All selling sites worth shooting charge fees. eBay's fee structure was spelled out on day one when you became an eBay seller - reading and understanding the User Agreement before you listed your first item should have been your first step. This way you have no surprises. Me thinks the monkey is on your back. vs. eBays.
As a seller you need to recover your fees and other costs in your selling price along with your expected profit. If you can't DON'T sell it. Maybe your auction start prices are too low IDK - but you should be the expert. In my opinion, auctions are passe today's buyers want it now and buyers don't want to wait to buy stuff. My understanding Sport cards isn't well known for high profit margins - tons of competition = low margins.
Find/search other products niches that you know something about that will increase your profits - takes effort & time.
I am always amazed at the number of postings I see like this. First eBay is hiding nothing the fees they charge are fully disclosed. EBay is a business and they exist to make a profit and satisfy the expectations of their shareholders, nothing more.
But more importantly I have never worried about what eBay makes, what the post office charges for shipping or what the government takes out for federal and state income taxes I simply manage it and incorporate those costs into a cost model to assess whether I can list an item on eBay and meet my own profit/ROI expectations and be competitive in the marketplace. If I cannot then I sell the item elsewhere.
As for the shipping costs unless you are passing the discounted rates on to your buyers the difference between what the buyer pays you for the shipping and what you actually pay for the label generally covers the fees on the shipping as well as the materials required to pack it. You choose to purchase you labels through eBay. I have not done so in a long time. I use Pirate Ship which has about the same, sometimes better, discounted shipping rates as eBay. I pay for those labels with a cash back credit card which adds up during the year.
When I do my taxes every year the eBay fees are often one of my cheaper expenses. The COGS and Federal and State income taxes are at the top of that list.
You think ebay is expensive? Try opening a B&M store; then you'll see what expensive is. BTW, my local consignment shop charges 50% of the selling price.
You think ebay is expensive? Try opening a B&M store; then you'll see what expensive is. BTW, my local consignment shop charges 50% of the selling price.
I had a small booth years ago and I paid $30 a month for the booth plus 30%.
fbusoni
·2 years agoSocial media have conditioned tens of millions of people to believe in fairy tales like "passive income" and "earning money in your sleep."
(If you have a few million in a mutual fund, you can certainly earn a good sum in interest each month.)
But for those of us who live in the real world, earning money takes effort, time, and ingenuity.
We live in a reward society, not an entitlement society.
And thank goodness for that.
soh.maryl
·2 years agoMaybe YOU can't make anything on this site; however, there are thousands of people who are doing very well here.
And the fee schedule is NOT a secret.
mam98031
·2 years agoJust a small correction to your very accurate statement.
inhawaii
·2 years agoThanks for that information.
I will take the appropriate action.
johnrj1226
·2 years agoAll selling sites worth shooting charge fees. eBay's fee structure was spelled out on day one when you became an eBay seller - reading and understanding the User Agreement before you listed your first item should have been your first step. This way you have no surprises. Me thinks the monkey is on your back. vs. eBays.
As a seller you need to recover your fees and other costs in your selling price along with your expected profit. If you can't DON'T sell it. Maybe your auction start prices are too low IDK - but you should be the expert. In my opinion, auctions are passe today's buyers want it now and buyers don't want to wait to buy stuff. My understanding Sport cards isn't well known for high profit margins - tons of competition = low margins.
Find/search other products niches that you know something about that will increase your profits - takes effort & time.
mam98031
·2 years agoWhat site are you comparing Ebay to? How are you determining they are expensive.
While Ebay is not the least expensive site, they certainly aren't the most expensive site either.
It will be easier to understand once we know who or what you are comparing Ebay to.
dbfolks166mt
·2 years agoI am always amazed at the number of postings I see like this. First eBay is hiding nothing the fees they charge are fully disclosed. EBay is a business and they exist to make a profit and satisfy the expectations of their shareholders, nothing more.
But more importantly I have never worried about what eBay makes, what the post office charges for shipping or what the government takes out for federal and state income taxes I simply manage it and incorporate those costs into a cost model to assess whether I can list an item on eBay and meet my own profit/ROI expectations and be competitive in the marketplace. If I cannot then I sell the item elsewhere.
As for the shipping costs unless you are passing the discounted rates on to your buyers the difference between what the buyer pays you for the shipping and what you actually pay for the label generally covers the fees on the shipping as well as the materials required to pack it. You choose to purchase you labels through eBay. I have not done so in a long time. I use Pirate Ship which has about the same, sometimes better, discounted shipping rates as eBay. I pay for those labels with a cash back credit card which adds up during the year.
When I do my taxes every year the eBay fees are often one of my cheaper expenses. The COGS and Federal and State income taxes are at the top of that list.
slippinjimmy
·2 years agoRoughly speaking eBay takes about 15% leaving you with 85%, if you can't make a decent profit from that 85% you are doing something wrong.
meekamaye
·2 years agoFind a good marketing class.
Take a hard look at what you are selling.
Are you in an oversaturated category?
Are you figuring in all your costs before listing items?
To turn a profit takes work, eBay is not an easy way to succeed in business. It takes time, patience and a marketing strategy.
I am sure there are other venues to explore if eBay doesn't meet your needs.
silverstatetreasureboxes
·2 years ago@lakeprts-69
Whoa, where is all this coming from? You had 13 nice sales today. What is really going on?
fashunu4eeuh
·2 years agoSorry to hear the site did not serve your needs. My experience has been just the opposite. What are/were you selling?
stainlessenginecovers
·2 years agoYou're right. YOU cannot make any $$ on this site because
1.) YOU are not 'buying' right
2.) YOU are not 'pre-figuring' what 'costs' will be and what you will net BEFORE you either buy to sell and/or list
NOT everything can be 'bought' and then 'resold' and make a profit.
Some things are just trash
Some things just will not have enough profit to cover the EASILY ATTAINABLE/FIGURE-ABLE costs associated to sell.
THOSE are the things you simply DO NOT buy to sell and/or 'try to sell' on a site that has costs.
By the way, the 'costs' are easy to figure BEFORE you list
dhbookds
·2 years agoIf it's too expensive, why are you selling here?
richard1rst
·2 years agoSpeak for yourself.
kensgiftshop
·2 years agoIf you can't make anything, look at the items you're selling.
alcoforever
·2 years agoYou think ebay is expensive? Try opening a B&M store; then you'll see what expensive is. BTW, my local consignment shop charges 50% of the selling price.
kensgiftshop
·2 years agoI had a small booth years ago and I paid $30 a month for the booth plus 30%.
So, Ebay isn't that bad.
ed8108
·2 years agoSelling on eBay does have more risk & requires more time & effort.