eBay

dr.clockenstien · ‎06-14-2018

I am making this announcement only because there is a pattern of behavior that will affect all who sell from the 'middle man'.

I understand that many here also use other platforms to make sales, and for now, I am only on etsy, who is now raising the MAIN fee from 3.5% to 5%.

Plus they will now apply the fee for shipping like everyone else.

Just because everyone else does it does not make it any more justifiable!

While this seems like a better FVF, there are more hidden fees that made the initial 3.5% nearly equal to ebay's 10%.

With that said, we all know the changes that have been made on ebay, and the 'standard' that others will begin to follow.

The wide gap is now getting wider, and platforms will now begin to use more weight to step on our necks to make money.

Just a thought:

We may as well jack up our prices like 15% because we won't sell at our lower rates anyway.

I would like to see the response from the platforms then.

No sale of $10 is as good as no sale $100.

Buyers will be turned off from the high prices, sellers are already turned off by Scams, and listing manipulation.

Let them buy from China, they will make ebay's bed soon enough.

Once someone else opens another site, we could go there, and sell at our normal rates for 'lowball'

prices.

--

Seriously, this is already bad enough, and I think it's senseless to keep paying our abusers.

emerald40 · ‎06-14-2018

@dr.clockenstien wrote:
Okay,

Thats the point.
The business model is all over, no matter what, a big number of us are achieving zero.

If you mean the days of "if you list it they will buy"

And "one person's junk is another man's treasure"

Yup. They are gone and not coming back. Today's buyer is more discerning. He has apps that will show him what store has the lowest price. And junk is junk. Buyers are not interested in buying your collectibles. They do not want them from their own family.

Back then when ebay was new, there were few sellers, but many new buyers for the first time experiencing online buying. They were pumped. Everything sold.

Now sellers are like roaches and buyers have a vast variety of places, both B&M and online. You and tens of thousands of other sellers are competing for their dollars. If you are not the best and the cheapest, you just lost a sale.

ed8108 · ‎06-14-2018

@dr.clockenstien wrote:

Once someone else opens another site, we could go there, and sell at our normal rates for 'lowball'
prices.
--
Seriously, this is already bad enough, and I think it's senseless to keep paying our abusers.

I suspect manny sellers will be unwilling to go on an extended vacation, & lose the extra income they derive in the present.

southern*sweet*tea · ‎06-14-2018

I've been selling online for 15 years, here and on various different venues. Since day ONE, I've known that when I list on someone else's site, I have to play by their rules and whims, no matter how stupid, mean or counterproductive I might think they are.

What people have to realize is that these third party venues don't give a rat's hiney about you. They want money in their pocketbook. Their business is selling webspace and making money from that webspace any way they can. They don't care if you make money or not. It's up to YOU to make money. As long as you pay the fees the venue doesn't care.

If I want to run things my way, I'll open my own website. I actually had one for a few years and never once broke even. It's a lot of work and a lot of competition and I don't have the inclination to do all of that anymore. Since I don't want to do the work, I have to list on someone else's website and put up with their **bleep**. I still make money and it's less work and more productive than doing it on my own, so I gladly pay the fees and put up with the garbage.

The internet allows anybody and his brother to be a "seller". We have third party venues like Ebay and Etsy to thank for that, and believe me I'm thankful because I've made a decent amount of money over the years. Building and hosting and supporting these websites takes a lot of time and costs a lot of money, and it costs more now than it did five, ten, fifteen years ago. 5% is a very, very reasonable price to pay. Even 10% is reasonable. There are websites that charge much more in fees.

Bottom line IMO all these places "owe" you is a place to list your stuff. They don't owe you sales and they don't you a profit - that's up to YOU to do within the confines of the venue you choose to list on.

The easier you are to offend the easier you are to control.

We seem to be getting closer and closer to a situation where nobody is responsible for what they did but we are all responsible for what somebody else did. - Thomas Sowell

flyinhawaiiangirl · ‎06-14-2018

@southern*sweet*tea wrote:
I've been selling online for 15 years, here and on various different venues. Since day ONE, I've known that when I list on someone else's site, I have to play by their rules and whims, no matter how stupid, mean or counterproductive I might think they are.

What people have to realize is that these third party venues don't give a rat's hiney about you. They want money in their pocketbook. Their business is selling webspace and making money from that webspace any way they can. They don't care if you make money or not. It's up to YOU to make money. As long as you pay the fees the venue doesn't care.

If I want to run things my way, I'll open my own website. I actually had one for a few years and never once broke even. It's a lot of work and a lot of competition and I don't have the inclination to do all of that anymore. Since I don't want to do the work, I have to list on someone else's website and put up with their **bleep**. I still make money and it's less work and more productive than doing it on my own, so I gladly pay the fees and put up with the garbage.

The internet allows anybody and his brother to be a "seller". We have third party venues like Ebay and Etsy to thank for that, and believe me I'm thankful because I've made a decent amount of money over the years. Building and hosting and supporting these websites takes a lot of time and costs a lot of money, and it costs more now than it did five, ten, fifteen years ago. 5% is a very, very reasonable price to pay. Even 10% is reasonable. There are websites that charge much more in fees.

