Enhancing Transparency in eBay Selling Fees
Selling items on eBay is subject to various fees, including listing, ad, and transaction fees. These fees can sometimes be complex and challenging to track, especially when selling multiple items or dealing with various promotional offers.
By providing a clear summary that calculates the net amount after deducting all fees, eBay would make it much easier for sellers to understand precisely how much they will earn from a sale. This summary would break down the total revenue earned from the sale and then subtract all applicable fees, giving the seller a transparent view of their earnings.
Having this information upfront would allow sellers to make more informed decisions before accepting offers or setting prices for their items. It would also help sellers better manage their finances and plan future sales strategies.
Implementing such a feature would enhance transparency and convenience for sellers on the eBay platform, ultimately improving their selling experience.
reallynicestamps
·2 years agoThe two variable eBay cannot supply are Cost of Goods (CoG) which the seller should know when they buy , not when they list.
And Sales taxes which vary from location to location. European VAT is usually 17%, Alberta has no provincial sales tax but charge the federal GST of 5%. There may be some localities with higher or lower taxes, but until the customer buys, eBay and the seller cannot know.
It bears remembering that the seller is not paying those taxes, but only an eBay fee based on the seller's current fees.
So if the $100 sale with Free Shipping is to Alberta, the buyer is paying $5 in sales tax to Canada. But eBay will charge a seller of Books (15%) with enough Defects to have a fee penalty of 5% a dollar in fees on tax payment. And over all on the entire payment $20 on purchase, shipping, and taxes.
Meanwhile a $100 sale to British Columbia (8% provincial tax +5% federal tax) with Free Shipping for a guitar (6.35%) by a seller with no Defects, would be $7.18.
Complicating things are currency exchange, international fees, actual shipping cost and Promoted Listing fees.
I just call it 20% in fees, and then at the end of each month, I am happy because my actual percentage is consistently lower than that.
inhawaii
·2 years agoI agree.
They should make the print bolder.
spectrafinejewelry
OP2 years agoslippinjimmy
·2 years agoeBay already supplies that information with even more detail.
It can be found in the Order Details and for a breakdown of the Fees total that can be found in Payments.
allthingssurplus
·2 years agoWell this illustration confirms my understanding of eBay being a 25% partner on more expensive items. We sell $4-10K to China and those sales come close to %30. I just wish eBay would pay their fair share of my overhead. Now some will say "eBay provides a platform to sell my item and 25% is a fair price to pay". That would be true if the platform worked as a help tool and not a work in progress or something to be used to give Seller's defects. The part being missed is a guy like me has close to $4mil in inventory in my warehouse. I have salable product and eBay has a less then working platform. I've done my part, for eBay to receive %25 of the gross sale they need to produce a functional platform. Do I sound like a happy 24 Seller.
isaiah53-57
·2 years agoHear ya - Or not be a tool laid out like a field of snares designed to trap sellers into paying more than their fair share or, at least, what they thought they would be paying - Brings to mind good sellers who have to pay the "below standard" fines of 6% more of the transaction because they have a return rate of 1.8% or 2.4% when the industry standard for ecommerce returns is between 10% and 20% depending on sources - are you freaking kidding me?? The legalities of this has got to be questioned...
luckythewinner
·2 years agoI think the OP's point was that they showed it to you BEFORE you accept the offer, not after it becomes an order.
spectrafinejewelry
OP2 years agoThe sample provided represents an offer from a client, along with the net amount you would receive upon acceptance. Before proceeding, it would greatly assist decision-making to have a breakdown of the fees and understand the net amount to the seller.
luckythewinner
·2 years agoWouldn't the acquisition cost also be a huge factor when considering an offer?
That aside ...
I have a spreadsheet set up that I use for pricing items which has a column for each category that I sell in.It could easily be used/adapted to evaluating offers.
It is tailored to my specific sales (no ad fees, no international shipping, Top Rated, etc.) and calculates the worst-case scenario which for me is international buyer shipping to a 10% sales tax state on the other coast.
