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😡😡

[akemp1]

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@papso22 wrote:

These new changes should not put anyone 'out of business' as they only affect private accounts.

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Yes for me these changes are going to cause more of a 'lifestyle change' than any 'business' matter.

[b1gpython]

People most likely don't report when they have received an item, simply because all the protection that the scum in eBay used to give, has long gone out the window, they're not interested in the seller's concerns, they're not interested in the buyer's concerns, the only thing they are interested in, is getting everyone's money from them. The eBay community forum has long been a waste of time & space, eBay themselves do the absolute minimal to help, which is why buyers are no longer interested in clicking this button and that button or leaving 'feedback' because it's a waste of time, a waste of OUR time, eBay bigwigs no longer care.

[kateco1596]

I so agree with you!!! I've been doing ebay for over 20 years and use two accounts (one originally my husband's who abandoned it long ago  as "too much time/effort for too little money").  At least half the contents of my house originated from ebay and over the years I'm guessing I've sold at least 6000 items (especially in the years when my kids were growing up). I've been frantically decluttering for a couple of years (had to clear my parents house as well and only held onto a few keepsakes). Sometimes I open a cupboard and find something I've forgotten about and haven't missed. I've loved ebay but I've spent far too hours on it and I think it's time to go. I think this sneaky 'buyers' fee is the final nail in the coffin. It will be interesting to see how many private sellers simply walk away.

[b1gpython]

WHY? Would anyone sensible person waste more of their own time phoning a "24 customer hotline" when you have just hit the nail on the head with the statement "they don't care"?

[kateco1596]

That's very true (ebay should have dealt with that issue years ago) but a lot of private sellers (like me) sell off bits and pieces to make ends meet (and therefore have a bit more money in their pockets/ebay accounts to buy items from business sellers). These changes will affect everyone who sells on ebay.

[akemp1]

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@kateco1596 wrote:

At least half the contents of my house originated from ebay and over the years I'm guessing I've sold at least 6000 items (especially in the years when my kids were growing up). I've been frantically decluttering for a couple of years (had to clear my parents house as well and only held onto a few keepsakes). 

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We've been living parallel lives!

About half the stuff in my house was also bought on ebay - sometimes new sometimes used. Most of my favourite stuff was bought on ebay like my vintage toy collection buying back so many of my childhood objects that fascinated me. But on a practical basis I buy stuff for my kids, clothes, kitchen stuff, electronics, etc. It was my default goto.

My annoyance at this change and the extra fees on some transactions is really going to jinx that.  The way I'm feeling about ebay at the moment I really don't want to give them any of my money as a buyer.

I just want to sell stuff and pay reasonable fees - is that too much to ask?

[kateco1596]

No, it's not too much to ask. I miss the 'old days' on ebay when you
communicated and sometimes met (with collection only items) lovely (well
mostly) buyers and sellers. Ebay always took quite a cut and made a
substantial profit but I accepted that it was a great place to get items
seen and sold. It's now a massive site and the new buyers fee is just plain
greedy (introducing a fee on fee on postage was bad enough). I'm now
looking at selling vintage stuff on Etsy and clothes on Vinted but maybe
I'll just box up stuff, take to the charity shop and go on holiday!

[akemp1]

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@kateco1596 wrote:
It's now a massive site and the new buyers fee is just plain
greedy (introducing a fee on fee on postage was bad enough).

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I understood why they had to put fees on postage as I could see some sellers were trying to game the old system selling items for 99p with all the money artificially loaded onto the postage although it does mean the fees could be around 40% of the sale price for lower value items.

It used to annoy me that to keep the seller fees reasonable particularly on low value items I would have to keep relisting items on the promo weekends every 2 weeks that seemed unnecessary admin.

Ebay seem to have exhausted everyone's patience trying different ideas for collecting fees (including this latest crazy mess) when all they had to do was have a simple reasonable flat fee for all sellers and requiring everyone to meet the minimum distance selling regs so it's a fair and even marketplace. That way they don't need to worry who is a business or not - that can be left to HMRC to determine.

Any idiot can complexity a situation - the skill is to simplify.

