(Store Closing 2022) After 10+ Years Selling on eBay. I'll Cover the Termination Fee, Not Waiting..

[fairdeal*lb]

Actually, I've been selling on eBay for more than 20 years through two accounts. Over this time eBay has continued to take advantage, drip-drip.. The last-straw for us was the eBay PL Pay-to-Play scam, not a drip-drip, more like wave-wave.

eBay has lost (half) of it's market value this year, in turn, this platform is covering the core growth losses by going after sellers with said Pay-to-Play. All of this while selling expenses are already at their highest for sellers. 

The net return isn't worth all the trouble anymore. I'm one of the lucky ones, I can afford to walk away. Good luck fellow sellers.   

[heckofagame]

See ya

[inhawaii]

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@fairdeal*lb wrote:Actually, it's a very good question.. When the better item with the better price (to the buyer) gets obstructed unless you Pay-to-Play the shell game. Not only is it a disservice to the seller but even more so to the buyer.    

Sellers effectively get shuffled out if they don't fall in line.

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Then how are the rest of us still garnering sales without participating in promoted listings?

[fairdeal*lb]

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@inhawaii wrote:

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@fairdeal*lb wrote:Actually, it's a very good question.. When the better item with the better price (to the buyer) gets obstructed unless you Pay-to-Play the shell game. Not only is it a disservice to the seller but even more so to the buyer.    

Sellers effectively get shuffled out if they don't fall in line.

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Then how are the rest of us still garnering sales without participating in promoted listings?

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[ryanrobyn]

Was getting hardly anything shown to buyers and few sales. Had 4 stores all TPS. 2 month ago I completely closed 1 of them and will close another in January (just moved items to open stores). Interesting now this month I have numerous sales on all 4 acts. Perhaps Ebay is opening its eyes.

[ryanrobyn]

ebay will find a way to get the fee after death

[fairdeal*lb]

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@fairdeal*lb wrote:

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@inhawaii wrote:

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@fairdeal*lb wrote:Actually, it's a very good question.. When the better item with the better price (to the buyer) gets obstructed unless you Pay-to-Play the shell game. Not only is it a disservice to the seller but even more so to the buyer.    

Sellers effectively get shuffled out if they don't fall in line.

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Then how are the rest of us still garnering sales without participating in promoted listings?

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Like you I'm selling mostly niche items right now, in which we have a little more protection from PL. Before the Pay-to-Play started (A-B movers) accounted for most of our sales. eBay has pitted sellers against one another (for profit) in this key area of A-B movers. 

I noticed you've sold about $700 this month, kind of a small sample size. You should give yourself more of the credit, your listings look good.. Btw: (I reluctantly) contribute 3.3% to the PL Pay-to-Play scam on most of my competitive items, up from 2.3%. eBay moved the goal-post by another percentage point to cover more core growth losses.   

[evelyb30]

To add insult to injury, they're asking sellers to pay UP FRONT for exposure .  Just got that one about an hour ago writing a Draft.  Pay $1.99 in advance, probably non-refundable if it doesn't sell,  so my $24.99 item gets promoted.  Suuuuure I will.   On one item that might bring in fat bank, maybe, but two bucks per item adds up really quickly.   These consistent attempts to cannibalize sellers will not make them any friends, and if word gets around will chase off potential new sellers too.  Might even earn them the same legislation they're threatening airlines with if they keep it up.  

If you can't make enough to bother after fees, might as well donate it all to a charity or have a yard sale.  And that's fast becoming all but the larger sellers.  

[inhawaii]

Sorry to see a "old timer" like you go.  I wish you luck in the future.

[evelyb30]

Haven't gone totally yet, but I had 350 or so listings up this time last year and a store.  Now?  No store, under 50 and most ending on 12/31.  Maybe putting up a few here and there after that, but not many.  

[youniqueknacks]

How do you know how much someone has sold over a period of time? And why is that public information?

[fairdeal*lb]

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@inhawaii wrote:

Sorry to see a "old timer" like you go.  I wish you luck in the future.

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I guess it takes a 52yo "old timer" like me to see what's really happening here.

Anyway I'm glad it's working out for you.

Ditto, best wishes 

[chapeau-noir]

You could empty out your store, wait until the break-even point (a year subscription usually saves about three months' store fee - that's the reason for the early termination fee) and then pull the plug.  I sure wouldn't be giving eBay the early termination fee if it was more than a few bucks - that's like getting mad at someone, handing them $100 or whatever and storming off. 

[dbfolks166mt]

     Sad to see yet another veteran seller depart the platform but i totally understand you reasoning. I have not totally left yet but about only 20% of my merchandise sells on eBay these days. There are just too many other options/alternatives out there where I can actually list the item for less than what I can list it on eBay simply because the fees and other costs are lower. 

     I am still hanging in there.  I never had a store and refuse to get suckered into the PL trap so not sure how much longer I will remain. I hardly ever buy anything on eBay anymore simply because I can find it cheaper elsewhere. 

[fairdeal*lb]

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@chapeau-noir wrote:

You could empty out your store, wait until the break-even point (a year subscription usually saves about three months' store fee - that's the reason for the early termination fee) and then pull the plug.  I sure wouldn't be giving eBay the early termination fee if it was more than a few bucks - that's like getting mad at someone, handing them $100 or whatever and storming off. 

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Indeed valid point, only my time is worth more to me than a $200 termination fee. Looking forward, they'll need all the free money they can get. We put the 12/31 exit date in the place after they went nuclear with the Pay-to-Play scams.   
   

[101dolphns]

62 year old "old timer", but I cut back a long time ago.  Just some of my own hand made niche items, and they are selling slower n slower over the years. Ebay has no good plan for the future and will likely end up like the classifieds.

Best of luck to you.