It also has a line for acquisition cost so I can plug that in to make sure I am pricing my items appropriately.
luckythewinner
·2 years agoThe first thing I did was calculate how much of the offer price went to 1stdibs 😄
reallynicestamps
·2 years agoThe first thing I did was calculate how much of the offer price went to 1stdibs 😄
I get 18.92% compared to eBay's 9% on Jewelry over $5000.00, including on shipping (free so included in item price) , sales tax, and 30c service fee.
https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/fees-credits-invoices/store-selling-fees?id=4809
allthingssurplus
·2 years agoYes your FVF for Jewelry is 9% of the sales price $5000 or more and 9% of the shipping and 9% of the sales tax . So it cost you lets say $10 no insurance to ship. Now the big one, average, 8.8% sales tax $440.00, which now your sales is reduced to $4500. eBay will charge you fees based on $5500 meaning $495.00 in FVF on the sale. No idea what you paid for the item or how long you had to hold it before sale, which actually is a cost (cost of inventory on the shelf). So if you are thinking eBay made $450.00 on the sale you are not correct, they mane $495 or roughly 10% more than you are thinking. Subtract what you paid for the item from my math and I think you will come out with what most of my sales are, eBay is taking $25 of the net. Which is the most important part.
allthingssurplus
·2 years agoeBay does not want to do that. You would quickly see on small sales with free shipping eBay could be your 50% partner and and large 25% or higher. Now many will come back and say FVF is 10-14% only. Its always a math problem How much money did eBay put in their pocket and how much did the Seller put in theirs. My number will be very close.
lotzofuniquegoodies
·2 years ago@allthingssurplus
In the distant past when a seller clicked on their total sales for a period you got a break down between sales, shipping and a total. Then for some reason when tax got thrown into the mix they included it all together and showed the total including those numbers with a breakdown. From the majority of sellers perspective shipping AND tax are not profit. Only profit to eBay's bottom line. From a personal perspective the change made for "messy math". Removing important information is not really any kind of an improvement.
-Lotz
allthingssurplus
·2 years agoThe last thing eBay wants to do is be transparent. Small Seller's I don't think really keep track of net profit. For me I have an $80k monthly overhead to deal with. In order to survive I have cut eBay sales to 10% of gross. If I were to be 100% on eBay I would go broke. I am a prime example how eBay loses Gross Market Value Quarter over Quarter for the past 9 Quarters. Next week will most likely will show eBay down another 5% GMV for the first Quarter when they post their financials. It just not sustainable.
lotzofuniquegoodies
·2 years ago@allthingssurplus
Definitely not sustainable and not really helpful when they constantly are removing valuable useful pieces from settings and suggesting it is an improvement.
luckythewinner
·2 years agoBy providing a clear summary that calculates the net amount after deducting all fees
That is not possible since some of the factors affecting fees (ad fees, international fees, shipping cost, sales tax, Below Standard, discounts, coupons, offers, etc.) are not always known at listing time.
isaiah53-57
·2 years ago@spectrafinejewelry
Sadly, and in my opinion, keeping you guessing at what your fees are is right where they want you - If many sellers knew EXACTLY what their fees would be in FVF's and Promotional Fees as a percentage of the entire transaction?, they would reduce or stop promotions or pack up shop entirely - This board is full of posts from longtime sellers who were not aware that the site charges fees on shipping and/or sales taxes - My guess is that has always been part of the plan...
Whats even worse than people not accounting their fees properly?...Well that would be people not accounting for their time properly - If people logged their time involved with all the different aspects of selling here correctly, right down to the minute, my guess is there would be a mass exodus of a large group of people shuttering shop that finally discovered they were making $3, $5, or $7 an hour selling here before taxes.
chapeau-noir
·2 years agoI don't think there is any 'plan' to keep sellers in the dark about fees - sellers keep themselves in the dark well enough.
isaiah53-57
·2 years agoAre you seriously saying you dont think they put any thought into how they present their selling fees disclaimer? How much fees will actually be to prospective sellers? Where they put it on the page? How big it will be? How can they word it to optimize tacit acceptance? Sorry, but my guess is the guy/girl who's job this is gets paid A LOT of money to do exactly the opposite of what the the OP is suggesting in being more transparent..
robbie31415
·2 years agoDoesn't really matter how they word it.
Tbh I wish they worded it worst and scare off some sellers to decease competition.
You seem to be salty about the issue yet you are still here.
isaiah53-57
·2 years agoDoesnt matter how they word it? Wow - Thank you for your profound insight on the matter...
