Current Cost and Effort of Selling Items on eBay

[beaglewoofer]

I just received payment from eBay for my last sale and realized that eBay is even taking out 13.5% from the shipping. So much is lost from each sale that I must say, after many years of both buying and selling on eBay, that it is no longer worth my time and trouble listing anything except perhaps a few high-priced items.

In other words, all those fun, interesting or collectible items that used to go to happy new homes for modest sums, are no longer worth the time and money to list.  And such items are one of the main attractions, the fun, of eBay.  As it was, shipping costs were already making many items of lower value not worthwhile to buy.   eBay, you may have killed your own golden goose. 

[buyselljack2016]

@beaglewoofer 

fees %age has been applied to shipping paid by the buyer since 2011.

[kensgiftshop]

Wait until you find out they also charge you 13.5% on any sales tax the buyer pays.

[dbfolks166mt]

     There are hundreds if not thousands of postings on this forum about this and you have been on this forum since 2017 and are just now figuring out how eBay applies the FVF's? Those costs should be built into your cost model so the buyer is actually paying those fees. Unless the shipping cost the buyer pays is exactly what it cost you to ship the item there may be sufficient difference to actually cover the fees. 

[femmefan1946]

The shipping you charge the buyer is likely the counter price, but most sellers get a discount by using eBay labels, or some other discount supplier.

The shipping you charged likely did not include the cost of the packaging.

You did not account for Cookie Jar Insurance - selfinsurance against the occasional problem transaction.

The fee on sales taxes is a percentage of a percentage. 

TRS sellers get discounts on fees and a few other perks.

[ed8108]

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@beaglewoofer wrote:

....    that it is no longer worth my time and trouble listing anything except perhaps a few high-priced items.

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Good luck with the plan

[kenneth686321]

@beaglewoofer '

Before you list anything ask yourself this simple question. Based on market supply/demand and your competitors' prices how much money do YOU realistically want in YOUR cold hands at the end of the transaction?  

Example your Ancient Phoenician Jug Listing - Looks nice btw

If YOU want $50 in your cold hands after all Ebay fees, shipping cost, shipping materials are paid. 

Thus, you would price the item at $70 + $20 Shipping. 

Item Price: $70

Buyer Paid Shipping Cost: $20 

Buyer Estimated sales tax 10%: $9 (I always estimate a higher than average sales tax just to be safe).    

Buyer Total Paid: $99

Selling Costs

Ebay FVF 13.25%: $13.12

Ebay Optional PL Fee 2%: $1.98

Actual Shipping Cost: $20 

Shipping Supplies (box, bubble wrap, gas): $4 estimated 

Profit in your hands: $50.90 

If you want $60 in your hands after everything you would list for around $80 + $20 shipping.   

If the average sold listing price was lower than $70+ shipping I would either 1. accept a lower profit margin lower than $50. 2. Sell another site with lower fees or 0 fees or 3. Not sell at all. 

It is up to YOU to determine if its worth selling your item on Ebay after all the fees. 

There are some items that should not be sold on Ebay especially those under $5

[beaglewoofer]

Lots of responses to my posting saying "this isn't new" and "charge more to cover your expenses" or similar.  But the posting was, of course, aimed at eBay's leadership.  One more message communicating that the market is beginning not to bear their fees.  

[femmefan1946]

@kenneth686321 

@beaglewoofer 

I agree that low priced items are only profitable if most sales are of multiple items which can then be shipped together.

But we should also be adding in the cost of our labour.

Here in BC the minimum wage is 28c a minute. Are you paying yourself that?

[slippinjimmy]

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@beaglewoofer wrote:

Lots of responses to my posting saying "this isn't new" and "charge more to cover your expenses" or similar.  But the posting was, of course, aimed at eBay's leadership.  One more message communicating that the market is beginning not to bear their fees.  

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Hard to confirm your assertions when eBay is flooded with sellers and listings. Lots of sellers have been stating that they cannot bear the fees since the first major fee increase 20+ years ago. I would agree that sellers have their limits but as long as eBay is in the same range as other (popular) sites there isn't a lot of viable alternatives that have significantly lower fees.

[chapeau-noir]

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@beaglewoofer wrote:

Lots of responses to my posting saying "this isn't new" and "charge more to cover your expenses" or similar.  But the posting was, of course, aimed at eBay's leadership.  One more message communicating that the market is beginning not to bear their fees.  

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eBay leadership does not read these boards.

[toomuchstuffagain35]

As far as we know

[mn467462]

Ita illegal and we should band together to file a class action lawsuit. But we won't. Instead the ebay sycophants will just defend ebay. 

[joliztoyco]

Conveniently missing from all those pretty numbers:

Original investment cost.
Isn't that rather important?
Did they get the "Ancient Phoenician Jug" for free?
I'm thinking no.

[richard1rst]

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@mn467462 wrote:

Ita illegal and we should band together to file a class action lawsuit. But we won't. Instead the ebay sycophants will just defend ebay. 

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Explaining your error to you (or the OP)  is NOT the act of a sycophant defending eBay any more than telling you not to grab a moving saw blade is meant to defend the actions of the blade.