Promoted listing rates

[btjfitter]

I just noticedI  have two adds in same category for same item except one I do not have the factory box for so I called it new  open box. I changed  the promotion from fixed rate  to dynamic and it reads  today's suggested rate of  12%. I went to the other add and today's suggested rate is 13.5% . The adds were basically copies except for the one being new  open box.  Something just isn't feeling right to me about this, and I'm not wild to begin with on having to promote items when I'm already paying 13.5% including on the sales tax rate which I have no power to set. Anyone else noticing this?

[bashort]

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@btjfitter wrote:

I just noticedI  have two adds in same category for same item except one I do not have the factory box for so I called it new  open box. I changed  the promotion from fixed rate  to dynamic and it reads  today's suggested rate of  12%. I went to the other add and today's suggested rate is 13.5% . The adds were basically copies except for the one being new  open box.  Something just isn't feeling right to me about this, and I'm not wild to begin with on having to promote items when I'm already paying 13.5% including on the sales tax rate which I have no power to set. Anyone else noticing this?

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the ebay suggested add rates are ridiculous.

You have to realize that the purpose of promoting items is for ebay to extract the maximum money from a seller as possible. 

I have talked to a ebay rep who called trying to sell us on promoted listings, I talked for a while but when they said that it was most effective for us to promote our most popular items a light bulb turned on and I realized what the true purpose of promoted listings is

[caldreamer]

Never pay EBAY suggested promotion rates (this is just a big money grab).   Suggested will go up and down based on what other Sellers are pumping into ads.   I have found if you pay the minimum 2% ad is just as good.

[btjfitter]

I 'm thinking that also. I think taking the 13.5% on sales tax collected  is over the top. I understand if its paid by a card they are getting hit with a 3% fee for collecting it but , I paid $3.00 or so in fees for them collecting $23.00 in sales tax I never seen then taking   another 10-16%  promoted listing fee is over the top. I have a excell sheet running and between ebay and shipping, a 1/3rd of the sale proceeds is taken.

[isaiah53-57]

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@btjfitter wrote:

I just noticedI  have two adds in same category for same item except one I do not have the factory box for so I called it new  open box. I changed  the promotion from fixed rate  to dynamic and it reads  today's suggested rate of  12%. I went to the other add and today's suggested rate is 13.5% . The adds were basically copies except for the one being new  open box.  Something just isn't feeling right to me about this, and I'm not wild to begin with on having to promote items when I'm already paying 13.5% including on the sales tax rate which I have no power to set. Anyone else noticing this?

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 @btjfitter  then why are you promoting? I am flat out amazed that you are willing to give up 30% to 35% of your items price in fees, especially since all the ebay apologists here say "Its optional"(the Kool-Aid stand is always open here).

So would you refute that? - Are you saying you feel promoting is virtually necessary in order to sell here? Necessary to give the site 30% to 50% of your items price to sell here?

Sure..."It will ALWAYS be "optional"...but do you think it has it got to the point where it has become necessary is what I'm asking. It will get there, no doubt...I'm wondering if you feel it has already happened...

[trainup027]

I have started promoting higher, and getting more sales.  (Higher for me is anything over 3% lol.)  I have a lot of items that have been sitting, and I want things to move.  To me, the value right now is in moving items faster, even with higher fees.  Accepting higher fees or lower offers is part of my current strategy to get things moving.  I'd rather sell 5 things for less profit each than sell 1 item for what I want to get, and then wait...and wait...  I want to start refreshing my inventory and moving out some of the older things.  

[btjfitter]

Actually i think it has happened.

It looks to me if you don't promote, your listing is hidden in the bottom of the barrel. If you pull up a exact  item from another seller , yours won't show on the bottom on related listings unless its sponsored. If you were collecting 30 % from one seller and 13.5 % from another who's add would you favor to sell?