Store subscription Question.

[dennisa1]

Over the pas couple years or so I have pain monthly the $27.95 fee for my Basic store. Yes I know I can get it cheaper by committing to a yearly subscription but I was ready to do that yet.

My question is I am thinking of dropping the Basic store and doing the $7.95 a month non store. Where can I find information about the $7.95 fee and will I still have the 250 free listings with the lower feed paid.

If I remember correctly I would pay a bit more on the item when it sells.

Direct me if you can. thanks much Dennis

[nobody*s_perfect]

The Starter Store pays the same final value fee rates as non-store sellers. And only gets 250 free insertions, which is also the same as non-store sellers.  So a Starter store only makes sense if you want other store features such as sorting your listings into categories.

Non-store: https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/fees-credits-invoices/selling-fees?id=4822

Store: https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/fees-credits-invoices/store-fees?id=4809

[southern*sweet*tea]

https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/run-your-store/subscriptions-and-fees.html

I can't see any benefit at all with a starter store. You will still only get 250 listings a month, only auctions will be limited to certain categories just the same as any other store.

[dennisa1]

I guess my reasoning for saving the difference of the basic store and the starter store is that this crazy Covid world has changed our purchasing rules to where it is very hard to shop for new items. I think this will change back to normal some day but I have run out of new stock to list so sales have dropped drastically and I am now some months going in the hole with the basic fee. I am just looking a  way to stay active on ebay right now so when times get better I can upgrade back to the basic store if I need it. 

Also I have several times not had enough sales in the week that ebay collects my basic store fee that they have to draw it out of my bank account. I wish they had a monthly payout of our sales like paypal did so I can track it easier and get enough sales to pay the fees.

Hope that makes since. 

Thanks for the links. I have been there and I see more clearly the fees and info I need. Thanks Dennis

[reallynicestamps]

I'd drop it for the time being.

With 162 listings, you are paying 20c a listing when you could be listing more for free.

As a non-US seller, I'm not eligible for a Starter Store, and I'm not sure what other perks it carries. Adding my own sub-categories to my Basic Store I find useful and I use the "coupon" for branded shipping supplies most months.

The lower fees for Store subscribers is also useful, since I sell a lot of books which have a high fee.

If you are not adding new products, could I suggest a  possible way to perk up sales?

End some of your listings. They will go to your Unsold Items.

Then after a week or so, relist them as Sell Similar.

They then appear to be a new fresh listing and are purported to get a tiny bump in Search.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@reallynicestamps wrote: . ... The lower fees for Store subscribers is also useful, since I sell a lot of books which have a high fee.....

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The Final Value Fee rate in the "Books and magazines" category is 14.55% for all sellers regardless of whether they have a Store subscription. You can check this using the links that I provided above.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@dennisa1 wrote: ... I have run out of new stock to list so sales have dropped drastically and I am now some months going in the hole with the basic fee. I am just looking a  way to stay active on ebay right now ... 

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You have no need tor a Store subscription, either Basic or Starter. I recommend that you cancel it now.

[jayjaspersgarage]

I am debating the exact same question.  Continue my Basic Store or downsize to a starter store?  I changed to the month-to-month about six months ago so if I decided to close the store now there will be no penalty.  Or if I switch to a Starter Store the yearly subscription will start in January instead of the middle of the year.

The store comparison chart is easy to find in the manage store subscription area.

As for sourcing hardware do you go to estate sales?  That's where I find the best Sunday afternoon bargains for cleaning supplies and misc. hardware at almost 'take it please' prices.  I remember once seeing a large pile, maybe 70, railroad train schedules on a Sunday afternoon.  I said, "mmmm, what's this?" and the seller answered that no one had even picked them up.  I offered $5 and got the whole box.  Selling the first two put me in the profit and the rest is history.  I think there is one left to put in the recycle bin tonight or to throw on the $1 table at my live sale event tomorrow.

[inhawaii]

I'll give you one benefit of store vs. no store.

20+ year seller here.  I only recently got a store.  I wish i had done it sooner.

The benefit I like is that customers do actually browse my store and end up buying multiple, totally unrelated  items that they normally would not have. A t-shirt and a weed whacker part.  A baseball cap and a Lego set. A intercom and a pair of shoes.  Candy and a picture frame.

[pjcdn2005]

You said that $7.95 is for a 'non store' but actually it is for a Starter store.  You would probably be better off not having a store at all as you would still get 250 listings a month with no insertion fees.   If you go from a Basic store to a Starter store or no store your final value fees might be higher.

Fees if you don't have a store...

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/fees-credits-invoices/selling-fees?id=4822&st=3&pos=1&query=Sellin...

[pjcdn2005]

I think that @reallynicestamps is thinking of the .ca site. Right now the book category has different fvf rates for stores and non stores.

[pjcdn2005]

That's interesting that you've noticed that.  I haven't noticed and to be honest, I never go into a seller's store. I find it is just as easy or perhaps easier to look at their 'see other items'

[moondogblues]

"That's interesting that you've noticed that.  I haven't noticed and to be honest, I never go into a seller's store. I find it is just as easy or perhaps easier to look at their 'see other items'"

That's what I do too, especially if I see the magic words "combined shipping".  Unless it's thousands of items I look at every one...might be something else I "need"!

[dennisa1]

Thanks for all the information and suggestions. If I go to a Starter store or no store at all will I keep my feedback. I am proud that we have 100% feedback and want to keep it. Also with a starter store I think I can still mention my store name to others. Never know they might check it out!!

Hopefully things will get better soon and we can go back to normal. 

Yes to the one that asked about local garage sales or estate sales. We have found several items at these that are mostly pure profit. 

But our biggest is silent auctions. They are amazing!

Thanks again for the suggestions!!

Dennis

[dennisa1]

PS: Sorry I was late getting back to thank everyone. We had to leave town for a while.

Thanks Dennis