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😡😡

[kath3735_wxmjn]

lucky you, i had my usual 4/5 sales last week and now i am in my usual 2/3 week no sale period!  Anyone who thinks i am a conspiracy nut can go right ahead but it has happened so many times over the past year that i actually do believe now that there is an algorithm on what is seen at any one period.

[papso22]

There have been discussions over the years about ebay switching sellers and specific geographical areas, on and off.  I think it happens and ebay's statement that they don't guarantee visibility of listings would seem to confirm it. 

[akemp1]

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@trevdbowler wrote:

Are buyers now taking the plunge, aware of the forthcoming Ebay 'improvements'  to increase buyers costs ?

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I doubt it is happening yet but it's on my mental todo list to go through my ebay wishlist around the end of the month to consider if there are any purchases I want to make before the buyer tax starts.

I'll also be clearing down my wishlist at the same time there are a couple of hundred things on there, many of which I will never buy, especially as this change has forced me to re-evaluate my excessive purchasing activity and develop a Swedish Death Clearing minimalist mindset.

[akemp1]

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@kath3735_wxmjn wrote:

but maybe that is because people who did not like vinted's way of selling sell on e bay instead?? 

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Yeah I think ebay might not realise that the reason we are still on ebay as buyers and sellers is that we prefer it this way around rather that the other way.

As a buyer I know there's nothing more likely to make me abandon my cart at checkout than seeing a buyer fee. That's why I don't use websites like V,  Uber, JustEat, etc that have fees although I accept others do. 

I just want to pay for the item(s) at whatever it costs (even if that cost hides a seller fee)  as that's all I value the rest of it feels like I would be wasting money for nothing and stops me thinking I am getting a good deal.

[chris-5643]

Yes, I thought that was a rather odd argument - it's like saying that many people like Marmite, therefore everyone can like Marmite.

[theelench]

"It's becoming increasingly difficult to sell on ebay due to the huge number of listings."

I beg to differ.  It's becoming increasingly difficult to sell vintage collectables on ebay not because there are hugely more listings of such things, but because ebay removed the old, more specific sub-cats.

Vintage items are in decline.  But they are now mixed in with huge numbers of listings for New items, making it increasingly difficult for buyers of genuine vintage items to winnow out what they want to see.  (Just look at the numbers in the category you've listed your Masonic Tie in, how many are vintage, how many are new?

The intention is to make it increasingly difficult for your particular needle to be found in the haystack without Sponsoring.  And it's working.

My sales of Vintage Art Deco Glass were pretty consistent at 2-3 a month until this change when they declined to 13 a year.  Because I refuse to Sponsor items that still sell regularly on another site without bribery, last year my sales fell to 4.  At which point I stopped selling on ebay.

Years ago it was common knowledge that the ratio of New to Used items on ebay was 80% / 20% in favour of New.  By now it's probably (a guess) 90% / 10%?

It's not the small sellers that need thinning out, it's the businesses selling the mountains of tat that hide the declining number of genuine items.

IMO ebay has belatedly realised that and is trying to get some of them back.  But frankly I don't think increasing prices on my account for buyer protection (when I've run a spotless account for a decade) or making me wait 14 days + for my money (which is a bl***y cheek) is going to do the trick.  I'll continue selling on ebid without any of this nonsense which is mostly designed to make ebay more money.

[cm90691]

My account is private and not a business; if you look at my feedback you will see a lot of items come from clearing my parents house (old but not desirable furniture etc - I just wanted to find a good home for it rather than taking to the tip and charity shops were only interested in the very good stuff; freecycle a nightmare of 'no-shows' so in those cases I was not concerned about profit; I needed to get rid in a small amount of time). I am now decluttering my own home so I can downsize to a smaller house. My thought was "Is selling on ebay actually worth the time and effort for just a few pounds or would my time be better spent taking my saleable bits and pieces to the charity shop (and hopefully feeling good about it)"? Profit margin is relevant for ALL ebay sellers.  I have worked freelance from home for several decades (I don't earn much, but have been able to be at home to bring up my children and later care my 96-year old Dad rather than put him in a care home) And, yes, I do an annual tax return on my 'business'. Like many private sellers ebay is NOT a business as I am only selling personal items I have accumulated over the years. For over 20 years it has been 'pocket money' to buy extras, often with months of inactivity when work/personal life was too busy. Business sellers are often scathing and resentful of Private Sellers but many of us use the money from our sales to buy other items from ebay (often from Business sellers). These changes affect us all: for you it may mean less competition but may also mean other ebayers have less money to buy from you. Either way, I wish you well.

[jckl1957]

I have 46 items listed - not a lot.

I am selling off a jewellery collection a bit at a time - it's 'my jewellery' rather than 'my stock' and I quite often wear the pieces I have listed - I recently had to take a brooch off a jacket because I had sold it. (The brooch, not the jacket.)

In the last month, I have sold 10 pieces of jewellery and 4 of them were brooches; I have bids on 2 brooches ending this weekend.

So, I would say that, yes, the items I have for sale can be found, are selling and will continue to sell a few at a time.

I don't see selling on Ebay as a job - more of an interest which I actually quite enjoy.  I am aware that, if I factored in my time, I would be earning less than the minimum wage, but I am retired and 'time rich'.

Whether or not I will continue on the site if/when Simple Delivery becomes mandatory, I am undecided.

