eBay

cowgalpal · ‎08-25-2016

Howdy. I'm cowgalpal, a seller of many years, and would like a discussion place to talk about the new %fee for shipping, the odd skews of the Top Seller discount to exactly match what the site's price stated, and the missed opportunity for Sellers to refund Buyers any overage.

I don't want to rant - I just want to start a discussion about this 'ship gouging' policy that seems to use the same tactic by charging everyone for a few's mis-takes.

Thanks. Hope to begin a good thing. If individuals can be calculated by feedback stars, surely there can be a way to discern the 'gougers' too, and not punish everyone.

cowgalpal · ‎08-30-2016

Thanks all; I asked for input and that is exactly what I got. I did learn a couple things to tweak, and apprecitate that. I was surprised by what a sore spot this must be by the firestorm of replies, but also astounded at some of the math, defensiveness about what a staff it'd take to add a rating star to discern gougers on an already-written algorythm, but mostly by the general viciousness of the other Sellers. I had no idea.

I also had never used the Forum before, and don't know how to take the whole Post down, so thought I'd just wait until people stopped smearing replies on me long after I said I Rest My Case and just leave it up for what ever posterity there might be for another who could come to this question, or a newbie.

I was actually gone for a long time, crippled by a car crash, but didn't feel it necessary to say that at the beginning. The snottiness of those who told me the policy was older led me to believe that I had received the notices, and subsequent emails with eBay, because of that long absence, and return.

No matter. Think what you like, defend your ways, keep them to yourself or lord them over others. It doesn't matter in the end; it doesn't change what it is. I'm certainly the wiser for it.

View Best Answer in original post

cowgalpal · ‎08-30-2016

Stop. Please. I've already posted that my question was resolved, it was marked in green, and - ended. There is no need to keep paraphrasing what has aready been said five times.

If people don't stop weighing in on this item, eBay is likely to just change policy and go into the exclusive business of selling bridges. It's become evident that there is a massive marketplace that they're missing out on.

Take it -- and please -- leave it.

End of discussion.

Thank you.

View Best Answer in original post

cowgalpal · ‎08-30-2016

What?! Amen, yet again? Yipes. A reply of blame for replying.

Sigh.

In the meantime, would you like to buy a mobius strip? I happen to have several of them I could list, if you'd like to actually do some bidness instead of

...

View Best Answer in original post

takikawa4 · ‎08-25-2016

What new fee?

@cowgalpal

phcd1 · ‎08-25-2016

Fees haven't changed in a while.

fern*wood · ‎08-25-2016

This fee has basically been beat to death since it started a few years back. I know of nothing new to add. I build my fees into my pricing and carry on.

cowgalpal · ‎08-25-2016

Hi, Taki .. Sellers are now charged a 10% fee from the shipping amount eBay's calculator says it will cost. If you weren't aware of it, do be. We all need to know. Thanks for starting a discussion!

takikawa4 · ‎08-25-2016

I'm well aware of the 10% fee. However, it's far from new. As another poster mentioned, build the fee into your price. It's not going away.

cowgalpal · ‎08-25-2016

Howdy, Fern* ..

The 10% of the shipping amount stated is not a couple years old; it's new. Since about Spring of this year or so.

If there is a way to 'build' fees into your items, I guess I'd like to know how to do that, while still making the endeavor profitable for both parties.

cowgalpal · ‎08-25-2016

The 10% final value fee was incepted some time ago, yes. It is much easier too, across the board, to have it flat like that. Previously, it was a sliding scale of percentages, based upon the Sold price, same scale as Listing Fees at that time, .99 to 9.99, and up from there in 20 to 30 dollar increments. So yes, 10% across the board is just an easy calc for every Seller concerned.

But the newer fee, charging 10% of what eBay's calucular states, is in addition to the Final Value fee. And - if you sell lower-dollar items, it is often more than the FV fee. So - you basically have to double your asking price if you want to incorporate what becomes, basically, about 25% of each sale to eBay.

That's a lot to add onto an opening bid price. Well, that is, if you want anyone to bid.

fern*wood · ‎08-25-2016

@cowgalpal wrote:
The 10% final value fee was incepted some time ago, yes. It is much easier too, across the board, to have it flat like that. Previously, it was a sliding scale of percentages, based upon the Sold price, same scale as Listing Fees at that time, .99 to 9.99, and up from there in 20 to 30 dollar increments. So yes, 10% across the board is just an easy calc for every Seller concerned.

But the newer fee, charging 10% of what eBay's calucular states, is in addition to the Final Value fee. And - if you sell lower-dollar items, it is often more than the FV fee. So - you basically have to double your asking price if you want to incorporate what becomes, basically, about 25% of each sale to eBay.

That's a lot to add onto an opening bid price. Well, that is, if you want anyone to bid.

I believe you are doing funny math since 10% of the shipping and 10% of the item is still 10% of the total. You don't add the percentages to make 25%.

The fee on shipping costs didn't just start this spring. It was started several years ago. I ask more for my items to cover the fees. If my items don't sell by supporting the fees, then I stop selling that item.

fern*wood · ‎08-25-2016

@cowgalpal wrote:
Howdy, Fern* ..

The 10% of the shipping amount stated is not a couple years old; it's new. Since about Spring of this year or so.

If there is a way to 'build' fees into your items, I guess I'd like to know how to do that, while still making the endeavor profitable for both parties.

