eBay

johnmcelroynu · ‎01-07-2010

I just noticed that EBay fees since January 1st have been 21%, I use the most basic listings. They are hostile towards sellers...always on the side of the buyer, and really don't give a *&% as they think they are the only game in town. It isn't worth it; besides the crazy buyers, a bunch of theives at EBay and the headaches...for what, 79% of my goods and I get the hassle. And if that guy comes on that always tells you to take a deep breath, hold yours for as long as you can.

the_right_stuff99 · ‎01-14-2010

Ok, this has nothing to do with anything, but every time I see strangelove, I think strangeGLOVE and it makes me laugh.

Dick Stuart, a major league baseball player in the early '60's (when the movie "Dr. Strangelove" came out), was nicknamed "Dr. Strangeglove" because he was such a terrible fielder.

hatter-2 · ‎01-14-2010

Dick Stuart, a major league baseball player in the early '60's (when the movie "Dr. Strangelove" came out), was nicknamed "Dr. Strangeglove" because he was such a terrible fielder.

Doc, I gotta give credit when credit is due...I'm impressed!!!

You know of Dick Stuart...and that's a good story about the nickname...I didn't know that. Thanks!
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ssspence · ‎01-15-2010

You're right on the mark HHingston. As a Seller for more than 11 years, I've watched eBay deteriorate from a innovative "Auction" site to a "WalMart" store for Big Box Power Sellers that eBay bends over backwards to please.

Some of the little guys may manage to get a few crumbs, but are forced to subsidized the "Power Sellers" to do so. Whatever happened to "bidding" ? Most of the listings are "Buy it Now". eBay offers promotions with big discounts on listings for FIXED non-auctions. This gives the Power Sellers a HUGE advantage over the little guys. The can show off their $1.00 BUY IT NOW crap goods and they suck the BUYER into paying $9.99 shipping fees.

Before you ask why I'm still here 🙂 Hell, I'm just clearing out the remaining inventories and feeling proud of my PERFECT FEEDBACK record. Those of you who do succeed already know that it matters little what the big sellers or eBay does, it still all comes down between you and your buyer.

Climbing down off my soapbox. Thanks for listening.

the_ghost_planet · ‎01-15-2010

I see the majority of responses are against you. I was once a silver power seller and have more or less given it up due to the astronomical fees they now charge. I also sell at flea markets and local auctions and I for one find it much easier to just sell there for a little less money and not have the hassle of packing and shipping or bending over to get 5 stars with the new buyer ratings system. True, you don't get top dollar like ebay but by the time you pay the fees it evens out.

clayjo2009 · ‎01-16-2010

as far as bending over for 5 stars i treat all my buyers the same. they all get fast shipping and great packing. the stars fall where they may. i used to worry about the stars all the time. i do not anymore.
buyers are going to give you what they want to give you fair or unfair.
that is just the nature of the beast.
as far as selling at flea markets i go to one of the biggest ones in the chicago area every weekend in the flea market season and wonder how some of the sellers make any money at all?
some look like they sit there all day with a table full of stuff and when you go back at the end of the day the stuff is all still there.
granted some do better then others but it depends on what you sell.
i would rather just work out of my house on my own time instead of packing up all my stuff and getting up at 3.am just to sit in a parking lot and hope i get a sale. plus after the first 100 lowball offers for anything i would be ready to bolt.
it might be good for some but not me.
i disagree with a lot of ebay policy but i cannot find any other site where i sell as much as i do and make as much as i do.
if i am going to sell anything i want top dollar and most times it is on ebay.

sweetsounds.ltd · ‎01-17-2010

I just noticed that EBay fees since January 1st have been 21%, I use the most basic listings. They are hostile towards sellers...always on the side of the buyer, and really don't give a *&% as they think they are the only game in town. It isn't worth it; besides the crazy buyers, a bunch of theives at EBay and the headaches...for what, 79% of my goods and I get the hassle. And if that guy comes on that always tells you to take a deep breath, hold yours for as long as you can.

Selling $1,000.00, and netting $800.00, and you think that's good! Not to me.I hope to get a website of my own soon. What good is exposure when everybody wants your stuff for nothing, and ebay takes a big chunk of the nothing that you get! Say what you will, the fees are too high, and I will try something else thank you.

keldasales · ‎01-18-2010

Selling $1,000.00, and netting $800.00, and you think that's good!

Call me nuts if you will, but I think ending the day in the green is always awesome.

I will try something else thank you.

Good luck with that!

old_man_arthur · ‎01-18-2010

I would love to sell $1000 worth of stuff and net $800!

