Reserve price fee...do I still get charged if I unlist the item or cancel the item

[per50nl_5]

Can't remember. It's been a while since I held an auction and stopped selling.

[alcoforever]

Reserve fees are charged as soon as the listing goes live and are not refundable even if the listing is cancelled or not sold.

[wastingtime101]

Yep, you still owe the fee because it's charged at the time of listing. It's a non-refundable optional upgrade that's charged whether or not your item sells or you end the listing early.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/fees-credits-invoices/selling-fees?id=4364#section5

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/listings/selling-auctions/reserve-prices?id=4143

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

Don’t use reserves. They cost extra money and many buyers hate them.

[coolections]

Yes you wasted that cash as soon as you listed with the reserve. Even I it is free to list with a reserve, 95% of buyers will just pass on the auction because it is really not an auction. 

[femmefan1946]

Since your opening is in itself a Reserve (no one can bid less than that) Reserves are a waste of money.

Think twice about using Auctions at all. Only about 15% of eBay transactions are now Auctions and most of those opt for a Buy It Now price.

Many reports that buyers are going for the higher BIN and immediate gratification than waiting days to find that they lost out.

There are also many more Unpaid Item Disputes on Auctions than on Fixed Price sales.

You can reduce that to zero by using Fixed Price/Immediate Payment Required.

There are a few categories where Auctions are still reasonably popular, Collectibles being one, but if you know the price you would be happy to get (which is what your Reserve is) why not just list at that price?

[femmefan1946 · Accepted solution]

As a returning/occasional seller you customer's cleared payment will be Held for up to 21 days (less if you are US-based).

Paypal will not refund your fees if you have to refund your customer.

EBay will use your PP invoice to charge your customer any Internet Sales Tax that may be applicable. PP will charge their usual 2.9% fee on the pass-through charge. This is also not refundable.

[per50nl_5]

True that on the collectables and auction format. Where price discovery has more immediate impact.

Also on the auctions and non-pay. For some reason a lot of the auctions are being hit with (0) feed backers and they aint payin. I think it's deliberately to disrupt the auction since the bids are mostly automatic from these people.

[adkhighker]

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@femmefan1946 wrote:

Since your opening is in itself a Reserve (no one can bid less than that) Reserves are a waste of money.

Think twice about using Auctions at all. Only about 15% of eBay transactions are now Auctions and most of those opt for a Buy It Now price.

Many reports that buyers are going for the higher BIN and immediate gratification than waiting days to find that they lost out.

There are also many more Unpaid Item Disputes on Auctions than on Fixed Price sales.

You can reduce that to zero by using Fixed Price/Immediate Payment Required.

There are a few categories where Auctions are still reasonably popular, Collectibles being one, but if you know the price you would be happy to get (which is what your Reserve is) why not just list at that price?

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That's true what you said about auctions being down in number and how so many auctions are opting for a BIN price. Personally, I don't think auctions with high starting prices or auctions with a BIN option are really auctions. IMO, true auctions are those that start out at a low price, or at the very least a fair price, with no reserve and just let the market (the buyers) set the price.   I know that philosophy is not for everyone, and sometimes it's a gamble to start out a high priced item for 99 cents and let it rip, but overall it's worked great for me on eBay for the last 20 years, especially for OOAK items. For OOAK items, it would be hard to set a BIN price on them because you never know what price they'll end up going for in a true auction, often going much higher than any than any  price you were originally hoping for. Then again, I've gambled and lost more than a few times, too. 🙂

[femmefan1946]

There may be some "thrill bidders"  -- look at the categories.   Are these things that appeal to the "criminal class" ?

Most criminals are male, 15-35, and single. While they may not actually be doing anything illegal, they are pretty devil may care about other people's rights and situations.

This takes in selling sportscards, sneakers, video games, some designer garments, various toys and memorabilia.  Probably a few other categories.

But a lot of the non-payers are buying for Immediate Gratification.

When they bid, they think they are buying at an astonishingly good price. Then they learn they have to wait days to really win and abandon the transaction.

There are very few online auctions left. Most sites are Fixed Price.

You buy. You pay. The purchase shows up.

No waiting . No chance of being outbid.

And no big conspiracy.

[adkhighker]

"There are very few online auctions left. Most sites are Fixed Price."

Ain't the the truth. That's why for me, despite the occasional stress and aggravation we sellers have to go through from time to time, eBay is the only online outlet that I want to sell on. Even though they are down in number, auctions are still a vital part of this place, at least for me they are. 

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

Most of the listings in my vintage collectibles category are auctions. Auctions are definitely alive and well for items where it makes sense.

Auctions never made sense for used shorts and that ship has sailed.

[adkhighker]

"for items where it makes sense"

Yup, that phrase is definitely key, no doubt about it.