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.

[insidethe93]

Yes, a regular seller (who left eBay last year) quite often had listings stating "for [e.g. WM463] only". Not for me to pry so I resisted even looking, but I did wonder if it was just a standard listing and what would happen if another buyer came along and bought because, in that case, wouldn't the seller have to cancel that sale and incur an eBay penalty?

[vinylscot]

You carry on then. But don't come running here when it goes wrong, as it will, sooner or later.

I'm also pretty sure the practice contravenes eBay's rules on selling.

[goodibags]

It also depends on your attitude to risk. It's good to be aware of Murphy's Law without being ruled by it. If an old comic is taking 2 or 3 years to sell then the chance of the same thing selling TWICE over an 8 hour period must be pretty minimal. About 1 in several thousand, say?

Even if it happens once (and you've had to apologise to and refund a buyer) the chance of it happening again with a second item would push that up to 1 in several million. 

Murphy's Law is concerned only with exceptions. It's the flipside of winning the national lottery. It COULD be you. But at the same time it hardly ever is...

[maujohwai]

I expect many members will now add you to their list of sellers to avoid.

[a45heaven]

I expect many members will now add you to their list of sellers to avoid.

Thank You - In other contexts, ive been trying to find a way to have a 'Blocked List' of Sellers for my Buying account - the only offer i was given was to add them to my 'Blocked Bidders' list - but that doesnt work. 

I look forward to seeing a way in order to save time on browsing waste of time accounts.

[vinylscot]

Depending on your wording in the "bundle" description, you may be able to claim that your unwanted buyer was asking for something not offered in the listing.

I do tend to use the "offers" solution to make it even more unlikely that another buyer will spoil the sale.

[goodibags]

I don't understand. Could you explain what benefit there might possibly be in doing that? 

[maujohwai]

---

@a45heaven wrote:

Thank You - In other contexts, ive been trying to find a way to have a 'Blocked List' of Sellers for my Buying account - the only offer i was given was to add them to my 'Blocked Bidders' list - but that doesnt work. 

I look forward to seeing a way in order to save time on browsing waste of time accounts.

---

While you can't block yourself from buying from certain sellers, you can exclude them from search results, which is what you really want: under 'Show only' in the sidebar, click 'see all', select 'Seller', 'Only show items from:' and 'Specific sellers list'; 'Exclude' is selected by default, and then you key sellers' names into the box. Unfortunately, unless there are flaws in my testing, (a) you can't make your option permanent — while it lasts from one search to the next, it only works in that window/tab — and (b), lo and behold, it can only be used to exclude private sellers, not business sellers!!!!

Incidentally, you can prevent certain buyers from buying from you as well as from bidding on your items; see:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/resolving-buyer-issues/blocking-buyer-ebay?id=4082

[a45heaven]

Many many thanks for your time and efforts in the answer 

However, ebay trumps again with its limitations

(a) you can't make your option permanent — while it lasts from one search to the next, it only works in that window/tab — and (b), lo and behold, it can only be used to exclude private sellers, not business sellers!!!!

When would a single effort be useful ? and you would have to write down and enter all the sellers you want to avoid and load  them each time you search?

Private sellers only ? 

Who designs these useless systems?

Thanks again - i know its not of your doing .

[the_book_seekers]

 ive been trying to find a way to have a 'Blocked List' of Sellers for my Buying account 

ebay will never give us this function. I for one would block a number of mega sellers which wouldn't be tolerated.

[edwardian-dreams]

Sorry if this has been answered

but on vinted it’s this even if u pay the buyer protection fee which actually means diddly squat

Consumer protection laws do not apply to your purchases from other consumers. More specifically, the right to cancel (section 29(1) of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulatio...) and the right to reject (section 20 of the Consumer Rights Act) does not apply. Buyer’s rights are significantly reduced when a sale is carried out between two individuals. More specifically, the following sections of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 do not apply: goods to be of satisfactory quality (section 9 of the Consumer Rights Act) and fit for a particular purpose (section 10 of the Consumer Rights Act). Goods from private sellers do not have to be fault-free and if defects or marks were clearly mentioned by the seller or are visible in the seller’s photograph, then you do not have a case against the seller. However, if the seller’s goods do not match the description, you have the right to ask for a refund or compensation. Every purchase you make using the ‘Buy now’ button is covered by our Buyer Protection service.

[lucy_farmer]

"I for one would block a number of mega sellers which wouldn't be tolerated."

I've found a reasonable way of blocking lots of Chinese (mega) sellers;

Sort by 'nearest first'.

Keeps China at the end of the list....

[dantwocats]

Buyer Protection Fee ? Its a buyers Premium really 

[m-bevis-1815]

It's a sales tax, regardless of what Ebay or Vinted choose to call it.
Corporations having the arrogance to pretend they are nation states by
imposing their own form of VAT. Judging by other companies' experiences, it
won't end well.

