Doesn't it make more sense if buyers were responsible for category fees instead of sellers?

[ripleypine]

Correct me if im wrong however, I beleive it does.

[janet9988]

What are category fees?

[hartungcards]

Buyers are responsible for your fees if you price your items accordingly.

[slippinjimmy]

What data do you have that leads you to this belief?

[hartungcards]

"What data do you have that leads you to this belief?"

Apparently you no longer need data to support anything, you just say, "It's common sense."

[ripleypine]

The problem with that is the price can only go so high before a buyer decides on the cheaper option and with all the competition amongst sellers when they drag the value of something down to make a sale ultimately making the item not worth selling when after all of these fees and eBay's crooked sales tax policy.

[stuff4divas]

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@ripleypine wrote:

Correct me if im wrong however, I beleive it does.

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@ripleypine 

don't know what 'category' fees are, but Merc experimented by charging buyers the seller's fees on the sold item

that was a disaster, so they ended it and now charge the buyer a 'buyer protection' fee

sure to fail as well since buyers should and are protected regardless of a fee

[dryophelia]

@ripleypine 

It’s not eBay’s tax policy. Taxes are set by governments. 

[tarotfindsandmore]

So you believe the buyers should pick up the cost of doing business in a competitive market?  If your prices prevent you from being able to compete with other sellers, you probably need to reevaluate your approach to sourcing.  You should be able to work your fees into your cost of doing business while still being able to price your items competitively.  If you're unable to do that, you 1) need to source more carefully or 2) you'll have to wait til everyone else's (cheaper) items sell.

[stainlessenginecovers]

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@ripleypine wrote:

The problem with that is the price can only go so high before a buyer decides on the cheaper option and with all the competition amongst sellers when they drag the value of something down to make a sale ultimately making the item not worth selling when after all of these fees and eBay's crooked sales tax policy.

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Buyers MOSTLY decide on the cheaper option and ALWAYS have. 

Has nothing to do with fees, competition etc. 

But, getting back to the absurd opening post- buyers would NEVER pay to buy here. There are 1000 other places they can buy that do NOT charge them and the 180,000,000 buyers (including sellers) would abandon this place overnight. From 1,000,000 mph to 0. 

Simple

[ittybitnot]

so they ended it and now charge the buyer a 'buyer protection' fee

@stuff4divas 

eBay is going to start charging a "buyer protection fee"  for buyers who purchase from non-business sellers in the UK starting Feb. 4.  For "buyer protection" they get 24/7 customer service (hope it is not the same foreign call center group we get here or an AI chat) AND they will hold the seller's money until the item is delivered.   eBay plans to sort of disguise it though, and just add it to the item price, so it looks like it is the seller listed it at that price point. 

Holding the seller's money is silly as an added protection because buyers still have the money back guarantee, and if matters not to a buyer at all if the seller's money is on hold or not. It should be interesting.   

[bonjourami]

" and eBay's crooked sales tax policy."

You think a multi billion dollar company with teams of lawyers has a 'crooked tax policy'? Thats funny.

[luckythewinner]

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@ripleypine wrote:

Correct me if im wrong however, I beleive it does.

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Poshmark tried shifting part of their fees to buyers in October 2024. Sales dipped sharply, and they reversed that decision after just three weeks. 

That being said, eBay UK is charging buyers 4% starting in Feb 2025. But I think I read somewhere that eBay will roll that fee into the selling price to hide it from the buyer. (If I am wrong someone correct me). 

[monroe67]

Title:  "Doesn't it make more sense if buyers were responsible for category fees instead of sellers?"

Body: "Correct me if im wrong however, I beleive it does."

The first sentence of Item 5, Fees and Taxes, in eBay's User Agreement states:

                                    "We charge sellers for the use of our Services." 

It goes on to state that in some cases and in some categories eBay might ask buyers to pay for extras such as authentication or storage services.  

All categories of items listed for sale on eBay are subject to a Final Value Fee consisting of two parts: 

(1) a per-order fee: (a) 30 cents when the total paid by the buyer is $10.00 or less or (b) 40 cents when the total paid by the buyer is $10.01 and more.  

(2) a percentage of the total paid by the buyer.  Currently that percentage ranges from 3% for the Heavy Equipment category to 15% for the categories of Jewelry and Watches.  Most of those percentages will be increased "slightly" beginning on January 14, 2025.  

[simba6]

That is like auctions that charge a buyers premium or an admission fee. Dang some try both.  It does drive away buyers.  That is the problem.