cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Am I understanding this right?

So let me get this straight..... if I use Promoted Listings to let's say... "promote a listing", I get to pay a percentage of my total sale to eBay for each and every time a buyer clicks on one of my PL listings and makes a purchase?  Yet, at the same time, eBay loads my listing page with Sponsored listings from my competitors which can take a buyer off the page I'm paying to promote...with a single click??

Message 1 of 57
latest reply
56 REPLIES 56

Re: Am I understanding this right?


@pnwgooddeals wrote:

That’s the tip of the iceberg lol. Wait till it actually sells and you get to see your net take on it! Anything worth of value it’s better to sell on the other sites. eBay’s greed will be their fall as now there’s competition! 


@pnwgooddeals 

Greed.  Always an interesting word to be used in the context.  

 

Did Ebay create this site to make money?  Absolutely YES.

Do sellers come here to sell stuff to make money?  Absolutely YES.

 

So if we are all here for the same purpose, it appears to me that we are all Greedy.  That would just be logical.

 

Does Ebay continue to come up with new ways and new tools they can charge for to make more money?

Absolutely YES.

 

Do seller continually look for inventory and stuff they can sell to make more money?  Absolutely YES.

 

Oh this is just getting out of hand, I can't stand the logic of it.  I am so surprised to know that we are all Greedy because we are here to make money.

 

If you concern is that the sellers that are using the TOOL, which is a choice for the seller, that they somehow aren't going to make as much money.  The sellers also make the CHOICE of what percentage that is at least 2% or above they are willing to pay in addition to the regular FVFs.  And most sellers understand they would need to increase their product price to cover the additional fees if it were to sell.  So sellers should be just fine if they are doing their jobs.


mam98031  •  Volunteer Community Member  •  Buyer/Seller since 1999

"I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you." Quote from Edward I Koch

Message 16 of 57
latest reply

Re: Am I understanding this right?

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner! You have a firm grasp of the situation!

Message 17 of 57
latest reply

Re: Am I understanding this right?

Yes it's a tool, like an arsonist selling buckets of water.

Message 18 of 57
latest reply

Re: Am I understanding this right?


@huntfishdie45 wrote:

Yes it's a tool, like an arsonist selling buckets of water.


Not apples to apples, but I'm sure you didn't mean it to be.

 

But lets just say you are serious.  Here are OTHER TOOLS Ebay offers.

 

Cancellation for non paying bidders.

Variation Listing

Stores

EIS

Listing Enhancements [there are a few different tools]

Calculated Shipping

Business Tools

Bulk Editor

Markdown Manager

Coupons

Send Offers

ETC. ETC.

 

Those are just a few.  All are optional.  You don't like PLS, then you don't have to use it.  It is just that simple.


mam98031  •  Volunteer Community Member  •  Buyer/Seller since 1999

"I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you." Quote from Edward I Koch

Message 19 of 57
latest reply

Re: Am I understanding this right?

@allthings-collectible   it also works in reverse, your listing show up on other seller's listings

Message 20 of 57
latest reply

Re: Am I understanding this right?


@mam98031 wrote:
Greed.  Always an interesting word to be used in the context. 
Did Ebay create this site to make money? 
Absolutely YES.Do sellers come here to sell stuff to make money?  Absolutely YES..

When eBay makes money, it is "greed". When the seller makes money it is "reasonable profit" 🤣

Message 21 of 57
latest reply

Re: Am I understanding this right?

It is exactly what they are doing and is the main reason nobody should use it.

 

It seems like the online marketplace version of skill-gaming site worldwinner. They host tournaments where players pay an entry fee and can win money. The site takes a cut of every tournament. The site tries to closely match players based on their skill. So everyone at the same skill level wins half of the time and loses half of the time. If their algorithm runs near 100% of the intended outcome, nobody makes money but worldwinner.

 

eBay hosts online selling. They take a cut of every sale. They try to convince sellers they need to pay extra to promote. If everyone eventually promotes as eBay wants, nobody makes money but eBay. 

Message 22 of 57
latest reply

Re: Am I understanding this right?

I will never use it. I believe that the majority of people shopping on eBay are going to do their homework and search for the best price, quality, condition, shipping cost, ask questions if needed, and review the sellers feedback status. 

 

Now this pay per click view I still don't understand in full and I'm not going to research for the next 30 minutes plus to figure it out. What if the same shopper clicks on your promoted PLA version listing 10 times? Is that 10 clicks in fees or considered 1 click because it is the same shopper?

 

If the 10 clicks count towards fees, I can see this as a retaliation tactic from a previous shopper / buyer, competitor, or worse yet, a person who does not like your comments on this board. 

 

Open for comments so I can understand better from you pros. 

Message 23 of 57
latest reply

Re: Am I understanding this right?

@sumsum70 

 

"eBay hosts online selling. They take a cut of every sale. They try to convince sellers they need to pay extra to promote. If everyone eventually promotes as eBay wants, nobody makes money but eBay. "

 

The purpose that Ebay was created was to make money.  That was the whole purpose of creating this site.  And YES Ebay should be paid for every single transaction that happens on THEIR site.  They have every right to expect to be paid for their services.  That is nothing shameful like some want it to seem.

 

Ebay doesn't make money unless the item sells.  So if the item sells then the seller is making money too.  It isn't one sided, both Ebay and the seller make money.

 

IDK why you ASSUME the seller would not make on a Promoted Transaction.  That is what makes no sense.  The seller chooses what percentage they want to pay in extra fees.  That is all on the Seller.  The seller would then raise the price of the item they are selling to cover the additional fees.  I suppose if the seller already has a large profit built into the price of the item they may not choose to raise the pricing more to accommodate the additional fees.  But again that would be the Sellers choice not something forced on them by anyone.


mam98031  •  Volunteer Community Member  •  Buyer/Seller since 1999

"I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you." Quote from Edward I Koch

Message 24 of 57
latest reply

Re: Am I understanding this right?

