Final Value Fees

[gothamcitytoys]

I saw another thread where people were wondering why they were apparently being overcharged on FV fees.  Turns out it's just a "technicality" .  It's just that ebay seemed to find yet another way to improve their bottom line by passing this cost onto both buyers and sellers without skipping a beat.

For example: A sale of 349.92(350) is not the FV.  The Final Value is the selling price PLUS SALES TAX and shipping.

So the FINAL VALUE FEE is 379.66(380).  So  I'm paying $48.98(49) and NOT $45.14

But the bottom line is that the buyer is willing to pay 380 total so is factoring in Sales Tax already.

So what used to be a ENDING SALE of 380.00 with a 49.00 fee netting me 331 is now a 350.00 sale (really a 380 cost to customer) with a 49.00 fee netting me 301!!

Ebay does not lose anything SELLERS assume all the cost. 

I used to make 331 and now I make 301 for the exact same transaction and eBay loses NOTHING.....PRICELESS

[heckofagame]

This is nothing new and is clearly stated in the Selling Fees section.  More sellers should browse the policy/help section.

As has been stated in these forums over and over again.... ALL payment processors charge fees on the TOTAL amount, including taxes and shipping. This is also nothing new. It has been going on for a long time. 

I'm not sure why this is such a source of alarm. Ebay is a for-profit company and charges a fee for the use of their services. Selling here is not an entitlement or birthright. You play, you pay. 

Thank you for your time

[hartungcards]

I'm a little curious how you think eBay should or would want to "lose" anything on a transaction that they've facilitated.  I'm pretty sure eBay isn't interested in losing money when you sell something on their website.  And just for the record, you used to make 301 on the exact same transaction that you just made 301 on, because....wait for it....the FVFs haven't changed in years.

[nobody*s_perfect]

eBay has been charging FVF on the buyer's total payment including shipping since 2011.

[dolcetreasures]

No payment processor charges the level of egregious fees that eBay does for “processing payments”. Among the other acts of cunning eBay uses to undermine the seller and increase their bottom line.

I don’t know why you think every person is hanging on every word that comes out by way of eBay updates and or in these forums. eBay was created as a way to connect buyers and sellers without the need of sellers to have any retail acumen or selling experience. 

[hartungcards]

Right, eBay was created as a philanthropy.

[slippinjimmy]

Shipping included in the fee base since 2011, Sales Tax included in the fee base since 2020.

Perhaps you should catch up on the changes that have happened in the past 11 years.

FYI - eBay COULD go back to only charging fees on the item value, of course they would then just raise the percentage to compensate.

[monroe67]

"Right, eBay was created as a philanthropy."

Indeed.  

No one ever accused eBay of being a non-profit organization.  

[collectfest]

I do not know why this warrants a post. This is the fees structure clearly spelled out in eBay policy. Its not a secret or hidden.

I certainly understand sellers contemplating whether it's profitable to continue selling with these fees.  To me that is the discussion I've been having with myself. If I am making a good profit with the fee structure, I'm good, if not, a change would be in order. 

[soh.maryl]

Yes, eBay's Final Value Fee in most categories is 12.9% and is calculated on the total paid to the seller by the buyer which would include the item price, the shipping fee and the state sales tax. 

Have not been a seller here for a very long time, but I really thought the fees were clearly explained in more than one place.

Are you saying the fees are somehow hidden from sellers? And that eBay is actually in business to make money? Really? 

[hartungcards]

I really miss the good old days when eBay wasn't interested in turning a profit and existed solely as a public service to sellers without any retail acumen or selling experience. 

[pargran3]

Over and over and over again. And again and again and again.

The fees are not hidden. They are not secret. They are not new.

[pargran3]

And go back to charging an insertion fee on every listing including an insertion fee on store listings.

[soh.maryl]

Yes, I miss those days too.  Weren't they named something else then, like the Red Cross or UNICEF? 

[laststopgeneralstore]

Payment processors also do not give you access to a platform to sell almost anything that you want. It's not just for payment processing(which eBay doesn't do, Ayden does), traffic to the site, overhead etc... eBay is a business and just like any other business out their including myself, their is overhead. I pay, on average roughly 15% at the end of the day in final value fee's. That to me is a small price for the amount of traffic I get, tools that I get, not having to store tens of thousands of photos etc... All while being able to do this full time and quit my job. 15% in fee's is nothing compared to what it would cost to run my own website and try to get a small fraction of the traffic. Source better items if your not making enough profit. Also eBay has been charging on the entire amount for 11 years now so you've been making that same $301 that you did in 2011.