Insertion Fees

[jays-dad]

I am not a professional ebay seller, but I do sell quite a bit (all auction). Last year when I would create a listing, there was a check box for relist up to 8 times for free. That checkbox disappeared. Auctions started ending after just a single week and I had to relist manually. So, I found an automation rule to relist until sold. Am I getting charged every time an item relists? 

[disneyshopper]

Am I getting charged every time an item relists? 

If there is no offer of free relists, then you will get charged to relist, if you don't have any free-insertions remaining for that month.  Members without a store subscription get 50 free insertions per calendar month.  Extras are charged 35¢ each.

Since you have a store subscription, you get X number of fixed price listings plus X number of auction-style listings (in specific categories).  Extras are charged at a reduced rate depending on the level of your store subscription.

[jays-dad]

Thanks. I was afraid of that. This is going to absolutely wipe out any chance of profit for me. I primarily sell coins and banknotes. I list a lot of items as auctions for 89c each with 75c shipping. In the previous model with up to 8 free relistings, it worked out well. Most items sell by the time they've gone through 8 times, and the things that didn't sell then got pulled and put into lots. My 50 free per month +  200 for my store were perfect. Should I be switching to buy it now listings? Moving to a different selling platform?

[lacemaker3]

@jays-dad,

Auction listings are eligible for free relists, up to 8 times. So no, you don't have to pay the insertion fee every time. That would apply for fixed-price listings, not auctions.

How you get the free relists for auctions, depends on which listing form you are using. If you are using the Quick Listing tool, then the auction will be relisted 8 times automatically, unless it sells before that. If you're using the Advanced Listing Tool, then there's a check box, and you have to check the box to get the free auction relists.

More info (there is some fine print, and some categories are not included):

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/listings/creating-managing-listings/relisting-items?id=4147

[jays-dad]

Yes, that's what it used to be, but something changed. I cannot find that check box to relist up to 8 times automatically. When I create a listing, I always open an existing and select "sell a similar item". Am I creating listings incorrectly?

I was definitely charged to relist a bunch of auctions last week.

I have 250 per month with my store. I put out 199 new ones on Feb 1. No insertion fees. Then 107 older auctions ended with no bids and were automatically relisted, the first 51 of those with no insertion fee, but the rest did have an insertion fee. I'm worried that when the 250+ auctions I have running with no bids ends tonight I'll be charged $75. 

[lacemaker3]

If you don't see a checkbox at all, then you're in the Quick Listing Tool, and the auction should get 8 relists automatically (unless you have possibly turned that off in your automation rules). So if this still doesn't work, you may need to delete your automation rules and let the automatic relisting happen by default.

If you prefer to be able to see the checkbox and make sure that it is checked, then you need to click on the link to change the form you're using. 

I just used "Sell one like this" from one of your listings, and it opened automatically in the Quick Listing Tool. To get to the Advanced tool, click on the link at the top right that says "Switch to business tool".

At the bottom of the Quick Listing page, it explains how the free relists work:

[davdavpav]

If you are given for example 50 free insertions a month; if you go above that amount you will be charged an insertion fee. I have to watch it closely when I am given 200 free fixed listings and when they come due I remove them before being relisted. I just watch their ending dates.

[lacemaker3]

@jays-dad, Sorry, I ran out of time to edit my response.

When I clicked Switch to business tool, and then clicked Switch again to confirm, the page looked different (and there was a link to switch back if you want):

You need to scroll down to find the check-box to use the 8 free relistings. It's here, underneath the Return options:

@disneyshopper, and @davdavpav, sellers can get up to 8 free relistings, for auction-format listings only, which don't use any of the seller's free-insertion-fee listings.

[lacemaker3]

@jays-dad, sorry, I forgot about something.

The automatic relists are only free if you are not considered a "Business Seller". Otherwise, you will be charged the listing fees for them.

I think that sellers with stores are considered to be "Business sellers" for this purpose.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/listings/creating-managing-listings/relisting-items?id=4147#sectio...

[jays-dad]

Thanks, I'll have to explore that the next time I create a listing. But in the meantime, any way to fix the 250+ that end tonight? If I remove the automation rule "relist until sell" then all the lots will end? So I'll need to manually recreate all of these listings? Oh yeah, and I'm out of free listings for February already! Oh woe is me! 

[lacemaker3]

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@jays-dad wrote:

Thanks, I'll have to explore that the next time I create a listing. But in the meantime, any way to fix the 250+ that end tonight? ...

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I'm sorry, but no. As long as you have a store, I think you are considered to be a Business Seller, and you will be charged for the relists.

[lacemaker3]

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@lacemaker3 wrote:

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@jays-dad wrote:

Thanks, I'll have to explore that the next time I create a listing. But in the meantime, any way to fix the 250+ that end tonight? ...

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I'm sorry, but no. As long as you have a store, I think you are considered to be a Business Seller, and you will be charged for the relists.

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Ran out of edit time again ...

If you have a Basic store, then you get 250 fixed price listings in addition to 250 auction format listings, all with zero-insertion fees.

So if you have used up all your auction format listings, you should still have all the 250 fixed price listings. You could use them. You might have to end the auctions early, which should (I think, no guarantee) prevent them from being relisted automatically. To be safe, you might want to edit the auctions, and un-check the box, then end them early.

[jays-dad]

Thanks for all the input. I think I figured it out now. The problems I have been having probably started at the same time as I opened the "store" and free relisings went away. When I opened the store it seemed like nothing but good would come from it. I never would have imagined that spending extra money to get the store would actually end up costing me more money. I only saw the good things, more free insertion fees and lower final value fees.

[fun-snowbunny]

Ebay moved me up to a Power Seller once I had sold a certain number of items.  I had no idea this was going to happen.  I really hate it!  Instead of giving me  more free listings as a bonus, they took away my 8 free re-listings. There is no benefit to me.  My item is taken down if it dosent sell and then they want .35 cents to re-list the item again. Like I said, I hate it!  Some of my items are unique and it takes more time for people to see the items.  So If I don't sell it, I don't make money, Ebay makes no money and it's a lose lose situation.  I called Ebay and the rep told me that Ebay takes away the free 8 relists to people doing good and gives it to someone new selling at EBay. What kind of **bleep** response is that?  My sales have plummeted! 

[femmefan1946]

I'm going to second-guess you here.

For the same price as four week long auctions of 12 items, you could list 50 items at Fixed Price for a month and then relist them the next month for the same price.

You have 50 Free Listings every month.
Why waste them on Auctions that aren't working? Proof they are not working is that they are being relisted.