Why would a founding member leave? Why would one close their account?

[cedar_brewed_bourbon]

I'm categorized as a founding a member. I've been with eBay since: Jan-01-00. I have a 98.5% satisfaction rating. he big question is; Why would I leave eBay after almost 20 years of selling?

A little about me

I am a seller who runs this part time from home as a side business. I do not sell in large scale typically 200 to 300 sales a year. Grossing between $1500 to $5000. ***Both these number's  have declined over time. Recently eBay bumped my free sales per month to 200 then called and asked if I was going to list more items. I told them I was and started to but...

I keep asking myself; Why am I still here?  Especially with falling sales margins and dwindling numbers? The answers are few;

1.) History mostly I've been here for a long time and have adabpted to the changes. I sell across catagories, From Comic Books to Computers and anything else of value. Heck I've evan sold a Ford Taurus wagon many years ago.

2.) When I've used other sites I've not had as much success. bonanza brought me a whopping 5 sales in the last 5 years. Not really worth it there. Unless I pay a monthly subscription. And cannot afford it as my margins are tight and don't leave much room for extra fees.

Overtime I have tried some of the extra fee items with a mixed bag of results. Example; eBay's advertising option which has helped but not so much as to make it worthwhile.

I also donate to some of my favorite charities directly through eBay via sales.

So what is the nail in this coffin? More to the point the direct question; Why would I leave eBay after almost 20 years of selling?

eBay's forcing sellers into their poorly designed single stream payment method. I do not have a lot of working capital to wait 2 business days for eBay to send me my money. I've had 6 sales so far this month and 4 of them within the last 24 hours. Today is the 15th of November and well into the Christmas selling season. eBay's single payer system will force me to ship an item I that has not been paid for and wait 2 business days. This does not support my working business model.

I'm not naive I know eventually every buyer and seller will all be forced to use only eBay payments. eBay dropped PayPal and is going to this method to keep more of our cash as processing fees. When that happens my days of buying\selling on eBay are over.

I wonder how the masses will respond?

[pburn]

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@fab_finds4u wrote:

Define founding member.

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Hey! I registered in 1998! I didn't realize I was a founding member. I should get a different colored star, or a second star, or a badge, or banner, or something, for goodness' sake!

Although, since eBay was operational in 1995, I'm not sure someone who joined in 1998 would be considered a "founding" member, much less someone who joined in 2000--five years after eBay was launched.

[pvcliff]

I guess I woke up cranky today. Those of you latching on to the "founding member" comment the OP made and obsessing over it are just downright mean and unhelpful.

[jack_bucks_ghost]

@pburn 

ok, thanks--that's how I understood it, but the original post confused a bit...so far, MP has worked fine for me (money has been deposited in my bank pretty quickly, and I like paying fro shipping right out of the funds). again, thanks for that info and clarification!!!

[tev4all]

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@tellmemama wrote:

I guess this makes me a founding  founding member since I've been here since 2/98.  That said, kindly name any retail business online or otherwise that makes you wait until the payment has fully cleared before allowing you to take possession of the goods?  If I pay with a credit card at Target, the item comes home with me right then and there.  If I buy something on Amazon with same day shipping, you can bet it gets here before the money hits their coffers.  And when I managed bars and restaurants, our customers didn't have to wait two days or so for their credit card payments to be processed and deposited into the account.  They got their food and drinks right then.  So what makes this any different?   

I mentioned this on another post but it bears repeating:  If you have a job that issues paychecks weekly or biweekly, do you stop working until you're paid from the previous period?

I bet I already know the answer.

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So what makes this any different?   

TRUST in the contractual agreement with payment processor,  but more likely, a faster access to fees owed.  

[pburn]

Plenty of people have posted to the OP's concerns--both those who agree and those who disagree--myself included.

When someone posts on a quasi-public message board, their comments are open for discussion--ALL their comments, not just some of them. I, personally, thought the OP's claim of being a "founding member" spoke volumes about his/her attitude. and I, along with others, have every right to comment on it. No one was hateful, no one was spiteful, no one was out of line.

If someone posts a reply that violates the Community Guidelines, that post can be reported to the moderators, who will judge whether the post should be edited or removed.

Just report or skip over those posts you find inappropriate rather than chastise other posters.

[marie185antiques]

"E-bay is an era, a chapter of my life, that will soon close snd become a distant memory".

Thank you.....my sentiments exactly, after selling on this site for 16 years.

It's been a good run with hard work, fun, and wonderful repeat customers.  However times have changed drastically and my store subscription ends in 46 days.....next chapter!

Good luck you in your endeavors.

[gracieallen01]

If you are asking this particular question, one might think that you already know the answer(s) - you have supplied many of them yourself - and just want someone to give that extra nudge.  There are many more options in life-on-the-'net than there were 20 years ago.

[yuzuha]

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@silverstatetreasureboxes wrote:

I sell only for the pleasure of sharing treasures, I don't pay any bills with EBay money.

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Even so, I still don't see how possibly having to wait an extra day or two would make any difference. Bills come due once a month. People with jobs only get paid on a set schedule (usually twice a month) and somehow that doesn't seem to impede their ability to pay their bills.

[divwido]

You died?

[divwido]

I love that site.  So what if it takes a week to get paid-I sell a lot and don't even notice it.

[buyselljack2016]

eBay's forcing sellers into their poorly designed single stream payment method. I do not have a lot of working capital to wait 2 business days for eBay to send me my money. I've had 6 sales so far this month and 4 of them within the last 24 hours. Today is the 15th of November and well into the Christmas selling season. eBay's single payer system will force me to ship an item I that has not been paid for and wait 2 business days. This does not support my working business model.

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Your choice to do as you wish.  I haven't read through all the replies, but I too am a small seller. I sell more than you annually, but still a small seller.

True eBay MP will not front the buyer payment the way that PP did, but as a small seller it does not create a cash flow problem for my business model.

After the initial short delay funds flow in each week (Tuesday "weekly" payments) like clockwork. Available in my CC eBay checking on Wednesday. I can then transfer, or use them as I desire. I pay my shipping labels from pending funds.  I do not use those funds to source product, but as my cash reserve dwindles, I may in the future.

[buyselljack2016]

Available in my CC CU eBay checking on Wednesday.

[chapeau-noir]

This, again.

Are you distinguished from 'the masses' by being a 'founding member'?

ETA: I doubt 'the masses' are really going to care - they won't even see the change in payment method.  Sellers can just to stay or go.  You can choose to try the new payment method or not.  Good luck whatever you do.

[kenscorner]

Could you please list the name of the site that is better to sell coins on ? 

That is mostly what i sell but Ebay not worth  a darn anymore.  Thanks, Ken

[tellmemama]

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@tev4all wrote:

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clipped out my post for brevity

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So what makes this any different?   

TRUST in the contractual agreement with payment processor,  but more likely, a faster access to fees owed.  

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The actual processor is Adyen which is a huge corporation with no affiliation to eBay.  I get not trusting eBay for trying to put their spin on it but it doesn't change the fact that they don't do the physical payment processing.  Adyen does.  Just like those bars and restaurants I managed, we had a payment processor (Chase I believe) which would deposit all the daily batched totals at the end of the day into the account.  Usually within 48 hours but often sooner. 

Same as here.  And same as if you had your own merchant processor.