[santino.12]

Having been on eBay for many years, I have seen all the changes over those years but this new one is just one step too far. I have just closed all my listed and deleted the lot. Business seller account and a private account have now ended.

I normally buy from business on eBay for what I was selling but now those business sellers will lose my custom. I have to keep my account open for a period of time to cover any problems. I have no monies left in ebay holding and that is why I planned to do it a few days before the 4th Feb.

I will also be removing the eBay app from my phone. I now feel free of a company that has no respect for it's customers, because that is what we all are. 

I have started listing on another platform that is Free to list and has no fees at all. I can arrange for my customers to collect so I can give them my address freely without restriction. 

It is a shame but finally I am away from this pathetic company....

[dch2112011]

---

@santino.12 wrote:

'I normally buy from business on eBay for what I was selling but now those business sellers will lose my custom.' 

'I have started listing on another platform that is Free to list and has no fees at all. I can arrange for my customers to collect so I can give them my address freely without restriction. '

Just curious but why will the businesses you buy stock from on ebay lose out when you are now continuing to trade on another platform?

Stopping buying from your suppliers wherever they sell will be to your inconvenience - nothing will change when trading with businesses on ebay - you will not be roped into buyer fees nor simple delivery yet will benefit from the enhanced protections as a buyer.

On Amazon business to business sales offer the buyer no cover  - there is no consumer protection.

Just seems a very strange decision to make?

[theelench]

 Just as for most private sellers it makes sense if you're selling here to look on ebay first for anything you need, whether that's a new kettle for your kitchen, stock for your business or stuff you want for a collection or hobby.  It's simply convenience, while a seller is here checking their listings and sales they'll look here first for anything they may need.

Isn't that why the CEO told shareholders at the last earnings call that "Buyers who also sell tend to buy twice as much as buyers who do not"?

Sever that link, remove the convenience and why is there any need to bother with ebay?  Since the CEO made the statement I've been wondering "What took ebay towers so long to recognise such a plainly obvious fact?".  

Every 'improvement' since MP and the loss of paypal and their own Wallet has resulted in the loss of private sellers and their circulating sales proceeds through ebay businesses.  Ebay has even recently dusted off its own Wallet / Balance and has tried to get private sellers to use it to buy more on ebay.  But as my sales on ebay have fallen because ebay has restricted them in its efforts to force me to Promote my listings, (last 4 years sales were 20+, 13, 13, 4)  I've never had any funds in my ebay Balance. 

But I've made sales on another site and still have cash in my paypal Wallet.  The result is just as obvious, on ebay last year I bought one diary (about £3).  On the other site I bought a couple of CDs (about £10) and a table-lamp for my collection (£150).  I would have bought the diary there as well, but no-one had what I wanted, so I bought it here.

It's quite likely that @santino.12  has found their suppliers on the other site they now use, or that they have an independent web-site.  Quite possibly they are cheaper when purchases are off ebay?  Or easier to find off ebay than on ebay?

Ebay has been driving away its private seller 'captive audience' for years  it looks like some businesses are following their lead and heading out to new frontiers.  To my mind the question you should be asking is - Why should they look back to ebay?

[tsdragon63]

I have had an eBay account for more than 25 years, back then it was almost all private sellers and fledgling businesses but now it's just too big, trying to find an item to buy takes too long, wading through incorrectly listed items and imported rubbish.
I have been downsizing so decided to try selling last year, lots of my stuff being 99p sales and sending Royal Mail.
I've now decided that enough is enough, thanks for dropping the sellers fees but not acceptable to screw the buyers and keep my money until the item is deemed delivered.
Oh yes I could send tracked but who wants to pay that on a 99p item? Anyway I prefer RM, as at least they can find addresses - unlike some other courier services, my Facebook page is full of neighbours trying to find their parcels saying "do you recognise this front door?"
I have said goodbye to some lovely buyers and when my last listings run out this week it's goodbye eBay

Sent from Outlook for Android<>

[santino.12]

You are correct, I now buy direct from my supplies. I have no need to go through eBay, something I have been working on for some time. As you say since MP came in it has just gone down hill. I am not going to expect my customer to pay the buyer protection stealth tax when they are already covered with buyer protection. 

Although it is not in full force yet I expect to select how I send my items and would never entertain using Evri. 

I use RM's own website and have never printed labels from eBay. I print my own and orders are collected from my door. 

So yes businesses will suffer although they think they will not. eBay buyers will look on other platforms. If I have already found a supplier outside of this platform I am sure other buyer will do the same. 

[dantwocats]

I now never use ebay post labels , but did try it years ago, it never worked , labels ever came , so gave up and still waiting for ebay to say its all fixed !!  ,ROYAL MAIL bring the labels to my door and take to parcels/letters away can not ask for anything better,  with feedback i always level feedback once a buyer has paid, but now it could be up to two weeks , so just a mess