Downgrading subscription premium to basic

[partfinds]

For and against downgrading. How many of you downgraded this month?

[chapeau-noir]

@partfinds  Where you are, I think Basic is the best bet - in fact, I think it's the best deal going insofar as getting the biggest bang for your buck stores-wise.  After the listing numbers were changed, I sold full time here with just a basic store and maybe 500-600 items - I had plenty of room for extra lists, relisting, etc., and saved a good chunk of money from Premium.

Now I'm at starter and it's only 250 listings, but I don't even make it to 200 because I'm only part-time.  It's pretty bare bones.

With Basic you get Terpeak, supplies, etc.

[mr_lincoln]

---

@katzrul15 wrote:

@partfinds 

Yes - if you wait, it drops to 7 month penalty.  Depends on when you do it.

I had a premium store for 10+ years.  Downgraded to Basic when they re-vamped Stores last year.  No change in visability, etc.  No penalty as you call it.

No idea now what "perks" a Premium store truly has over Basic.  Likely some features of Selling Mgr Pro, etc?

You are going to incur the penalty if you downgrade.  I would keep some sort of store for listings and fvfs savings.

Would research what else the $59.95/mo gets you.  I only get $25/quarter for shipping supplies, so you get more there.  Are there marketing tools that could help you?

---

@katzrul15   The one perk I have benefited from is 500 Auction listings ... I had a few months where I used them all but would regularly use all the 250 Auction listings on a Basic store ... it only takes a few auctions to bid up to justify the additional cost for the larger store ...

Initially it was nice getting the extra $ 25 for eBay branded supplies but sadly those prices continue to rise so while it helps its less of a benefit.  But every little bit helps.

For my categories things are really screwed up ... the numbers don't lie.  Unless something changes this will be the worst month in almost 3 years ... granted things "could" pick up with the upcoming holiday weekend but I don't sell to play catch up, I want to see growth ...

[partfinds]

“Are there marketing tools that could help you?”

hard for me to say. I had premium for so long that I am used to all features and don‘t even know now what is in the basic. Not sure if bulk listing is now in basic, promoting, coupons, markdown. I don’t use terapeak.

[chapeau-noir]

@partfinds   Everything you get in premium you get in basic insofar as perks, just perhaps different amounts (like store supplies):  Store levels. 

[katzrul15]

@partfinds 

Based on the above chart.  At 6-1-22 cancelation (7mos to go)

Your cancel penalty is $139.88. Cancelling early you pay this amount, regardless.

7 months @59.95 = 419.65

7 months @ 21.95 = 153.65

$153.65 + $139.88 penalty = $293.53

7 mos of basic annual + penalty is LESS than 7 more months of Premium. 

[southern*sweet*tea]

Can't help with cancellation fees because I don't know. I've had a basic store for...ever and wouldn't even dream of dropping it, even though I'm very low volume.   I have the annual subscription, so $21.95/mo

I have anywhere from 4-500 listings up at any given time.

I get 1000 fixed price listings and 250 auctions (I never use them) in select categories.  I also get an additional 10k fixed price in select categories, I think that had something to do with managed payments because that's when they were added.  I have no idea if it applies to new store subscriptions.  All I know is I have way more listings than I'll ever need.

I get $25 in shipping supplies quarterly.  I haven't had to buy poly or padded mailers since they started giving the shipping supplies, so there's that.

There is a tiny fee discount, don't ask me what it is because I don't know.  All I know is it's tiny.

You only have 249 listings up. You could definitely downgrade to basic if you wanted to pay the cancellation fee.

[katzrul15]

@partfinds 

What did you decide?

[partfinds]

I am about to downgrade. I called Ebay to find out if i downgrade today  my subscription starts today or the beginning of next month (my premium subscription was paid for may1-31). She said my current subscription will continue this month and the basic will start next month. I also asked if I am charged for penalty today and she said no. At this point there is no difference between subscriptions. Back then sales were supposed to be better by 10% and there were other things added. today no difference. I am just thinking that downgrading only makes sense (penalty wise) if you committed to stay in downgraded level for 12-9 months.
What if I downgrade and they will change subscription terms? And possibly make premium more advantageous?

[donsdetour]

I drop the entire store as I am not listing much; so a savings that way: maybe when some of whatever is going on with sales and search get straight, I will think about going back to a store.... untill then......

[katzrul15 · Accepted solution]

@partfinds 

no penalty to level-up if you decide you want it back at some point in the future.  But you would have pd the penalty amount.

Only you can decide what is best.  If you receive some additional level of benefit (extra free listings, etc). 

At your current level of listings, Basic makes more sense based on what you have shared.

You clearly are a little torn over over the decision.  I would suggest taking a few days to decide.  The 31st is a few days off.   Good luck!

[coolections]

---

@partfinds wrote:

Drop the store? Really? Why ? 

---

You get 250 free and you only have 249.

[partfinds]

@coolections 

“

@mb_parts_2020 wrote:

Drop the store? Really? Why ? 

You get 250 free and you only have 249.”

I get more than 250. I ended some listings.  I have more merchendize. My mercehndize is buiding up. If you keep listings and relistings , every “sell similar” counts as  listings - you can easily go over 250. I am not leaving Ebay and trying to sell out what i have. It is  slow. I want to grow. That no store won’t cut for me. My mercehndize wouldn’t sell anywhere else out of Ebay. Ebay has monopoly on USED car parts.

[partfinds]

Did it. After reading that ebay fixed up stuff and it should be working correctly now. My sales are not any better. And CS was incorrect saying I won’t be charged penalty till new month. Jasmen just helped me make decision. That noone got back to me explaining what was wrong that my sakes dropped to 0 for the week and I don’t seem to get pick up in sales (it seems they push sales manually) although some bigger auto parts stores selling same items had no visible problem selling at prime rates.

[coolections]

You must have been misled. Getting a store never has increased sales. A store from a buyer's perspective is no different then a seller without a store. They type the name of the part they want then they either buy it or they don't.

[luckythewinner]

---

@coolections wrote:

You must have been misled. Getting a store never has increased sales. A store from a buyer's perspective is no different then a seller without a store. They type the name of the part they want then they either buy it or they don't.

---

I bet people who subscribe a store tend to list a lot more and thus sell a bit more.

So eBay's marketing people probably emphasized a 10% increase in sales without bothering to mention that there was also a 25% increase in listings  🤣