However, having given it some thought, I will not be deleting all my listings on 4th February but will wait and see.

[cm90691]

Glad you are not going to delete all your listings; it takes a lot of work to list! Ebay may have buyers offers (in the same way as they did for sellers) so it will be worth seeing if Ebay will still work for you, especially if you  enjoy selling. Good luck

[cm90691]

"It's not the small sellers that need thinning out, it's the businesses selling the mountains of tat that hide the declining number of genuine items"

Couldn't agree more with that statement! The use of the word "vintage" frustrates me no end as does the word "mid-century" applied to items manufactured only a few years ago.

The Masonic tie is a bit of an odd sale - It's definitely vintage but I have no idea if it has any value; ridiculous sentiment of mine, but it's an item I just hope to 're-home' as I just can't bear to bin it for sentimental reasons (and it's very specific to an area where I no longer live so wouldn't sell in the local charity shop). I know almost nothing about the Masons, but hose who know about the Masons, will know!! 

[paulthewoodman92]

Okay , do nothing and hope for the best ? yes that often works , not. I'll be unlisting in protest , to try and get Ebay to listen , I'll be removing any cash from sales and I'll be trying to get them to change their plans , otherwise I'll leave. It's not necessary to delete listing,  just unlist , you can put them on later if you want to , little effort , maximum affect if we all did it .But each to their own I guess Sent from my Galaxy

[cm90691]

Have to say, I truly wish I'd never mentioned 'hair slides'!

When I said you were missing the point, it wasn't meant to sound insulting, so sorry if you took it that way.

I think though, that you are actually agreeing with me, (more or less).  Like most of us, you shop around and compare prices, so you'd buy the hair slides at the best price and with the new buyer's fees that probably isn't going to Ebay.

PS I don't wear hair slides and haven't been to Poundland for many years!

[akemp1]

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@theelench wrote:

The intention is to make it increasingly difficult for your particular needle to be found in the haystack without Sponsoring.  And it's working.

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That hit home to me when listing something the other day and ebay told me that 84% of the items in that category were promoted. It reminds me of the episode of Come Fly With Me where every passenger bought a speedy boarding pass to get priority over the others.

I'm unwilling to pay to promote my listings and accept it will just take longer to sell stuff.

[cm90691]

Good for you, but sadly  I doubt Ebay will notice or care even if thousands of us "unlisted". Sad, angry and disillusioned.

[akemp1]

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@cm90691 wrote:

The Masonic tie is a bit of an odd sale - It's definitely vintage but I have no idea if it has any value; ridiculous sentiment of mine, but it's an item I just hope to 're-home' as I just can't bear to bin it for sentimental reasons (and it's very specific to an area where I no longer live so wouldn't sell in the local charity shop). I know almost nothing about the Masons, but hose who know about the Masons, will know!! 

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I recently purchased a similar very specific item on behalf of a mason I know who didn't have an ebay account and they told me that there were only 3 people in the world who would use that item and they knew the other 2 already had their own. I figured it would be hard to determine the price if there was only one seller and one buyer in the world but they were happy to pay asking price so it was ok.

[tressygirl]

@cm90691   wrote:

PS I don't wear hair slides and haven't been to Poundland for many years!

If you haven't been to Poundland for years, you'll be surprised to hear then, that few items are there to be found for a pound, our store has a variety of prices , and they're a lot more than a £1  😐

[akemp1]

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@tressygirl wrote:

If you haven't been to Poundland for years, you'll be surprised to hear then, that few items are there to be found for a pound, our store has a variety of prices , and they're a lot more than a £1  😐

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I was there this week for the first time in ages and was pleased to find their Twin Peaks (knockoff Toblerone bar) was still a pound but had the lingering suspicion that it had got smaller as I was able to eat it all in one sitting. The problem with Poundland is that even if the item you want is still £1 and a reasonable size then you end up spending more on junk you didn't intend to buy.

[paulthewoodman92]

Well each to their own as I say , if you don't try to make a change then probably nothing will , its an attitude to life I guess. Maybe they'll take notice , maybe they won't , what I do know is that my email complaints and threats have been passed up to the Senior team , will it have an affect ? Only if enough people actually message them and take action , otherwise no probably not.  I can only encourage others to actually do something , it worked in the states apparently but we're not American,  we much prefer to sit back and let's see what happens . Sent from my Galaxy

[johnwash1]

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@akemp1 wrote:

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@theelench wrote:

The intention is to make it increasingly difficult for your particular needle to be found in the haystack without Sponsoring.  And it's working.

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That hit home to me when listing something the other day and ebay told me that 84% of the items in that category were promoted. It reminds me of the episode of Come Fly With Me where every passenger bought a speedy boarding pass to get priority over the others.

I'm unwilling to pay to promote my listings and accept it will just take longer to sell stuff.

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I don't even see why sponsoring helps the buyer find the needle he wants.  When I look for things on ebay (increasingly rare these days) I'm often presented with items that don't match the search terms I've used.  What would help the buyer and generate sales would be really good search.  Promotion just helps ebay's bottom line.

[tressygirl]

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@akemp1   wrote: 

I was there this week for the first time in ages and was pleased to find their Twin Peaks (knockoff Toblerone bar) was still a pound but had the lingering suspicion that it had got smaller as I was able to eat it all in one sitting.

My hubby swears they've cut off a  ' mountain or 2 '  from the real Toblerone,  too!  👹

@akemp1