This is going to mean the end for many small private sellers. "Buyer Protection Fee"

[vinylscot]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/buying/paying-items/buyer-protection?id=5594

75p plus 4% buyers fee, so something which was priced at £5 will be £5.95 in February.

[m-bevis-1815]

"What I'm saying is why, as long as the buyer is shown the total, does the buyer need to see the breakdown? The buyer wasn't shown the breakdown before October, but sellers were paying fees. Did you think that was dishonest too?"

It should also be added - when we go into a UK shop, the price we see is the price we pay including VAT, the price before VAT and the VAT amount isn't shown. So this would be the same. The buyer just sees the total amount due. {Shop receipts often show the VAT amount, presumably taxbay invoices might do the same when they get round to it}.

It's easy enough to work out anyway for a buyer. Just deduct 75p from the final price, divide what's left by 104, times by 100 and that's the price for the item that the seller gets.

[johnwash1]

---

@a45heaven wrote:

Will the introduction of a buyer paid fee for Buyer Protection greatly increase the occurrence of cases being made by the said buyers by highlighting the procedure, not just on Private sellers but on all sellers on the platform?

Has ebay designed a wording of how this shameful project be presented to the buyers?

Obviously the odious task will fall on the sellers -

ebay constantly fail to communicate, even the none UK CS who are being paid grandly with this newly raised fee. 

---

That's a very interesting point.  Up to now I'd thought "Buyer protection, meh, they already had it".

But having it doesn't mean knowing and using it.  How often have we all seen negs along the lines of "Seller ripped me off, not fit for purpose, no response, have wasted my money"?  In other words, the buyer gave up complaining, wasn't smart enough to know their options and use the system.  So maybe you're right, more will press for their rights against private sellers.

Though, to be frank, when I see negs like that, I more often see them on feedback for big box shifters and Chinese sellers.  Business sellers, who won't be part of this new "buyers fee" stuff, because that's only for private sellers.  This year.

[a45heaven]

Could it be that the amount the Buyer is asked to pay, is the sale price and shipping, which the seller is the owner of (including making fee payments to ebay), and also the new amount which is paid to ebay for the Protection Feature - which the seller has no impact in nor reward for.

There is also the total figure which leads to VAT , again part for the sellers account , part to ebay's responsibility.

[hobbit66]

Yes it's the way ebay term it... A buyers protection fee. Therefore the buyer has a right to see the amount he is paying for protection 🙂

[a45heaven]

Business sellers, who won't be part of this new "buyers fee" stuff, because that's only for private sellers.  This year.

Its not always that obvious whether a seller is Business or Private when scrolling through to add a feedback.

Nor is it when scrolling through items for sale for that matter, should a buyer wish to avoid a certain type of seller, and blocking sellers does not work.

This dishonest platform does not inspire any confidence these days, who knows where the next knife in the back will come from.

[hobbit66]

We wouldn't have all this mess if business sellers and private sellers were all treated equally, paying the same fees ! etc....

[m-bevis-1815]

Yep, it it was simplified with a flat 6% fee on all sales for all sellers - no subscriptions, no handling charges, no extra adverts to be bought, no promotions available, no payment delays, then ebay's programming costs would be less, it would burn less energy overall, and everyone would know where they stand.

[hobbit66]

Absolutely 🙂

[incredible_how]

but Global shipping programme GSP does refund the buyer if they lose the parcel. And sometimes, especially on heavier items, the GSP is cheaper than tracked international - but you can't find that out unless the potential buyer helps you out by comparing postage costs added to a listing

[hobbit66]

Actually if you got rid of business sellers and everyone was a private seller, this platform would be a great place again. Leave the individual to declare their tax with HMRC etc....

[pcpaul.2006]

How does this apply to items that sell for 99p ?

[a45heaven]

They used to be the same pre Dimprovements made without any thought.

[sml192]

---

@hobbit66 wrote:

I think you misunderstand me. I'm not talking about the seller seeing it, of course the seller will see all his fees, but the buyer needs to see a breakdown of what he is paying. You suggest in what you've written, that the buyer will only see the total. It's a tax and needs to be clearly visible to the buyer.

---

According to the FAQs section in eBay's article the buyer will be able to see a breakdown of the fees at checkout. 

