Need help understanding the numbers and some probably dumb questions

[crimson_adri]

I'm already stressing and feeling like a complete moron cause I'm pretty sure I'm losing money, but I'm still confused about a couple things and would appreciate if someone could help me understand.

Here's what I see on desktop. Just need a quick "Yeah you're losing money" or not because the "net sales" thing is confusing me because the selling costs being "124.0% of your total sales" clearly means I'm losing money, but is net sales a good or bad number? Is that what I'm making or what I'm paying/paid?

Cause there's a thing for "taxes and fees" which says $1.75, but there's no way that's all eBay has taken in fees from the 4 things I've sold so far, right?

And then what the heck is Net Sales? It says "Net sales is Total sales - Taxes and government fees - Selling costs." which I take to mean is $8.81 is what I still have/am getting even after everything else is paid. Is that not correct? Isn't that what net means? Cause the green up arrow and 100% makes me think that number is good.

All my sales so far have had the buy pay for shipping which I've paid more than I've gotten back because I forgot about fees. (I was convinced for a while that I hadn't been paid for shipping because the numbers weren't making sense.)

Would the solution just be to raise the initial starting prices/bids? I thought the total price of the item affects they cost of the fee eBay takes anyway?

Then I'm confused because the app is telling me $40.46 but I'm just assuming it's adding things that have bids/things that have been sold but not paid for?

[monica-sells · Accepted solution]

I can explain the screenshot you posted....but there's more to the story

the 29.47 (first number) is the TOTAL amount of ALL the sales you did in the time period you selected (only 8.21 is Merchandise)

the 1.75 is the amount that was collected by rbay on your behalf for taxes, VAT or other government fees that you do not receive (it is a 'pass-thru')

the 36.53 is the cumulative amount for BOTH selling fees and shipping labels....it is broken down further down the page for you if you scroll down. Looks like about 23 of it is shipping and 12 is fees.

The (-8.81) is the LOSS you incurred (your selling costs exceeded your income)

(29.47 - 1.75 - 36.53 = -8.81

You need to change your approach to selling soon.

[bill.purvis2012]

Yes. If you want to make a profit on Ebay, you will need to sell higher dollar items or MANY low dollar items.  The loss you are showing doesn't even include selling fees ( cost of goods, travel, storage, office supplies, etc. )  

[caldreamer]

Easiest way to find out your "fees" for each sale is to go to ORDERS, ALL ORDERS and click on "view order details" (after you ship item).   That shows (Gross Sale -EBAY -Shipping Cost = Net Sale (amount that went into your bank account).

You will lose money by having auctions with 99 cent price (many times you only get one bidder).  EBAY fees charged on entire sale.

Purchase Price 99 cent

Shipping $5.25

Sales Tax 64 cent

TOTAL $6.88

You will have to pay EBAY fees on $6.88 (total sale) plus 30 cent handling charge.    Better to have auction "starting price" at lowest amount you are willing to accept.

[maxine*j]

Yes, you are losing money.  You cannot make money selling things for 99 cents unless you're selling them by the thousands.

Stop listing things for 99 cents, which is what you're dong when you run an auction with an opening bid of 99 cents.   Most auctions sell for the opening bid.  People do much like auctions.  Less than 15 % of the sales on eBay are through auctions.  They are still appropiate for some times, but not for what you are trying to sell.

In fact, stop using auctions.  Use Fixed Price, Immediate Payment Required, and no not entertain offers.  List each item at a price that gives you a reasonable profit.  If what you list doesn't sell at that price, find something else to sell that is profitable.

-

[monroe67]

Yeah, you're losing money.  
According to the screen shot you posted, which I assume includes the two things you sold on June 3,
you owe eBay $8.81.  You earned nothing.  

eBay will take that $8.81 from your checking account.  

I strongly suggest raising your prices.  

[isaiah53-57]

Dont look at those numbers - they have shipping fees in the "selling cost" that your buyer paid for, not you - Its very easy to see how much you are making per sale after the "Payout" by simply putting it to paper - If you sell a $10 item and charge $5.50 shipping cost to someone in a state with 7% sales tax($1.09) - you will pay a 13.25% fee on the entire amount of the $16.59 transaction, which will be $2.20. You will also pay a .30 cent transaction fee on every sale, so your fees will total $2.50 in this situation.

Now, you never see the tax - they show it so you know you are getting charged a fee on it, but ebay remits it for you - Its not a cost.

So now you are back to working with a $15.50 transaction(item sale price + shipping) with a $2.50 fee - So your Payout will be $13.00 - Thats what ebay sends you - it includes the shipping the buyer paid for, so now you have to buy the shipping for the buyer, which is $5.50 if you determined it correctly(there is also a box to add in a handling fee when you create the listing if you want) - So after you pay for the $5.50 shipping fee, you are left with $7.50 and the hope is that you own this item for $1 so you make a little profit, however paltry...(and hopefully you didnt use Promoted Listings on this sale, because that will really start eating into the profits if you just blindly use their "suggested rate")

Thats a lot of work for $6.50 cents in profit that is not including shipping material, gas to PO, internet usage, printer usage, income taxes, etc, etc, etc, etc - You need to make this worth your time - Good luck to you

[redlinear]

@crimson_adri 
I didn't snoop or dig around much.  BUT, just from looking at your screen shot.....That looks a lot like mine every now and then.
Simple as I can.....................
If you make sales on a Sunday.
Then no sales on a Monday.
BUT, you package and ship Sunday's sales, on Monday.
   That makes it look like you lost money on Monday (shipping costs).

[redlinear]

@crimson_adri 
If I just look at my sales for "today" (Monday).   My fees are 297% of sales.  That's because I sold some items yesterday and made shipping labels for them today...and I've not sold anything today.

[wes-4507]

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@redlinear wrote:

@crimson_adri 
If I just look at my sales for "today" (Monday).   My fees are 297% of sales.  That's because I sold some items yesterday and made shipping labels for them today...and I've not sold anything today.

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How can your fees be 297% of zero?

[coolections]

Instead of using Ebay's confusing chart just figure it by the amount Ebay will take and the amount USPS will take. Ebay takes from the total plus 30 cents. Example, your Skillet CD:

Will probably only get one bid

It will sell for $1.99 add $3.65 shipping = $5.64

You will pay Ebay $1.03 and USPS $3.85 = $4.88

You will make 76 cents

[redlinear]

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@wes-4507 wrote:

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@redlinear wrote:

@crimson_adri 
If I just look at my sales for "today" (Monday).   My fees are 297% of sales.  That's because I sold some items yesterday and made shipping labels for them today...and I've not sold anything today.

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How can your fees be 297% of zero?

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Sorry, I actually did sell something this morning.  
Which brings up something even more interesting...What if I had no sales today?  
Only shipping labels from yesterday's sales.   
What's that fee percentage going to be then? 

[redlinear]

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@wes-4507 wrote:

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@redlinear wrote:

@crimson_adri 
If I just look at my sales for "today" (Monday).   My fees are 297% of sales.  That's because I sold some items yesterday and made shipping labels for them today...and I've not sold anything today.

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How can your fees be 297% of zero?

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I just checked a different ID.   
I have no sales today.  Therefore, no sales chart for today (nothing at all).
BUT, under that, I have todays fees.  ($138 in shipping).