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

soolin

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

That is 'exactly' what I do, so why are you not a business? If I kept certain things, which I do especially around Christmas times when I have extra guests, shall I then count myself as selling off my own items regardless of quantity or how long I keep items?

I do not understand how you consider yourself selling your own goods when buying at auction and reselling on ebay.

sequence

Tesco could have been a hobby, if only the owners had kept a few tins of beans for the family!

RFW

sequence wrote: »

Tesco could have been a hobby, if only the owners had kept a few tins of beans for the family!

Nowadays that's known as a "tax avoidance scheme"!

Rotti

soolin wrote: »

That is 'exactly' what I do, so why are you not a business? If I kept certain things, which I do especially around Christmas times when I have extra guests, shall I then count myself as selling off my own items regardless of quantity or how long I keep items?

I do not understand how you consider yourself selling your own goods when buying at auction and reselling on ebay.

Like I said, it is a hobby and I barely make enough to bother with - certainly nowhere near tax thresholds - just fills my time after retirement from the rat race.

soolin

Rotti wrote: »

Like I said, it is a hobby and I barely make enough to bother with - certainly nowhere near tax thresholds - just fills my time after retirement from the rat race.

Tax threshold?

Paying tax is not the same as needing to declare yourself both as a business to HMRC and registering as such on eBay.

There is no exemption from tax for hobby selling, nor is there a lower limit below which you do not need to register.

RFW

soolin wrote: »

Tax threshold?

Paying tax is not the same as needing to declare yourself both as a business to HMRC and registering as such on eBay.

There is no exemption from tax for hobby selling, nor is there a lower limit below which you do not need to register.

That's HMRC for you, they're only in it for the money;)

Road_Hog

campdave wrote: »

Like you don't understand what I mean.

I'm just trying to understand the free postage thing.

Please explain to me how I get free postage from the RM.

Or do your mean, that I PAY for the postage, that EBAY take 10% and stufff it in their pocket?

soolin

Road_Hog wrote: »

I'm just trying to understand the free postage thing.

Please explain to me how I get free postage from the RM.

Or do your mean, that I PAY for the postage, that EBAY take 10% and stufff it in their pocket?

You are not 12 even you can understand the difference between what the buyer sees and what the seller sees. My buyers get 'free postage' and pay extra for their goods , I pay for postage.

We all accept it should technically be 'inclusive postage', but eBay just want to follow what most other retailers show. I buy from amazon 'free postage' likewise from Other online stores. I am not 12 and I understand the cost has been loaded into my item price.

anotheruser

Back to the OP, I just increased my costs for postage.

Yes it's against ebay rules but meh.

Yes it has decreased my stars a little but meh. In a few months time (I don't have anything more to sell now), they will go anyway and the cycle will start again.

littlerat

I'm selling a couple of items now, ebay just suggested I sell it with the postage that would be RMs actual cost. They didn't add the money so the postage charge would actually cover postage though. Funny that.

And I still won't offer free postage as I'd need to start it above the 99p free listing to be sure I didn't lose money, so pay a fee for that.

What I don't get, is I lose out as people are say willing to spend £5 total, so will bid 30p less on the item. They may lose out as their item costs 30p more to send. Don't see how ebay can promote this as better for buyers, it's odd..

But, nowhere else I can reach any market where these items have any chance of being worth anything. So it's either sell and lose the extra money, or keep and get nothing or bin.

Never minded the 10% as I know actual auction houses charge both parties a larger amount, but charging it on postage is just ridiculous.