Confused by 20+% grift

[glimpseofshadows76]

Hey everyone! 
I am an avid shopper here but have not sold any items in a few years. I posted 4 listings with 3 of them selling. Can someone explain why the ratio is what it is on 3 lots of Homies toy figurines. 

$44.82

$39.45

$30.24

total = $114.51

funds on hold = $90.33

This means that eBay is keeping $24.18 which exceeds 20% of the final value (price, shipping and taxes) and will not release funds until September 10th at the earliest. These sales are U.S. only so VAT does not apply. 
Why am I being charged so far beyond the 12.9% plus .30 per listing?

Again, I am an avid shopper that pays within 24 hours (usually less) and had no discrepancies as a seller in prior years. 
I no longer wish to honor these sales and would also like to know if eBay will charge me utilizing any of the methods of payment that are on file? 

I am aware that the marketplace has skewed to the “buyer is always right, buyer always wins” mentality and was hesitant to list at all. 

The 4th item automatically relisted and states that I might be penalized if I end the listing. 

I thought that I had done my due diligence in looking at the fees but obviously I was wrong. 

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Susan 

[albertabrightalberta]

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@glimpseofshadows76 wrote:

 It’s sad to say that, due to my lack of trust, I will be videotaping the entire process.

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You are aware that videotaping offers no protection in a dispute, right?

[soh.maryl]

There is no reason or need to videotape yourself packaging.

That can be easily falsified, and eBay would not accept it in case of a dispute any way. 

[monica-sells]

The protection is decent for items not received....

marginal for item not as described

(but that is true on almosy any online marketplace)

the current mindset is you can return anything for any reason (cultivated by AMZ)

I can proudly say I have had "0" returns for INAD and 1 INR (ebay came down on my side)

bottom line, if you can't afford to lose it, sell it in person

Also, maybe someone can answer this for you. Can you still purchase the label on ebay (with the phone app) and take that QR code to the Post Office for a label? That would save the OP some big bucks on postage.....

[albertabrightalberta]

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@maxine*j wrote:

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@glimpseofshadows76 wrote:

 why shouldn’t I cancel the sale if the seller has zero protection and no right to a fair trial on matters. 
So, it really is that bad now and a lot of sellers are getting screwed over by smarmy buyers? 

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You should not cancel the sale because you entered into a contract with the buyer.  He paid.  You ship.  IF a problem arises down the road, you deal with it then.

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If you cancel the sale, ebay will still retain all the fees they collected and your account will be dinged for the cancellation. 

[luckythewinner]

So, I really have absolutely no protection as a seller? 

It's not that you have no protection - it's that buyers can circumvent what little protection you have.

Why is anyone selling here at all?

Because many sellers do not have buyers who defraud them.

Does anyone know if eBay still monitors the buyers for repeatedly making claims or demanding partial refunds? 

I'm sure they do, but eBay is not going to disclose the criteria for sanctioning scammers because that would just give the scammers a roadmap for avoiding it.

[albertabrightalberta]

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@isaiah53-57 wrote:

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Keep in mind that number does not include PROMOTED LISTING FEES(there are no words to express the level of pilfer and exploitation of this program), Store fees, Below Standard Fees(based on unknowable metrics), optional listing fees, international sale/VAT fee, and/or any other related fees. Its scary to even think of what some people are paying off the top of their sold item...

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If ebay is pilfering from and exploiting you, why do you still have 23 listings? Is someone forcing you to stay on such an underhanded site? 

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@isaiah53-57 wrote:

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Of course, you agree to all this in the FINE PRINT, but I'm seeing more and more of these posts...

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Most are from people who haven't read the FINE PRINT! Those who read know exactly what they're paying. 

[glimpseofshadows76]

From what I’m reading here…there’s no dispute process anymore and the buyer is always right. 
I don’t know if any sellers are willing to comment about their interactions with buyers prior to having the matter escalated but I am overly aware of buyers utilizing the threat of escalation as a means to obtain a partial refund or keep an item for free. 
Here are two examples of how I have handled purchases recently:

1. I bought 4 small flex bands and received 2 small and 2 large. All 4 items are the correct, authentic brand. I left positive feedback, am grateful to the seller for being willing to ship to the states, and knew that I could resell the 2 large ones or trade them. 
2. I purchased an item from the Ukraine in the hopes that even in the smallest way, I am making a statement that people in the States do care. I cannot go to the frontlines and fight or I would. I made that purchase knowing that I would probably not receive the item nor did I and I have no complaints even if I did get scammed because my intentions were heartfelt. 

