Updates to Buyer Protection Fee as of 17 July - give with one hand and take back with another!

[thelma-louise80]

I have just read eBay's recent email excitedly letting us all know they have reduced the flat fee of 75p to a more palatable 10p per item.  BUT...they have made changes to the percentage added on top of that.  They used to add 4% for anything with a value up to £300.  This has been changed so they now add 7% to items up to £20 and the 4% only applies to items between £20 and £300. 

Ebay have made it look like they are doing us private sellers a favour, but it's not as good as they make out. 

[theelench]

"Plus, of course, most private sellers will no longer have to wait for their money.  I guess I'm a glass half full type of person:-)"

I glanced through the updates and there are conditions even for that.

I'm sorry but I just cannot see minor concessions to BPF, automatic payment holds and the imposition of SD when none of them existed a couple of months ago as anything other than a glass half empty situation.  Anyone accepting the down-grading of private sellers is having a step down made to their T&Cs.

[thesmokingrunner]

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@snowylilliput-2 wrote:

Many sellers have had to drop the price since BPF was added or they would have never got a sale .  A item which was once selling at £10 suddenly became £1.15 more expensive if they did not reduce the price to try and generate a sale . 

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You have an unusual definition of 'many' snowylilliput-2. A few (and only a few) prices reduced when BPF was introduced, but it certainly wasn't a large number. The vast majority of items which previously listed at £10 became £11.15 - and I certainly don't recall sellers suddenly reducing their prices to £8.89 (which would be £10 after BPF had been added).

Likewise I don't recall many prices reducing when sellers' commission (13.22%, including the Regulatory Operating Fee, plus 30p) was abolished back in October 2024 either. Chances are a lot of sellers just looked on the extra income as a bonus but prices certainly weren't lowered by many sellers.

[steven5872]

Far too little and much too late.  I stopped selling on eBay after a few weeks under the new regime and this is not enough to make me start again.  

[3942rick2005]

My one and only test listing hasn't changed but if I view and place in the basket when not logged in with another browser the reduction shows!

[britanniabug_stamp_store]

I understand how you feel. But I would go one step further "WHEN HAVE EBAY EVER MADE THINGS BETTER FOR PRIVATE SELLERS". It usually comes in the form of "give with one hand and take back with another! " as you so clearly state in your heading.

[routinebiteshard]

these changes screwed with all the list prices of course meaning more editing and work/time for sellers to make their listings look sensible again and listed at 14.99 or 19.99 as they were before these changes vs. having random daft pence at the end like 14.87 etc.. 

[vinylscot]

I have to disagree with you there, and agree with snowy. On my private account, I did amend my prices when each of these changes came in, although I haven't yet done so with the latest part-reversal. It's not as urgent, as the buyer gains in every instance, even if by only 5p. I know many of my acquaintances did so too.

I think, if you had the means to find out (and I admit it's only my view), that most successful private sellers did make such changes. You are correct that many made no changes, either through laziness, or because the changes would benefit them, if they made sales. However, the ones who didn't bother probably suffered, as the others were able to offer lower prices than them on both occasions.

[pegr-834437]

Surely its better now than a year ago as now private sellers don't pay fee's, simple delivery works out fine for 90% of sellers, fix that 10% and then that's better. I love how now if I send an item I don't need to worry if it goes missing I waste hours on with customer services. there are a couple of issues but I'd take that for the huge drop in fee's.