New Fees Are Pure Greed

[reverbtank]

If  you go to the e-bay fee calculator that shows current fees compared to the new fees staring April 16th it pretty shocking for the amateur hobbyist guitar-seller.  If you don't have an e-bay store (because you don't sell that much) and are just a small hobby seller the new fee structure will put a total end to selling high end guitars on e-bay. For example if you sell a $3,000 guitar in a fixed price listing that cost $65 to ship, the current fee is $104.30. The new fee starting April 16th is $250. That's an extra $145.70. Wow! I remember a couple years ago it only cost $50 to sell a high end guitar. I'm sorry but these new fees are nothing more than total greed anyway you slice it.  Shame on you e-bay.  Why are you so greedy? X-(

[old_man_arthur]

Yeah, I did the same arithmetic...

Remember when eBay was FUN?

[hanna2414]

My $800 item I sold last night cost me $96.50 between ebay and paypal fees.  It really cut into my portion when I had to do most of the work.  Capitalism at its best!

[ibuy6262]

Yup, paying the fees is a hard pill to swallow, but this is the way I look at it:  If you sold your item at a garage sale, consignment store, or auction house, you would still be responsible for finding the widget, researching the widget and setting the price of a reserve at a auction house or consignment store, both of which would have taken considerably more dollars in fees than you paid in eBay fees.  Try putting a $800 price tag on an item in a garage/yard sale and see how many buyers are interested.

So, if someone said to me, you have a good chance of making approximately 85% of your asking price versus 50%, and your widget will have a world wide market, and all you have to do is take 12 decent pictures and write an accurate description, which would you choose?

No one, including me, likes paying the fees, and dislikes it even more when fees increase, but until I find a venue for my used items that is better than eBay, I am staying put.  

I am now climbing down off of the soapbox;-).

[hanna2414]

LOL.  Oh I agree about the great exposure, Ibuy.  Yard sales make me want to commit a criminal act, (idiots wanting to talk me down from 25 cents to a dime)  We are all just passing our crapola on to the next guy so we can buy our own crapola.  I love America!!  But I will stay at ebay also I get the opportunity is much better here I just wish I could order around someone I was paying so much to I guess.  ?:|

[mintrobmint]

Funny story about yard sales Hanna...just a few weeks ago a co-worker of mine came into work ranting about yard sale she was running. A snowbird was looking at an item and asked her "what is this"?...my coworker replied "it's an antique barbers shave brush with a 1900 Morgan Silver Dollar embedded in the bottom"...the snowbird replied "i'll give you .50 cents for it"?

I cant post what she actually said to the snowbird (But it rhymes with Brother and duck and skitbread and smooshshmag).. after that but I can tell you it was the fastest she had ever seen a snowbird drive away in all her years here in Havasu! :^O

The yard sale started @ 6 am and ended @ 7:30...AM...Hahaaaa!

Oh yea better stay on topic....fees suck & eBay is super greedy! 😉

[skullywag64]

  Shame on you e-bay.  Why are you so greedy? X-(

Because they can.

[billy_biggle_fan]

Yeah, guitar sellers are getting hosed this time.  As well as most sellers who routinely sell large, expensive items.

Last year it was sports cards, postcards, coupons, and paper memorabilia sellers.

It's an unfortunate reality that on a site this large, whenever a fee or policy change is made, some sellers will be shafted.

We video game sellers took our shellacking in 2008.

[leogexx]

I agree that the fees are high ,but the irony is some of the buyers are worse than ebay for greed . I just bought some collectibles from a wholesaler ,six in a box for $72 or $12 each  ,every box has 5 regular edition and one limited edition collectible .The regular edition items are going for $23 -$30 on ebay while the limited edition is going or $50-$80 on ebay ,in essence some of the sellers are far greedier than ebay.

[tisherself33]

I agree with the majority about the fees.  What I don't understand is why they take out fees for postage (or what a seller lists for postage, using they're own boxes,etc.,)  It's like we're being punished for doing the shipping ourselves.

In response to your comments regarding greedy sellers;  Yes, I'm sure there are some, but I shipped out a large item that cost me $7 more than what I expected and I still have to pay "so-called" shipping percentage to ebay.  Not only did I jip myself $7, ebay has to get their share as well!   "Live and learn." LOL!!!

[atroop11thcav]

I JUST FOUND OUT WHEN I SOLD AN ITEM THAT EBAY CHARGES A $7 FEE FOR USING I FLAT SHIPPING FEE INSTEAD OF THEIR SHIPPING CALCUATOR AND I CANNOT FIND THAT FEE ANYWHERE ON THE EBAY SITE AND IT WAS NOT THERE WHEN I LISTED THE ITEM

[mintrobmint]

I JUST FOUND OUT WHEN I SOLD AN ITEM THAT EBAY CHARGES A $7 FEE FOR USING I FLAT SHIPPING FEE INSTEAD OF THEIR SHIPPING CALCUATOR AND I CANNOT FIND THAT FEE ANYWHERE ON THE EBAY SITE AND IT WAS NOT THERE WHEN I LISTED THE ITEM

That is not true...they only take 9% of the shipping fee. 

[mintrobmint]

So basically that $80 shipping fee on your Jumbo M&M statues would be in fact $7 fee to eBay. This is normal eBay greed!

[lmang20]

I have two high end items that I am unable to sell on ebay for reasons that aren't important for this discusssion.  I took them to a consignment store this morning.  I have to split the sale 50/50.  Now that's expensive!

[susnmcmahon]

Some people do well on Craigslist.  In my area I don't think Cragislist brings good prices, but in other more metropolitan areas you can do well. I know someone who sells stereo equipment and gets good prices, but he really know his stuff too and can clean & fine tune the equipment before selling.  He gave up Ebay a long time ago.