reserve fee
I just started selling and on a reserve price I was charged $250 even though I ended the listing. this is the most unfair fee for any item that may not sell. What is the point of charging just for listing a reserve price when no one knows if the item would sell or not. It is just another scam.
13 comments
albertabrightalberta
·2 years agoIt sounds like you don't understand what the reserve fee means.
One adds a reserve to a listing if they don't want to sell the item unless bidding reaches a certain (reserve) amount. It means that you aren't obligated to complete the transaction UNLESS bidding is more than the reserve.
I don't see a completed/ended early listing so I can't comment on what happened but I speculate that you started the auction quite low and you ended it when the bidding didn't go (to what you considered) high enough.
Instead of paying a reserve fee, you have 2 options.
1. If you insist on auctions, start the auction at the lowest amount that would be acceptable to you in the event there's only 1 bid.
2. List at a BIN price.
Most auctions don't generate the type of bidding wars of the "olden" ebay days and my suggestion would just be to do a fixed price listing (with IPR) and wait for the right buyer.
luckythewinner
·2 years agoThree thoughts:
1) The fee is abusive because eBay no longer likes reserve price auctions and want to discourage their use.
2) In this day and age, what is the point of setting a reserve price in the first place?
3) The Reserve Price listing form states that a reserve price is nonrefundable ("Review your fee: A non-refundable fee will be charged when your listing goes live whether the item sells or not.")
asset_liquidators
·2 years agoThe fee was disclosed before you listed. There really is NO reason to use a reserve. Just start the item for the least amount you are willing to take.
Also, unless it is a highly sought after item you are best off listing it as a fixed price listing. I haven't used auction format since the early 2000's.
pargran3
·2 years agoIt is not a scam. It is clearly stated when you put a reserve on an item that the reserve fee will be charged even if there is no sale.
YOU are responsible to know what you are doing before you do it.
It really is a simple concept. Do this and you will be charged for it. Ta da.
an-57470
OP2 years agoMaybe simple for you with 5591 stars the point is why there should be a fee such as this anyway.
buyselljack2016
·2 years agoWhat was the point in having a "reserve"?
No "free" advertising for vehicles.
kensgiftshop
·2 years agoHas nothing to do with stars.
Sellers should be checking to see what the fee's are before listing anything.
nobody*s_perfect
·2 years ago1. To make money for eBay
2. To discourage sellers from using reserves.
Just start the bidding at the lowest price you'd be willing to sell for.
monica-sells
·2 years agoThe fees are clearly displayed not once, but 3 times during your listing procedure.
How can you possibly not see them...
Labelling this a "scam" is incorrect.
You chose to ignore 3 alerts:
(in order)
and even before you hit submit it's in your face.
dynastyroyal
·2 years agoI accidentally chose this option. And didn’t expect to be charged upfront for the fee. It didn’t show the fee on the last picture you posted.
brightlightbookseller
·2 years agoIt's posted in multiple places including the place where you choose to add the fee that it's non-refundable. Sorry, but you have to own up to your mistake.
an-57470
OP2 years agoOh I forgat...Ta Da
mr_lincoln
·2 years agoHi @Anonymous
Sadly, eBay does not educate Sellers very well on how to set up an Auction listings. However, when you create a listing eBay does show you that a non-refundable fee will be charged when using the Reserve price, pic below from using a PC and the Advanced listing tool.
To avoid this type of situation the starting price on an auction should be high enough that if the item sells on one Bid you make your profit ... more bids means more profit.