Bottom line IMO all these places "owe" you is a place to list your stuff. They don't owe you sales and they don't you a profit - that's up to YOU to do within the confines of the venue you choose to list on.

It's sad because it's true.

ted_200 · ‎06-14-2018

...it costs more now than it did five, ten, fifteen years ago. 5% is a very, very reasonable price to pay. Even 10% is reasonable.

Meh. I think 5% is reasonable, 10% is a bit excessive, and if people are charging more than that, it's more excessive.

More shocking to me is the other post that suggests eBay's margins are only 10% or 11%! I don't think they're making very good use of all these fees they collect, their revenue is astronomical and this (should be) a pretty low cost (relative to the revenue) site to operate. I think they'd do a lot better profit wise (and so would their sellers) if they stopped spending so much money trying to reinvent the wheel by making it squarer.

The Floggings Will Continue Until Morale Improves.

home.stock · ‎06-15-2018

Online sites are not for everyone.
That is why there is CL, flea markets, yard sales.

mczombies · ‎06-15-2018

divwido says to the OP:

"Why are you posting that here? This is eBay. And yes, that sites boards are nothing but complaints.

The theory is the extra money will bring in more buyers. Unlikely, but no one gets a vote.

All you acheived by posting this here was zero."

mczombies says to divwido:

WRONG. What you posted, your so-called response, achieved zero. Instead of giving a valid argument, or even a decent rebuttal to the OP's post, you instead chose to question his right to enlighten, and spread some (well appreciated, by the way) knowledge.

Also--everyone gets a vote. Even though they may be ignored and derided by lemmings like you--they still have a voice. However, no one is the judge or jury on what is relevant to SOME here. So if you don't appreciate what is shared, then don't respond--or give an educated argument--but to simply TRY and dismiss someone--no, you don't have that right.

To add--I also find fault with your theory--that the extra money (I assume you are talking about extra fee money?) will bring in more buyers. How in the world did you make that connection? The extra fee money--is simply a fleece of the sellers--and, the fact that OTHER platforms are starting to try and join in the greed-fest--is evidence that the continual disrespect of American sellers, won't be stopping anytime soon, seeing as how well it is working for them.

Sellers need to stand up and fight here--SERIOUSLY. If we all refused to list new items for just ONE day--they would sit up and take notice immediately. People need to realize the power they genuinely have here--and not give in and give up like you--divwido.

Also, as the OP pointed out--the money must be being mis-handled somewhat, because seriously--how much is enough? Keep in mind, that quite possibly MANY of us will be paying upwards of 20% in FEES here shortly--and that doesn't even take into consideration what in the heck will happen when eBay becomes our PAYMENT provider.

No--you couldn't be more blind and misled. And if you are thinking that you are going to get some special breaks for sticking up for eBay here on the forums--well, good luck with that. Personally, I would rather die off here than compromise my principles. But that's just me.....and quite a few others...the ones who are sick and tired of being raped and robbed by these greedy corporations. With their golden parachutes, and their short-term coffer filler ideas. Meanwhile, running all of us around like rats through a maze just to try and keep our heads above water. Anyone who supports these latest Summer updates is a fool, and sure to go down with the sinking ship too--singing praises all the way--but still drowning with everyone else.

ymeagainlord · ‎06-15-2018

@emerald40 wrote:
@dr.clockenstien wrote:
Okay,

Thats the point.
The business model is all over, no matter what, a big number of us are achieving zero.

Now sellers are like roaches and buyers have a vast variety of places, both B&M and online. You and tens of thousands of other sellers are competing for their dollars. If you are not the best and the cheapest, you just lost a sale.

Really Em?

You couldn't think of a less offensive analogy?

Oh nm, I guess you're one too.

Crusader Cat is watching

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. - L Tolstoy

"You are entitled to your own opinion, you are not however, entitled to your own facts."

skatefool · ‎06-15-2018

@emerald40 wrote:

*snipped*

Now sellers are like roaches and buyers have a vast variety of places, both B&M and online. You and tens of thousands of other sellers are competing for their dollars. If you are not the best and the cheapest, you just lost a sale.

And buyers are like Squirrels, trying to cross the street in traffic.

southern*sweet*tea · ‎06-15-2018

@ted_200 wrote:
. I think they'd do a lot better profit wise (and so would their sellers) if they stopped spending so much money trying to reinvent the wheel by making it squarer.

Yep, I have no argument with that at all.

I have an even better idea - sink that money into fixing the stuff that's BROKEN instead of reinventing the wheel.

But it's Ebay's site. If they want to ruin it, who are we to stop them? If they don't want to listen to people that know better and could make a huge difference and make them real MONEY and not just numbers, that's their perogative. For whatever reason numbers mean more than dollars. Being the biggest is more important than being the best.

The saying "You can't fix stupid" fits to a T.

The easier you are to offend the easier you are to control.

We seem to be getting closer and closer to a situation where nobody is responsible for what they did but we are all responsible for what somebody else did. - Thomas Sowell

emerald40 · ‎06-15-2018

@ymeagainlord wrote:
@emerald40 wrote:
@dr.clockenstien wrote:
Okay,

Thats the point.
The business model is all over, no matter what, a big number of us are achieving zero.

