eBay

nancsquire_8 · ‎02-03-2018

I'm new to eBay and just discovered they take a percentage of shipping cost. Total b/s. I am not making anything on the shipping, not to mention the time I put in to pack and take to the post office...

I find it ironic that eBay recently sent me a long survey about how I would prefer to handle shipping, all kinds of options I might have if I paid for them, etc. etc. What a waste of time, they should have just asked me, "are you ok with us charging you a percentage of shipping costs?" Because now that I realize they're gouging me on shipping, I will probably stop selling on eBay and go to other methods.

Finally, I don't know if they ever read these boards but I could not find any email link to complain to them directly. Another indication that they are conniving, greedy and unresponsive.

*madison · ‎02-03-2018

Another indication that they are conniving, greedy

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No, it was dishonest sellers who did that, they were robbing ebay of fees.

For example, sellers were selling washing machines for 0.99, and shipping was $600. So, the sellers were only paying the final value fee on 0.99.

ebay had to put stop to this robbery, so they decided to charge a fee on shipping costs too.

soh.maryl · ‎02-03-2018

That particular fee schedule has been in place since 2011. Ebay implemented it because they discovered that some sellers were, for instance, listing a $100 item for $1 with $99 shipping, thus making the seller's final value fee on that transaction 10 cents.

Fees are pretty clearly explained in more than one place on eBay, notably the Seller Information Center.

When you signed up to sell, you were signifying that you had read all that information. Apparently not.

chipper01work · ‎02-03-2018

wrote:
Another indication that they are conniving, greedy
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No, it was dishonest sellers who did that, they were robbing ebay of fees.

For example, sellers were selling washing machines for 0.99, and shipping was $600. So, the sellers were only paying the final value fee on 0.99.

ebay had to put stop to this robbery, so they decided to charge a fee on shipping costs too.

This is true but ebay took the easy profitable way out instead of dealing with the violators directly they screwed everone.

the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth · ‎02-03-2018

When they extended the final value fee CALCULATION to shipping they dropped the percentages for some sales. They also started giving out free listings and stopped charging for pictures. It was pretty much a wash unless you sold large heavy items or were a shipping bandit.

If I'm selling a Fiesta dish should I pay different fees whether I have "free" shipping, actual shipping or shipping and handling? Do we tell buyers to shop total price because it's the most fair way?

Paypal charges fees on the total. Do you really think it costs them more to move the shipping? Maybe if they're paying fees on the total to credit card companies. Hey, credit card companies charge fees on the total! Amazon charges fees on the total!

People need to stop thinking Ebay is charging fees on shipping. They're charging fees on the total. Actually they're allocating fees. They know the total fees they want and they have to share them out to all sellers. The most fair way to do it is by total sale.

You don't make money on shipping? What if you sell something for less than you paid? You're not making money on the item either so should Ebay stop charging fees on the item price? Why not? Item purchase price is an expense just like postage.

Do not confuse shipping (revenue) with postage (expense).

lintbrush* · ‎02-03-2018

I can't think of any person that likes that they charge their fees on shipping too, but that's how it is.

Yes, it was implemented to stop those who were avoiding selling fees, but it was also done to make all things equal to the sellers who provided free shipping (rolling the shipping price into the item price)

Think about it:

Seller A - lists $75 item with $12 shipping - pays $7.50

Seller B - lists $87 item with free shipping - pays $8.70

Seller C - lists $12 item with $75 shipping - pays $1.20

Why would a seller offer free shipping if it was ultimately going to cost them more? Buyers love free shipping and eBay pushes it. I can't tell you how many buyers leave feedback that actually thank the sellers for Free Shipping. Trust me, they are paying for it - but are just not seeing it as a seperate line item.

Also, when they implemented the shipping FVF they lowered the selling FVF.

I do wish that they would base it on the lowest domestic shipping option (like they do with International purchases).

A 4 lb package going coast-to-coast costs about $20. That's a $2 FVF

A 4 lb package going somewhere local costs about $8.50. That's only $0.85 FVF

myangelandmyprincess · ‎02-03-2018

Exactly when they moved fees to shipping they lowered the fee percentage it about evened out except for those of heavy Items. Also they used to raise fees every spring. I remember as a seller treading the spring seller update for what the new fee hike would be. They fees have stayed fairly consistent since they added it to the shipping. I guess they aren't trying to chase the loss from the cheaters anymore. Because while some argue it's not fair we have to pay on the shipping fee because of the few cheaters. I assure you before the Fvf on shipping we were all still paying for the cheaters fees

The only thing I could think to make it a Little better is in categories that tend to have heavy items make the overall fvf lower

“Birth certificates show that you were born. Death certificates show that you died. Photographs show that you have lived.” -Unknown

emerald40 · ‎02-03-2018

Some sellers are still playing games with their shipping cost. Shipping cost should not change week to week for the exact same item going wth the exact same carrier, and same exact shipping method.

But with one buyer he keeps playing with the amount. He lowers the cost of the item and increases the shipping charge by that amount.

Anther seller when I looked his prices were great, too good. So I looked further. $18.50 to send out a 6 ounce doll.

So you can thank sellers like this for all of us having to now pay for it.

*madison · ‎02-03-2018

wrote:
wrote:
Another indication that they are conniving, greedy
---------------------------------------------------------------------

No, it was dishonest sellers who did that, they were robbing ebay of fees.

For example, sellers were selling washing machines for 0.99, and shipping was $600. So, the sellers were only paying the final value fee on 0.99.

ebay had to put stop to this robbery, so they decided to charge a fee on shipping costs too.

This is true but ebay took the easy profitable way out instead of dealing with the violators directly they screwed everone.

I think ebay took the only way out.

There were too many violators for a start, and if ebay did manage to deal with them all, like kick them all off the site, new violators would do it, and it would go on and on.

jerrantijunt-0 · ‎02-03-2018

wrote:
wrote:
Another indication that they are conniving, greedy
---------------------------------------------------------------------

No, it was dishonest sellers who did that, they were robbing ebay of fees.

For example, sellers were selling washing machines for 0.99, and shipping was $600. So, the sellers were only paying the final value fee on 0.99.

ebay had to put stop to this robbery, so they decided to charge a fee on shipping costs too.

This is true but ebay took the easy profitable way out instead of dealing with the violators directly they screwed everone.

No eBay did what Amazon and Etsy we're doing, charging for the ENTIRE transaction

the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth · ‎02-03-2018

It’s just more noticeable here because ebay charges in two steps. They could charge all at once perhaps with the assumption of the highest shipping rate. Maybe then people would stop complaining.

it seems to me if a seller sells a frisbee for $20 total it should be irrelevent how they break out shipping on their listing

ripcityresell · ‎02-03-2018

wrote:
I'm new to eBay and just discovered they take a percentage of shipping cost. Total b/s. I am not making anything on the shipping, not to mention the time I put in to pack and take to the post office...
I find it ironic that eBay recently sent me a long survey about how I would prefer to handle shipping, all kinds of options I might have if I paid for them, etc. etc. What a waste of time, they should have just asked me, "are you ok with us charging you a percentage of shipping costs?" Because now that I realize they're gouging me on shipping, I will probably stop selling on eBay and go to other methods.
Finally, I don't know if they ever read these boards but I could not find any email link to complain to them directly. Another indication that they are conniving, greedy and unresponsive.

They did ask you and you agreed to the terms of selling on the site, obviously without reading any of them.