Sorry, it isn't a couple years old. I had to look it up since time flies. It started over 5 years ago. Here is the update:

http://announcements.ebay.com/2011/03/2011-spring-seller-update/

@cowgalpal

cowgalpal · ‎08-25-2016

Hi -- it does depend upon the item's sold price, of course, but here is an example:

I sold a beaded (heavy) dress for 4.99. So, .49¢ is the final value fee. But it had to ship by Priority because of the weight, and that cost was $6.15, thus, another 10% fee to add on, .62¢. And you DO have to add them together, .49¢ PLUS the .62¢ (obviously higher than the FV fee), and you DO come out to a larger than "10% overall" fee.

They are two separate fees, not one. This particular dress was a re-list, because it was obviously unattractive at 7.99 - because of the shipping price needed.

I don't think Buyers know, and they shouldn't have to. But it is a huge consideration in whether to buy it or not. She ended up paying $11.14 for a $4.99 dress, so that is the Buyers stance, and rightfullly so. But - for the Seller, the final price for the dress ended up being $3.87.

I hope you see what I mean about adding these two fees together.

cowgalpal · ‎08-25-2016

I'm not trying to 'win' some arguement, or date it. My point is that there is indeed a second fee of 10% charged, on the shipping fee eBay states, and it is indeed added.

The question is -- why does eBay take 10% of monies that are not theirs in the first place? If it belongs to anyone, it would be the Post Office. eBay is simply a 'middle man' in linking the post office to their site.

It's also interesting that what ever the fee charged is, it ALWAYS comes out to that exact amount. What CHANGES, on the other hand, is the Sellers "discounted rate" - by percentage - TO make it that exact amount. My "Top Seller Discount" comes in anywhere from 13% to 45% -- seemingly, to make the charged fee EXACTLY what it comes to. ie - a First Class blouse, sent in a manilla, which cannot possibly cost more than 3.50 to send -- comes up as Fee: $6.45!, but!! -- with my "discount" - it miraculously comes down to the exACT fee stated. Even if my nebulous 'discount' has to be 45% to get it there.

It's understood that Sellers with that Top Rate get a shipping discount, and it's generally stated that it's 20% or some such. But -- it is not. It can be ANY %, to get eBay's fingers in a piece of the shipping amount. Why? And where does it go?

My emails with them have explained that it is an effort to quash "shipping price gouging" by those who sell - say a dollar item, but with nine dollars shipping. Well - as stated earlier, surely there is a star they can add to seller's ratings dashboard to gauge the almighty Buyer's response, and THOSE gougers can be charged accordinly.

The idea of "quashing ship gouging" by doing the exact same thing - gouging everyone to quash some few -- is a bit of a mobius strip. It's rare that you end anything by employing the same tactic.

posting*master · ‎08-25-2016

@cowgalpal wrote:
... talk about the new %fee for shipping...

The final value fee on the buyer's total payment (including shipping and handling) has been in place since July 6, 2011. Unless you have been offering free shipping exclusively, you should be able to go back in your invoices and see the entries for it.

@cowgalpal wrote:
.... the odd skews of the Top Seller discount to exactly match what the site's price stated, and the missed opportunity for Sellers to refund Buyers any overage. ...

I don't even understand what those two points are trying to say. You can issue a partial refund to a buyer if you feel that you have overcharged them for shipping. There's a link in the middle of the details page for each Paypal transaction.

fern*wood · ‎08-25-2016

@cowgalpal wrote:
Hi -- it does depend upon the item's sold price, of course, but here is an example:

I sold a beaded (heavy) dress for 4.99. So, .49¢ is the final value fee. But it had to ship by Priority because of the weight, and that cost was $6.15, thus, another 10% fee to add on, .62¢. And you DO have to add them together, .49¢ PLUS the .62¢ (obviously higher than the FV fee), and you DO come out to a larger than "10% overall" fee.

They are two separate fees, not one. This particular dress was a re-list, because it was obviously unattractive at 7.99 - because of the shipping price needed.

I don't think Buyers know, and they shouldn't have to. But it is a huge consideration in whether to buy it or not. She ended up paying $11.14 for a $4.99 dress, so that is the Buyers stance, and rightfullly so. But - for the Seller, the final price for the dress ended up being $3.87.

I hope you see what I mean about adding these two fees together.

I understand the math just fine. Per your example: The total cost is $11.14 and if you take 10% of that it is $1.11. That is the same as .49+.62. So the percentage is the same which is what I said. You stated you add the percentages which made it 25% and that's just not true. If that was correct then the fees would have been $2.79. Of course you have to add the fees together, but that doesn't make the percentage any more than 10% of the total.

I know there are two separate fvfs on items sold with shipping (10% on each without a store)---it has been that way for years. I stand by my comment that if I can't work the fees into my asking price, then I no longer sell that item.

posting*master · ‎08-25-2016

@cowgalpal wrote:
I'm not trying to 'win' some arguement, or date it. My point is that there is indeed a second fee of 10% charged, on the shipping fee eBay states, and it is indeed added....

Our point is that all the coversations about this were held in 2011 and all the other sellers on this board know all about it. There's really no further conversation to be held.

Yes, you can play with the math and point out that 10% of the buyer's total payment is far more than 10% of the item's selling price. So what.

The TRS shipping discount is a 3% discount on Priority Mail postage, i.e., the difference between the Commercial Plus rate and the regular online (Commercial Base) rate. The "eBay discount" on postage is the difference between the retail rate and whatever rate the seller is paying. And yes, that can range from just a couple of percent to over 40%.

Your blouse is showing $6.45 because you have set up the listing with a weight over 13 ounces and have left the shipping calculator set to show the retail postage price.