, and nobody from E-Bay is communicating with private sellers or buyers about the many many complaints since the changes.

In the last 31 days my sales numbers are down 20% and I've bought multiple items from a private seller who I have bought from before these changes and they can't send a combined invoice like before because the option has been removed.

So Congratulations E-Bay, for a Quick Buck, you've KILLED Private Buying & Selling on this platform, and unless you reset to the system before this buyer protection racket was applied, then you are going to see your revenue from private buyers decline drastically if it isn't already.

This is just my opinion, you will have yours but I think I speak for many private buyers & sellers that expressed the same opinion.

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Fee Changes have KILLED Private buying & Selling


@wintersdawn1 wrote:

This site helps with re-pricing items due to the BPF:

 

https://claude.site/artifacts/16aab181-f07e-41cd-a2be-608b241dffda

 


I expect tastes vary, but I prefer this one:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ebayuk/comments/1j06u7y/buyer_protection_fee_cheat_sheet/

 

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Fee Changes have KILLED Private buying & Selling


@namelesspromotions wrote:

Get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? 

 

Oh look your sales have been affected too. 


Yes, the lack of sales is making my mood sour indeed.  I used to send out up to a dozen parcels a week, but that was long ago.

 

Still, sour or not, what I wrote could be helpful if someone chooses to use it, so I'll make no apology.

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Fee Changes have KILLED Private buying & Selling

Then we're all in the same boat aren't we? 

 

I don't know what else to say....

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Fee Changes have KILLED Private buying & Selling

Too many squabbles between eBay community writers appearing in these columns. Your beef should be with eBay.

 

 We are all in the same position … lack of sales due to selling prices being inflated by eBays BPF.  

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Fee Changes have KILLED Private buying & Selling


@crn303 wrote:

Too many squabbles between eBay community writers appearing in these columns. Your beef should be with eBay.

 

 We are all in the same position … lack of sales due to selling prices being inflated by eBays BPF.  


You're right, and my beef is indeed with ebay.

 

There seems to be a small amount of hope they're listening to the outrage about Simple Delivery.  I can't see them doing a turnabout with buyer fees in the near future.  Perhaps after a decent interval, say in 2026, they'll come up with a totally new marketing ploy "Free to buy on ebay!" and a few months later bring in seller fees.

 

By then there'll be so few old timers still around, the chuckles won't even be audible, it will seem to most like a brand new strategy.

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Fee Changes have KILLED Private buying & Selling

It is not only Ebay that has killed private selling but also the Royal Mail.  £3.90 to post an LP or a jigsaw puzzle which is half the cost is outrageous.

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Fee Changes have KILLED Private buying & Selling

Yep, Royal Mail postage costs are something you can count on to rise yearly, while the same cannot be said for our sales.  I now 48-hour track 2nd Class and it costs me not £2.20 but £2.80.  That's a rise of £0.60p for each item sent out.  I pay the extra because I get paid 2 days after the order has been received by the customer and not two weeks later should I choose not to track.  Like many others here, my sales have dropped off since Feb 4th.  I sold a CD today and I cried "Hallelujah!"  Thank god it's just a hobby and not a business, otherwise I'd struggle to pay my rent.
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Fee Changes have KILLED Private buying & Selling

Spot on eBay uk is going down hill fast 

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Fee Changes have KILLED Private buying & Selling

Wow just bought something, clicked buy it now wasn't really paying attention. Later looking at the purchase like hey what's that buyer protection thing? Realised eBay have basically slapped about 4 quid on the price. Well I'll say this, that's the LAST EVER second hand item I'll be buying on here and probably then last item period.  They have took the mick to much now and I'm done with them. Cheeky cheeky shower.

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Fee Changes have KILLED Private buying & Selling

Totally agree 👍 💯 

 

As from May 2025 which eBay has now locked off April You can't put Free postage or your own postage costs. (Private seller longer term eBayer too)

 

My items mostly cost £3.25 royal mail (as evri is prices the same) and eBay is charging the Buyer £3.44. so eBay is over charging the Buyer, doesn't make sense?! As well as charging Buyer protection 96p on my £6 starting item that's going to STOP my buyers as it'll automatically make them pay £6.96. 

 

Also as I use Royal Mail, they come and collect from my home, that allows me to organise a date that is convenient, as I can drive to town to the post office to send them....

 

i hope that there is a other selling site out there that will hinder eBay.

 

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Fee Changes have KILLED Private buying & Selling

Sorry meant to say I can't drive 

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Fee Changes have KILLED Private buying & Selling

Completely agree with everything you have written, I too have been buying and selling on here for over 20 years - not anymore though as I have taken off all my listings and no longer browse as a buyer.  Such a shame that they have got too greedy, and have just copied exactly what Vinted have done - it may work for them but it certainly doesn't work for me and many other private sellers I am sure.  BPF is not necessary and just a money grabbing scheme,  and Simple Delivery is anything but simple and certainly does not work for me.

 

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