Upcoming ‘Buyer Protection Fees’

[lady4838]

I’m a member for 14 years - I have today complained fiercely to EBay with regards to 4% + 75p charge on each item purchased as we all know this is a Back Door way of recovering the Seller Fees which were scrapped recently - Buyers already have adequate protection - as to payment 2 days after delivery - we’re at the mercy of Royal Mail to scan all  items when collected (not guaranteed) 😡

 Fellow  members I urge you to let your disproval known - SHAME ON YOU Ebay😡😡

[partsnick6910]

I did wonder how ebay were going to get their fees, now I know. I sell some items that are small , and post 2nd class, with proof of posting, usually charging around £1.50 for 2nd large, taking the risk myself on the if it is delivered. Now that £7 item, plus £1.50 will cost the buyer around £8.03, plus a tracked postage fee around £3  i think, so what was £8.50, is now around £11. This assumes it is not lost in the post, or takes 2 weeks as an item did before Christmas, before I am even paid !

[kath3735_wxmjn]

if you go on to the link in the e mail to the main site you will find this 'for untracked deliveries or tracked deliveries with no delivery confirmation signal, funds will be available 14 days from order date.  You will get your money but not for two weeks!

[kath3735_wxmjn]

so do i but see my message no 44 for how they are doing it.  Of course it will be irrelevant when they bring in mandated simple delivery for all private sellers.

[johnwash1]

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@asleepingdragon wrote:

Which means higher postage as well.  

If you all stop selling in protest I could save a lot of money in 2025.  I only buy nowadays... I'd miss the odd stuff I find and can't do without on here though I must admit.  But it's a stupid decision.  If they needed the fees they shouldn't have done away with them.

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Few people seem to be aware that doing away with the fees was just part 1 of a plan.  Buyers fees is simply part 2.  So the only moan that's relevant is that restructuring the fees makes it more expensive to sell very low cost items, which of course are the least profitable for a site.  And for those that paid attention to CEO press releases to shareholders, all this was visible months ago.

The  aspect that's entwined with all this is the new way postage will be done.  That's a different matter and may lead to many of us ending our selling.

[leighbayuk]

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@johnwash1 wrote:

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So the only moan that's relevant is that restructuring the fees makes it more expensive to sell very low cost items, which of course are the least profitable for a site.

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It is also a horrible buying experience. With a variable final price depending on how the auction goes and if it is a private or business seller.

[johnwash1]

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@stimpson_jc wrote:

I kind of hope everyone quits ebay and another company with common sense comes along fast to replace them. It can't be that complicated.

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There's eBid, but they never advertise, so although they're huge, it looks unlikely they'll replace them.

I'm still looking for alternatives, and reading these forums hoping for pointers.

[sarahq1962]

are you a private or business seller may I ask? as a business seller I feel that at least private sellers don't pay fees! But now trying to get that back from buyers like vinted 

[partsnick6910]

It sounds to me like Private sellers will go back to selling off Ebay. As it stood in the last few months, there was no or little financial advantage to making 'private sales' off Ebay listings. Now I would think that will be coming back much more than before, as the buyers will be happy to pay less, the sellers will be happy to be paid sooner.

[vintique*violet]

Isn't Vinted for clothes? 

Makes a huge difference for the array of different value items sold on eBay not forgetting packing requirements ie. fragile, glass, electronics etc 

[spaceman369]

Thanks Kath, have seen this now. However 14 days is simply ridiculous. There has to be a way to get your money sooner, like others have said, a buyer must mark it down as received or leave feedback perhaps? Thus starting the pay out process? How that could be forced or imposed mind is another thing. 

[msmollycampbell]

It will end up being alot longer than 2 days!!

[msmollycampbell]

I knew the no seller fees were too good to be true,I used to put listings up on the reduced fee promotions,but with charging the buyers all this money they know dam well the sellers will have to reduce everything to compensate and this way will actually cost me alot more in fees than the previous way of doing things,I always despatched my items ASAP and I've not had one complaint ,Why should I wait over a week at least for my money?? I don't blame ebay completely for this as I've bought things on here and some sellers couldn't be bothered to despatch for a week at times and it is ridiculous for the customer but all sellers shouldn't be painted with the same brush,What is the point of feedback and customer scores if ebay are going to tar us all with the same brush!!

[reassuringly.crazy]

I placed a call request today and told eBay that it seems they no longer want private sellers.  

I said that, compared to a year or so ago when you would, for a fee, receive instant PayPal payment, going forward you don’t merely have to wait until the item is delivered to receive payment, but you then have to wait an additional two days. 

As a private seller, you have a ‘buyer protection fee’ added to your listing. In fairness, for many low volume private sellers this may have little impact. A £10 sale becomes £11.15. But as a buyer, it may mean that buying from a private seller is suddenly unattractive, and people selling CDs, dvds and blu rays, books and other inexpensive items in competition with the likes of music magpie and world of books may find they can’t sell at all. 

I think I should study economics.  Perhaps someone could enlighten me, but it seems this change will create a combination of rising prices and a certain stagnation of the economy if people decide it’s not worth trying to sell their old stuff (isn’t it better to keep money moving around, even at a low level? Doesn’t it benefit everyone if people feel a little better from selling a few unwanted items, like those u wanted Christmas gifts!). Mind you, the charity shops may benefit, I’m taking a bag of things I might once have sold on eBay there, as I’m not going to stress about getting the sales in over the next 4 weeks…

[reassuringly.crazy]

But from February , if you buy from a private seller, you pay more.  EBay seems to not want private sellers on its platform.

[equiphoto]

It's all been said. I have nothing to add. But I've been with ebay since it started in the UK but I won't be ever selling anything on ebay again once these back door fees come in. Buyers have adequate protection now. How about some seller protection ebay?

[stimpson_jc]

Has anyone else seen those lone greedy 'ambassadors' and their friends on Money Saving Forum defending eBay simply because they're happy to think they'll make more money as business sellers selling their 2nd hand tat by pretending to play shops. Martin Lewis should have got rid of the money wasting traitors long ago.

From my experience 2nd hand sellers who are businesses but not shops are some of the nastiest unprofessional people I've bought things from because they have an attitude like they think they're a real shopkeeper only everything they sell is not new or perfect, but they don't point things out properly so you end up with expensive broken junk and they pretty much act like you can take it or leave it when you complain.

[9700chrisk]

a private seller but most of my items are £5 or less so now not viable to sell on eBay as minimum tracked post is £2.70 plus there fees to buyer. Forcing up costs when people are trying to make savings where they can.

[stimpson_jc]

My posts are already getting removed by ebay gestapo.

[9700chrisk]

I agree have been on eBay since 2006 and i will have to seriously consider what i list. Just needlessly forcing prices up.

[msmollycampbell]

Yeah . I've only not lost money because I've caused a stink and everything i ship is tracked and insured.Yet scrum still try and swindle and probably continue to steal as I doubt ebay actually even do anything.  Do they no realise these morons know what they are doing and they know how to play ebay? I had a guy buy a phone off me then made up some story and sent me back a different phone. Luckily I took pictures of the box all codes ect and the codes on the box where different when he eventually sent it back. They automatically sided with him and I spent hours on the phone trying to sort this *bleep* out. I was ready to get the police involved as its theft and ebay soon gave me the money back.Luckily one advisor saw this guy was a scammer of sorts and helped me sort it.But there seems to be little to no seller protection .I pay alot of money for the postage all at my expense and now I'll be loosing more money.  The sellers really are not treated very well.