[sml192]

---

@hobbit66 wrote:

Actually if you got rid of business sellers and everyone was a private seller, this platform would be a great place again. Leave the individual to declare their tax with HMRC etc....

---

If you only had one account type that would mean that all sellers would have to accept returns for any reason, display their contact details on listings, comply with regulations such as GPSR, etc. 

[papso22]

---

@johnwash1 wrote:

---

@hobbit66 wrote:

I think you misunderstand me. I'm not talking about the seller seeing it, of course the seller will see all his fees, but the buyer needs to see a breakdown of what he is paying. You suggest in what you've written, that the buyer will only see the total. It's a tax and needs to be clearly visible to the buyer.

---

I believe I understood you.  What I'm saying is why, as long as the buyer is shown the total, does the buyer need to see the breakdown?  The buyer wasn't shown the breakdown before October, but sellers were paying fees.  Did you think that was dishonest too?

Calling these fees buyers fees is just a bit of smoke and mirrors, a rather strange way of just altering sellers' fees but trying to make it more palatable to those who don't think about it and to make the site seem more like their competitors.  Instead of being creative and boosting the site on the basis of it being better than others in some respect.

---

The buyer legally needs to be shown the fee as it is a fee  charged to them. 

Seller fees were not shown to them as they were charged to the seller.

[papso22]

The total the buyer pays at checkout will be broken down at checkout into item, postage, and buyer protection fee.

[papso22]

---

@hobbit66 wrote:

Actually if you got rid of business sellers and everyone was a private seller, this platform would be a great place again. Leave the individual to declare their tax with HMRC etc....

---

If ebay did that all the 'private' accounts that were trading as a business would be breaking consumer law.

Or do you mean that no-one who buys or makes items with the intention of selling them (businesses) can have ebay accounts?

Ebay wouldn't last long either way.

[forestfeline62]

Especially if you send an Item untracked ,how long will the buyer take to say they have had it and if they say they haven't had it the seller loses out because the buyers fees will pay for undelivered claims . 

[vintique*violet]

@centenary137 Are you having a laugh, holding seller's money until item is delivered not sent will have no impact on you? Given the way courier and other delivery services have deteriorated especially at busy times, I can see a lot of private sellers being left out of pocket.

This is a serious deterent for private sellers especially ones who just sell the odd item here and there. The old saying, never sell an item on EBay for more than you're prepared to lose, for whatever reason, has never been more pertinnent with this change.

Im going to have to give serious consideration to stop using EBay for selling stuff.  This change is not on.

Agreed! ... but in eBays word salad of new implementations and terms etc... it states 

either... " considered delivered" " Successfully delivered" "Considered successful delivery" 

So they can use what ever they like to deem what a " delivery" is as no longer does " proof of delivery" count... considering a number of posts on here whereby the buyer had a full refund and the seller left without his item or funds due to the " delivery" , whilst showing a photo of it on the doorstep... was not in the buyers " hand"... This buyer won his case, and the parcel may have been stolen from his doorstep or not , no one will ever know! Considering how postal couriers are leaving them in bins, behind bins and doorsteps etc it is a huge " sellers risk"... 

Further - I have items sold in November still showing despatched/ delivery delayed...albeit already delivered and feedback left...  so if funds held was in place I would still be waiting! and I feel having to "fight" for what is truly mine!

Further - Untracked post the funds are held for 14 days before being  released from " pending" and the seller can then withdraw!... Unscrupulous sellers could have the item and say not received or even use  for a week, or decide they do not like it  before making a " claim" etc..so your funds will then be " held" further until the " case" is resolved...  Because they now know as eBAY have informed them that the sellers funds is "tied up"  so the buyer is " protected?" ... I have never known any " business" inform another customer ( buyer)  of their customers ( seller) personal monetary transaction information.   

Oh , but  you can use your " pending funds" to access eBay post labels and send refunds!

eBay also state in their BPF FAQ... " it is to help the sellers manage their earnings?" 

... so insulting. 

It is an absolute joke of a system and only penalises private sellers and leave them wide open for " scam artists" and plenty of losses...  in my own opinion

Edit.. spelling 

[lyndap8888]

Ebay employee or spokesperson?