But that ain't how it works.
All these calculations seem to leave-out the shipping costs, what my time is worth, and the original cost of the item.
If I bought a guitar for $250, and sold it for $350 total... I did not make a hundred bucks.
evilBay took 8% and then PayPal took 3% then shipping took $40-$60, then I may have spent $10 on a box to ship the guitar in.
Then I had to take the guitar down to Fed Ex. I took an hour to type-up the listing. I answered questions for a week, I waited to get paid.... So how much did I really 'net' off of that deal?

Paid $250 for the guitar and sold it for $350...
Minus 8% = $322
Minus $10.50 for PayPal = $312
Minus $52 for Fed Ex = $260
Minus $10 for a Guitar Shipping Box = $250
Minus $2.05 bus fare to get to Fed Ex = $248
Minus the $8 for new Guitar Strings cuz I always change the strings = $240
I neglected to mention the original listing fees.

The only way that you make $800 from selling $1000 worth of stuff is if you originally got the stuff for Free.

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New Toy: 1996 Adamas 1881 ;

sweetsounds.ltd · ‎01-18-2010

If you have, oh say $300.00 worth of stuff, sell it for $1000.00, you got $700.00. Around $200.00 fees etc..., you got $500.00. Unless you have nothing else to do except pack and ship, that's not worth MY time. And don't forget Uncle Sam, you better give him his or you will get a BIG surprise. Some get away with not paying, but just wait until they get you. All that profit won't pay your way out of the IRS that WILL rain down on you. But anyway, I'm done. And I will find a better way sooner or later, or I will just qiut altogether. You can keep your smart replys as I could care less. Have a nice day! 🙂

hatter-2 · ‎01-18-2010

If you have, oh say $300.00 worth of stuff, sell it for $1000.00, you got $700.00. Around $200.00 fees etc..., you got $500.00. Unless you have nothing else to do except pack and ship, that's not worth MY time. And don't forget Uncle Sam, you better give him his or you will get a BIG surprise. Some get away with not paying, but just wait until they get you. All that profit won't pay your way out of the IRS that WILL rain down on you. But anyway, I'm done. And I will find a better way sooner or later, or I will just qiut altogether. You can keep your smart replys as I could care less. Have a nice day! 🙂

So, tell me, Sweets, what exactly do you do that is worth your time???

Making $500 on a $300 investment s a cool 167% return. Last time I checked, your savings account was yielding somewhere around 1%. Yeah, I'll take the 167% every time.

It seems to me either you don't want to work, or you consider work beneath you. Well, you have some options here, Sweets...you could steal money...but even stealing demands a certain amount of effort, which apparently you are not willing to exert.

Or you could wait for your allowance from Mommy and Daddy, or collect welfare, or maybe tap into your trust fund. God forbid the checks from any of these were mailed to you...you'd have to go to the bank to cash them and I know your time is much more valuable than that.

A lot of people vent on the boards and I'm OK with that. But when it becomes the same habitual rant, well, I feel a certain obligation to yank on that person's choke collar. Don't think you're special...I've done it before and I'll probably have to do it again. There are too many folks who do consider it worth their time to make their businesses work and they don't need the constant negativity of your likes to discourage them.
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clayjo2009 · ‎01-18-2010

I have bought items for 5 bucks and sold it for 100 i have gotten items for 1.50 and sold it for 96.50 i have gotten items for 3 bucks and sold it for 50.00 almost everything i sell i acquire for 10 bucks or less and 10 bucks is a big investment for me LOL! i would never by an item for 250 bucks just to sell for 350. that is where ebay is not as profitable as in OMA fees chart. the only thing i get mad about is why i did not start selling earlier!

old_man_arthur · ‎01-18-2010

Like I have said... I don't buy things to sell.
I buy my guitars to play. When I get too many, something has to go.
Sez so right in my listings.

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New Toy: 1996 Adamas 1881 ;

clayjo2009 · ‎01-18-2010

I never meant to imply that you did OMA. i was just using your numbers as an example.
i bought my daughter a guitar about 4 months ago on ebay. it was a cheap 40.00 guitar.
she wanted to get into it so i figured start cheap and see if she gets serious. I let her pick one out and i paid. when we received the guitar it only had 5 strings on it! LOL!

sweetsounds.ltd · ‎01-18-2010

I thought this was a discussion board, not a "I'm the mad hatter know it all forum". Just one more thing I've learned to dislike about fleabay. Sorry I offended you. Forgive me! I have only been working every day now for over 40 years. By-the-way, why are you so quick to be a smarta@#? Ebay is making MILLIONS of dollars. Do you think they give a rats a@# about you?! Stick to discussions, not wise cracks. You don't know me! Why do you hide behind a (0) identity anyway? Looks to me like you have no feedback, so what's up with that? Are you just here to defend ebay? I am just a concerned user here.