Ebay set to stop Private Sellers?

hermum

Other than the 100 free 99p or less a month listings, I wonder if the limit they're putting on private sellers is around 100 per month, or a value sold? After a few months I expect it will be clear ish. Then no doubt they will go and change it again.

theonlywayisup

bonsaichristian wrote: »

Thanks theonlywayisup, have you had this issue yourself ?

I have a business and a private account. Never have I been asked to upgrade, but that is because I don't flog it, I list personal stuff and use it to buy personal stuff. I don't have a problem with it. My business account on the other hand is a vat registered limited company.

Only the business account is registered with HMRC but that still leaves me open to any investigation by them.

piratefairy

hermum wrote: »

Other than the 100 free 99p or less a month listings, I wonder if the limit they're putting on private sellers is around 100 per month, or a value sold? After a few months I expect it will be clear ish. Then no doubt they will go and change it again.

i guess that value may be a sensible way for them to do that, and then they don't have to give a definitive number.

ramenkid

I reached the seller limit but I think it's because i sold a few designer items, I don't sell a lot - only sold about 70 in last two months (that was the most for me since I opened my account).

Not many of my items start on 99p either, usually £2.99 or £4.99. It'd be helpful if they let us all know how many designer items are allowed for private sellers to sell. And what brands are classes as 'designer'. The one I got restricted is only a high-street brand, though it's more like a high-end one.

bonsaichristian

I am well aware of the 100 free listings a month limit - I am talking about an unpublished limit which ebay has set for all listings by private sellers, regardless of price or format. Being charitable I would say it's a blanket approach to catch traders masquerading as individuals but further investigation, at least in my case, would make it obvious I'm not that.

I simply want to know what the implications of my registering as a business on ebay when I am not a business are? Ebay make it quite clear that calling yourself a business means that you will be subject to the same rules that govern business in the wider world, it's not simply a change of title. I completely agree that being a business but passing yourself of as an individual is wrong, but HMRC make it quite clear that the reverse is also a crime.
How are ebay trying to steer private sellers towards Gumtree ? - who in their right mind would choose to sell on a site described as 'a better platform for the usual tat' - that's not much of a recommendation! and its apparently owned by ebay.

waller87

Last week I tried to list some things as a private seller but it said I'd exceeding my limit. I had a look in my account options and it said I had ~£60 of fees so far so I payed off £50 of it and it let me list again. I used to have automatic monthly payment by paypal and I never encountered a selling limit even with fees over £100 so I'm guessing there is an owed fee limit for private sellers who don't have automatic monthly payment set up? not sure if this relates to the limit discussed in the OP but it's certainly a limit I am experiencing.

bonsaichristian

our fees are taken automatically so it's nothing to do with that - I think it may be a crude tool to weedle out traders posing as individuals but it's not looked at on a case-by-case basis, and demanding private sellers who list a lot of items register as businesses is a way to discourage private sellers - there must be many examples of private sellers selling the same product as ebays favoured business sellers and undercutting them - can't have that ! Another poster said that ebay are steering private sellers towards Gumtree (also owned by ebay) but i've seen no evidence of that, and if you look at gumtreesucks it's not encouraging - we're looking at ebid.

StaffsSW

From what I have been told, and reliably so at that, it is not just the number of listings that triggers the private to business email, but also the type, condition, and method of items sold.
Somebody with 200 listings for second hand clothes may not get the notification, but somebody with 25 BIn listings for 200 brand new items could.

I've seen dozens of these threads on various forums, and so far the only people who have managed to exempt themselves are proven collectors - records, trading cards, ornaments etc. Those that claim to be selling of a selection of personal items never seem to succeed with appeals.

The whole situation has been brought about by the widespread abuse of the business v private status, exacerbated by the period of free listings. The 100 free listings per month is a good start to resolve the situation that ebay created, and I would not be surprised if this is dropped further in time to come, both as a volume control and a revenue raiser.

Gumtree is starting to get pushed more by ebay, noticeably the recent removal of the Local Services category, with users being directed to Gumtree as an alternative. Also looking at the European markets, classified ad format takes has a much bigger presence in the southern Euro countries than in the the UK, mainly with private sellers. Gumtree is a ready made platform expanding that idea to the UK.

As for looking at ebid - good luck with your choices you make. There are indeed lots of people listing on there that you can join, but not many people selling...

bonsaichristian

i know - thats the problem - bar the occassional issue we've been happy with ebay for 7 years or so - i wouldn't leave voluntarily, but i'm not a business and what worries me is that they quite clearly state that business's are subject to business rules - obvious really - it's not just a change of title - and you can't revert back to being a private seller once you change. I've asked them repeatedly to re-impose a limit on my selling - they don't have to tell me what it is - but they ignore me.

sassyblue

Can't you open another account so you instantly double up that way?