[paul6972008]

how do we all complain collective. i am going to take all my items off that im selling after this week.

the only way we can sell stuff is with tracking from royal mail which is going to cost us more initially which we will have to charge to the buyer. this will only work if honest buyers too

[akemp1]

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@paul6972008 wrote:

how do we all complain collective.

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Realistically they are not going to care unless they see a financial impact. I'm going to leave my stuff listed but expect it will sell less and therefore I will have less play money to re-spend with both private and business sellers.

I believe they have underestimated the amount of regular core ebay buyers who are going to be repelled by seeing a new fee imposed and take a step back and re-evaluate their buying behaviour.

Still I might be wrong or in the minority on this.

[cm90691]

Sadly a waste of time complaining to Ebay; there is just no way of doing this (speaking to customer service won't get your message passed on). Don't take your items down yet; the changes don't come into force until February. After that, I'm finished with Ebay. Supported their business for 20 years and this is the final straw. Sell elsewhere if you can; it's the only way to get the message to ebay that we aren't happy, but unless many thousands of sellers do this, it won't make any difference to them - they are going to make a massive profit from 'Buyers' fees. I accepted years ago that Ebay just doesn't care as long as the money keeps rolling in for them.

[twin--turbo]

I have looked through a bunch of Colting listings and can't find one with Simple Delivery..  So Still don't know how much they are going to fleece people for.

[charliethethird]

You hit the nail on the head, they absolutely love this soft, warm, fuzzy "community" when it's cold, hard business!

[podlingsmum2007]

They are going to make a huge amount of money. Lots will leave but new sellers will join. I think ebay will give coupons off, discounts on the buying fees, and multi buy offers to the buyers. Very similar to the 70-80% off selling fees we use to get. 

[kath3735_wxmjn]

that would be because even in our wildest nightmares could we have dreamed that e bay would replace them with so many cr.ap changes!   They have managed in a couple of months to alienate so many people and for different reasons!  I could live with the buyer fee and the wait for payment but simple delivery is a definite no.  I have been putting more stuff on at the moment because when simple delivery comes in i will not be here.   

[kath3735_wxmjn]

well i must admit that in a weird kind of way i feel some kind of relief at the idea of not spending hours measuring, photoing and then listing my items.  It costs me a fair amount in postage as well because i like to do it neatly and nicely, i wrap all my clothes in tissue paper and i use new envelopes,  i do re use boxes for some items but otherwise it is all new.  My choice but i was put off before i started selling when i would receive clothes scrunched up, clearly not been washed and ironed and just shoved in any old piece of torn bag!   I have standards which cost me...

[suema_62]

The flat rate 75p is the killer for all selling small cheap things like toys, dolls clothes, trading cards, collectables or trinkets. The 75p should only apply on buying items of a certain much higher cost but even then the extra 4% is a consideration.

It seems Simple Delivery can be an opt out per listing and can just mean you wait 14 days for payout after no issues. Not compulsory to pay expensive tracking rates, Royal Mail small parcels have tracking numbers in the basic fee so just a matter of waiting a while.

[akemp1]

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@kath3735_wxmjn wrote:

well i must admit that in a weird kind of way i feel some kind of relief at the idea of not spending hours measuring, photoing and then listing my items.

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Yeah if the market for selling stuff on ebay terminally declines my kids are going to miss the sound of me franticly packing something that sold overnight in the background at breakfast time. Less printer noise, less snipping of scissors and whatever the name of that sound parcel tape makes when a length is being drawn out. On days were nothing sells my kids ask why we aren't going to the Post Office on the way to school!

I just need to have more control and stop buying stuff I don't need in the first place. I was already starting to feel that way and this has nailed it for me. Wish they gave us more notice to clear our existing junk.

[chris-5643]

No, I feel the same. I've sold a lot of stuff this past year or so as I've been downsizing, and I was even thinking of developing a small eBay-centred business. I also run a charity eBay page which has pretty much ceased due to shifting sands outside of eBay. This is the excuse I need to do something else instead.

I think it's a case of when difficulties and obstacles are added - for no obvious benefit - you're a bit more inclined to notice the negatives you've been putting up with too.

[wiganyankeeron]

I have a lot of Christmas style stamps and pre paid labels. which are still valid. Can I just buy the cheapest postal label i.e 85p which gives me a tracking number and add the stamps to the packet /parcel to make up the difference in the postage cost if necessary?