marketing
Summary: lisawilliams4844 expresses concerns about eBay's marketing fees, noting a discrepancy where fees automatically increased beyond what was set, impacting profits. reallynicestamps and kensgiftshop offer advice on evaluating costs and reconsidering listing strategies, while acknowledging that promotional fees are additional to standard rates. tobaccocardyahoo emphasizes the necessity of promotion in crowded categories. lisawilliams4844 later confirms resolving the issue with further assistance, achieving a profit. christworks suggests reporting potential glitches and improving listings for better visibility, while annadryl and alix-1200 recommend lower promotion rates and fee calculators to maintain profit margins.
I have been using marketing, but I am an individual not a store so I can't afford for any item to be at 12%. I put in no more than 10% on anything because if I do it eats up all of my profit. After putting in the percentage after clicking off it changes to a higher amount on its own. I just sold an item for $100 after the 12% that it is taking all on its own because I put 10%, I now have given the item away for free, but marketing and eBay still made a profit. How do I stop that from happening? I love eBay, marketing and for giving me an easy platform, but come on! I have been wondering if marketing was worth it?
alix-1200
·2 weeks agoThat’s the main issue with promoted listings — a higher rate may increase visibility, but it can also remove most of the profit from a lower-margin item.
I usually compare the same listing at 0%, 2%, 5%, 10% and the suggested rate before deciding whether promotion is worth using.
This US eBay fee calculator makes that comparison easier:
https://www.feescalculator.info/ebay-fee-calculator-us/
You can include the item cost, shipping expense, sales tax and promoted listing percentage, then see the estimated payout and profit. It’s only an estimate, but it helps show the maximum ad rate an item can support before the margin becomes too small.
annadryl
·1 month agoI promote at the minimum 2% because that can easily be worked into the price and it gets me a lot more views and sales. Any higher rates is just voluntarily giving ebay more in your fees unless you are selling in a super-saturated category where, again, has to be worked into your overall price. 10% sounds sky-high to me.
lisawilliams4844
OP1 month agoI did not agree to 12%. I agreed to 10%the computer changed it back a glitch...
If the advertising is not going to advertise and do a god job at the rate I give them, they should not offer it. I am also trying to learn the do's and don'ts of eBay selling. This is myu first time reaching out to anyone y'all try to be more supportive. You don't have to promote at the optimum level; it's a choice at the offers they give you... Being an individual seller that does not have velocity, just trying to make an extra dollar for groceries, not build an empire. None of you gave me any helpful advice just angry comments. Are you supposed to help? Some of you did not really read my message and still replied saying nothing. Thanks anyway, I got help/support from someone that explained that I don't have to use marketing at all and my item will get to buyers. All someone had to do was maybe say it is worth it and state why, or the experience they had. if you are going to be on a help line than maybe some of you should maybe not.
peace and love
lisawilliams4844
OP1 month agoOh, wait what I wanted to say was: that with other help associated with eBay it all worked out with the price of the marketing. I sold the item and still made a great profit. I am going to try and learn more about the subject of marketing, but not from y'all. I don't think you're ready to teach.
Thanks, eBay
christworks
·1 month agoNobody from eBay is here.
I'm glad you made a great profit.
I recall reading someone else post in the past month that the percent they typed in to their promoted listing changed on them and they did not realize it. Their story was similar to yours. They discovered it after a sale happened. Then, they checked and noticed the change. They changed it back and they watched as it automatically changed to the eBay suggested rate.
Certainly a glitch is possible, and you should report it to eBay. If enough people have the issue and report it, they will investigate it. It seems this is very isolated as I've not seen any other posts other than yours and the other sellers a while back.
This issue is completely seperate whether you should promote or not. Personally, I would not promote anything at 10%. My view is that if I have to give away 10% just to make a sale, that field it too crowded for me to be in and I need to find other things to sell.
I looked at your listings and I think there are things you can improve with your listings that would get you more views, and likely more sales. I would look into that first before promoting anything.
Your "no refunds" policy you announce on your About page doesn't do you any favors. Sellers cannot enforce a "no refunds" policy. There is no such thing on eBay. If a buyer files an INAD, you will have to either refund them or eBay will from your funds. If you want to increase your sales, a more customer friendly policy probably would do that.
You have some cool stuff and some of that should be moving for you.
tobaccocardyahoo
·1 month agoThe reason for promoting your listing is that the category is too crowded to be able to make sales without promotion.
If you cannot make money when promoting at the optimum level (whatever that is) you need to consider whether your items are worth the effort of listing on Ebay, and whether you should consider being more patient about the velocity of your sales.
IMO the Ebay recommended percentages bear no relation to meeting my sales goals.
reallynicestamps
·1 month agobecause I put 10%,
Oh golly!
Did you think that would be the selling fee?
NOnoNOnoNOnoNOnNOno
That is the fee you agreed to pay for advertising ON TOP of the standard selling fee.
You raised the fee from eBay's 12% and chose to pay 22% of the combined cost of purchase price, shipping, sales tax and service fee.
So now you know.
kensgiftshop
·1 month agoYou stop it by not using promoted listings or lower your %.
reallynicestamps
·1 month agoFirst you make money when you buy, not when you sell
If you can't make a profit, you are either paying too much for your products or you are underpricing them.
Percentages are useful, but look at your actual costs.
You paid $10 for the item.
You will spend 15 minutes photgraphing, describing and uploading it and your local minimum wage is $15 an hour.
So the item has now cost you $13.75
You have weighed and measured the item and will have to pay $10 to ship it.
Your cost for the Sold item is not $23.75.
The item is in one of the few categories where fees are 15%
You will be paying eBay $3.56 +40c
Your costs are now $27.71*
How much do you list it for to make a reasonable profit?
My answer would be between $50 and $75.
If that is higher than the market will bear--- don't list it.
I left out sales tax because that varies so much.