@sextons-sweet-deals 

 

Three DIFFERENT policies.

 

PLS = Promoted Listings Standard

 

Promoted Listings Advanced

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/listings/listing-tips/promoted-listings-advanced?id=5299#:~:text=P....

 

Make sure you read them closely so you can see which one is better suited for you and what you sell.  There is no right or wrong answer.  Just which tool, if either of them, are good for you.  It is an individual decision.

 

There is a third one called Promoted Listings Express.  The following link may help you more information.

 

https://export.ebay.com/en/marketing/promote-listings/how-to-choose-the-right-campaign-type/

 

PLE = Promoted Listings Express


mam98031  •  Volunteer Community Member  •  Buyer/Seller since 1999

"I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you." Quote from Edward I Koch

Message 25 of 57
latest reply

Re: Am I understanding this right?

      The seller would then raise the price of the item they are selling to cover the additional fees. 

 

And how long does the cycle of paying more to eBay and raising prices to make up for it remain viable? There are only two final results to that approach - either your investment in PL becomes a waste of money because buyers choose sellers who don't promote and can afford to sell for less, OR eBay succeeds in suppressing visibility and buyers only see high prices and buy on another site. 

 

All of the pro-eBay nonsense on this and many other subjects is moronic.

 

Sellers already pay a fee. Every seller who pays that fee should, not withstanding a track record of defects, have the same opportunity to sell. Trying to get squeeze more out of sellers and tweaking the search to prefer voluntarily extorted sellers over sellers who won't pay, is a scam in my opinion. 

 

Everyone agreeing to pay the ransom is just giving eBay incentives to make it more effective - for eBay, not sellers. If sellers start accepting it as fact that PL is necessary and more people do it and eBay keeps playing stupid games with search results and plastering ads all over pages, you're all just giving eBay free reign to fleece sellers instead of make meaningful improvements.

 

That is my final words on PL and I will not revisit this. The usual suspects can tout the eBay propaganda for the next 72 hours without rebuttal from me, I'm heading to my kids' soccer tournament for the weekend.

Message 26 of 57
latest reply

Re: Am I understanding this right?

It is fine not to like PLS, we don't all have to use it.  But it isn't an unusual vehicle for selling stuff.  It has been around a very long time.  As to your question about how long it will last.  It will last as long as it makes money for both Ebay and the sellers.

 

"All of the pro-eBay nonsense on this and many other subjects is moronic."  It isn't "pro Ebay", it is a discussion of FACTS about a single tool Ebay is offering to sellers.  That is all it is.  I don't currently use any form of PLS as I'm not fond of the tool myself.  But that doesn't mean I don't understand it.  Likely with a better understanding for you, it would help.

 

There is that word again "scam", incorrectly used yet again.  Have you ever looked up the definition of that word?  It simply doesn't apply to the subject of this conversation.  

 

It isn't a "ransom" either.  Again you need to look at the definition of that word as it also doesn't apply to this conversation.  Ebay makes no guarantees that PLS listing will sell.  And as many sellers that actually uses the PLS tool has said, their stuff isn't selling even with the boosts received with PLS.

 

We all have choices to make on this site.  Ebay offers all kinds of different tools on different subjects.  Sellers just need to decide what works best for them.  Not for you or me but the individual sellers.


mam98031  •  Volunteer Community Member  •  Buyer/Seller since 1999

"I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you." Quote from Edward I Koch

Message 27 of 57
latest reply

Re: Am I understanding this right?

Trying to get squeeze more out of sellers and tweaking the search to prefer voluntarily extorted sellers over sellers who won't pay, is a scam in my opinion…”

 

Hi @sumsum70  First, hope your soccer son or daughter wins the day at their tournament.

 

Just wanted to say i do not use promoted listings on most of my items, and have not experienced a deficit in those non-promoted items’ sales.


eBay’s Search result parameters are not disclosed, so we can only guess at how those results may be manipulated. Promoted listings get a boost in placement, but that doesn’t necessarily follow that it is at the expense of non-promoted listings.

 

To compete with the promoted listings, my listings follow eBay’s best practices, and have been fully optimized to enhance search engine placement. The use of social media to draw eyes to my listings has also been effective. These measures have improved my eBay result placement over time and are probably the reason my listings are usually high in Search results despite being non-promoted.

 

Just my two cents. 

Message 28 of 57
latest reply

Re: Am I understanding this right?

I glanced and it still does answer my questions:

 

If the 10 clicks count towards fees, I can see this as a retaliation tactic from a previous shopper / buyer, competitor, or worse yet, a person who does not like your comments on this board. 

Message 29 of 57
latest reply

Re: Am I understanding this right?


@sextons-sweet-deals wrote:

I glanced and it still does answer my questions:

 

If the 10 clicks count towards fees, I can see this as a retaliation tactic from a previous shopper / buyer, competitor, or worse yet, a person who does not like your comments on this board. 


You are looking at a newer program called PLA.  I explained this is my post to you.  There are THREE versions of this program.  Most sellers are using PLS which is the standard version.  You are quoting from the Advanced version.

 

While I personally would not use PLA, my guess would be that Ebay has a bot in place to tell if there is some tactics being used by a competitor or problematic buyer.  


mam98031  •  Volunteer Community Member  •  Buyer/Seller since 1999

"I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you." Quote from Edward I Koch

Message 30 of 57
latest reply