eBay

vicki1336 · ‎02-04-2024

I've sold almost 600 items on eBay in the past, but have not done much for several years. I only had one thing listed for such a long time (a lovely beer stein) that I forgot about it! Finally got an offer, and it sold for $33. When I listed it some time ago I noticed other similar steins had shipping for almost $11, so I had put $10.80 for shipping; total $43.80. (I knew the post office had raised their rates recently, and the stein was fairly heavy glass, so I thought that would be fair).

I only got a payout of $25.47. Is this normal?

Thank you!

onefootflipper1 · ‎02-04-2024

The basic ebay prices have barely changed in many years.

Plugging those basic details into the ebay fee calculator shows that the payout seems correct assuming you bought the postage on ebay.

simba6 · ‎02-04-2024

The fees are also added to the shipping and now the sales tax that is collected. You should have also received the 10.80 for shipping in addition to the 25.47 That would be right.

susanb1872 · ‎02-04-2024

You can go to your payments tab and see exactly what was deducted. It seems about right but you would have to provide more detail. You probably need to change how you determine your shipping. You should be using calculated shipping based on the weight and dimensions of your item not other seller's items. When you look at the other items for sale, the shipping cost is what it would cost to send to you. It seems likely that the shipping cost more than the $10.80 which is why your payout is less.

isaiah53-57 · ‎02-04-2024

Probably normal - You and soooooo many other sellers (even those who have been here for many years), think they are paying 13+% of the items price, when in fact it is 13+% of the ENTIRE TRANSACTION(which includes shipping and sales tax costs). That bloated rate equates to likely 17% to 22% of the items price. People take it for face value rather than reading the fine/finer print and dont realize they are giving up such a large chunk of the only profit bearing figure in the transaction...the items price.

soh.maryl · ‎02-04-2024

Perhaps, since you've not sold here for awhile, it would be a good idea for you to go back and read all the information you can about selling on eBay, especially the part about fees.

To focus on that, in most categories, the final value fee to the seller will be 13.25% and that fee is calculated on the total amount paid the seller by the buyer. In your figures, you did not mention state sales tax, which is now, by law, collected by eBay and remitted to the appropriate state. Did your buyer's payment to you include state sales tax?

Also, just guessing how much shipping will be on any item is not a good idea. In the example you saw, perhaps the seller was in PA and the buyer was in OH. In your case, maybe you were in PA and your buyer was in CA, in which case, even though the items were of an identical weight, shipping would have been

more than $10.80. You don't estimate shipping costs on what would be "fair", you calculate them on the actual weight, distance being shipping and class of shipping.

Again, a little reading would not hurt.

vicki1336 · ‎02-04-2024

I did buy the postage on eBay. I thought I would be refunded the overcharge of 3.50 for shipping. I often refund that amount to the seller if I find postage was less than expected. Does that make sense?

solidguitar1961 · ‎02-04-2024

Sounds like you undercharged for the shipping.

isaiah53-57 · ‎02-04-2024

@onefootflipper1 wrote:
The basic ebay prices have barely changed in many years.

Plugging those basic details into the ebay fee calculator shows that the payout seems correct assuming you bought the postage on ebay.

Wow...That's kinda like saying the company that used to sell a 16 oz box of cereal for $1.99, that now sells that same cereal in a 10oz box for $2.19 has barely raised their prices...

stainlessenginecovers · ‎02-04-2024

@isaiah53-57 wrote:
..... think they are paying 13+% of the items price....

If ANYONE is aware there is a Cost at all, WHY would they think that it's ONLY against the item when it CLEARLY shows what it includes BEFORE someone were to list.

It's like going to McDonalds and buying off the menu but NOT looking at the Price, and then being TOTALLY astonished when they get the 'total'.

junkinabox · ‎02-04-2024

The eBay fee calculator shows that the payout is correct.

solidguitar1961 · ‎02-04-2024

@junkinabox wrote:
The eBay fee calculator shows that the payout is correct.

I didn't say the payout was incorrect , I said it sounds like they uncharged for the shipping.

monica-sells · ‎02-04-2024

say what? how is that even close to the subject of this thread....

Just to clarify your ludicrous statement...

Fill in the blanks...

What percentage did ebay charge for a category you sold in 10 years ago?

What percentage did ebay on the shipping 10 years ago?

What percentage did Paypal charge to process that item 10 years ago?

compare that total to what you pay today....

fern*wood · ‎02-04-2024

@vicki1336 wrote:
I did buy the postage on eBay. I thought I would be refunded the overcharge of 3.50 for shipping. I often refund that amount to the seller if I find postage was less than expected. Does that make sense?

I'm having trouble understanding this statement. Are you saying if the "buyer" was charged more for the postage than it actually cost, that you refund that amount? Also, what overcharge of $3.50 did you you think you would receive as a seller? Are you saying the actual postage cost you more than you charged the buyer? If so, you have to absorb that cost due to entering the wrong amount for the buyer to pay.

isaiah53-57 · ‎02-04-2024

@monica-sells wrote:
say what? how is that even close to the subject of this thread....

Just to clarify your ludicrous statement...
Fill in the blanks...
What percentage did ebay charge for a category you sold in 10 years ago?
What percentage did ebay on the shipping 10 years ago?
What percentage did Paypal charge to process that item 10 years ago?

compare that total to what you pay today....

Go figure you would write something as"ludicrous" as this - just more smoke and mirror...

10 years ago, you could get 20% back as top rated seller...

10 years ago they had Customer Service you could actually get help from...

10 years ago they didn't have the ever worsening Buyer THEFT problem they have today...

10 years ago their search wasn't as biased and broke as it is today...

10 years ago you didn't have to pay their 10% to 17% Recommended Promoted Listings fee to get the same

service you got for just the FVF...

10 years ago the site had a higher buyer to seller ratio...

10 years ago they were doing TV commercials...

10 years ago they had ebay bucks...

10 years ago they didnt have a .30 cent transaction fee on EVERY SALE...

10 years ago they didnt have a declining user base...

And there's plenty more! On the other hand WHAT has changed for the better??

But thats enough to prove the point I was making that went right over your head...EXACTLY the point when I said "That's kinda like saying the company that used to sell a 16 oz box of cereal for $1.99, that now sells that same cereal in a 10oz box for $2.19, has barely raised their prices...And if I have to explain the relevance of this to you, then you certainly dont need to be offering people help with your out of touch statements and over-bearing reprimands...