MSE News: eBay sellers beware - its fees now eat into postage costs

ballisticbrian

Well they've levelled the playing field so 'free' postage sellers are paying the same fees as non free competitors.

There is no levelling of the field. Beforehand, sellers choose to offer free postage - they weren't forced into it.

RFW

ballisticbrian wrote: »

There is no levelling of the field. Beforehand, sellers choose to offer free postage - they weren't forced into it.

I'm confused by this, I get the point but it is still now a level playing field. There has always been an encouragement to offer free postage and those who did found themselves at a disadvantage to some competitors.
As it stands some sellers are now better off, with listing fees reduced. To paraphrase you "If you think there is an uneven playing field you still choose to sell on Ebay, you aren't forced into it";)

Percy1983

ballisticbrian wrote: »

There is no levelling of the field. Beforehand, sellers choose to offer free postage - they weren't forced into it.

Your not forced to offer free postage now, you just might as well.

How is it not a level playing field? last time a checks the same rules applied to all who trade on ebay.

ie, if this means you need to increase your price you competition wilol also be in the same boat and have to up theres, if they manage to sell under you and still make a profit they are clearly getting items cheaper than you or selling more, either way both options are available to you.

As others have said if you don't like it then don't sell on ebay, if enough of you actually stopped complaining and actually did something ebay may sit up and take notice.

soolin

Rotti wrote: »

I love how your way is the right way and you have it completely the wrong way round! I BUY at terrestrial auctions - big mixed lots for pennies - and then split up lots and SELL on eBay - single replacement china items for pounds, and selling at terrestrial auctions brings in very little as most there are buying to sell at boot sales and the like. My sales are also worldwide and I agree with others that it is very unfair to have to charge overseas buyers 12% on top of the cost to recoup that 10%. They are still buying because they want what I am selling but I consider it immoral to charge them extra just to line eBays's pockets. You need to understand that when you decide to sell discontinued china the "business model" is different. I have started items of obscure vintage Staffordshire pottery dinerware at £4.99 having no idea of what they might actually fetch. One item, a 1930s Doulton Casserole dish, made £91. The buyer was in New Zealand and had to pay £78 to get it there as it was too large and too heavy for airmail so had to go by Fedex. The buyer wanted it as they were trying to rebuild a cherished family service partly destroyed by the earthquakes. In those cases sentiment plays a bigger part than any "business model" and they were thrilled to get the piece. I had another buyer in Australia who bout 4 items of 1940s pottery at a total cost of £22. Cost to ship that by Fedex - 2 large covered veg dishes, platters and a teapot - was £108. Now that would rocket to £121 to cover the extra fees. Only last week I sent 2 Doulton platters to the US and had to charge the buyer £58 - she was happy as it was again to add to a cherished inherited set but I hate having to charge these people so much.
Sometimes you need to look beyond the "business model" and consider that what you are doing is providing a service and filling a need - not just peddling Far Eastern tat for the most you can get!

You and I are in the same market

However I aim to sell at a profit I am not a charity- are you saying you are selling at cost then or are you (dare I suggest it!) making a profit by selling to poor unfortunate Australians who you know will pay a lot to replace items?

If you are making a profit how do you justify it then in your world where ebay is morally unjustified in doing so? Surely by your own admission you should not have allowed your bidders to pay so much for items?

Rotti

RFW wrote: »

So your business is a philanthropic one?
Your FedEx fees sound quite excessive, have you checked if they are immorally earning a profit on what they charge? More seriously, have you tried getting lower rates with FedEx or other couriers via an account?