Now sellers are like roaches and buyers have a vast variety of places, both B&M and online. You and tens of thousands of other sellers are competing for their dollars. If you are not the best and the cheapest, you just lost a sale.
Really Em?

You couldn't think of a less offensive analogy?

Oh nm, I guess you're one too.

Yes, I am one of those roaches who also has a day job and a husband who works, so thankfully I do not have to scurry around as much as others.

But if you take out your offending word, the rest still holds true. If you are going to sell clothes or other common merchandise, you better be the cheapest, or have been here since the beginning and have developed a strong customer base.

emerald40 · ‎06-15-2018

@skatefool wrote:
@emerald40 wrote:

*snipped*

Now sellers are like roaches and buyers have a vast variety of places, both B&M and online. You and tens of thousands of other sellers are competing for their dollars. If you are not the best and the cheapest, you just lost a sale.
And buyers are like Squirrels, trying to cross the street in traffic.

This squirrel only buys vintage. And has developed techniques over the years to find and own things she could have only imagined in real life.

For everyday items, I shop in B&M stores loaded with ~~accorns~~ coupons. I would never pay a middleman for something I can buy from the source.

wesellitalldicker-dealhere · ‎06-15-2018

Now sellers are like roaches and buyers have a vast variety of places, both B&M and online. You and tens of thousands of other sellers are competing for their dollars. If you are not the best and the cheapest, you just lost a sale.

I was feeling pretty good today until I was compared to a Roach....ewww 🙂

If its legal we will buy it, sell it or trade it.

dr.clockenstien · ‎06-15-2018

@goodluckselling wrote:
@dr.clockenstien wrote:
@goodluckselling wrote:
@dr.clockenstien wrote:
@goodluckselling wrote:

I doubt you would have any effect on eBay. They complete over 1 Billion transactions daily. If you are not getting the sale on eBay someone else on eBay will.

Click here to see the stats

Good Luck Selling!
I read that post earlier, and I honestly think that it is bunk.
Your article was about a cooling system for the mainframes, and I believe they exaggerated the numbers to sound impressive.

The article is from a third party. The article is also a few years old. The actual number of transaction in 2018 eBay is over 2 Billion daily. You have to keep in mind that eBay runs 23 different country sites, apps, classified sites, etc.

Now what you call a transaction, what I call a transaction and what is actually an eBay transaction I am certain are different things. You and I as buyers and seller think in terms of physical products and that number does seem way to high, but the truth of the matter is eBay has to count all transaction for the marketplace
third party product sales
sellers making there monthly fees payments
third party ads like ad choice
affiliate marketing fees,
external search engines purchased ads
promoted listings transactions
shipping labels purchased through the platform
dozens of different types of transactions we do not really know about or should have to know about.
Click here for a list of eBay sites

Good Luck Selling!

That looks more to me like spending money.

I was under the impression that ebay's was selling figure.
Had it been that, I still struggle to the notion that, if there were 6B people on this planet then, how do the numbers figure one out of every six people?

I can understand your lack of understanding how business works. eBay has to reports its transactions as I mentioned earlier. I also tried to explain what a transaction might be defined by eBay without success to your level of experience.

The bottom line is these third party reporting agency is picking up details from a revenue report eBay is required to fill out and report. What the articles are not telling you is how the definition is being defined. I am trying to give you a better perspective and yet you are struggling to understand that eBay is a legitimate business that is responsible for there reports and I find it really hard to believe you can not undertsand this fact!

What part of any transaction on eBay from buyer could result in perhaps a dozen transaction eBay has to report?

Fact - eBay operates on about 10 to 11% profit margin. Could you operate on that margin?

Good Luck Selling!

That was not the suggestion from your "ebay makes 1B transactions a day" statement.

You say you are trying to help just to excuse the underlying insults you offer.

I know I am far from the only one who knows that.

What YOU understand is how to twist statements, and provide misleading facts to support an argument just to beat down on people.

The point that your "facts" are incomplete and misleading, tell me that your opinion is even more useless.

Even if you were a business major (which I doubt), I wouldn't trust you with any business soley because of your attitude.

Im surprised you can even sit down to type after the whooping you got last week.

dr.clockenstien · ‎06-15-2018

@emerald40 wrote:
@dr.clockenstien wrote:
Okay,

Thats the point.
The business model is all over, no matter what, a big number of us are achieving zero.

If you mean the days of "if you list it they will buy"

And "one person's junk is another man's treasure"

Yup. They are gone and not coming back. Today's buyer is more discerning. He has apps that will show him what store has the lowest price. And junk is junk. Buyers are not interested in buying your collectibles. They do not want them from their own family.

Back then when ebay was new, there were few sellers, but many new buyers for the first time experiencing online buying. They were pumped. Everything sold.

Now sellers are like roaches and buyers have a vast variety of places, both B&M and online. You and tens of thousands of other sellers are competing for their dollars. If you are not the best and the cheapest, you just lost a sale.