How are you finding ebay at the moment?

ThriftyShelly

I am not best pleased with e-bay today! I am a private seller and had a couple of high quality items finishing in the last hour or so, both the items had 25+ watchers and I also had quite a few questions about shipping to other countries etc so was expecting to have a few bob to treat myself with, anyway got my eye wiped as they both sold for less than a fiver! (I started bids at 99p) Hubbie said I should re-list as they probably went for such small amounts as e-bay was down, I think I will just honour the sale, it's not the buyers fault and if they hadn't gone on e-bay they would have gone to the local charity shop so anything's a bonus, out of interest what would other sellers do? re-list or accept they have sold for a v low price?

snotter1

I have tried on google chrome, internet explorer, and mozilla! I have also contacted friends to check - all down since around 10.30am UK now after 3pm and still can't get on ebay. I buy and sell and this is seriously messing with me! My sellers are giving up because so many ebay ebay "glitches". My buyers are complaining as can't bid - my prices are falling as people get fed up. Search functions for "see similar" been not working all week - I use this to look for similar items in UK and Europe - don't want US and China! My buyers are same and giving up. I am a small business seller and rely on sales every week but I'm probably finished this week! Please can we band together to get Martin to take a closer look at Ebay! They have bullied us all into first Paypal, then Click and Collect, manged returns ++++
What happened to it being an auction site? For years they pushed for low prices and no reserves - which I do. Now all changed!
I'd like to know if it is even legal to charge 10% on postage costs??? If I add 10% and then 10% of 10% etc I will lose customers! Plus I sell vintage prints and buy strong card tubes - larger ones cost £3 plus VAT so ebay is getting 10% of my packing costs!!!!
Ebay have bought and bullied their way to the top and making it impossible for the people who built them up to survive (they don't want us anymore only Littlewoods, M&S outlet and rubbish from China)
Martin - you still recommend Ebay as a way to make money selling unwanted items but now is time to revise your info and make clear (most auction items do not require free returns, click and collect but ebay makes it sound so)

I would like to see them investigated under monopolies commission! If they were a supermarket or pub or bookies would have been done a long time ago!!!

Not sure how to go about it but Martin has fixed bank stuff and really believe Ebay needs keeping under control. Especially when not working - costing sellers in no bids - but they never apologise, never refund. In my case it is my livlihood! In past when I contacted them they say they advise bid early but they know many people bid last minute. But today has been down for hours!!!

Sorry for long mail but .... Help!!!!

soolin

ThriftyShelly wrote: »

I am not best pleased with e-bay today! I am a private seller and had a couple of high quality items finishing in the last hour or so, both the items had 25+ watchers and I also had quite a few questions about shipping to other countries etc so was expecting to have a few bob to treat myself with, anyway got my eye wiped as they both sold for less than a fiver! (I started bids at 99p) Hubbie said I should re-list as they probably went for such small amounts as e-bay was down, I think I will just honour the sale, it's not the buyers fault and if they hadn't gone on e-bay they would have gone to the local charity shop so anything's a bonus, out of interest what would other sellers do? re-list or accept they have sold for a v low price?

Last time this happened a week or so ago ebay did say they would remove any defects caused by sellers withdrawing from a sale. However, I don't trust ebay, and there is no guarantee that they will protect you against a defect if you pull out and refuse to sell

RFW

snotter1 wrote: »

I would like to see them investigated under monopolies commission! If they were a supermarket or pub or bookies would have been done a long time ago!!!

Plenty of reasons for taking Ebay to task but I think you've missed the point on monopolies. For the last few months they've been pushing sellers and buyers on to other sites. If you're stuck with Ebay as the only place to sell on, then you're not looking in the right places.

Stick to points that are actual rather than ones that aren't (commission on postage is legal, no one has been bullied to offer click & collect, most sellers can't even offer it)

ThriftyShelly

Totally agree with Snotter! I was v stressed at work a few yrs back and considered giving up my job to sell as a business seller on e-bay (I live near a large retail outlet and am great at nabbing a bargain!) decided against it and just changed to a less stressful role within my current organisation, I am so glad I didn't give up my job! We wouldn't manage on one wage and it seems that even the most savvy business sellers are struggling.
I will stick to selling off my families old clothes and bits and bobs and anything I make is a little bonus. My heart really goes out to others who have put their faith and their families futures into the hands of e-bay, it seems it is no longer the place to run your own successful business.


p.s Thanks Soolin, yes will honour the sales, I hate it when I have won a bargain for the sale to then be withdrawn and like you say I may get a bit of bad feedback if I do! Wouldn't rely on e-bay protecting me from this

soolin

ThriftyShelly wrote: »

Totally agree with Snotter! I was v stressed at work a few yrs back and considered giving up my job to sell as a business seller on e-bay (I live near a large retail outlet and am great at nabbing a bargain!) decided against it and just changed to a less stressful role within my current organisation, I am so glad I didn't give up my job! We wouldn't manage on one wage and it seems that even the most savvy business sellers are struggling.
I will stick to selling off my families old clothes and bits and bobs and anything I make is a little bonus. My heart really goes out to others who have put their faith and their families futures into the hands of e-bay, it seems it is no longer the place to run your own successful business.


p.s Thanks Soolin, yes will honour the sales, I hate it when I have won a bargain for the sale to then be withdrawn and like you say I may get a bit of bad feedback if I do! Wouldn't rely on e-bay protecting me from this

If I might add, when this did happen last time the message from ebay advising sellers they would be protected was sent several days after the event. I assume by that time it was far too late- sellers with less than a 5 day dispatch would already have had to send- or maybe that was ebay's intention.

Ebay have absolutely no understanding of the problems sellers face.

mrs_sparrow

1 sale since Thursday at 10pm. Sigh.

thepedestrian

I`m looking forward to the day soon ,when I get rid of my "stock" and get back to my life.......

soolin

mrs_sparrow wrote: »

1 sale since Thursday at 10pm. Sigh.

I was selling steadily until 11.15 am today , and since eBay has come back on I've had several more sales.

ThriftyShelly

Hi, just to let others know I have just been on live chat with e-bay, complained about missing out on my sales yesterday as buyers couldn't bid and they firstly offered to protect me from negative feedback if I cancel the sales, they said they will be letting buyers know about the problems yesterday and this is why the sale has been cancelled. I explained that I didn't want to do this and have sent the items that sold at a lower price than I expected today as I didn;t want to let the buyers down, e-bay then said they will refund my fees, I think this is OK, better than nothing, so thought I should let others know that if you ask you may get your fees back for yesterday if you want to honour your sales.
Best of luck!