I am not a business!!! I have a hobby collecting which leaves me with a bunch of pre-loved china to dabble with and I mostly start it low and see where it ends up. I don't know how many more times I have to say that I am a private seller and as such am not able to open accounts with most of the couriers but have to use booking sites like Interparcel and P2G. As you know Fedex and UPS fees vary immensely according to destination and volume as well as the weight so if someone in Australia buys 4 pieces at £5 and they are very large pieces they take up a lot of room and cost a lot to send. it's not rocket science and I don't see why eBay should take even more off them as they are already paying a much higher rate than a UK buyer. It wouldn't be difficult for eBay to exempt overseas transactions from the surcharge. I had a buyer only yesterday complain at £78 to get several items in one parcel to Taiwan. By Royal Mail it would have been three parcels and Fedex came out the cheapest at £69 but I had to charge her £78. I explained why and she is going to complain to eBay - maybe if enough buyers complain they will sit up and take notice.

Rotti

soolin wrote: »

You and I are in the same market

However I aim to sell at a profit I am not a charity- are you saying you are selling at cost then or are you (dare I suggest it!) making a profit by selling to poor unfortunate Australians who you know will pay a lot to replace items?

If you are making a profit how do you justify it then in your world where ebay is morally unjustified in doing so? Surely by your own admission you should not have allowed your bidders to pay so much for items?

I don't "aim to sell at a profit" as I am not (again!) a business but have a hobby which leaves me with previously loved china to sell on. It happens to be of interest to overseas buyers looking to match patterns and I feel bad that they have to pay so much to get it to them. I am not selling "at cost" as there is no specific cost per item involved. I don't see that starting anything at £4.99 or under is profiteering or taking advantage of anyone - if two people want the item they bid against each other and the price goes up - duh, that's what happens in auctions! I am not "allowing" anyone to pay a set price for anything so have nothing to justify.

RFW

Rotti wrote: »

I am not a business!!! I have a hobby collecting which leaves me with a bunch of pre-loved china to dabble with and I mostly start it low and see where it ends up. I don't know how many more times I have to say that I am a private seller and as such am not able to open accounts with most of the couriers but have to use booking sites like Interparcel and P2G. As you know Fedex and UPS fees vary immensely according to destination and volume as well as the weight so if someone in Australia buys 4 pieces at £5 and they are very large pieces they take up a lot of room and cost a lot to send. it's not rocket science and I don't see why eBay should take even more off them as they are already paying a much higher rate than a UK buyer. It wouldn't be difficult for eBay to exempt overseas transactions from the surcharge. I had a buyer only yesterday complain at £78 to get several items in one parcel to Taiwan. By Royal Mail it would have been three parcels and Fedex came out the cheapest at £69 but I had to charge her £78. I explained why and she is going to complain to eBay - maybe if enough buyers complain they will sit up and take notice.

Not being a business doesn't preclude you from trying to get a better deal from the couriers. Why is it only Ebay you have a problem with making a profit? By buying your courier service through a third party there are two other companies making a profit there who you could get your customer to complain to.
There are also many other selling options besides Ebay, especially if you aren't in it for profit. It's not just you but I do find the "only Ebay" mentality to be really strange. They hacked me off as a seller big time earlier this year, I spent the following weeks shifting stocks elsewhere.

burnleymik

Just sold quite a few bits for the first time in a while on ebay and the invoice just landed, I was pretty shocked and then realised this new policy.

I don't fully understand how eBay can charge you a fee on a service they are not providing, is this considered an unfair term in their T+C's?

I understand people were abusing the system, but surely there were better ways around it than just hitting the sellers again.

Also, it feels wrong that you can be rated on the amount you charge for postage, without buyers really understanding all the costs, including the new ones, that the seller has to eat up.

I feel for the people who are trying to make a living on there.

It will probably be the last time I sell on there, shame really.

Road_Hog

campdave wrote: »

People who have been selling with free postage will not be hit by this change.

Strange, when I go down the PO and ask for free postage, they laugh at me.

Can anyone tell me how you get free postage?

campdave

Road_Hog wrote: »

Strange, when I go down the PO and ask for free postage, they laugh at me.

Can anyone tell me how you get free postage?

Like you don't understand what I mean.