I am the buyer that is neither shady nor willing to pull out a ruler and hassle a seller. But, I know that there are a lot of sellers that are getting hassled over tiny details. 

[glimpseofshadows76]

So, maybe I won because the buyer stated that the package was damaged and had been shipped Priority with insurance thereby making it a matter for the post office. Either way, his account was suspended so I’m not sure just how much he was hassling sellers. 

[monroe67]

"why shouldn’t I cancel the sale if the seller has zero protection and no right to a fair trial on matters."

Maxine responded:  

"You should not cancel the sale because you entered into a contract with the buyer.  He paid.  You ship.  IF a problem arises down the road, you deal with it then."

This cannot be repeated too often:  Your buyer pays.  You ship.  

As I read through this thread, I kept thinking -- "gosh, she needs to mail those figurines to the buyer!"

So, the original post indicates your buyer paid $114.51.  
Now, you say you have been a buyer and you're just venturing back into the sales side.  
How would you feel if you were the buyer who spent $114.51 and then the seller cancels the sale, possibly with no reason whatsoever?  
And suppose your buyer also reads these boards and comes across this post.  Your buyer would see that you cancelled the sale because you are confused .   Come on.  

So, your original post was all about confusion over the Final Value Fees and three pages later you are worried about seller protections and some sort of trial.  Please.  

Do these things now:  
(1) Pack your items carefully so they don't get damaged in delivery.
(2) Send them to your buyer promptly.  
(3) Stop worrying about buyers trying to cheat you.  

[glimpseofshadows76]

Hey Monroe!

 I initiated this thread to understand the ratio being collected and am now aware that there is very little that is visible to me through the app.

 I stated that I was hesitant to sell at all because I am overly aware of buyers utilizing the threat of escalation to get a better deal or screw sellers over outright. 
I did have an encounter here as a seller where I won but, based on the replies, I am left to feel that there is no protection for the seller and the process for disputes has changed dramatically. 
I am required to ship the items by the 31st and will reluctantly be shipping them via Priority mail (not 1st class) in the morning. 
I’m being clear to voice my opinion that I side with the sellers that I buy from and don’t complain even if something is not right. 
I sold 3 lots to 2 buyers and I don’t believe that they should denied their purchases either.

If this is the temperature here then it might be best to find other avenues to sell items. The only thing that I can do is hope that these buyers are not grimy. 
And also continue to appreciate the sellers that I buy from with an even greater awareness that they are taking risks devoid any rights or recourse for whiny a** buyers. 

[nocoolnamejane]

Just so you know, if any of those other avenues you look into accept online payments, you will be facing the same type of risk (which, as previously mentioned isn’t that great, it’s just that no one ever comes here to relate how great all of their transactions are going).

Its not eBay that is offering little protection to sellers, they have to go along with the policies of the payment methods they accept, and credit cards as well as PayPal have policies that historically profit the buyer.

[albertabrightalberta]

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@glimpseofshadows76 wrote:

I don’t know if any sellers are willing to comment about their interactions with buyers prior to having the matter escalated but I am overly aware of buyers utilizing the threat of escalation as a means to obtain a partial refund or keep an item for free. 

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In the following post, I described one of my own cases in which the buyer filed NAD for an item that was exactly as described. BTW, a week later, it was sold to another buyer who loved it and wears a 40. 

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Another-Scamming-Buyer-Grrrr-They-Know-How-to-Work-The-System/...

For the record, the picture below shows the size marking on the belt which was clearly size 40" as listed. 

[glimpseofshadows76]

This is the kind of stuff that I’m concerned about and I know people that strong arm sellers knowing that they can get away with it…it’s disgusting and I guess we’ll have to hope on good old karma. But, then again, sometimes we are karma’s fist (Earl reference lol). 
I felt better then worse and now I’m just prepared to get screwed over 🤦🏼‍♀️
I realize that a lot can get lost in translation so I’m trying not to feel like some people were snotty or copping an attitude with me. 

Thank you Alberta 😊

[glimpseofshadows76]

Okay, dunce cap on and I’m in the corner…why is my phone throwing out weird emoji’s? 

[nobody*s_perfect]

Yes, there are some bad buyers out there.  The bad transactions get a lot of attention, but try to remember that most transactions go smoothly.