And thank you for pointing out the obvious that I am still here - Yup you are finally correct - No surprise there though, since this is a public discussion board for one and all - But to elaborate for the sake of clarity, in my opinion, it sucks to see a venue that was once loved and profitable for all turned into a corporate plaything, strangling sellers and growth - so yes I'm site "salty" - And people need to see contending viewpoints based on truth to the anesthetized posts of full-time ebay apologists for whom its virtually impossible to say a contrary thing about this site, regardless of how despicable the sites actions are/were - Thats downright weird and I'm sure there's more to it than people who just don't have a thing better to do with their lives other than hyper-vigilantly protecting the site from every derogatory post that comes across these boards.
robbie31415
·2 years agoNope, it doesn't. As long as it's an accurate representation of the information then presentation is completely subjective has doesn't matter. eBay provides all their fee's up front, nothing hidden.
I mean of course you are here, there aren't better places for you to be. I will continue to point it out while you constantly complain about eBay while not leaving.
This platform is still loved and is profitable, if it wasn't profitable no one would be here. No sellers would stay on a platform they make no profit. They would all go broke super fast. The fact eBay has the seller base it has is evidence enough that eBay is profitable.
Thank you for establishing that I'm correct again. You come off very salty, almost all your posts are extremely negative and honestly if I felt the way you did I would not be here.
Appreciate being called an a full-time eBay apologists. 🙂
I support people who actually provide real issues of eBay, and you simply don't. You just rant on about meaningless things. I've made several posts about eBay doing things wrong and need change. Difference is I provide actual evidence, and give feedback in a constructive manner. You just do your salty non constructive whines.
If you are so unhappy then you should navigate to a platform that makes you happy. Since you are staying on eBay then I can only assume every platform makes you unhappy because you would have navigated to one that makes you happy otherwise.
Conclusion, you will always be an unhappy person unless the company does things you want which there aren't any of that suit your needs. Isn't there a term for that?
isaiah53-57
·2 years agoWow - After reading your manifesto, I can see some real issues - Its rambling, incoherent and you use opinions like they are facts. Then there's things like this: "I support people who actually provide real issues of eBay, and you simply don't" what does this actually even mean?
Anyway I lost interest quickly, but 3 things caught my attention:
1st being you literally state you plan on stalking me here with your "I will continue to point it out while you constantly complain about eBay while not leaving" statement... which is kinda weird...
2nd your frame of mind seems to be a bit self-aggrandizing since you misconstrued my statement that you were FINALLY right with your, "Thank you for establishing that I'm correct again." statement??
and 3rd, you use the term "salty" like you are way too overjoyed by a new word you just learned - 2x in your manifesto, once in your previous reply and again in replies several days ago - Maybe "salty" should be put away now...
kensgiftshop
·2 years agoThen there are sellers like me, that doesn't care about that.
I mainly did it to have something to do, the money part was just extra.
My items don't cost me anything, so not out anything but a little time and since I became disabled, I have a lot of extra time.
allthingssurplus
·2 years agoOne of the few people that understands the actual cost of selling on this platform. You are correct and don't let anyone tell you different. Keep in mind numbers don't lie people do. Always ask yourself on any sale, how much did eBay put in their pocket and how much did I put in my pocket. Its very clear if you do that one simple thing.
dhbookds
·2 years agoThere is an ebay fee calculator........
https://www.ebayfeescalculator.com/usa-ebay-calculator/
but understand that because the fees are based on item price.........plus shipping cost and taxes......it can't be accurately figured before the item is sold.........
robbie31415
·2 years agoAlso to ad fees might not register at offer process.
There can be a delay for eBays system to be able to recognize if it's an ad sale.
As a seller you should be able to tell what you are gonna net.
Unavailable member
·2 years agoI don’t disagree that an estimated funds for a sale would be helpful to some that don’t use excel, own a calculator, or have a reasonable comfort with math. But eBay can’t get it right - there are fees on sales tax, which eBay doesn’t know ahead of time, nor do they know how much will be the actual postage costs. They don’t know if promotional fees will be applied.
Regardless, eBay can’t know what your earnings would be - they don’t know what you paid for inventory and packing materials.
toomuchstuffagain35
·2 years agoAlso, sometimes you have to do a little brain work of your own, rather than relying on a venue to do it for you.
Knowing what you can sell an item for profitably should be worked out when you buy said item.
spectrafinejewelry
OP2 years agoThey don't have that feature. On 1stdibs, when a customer makes an offer, they show you the net amount after the fees.
Thank you! We have more sapphires in different carat weights if you're interested.
theteamsetguy
·2 years ago@spectrafinejewelry ,
I believe eBay does this during the listing process.
By the way you have some beautiful blue sapphire items.