Well Suzy, I am glad you are making money on eBay. (However, if you calculate the actual profits, I suspect you will find you aren't making money, really. I challenge you and anyone else to make a list of the items you listed on eBay, have a column for the price you paid on each item, sales tax paid, then how much the item sold for, then how much you paid in eBay fees, then PayPal fees. Add the price paid, sales tax, ebay fees, paypal fees, other fees (such as auctiva fees, etc.) then how much is left from the sale price. What percentage did eBay/PayPal keep? What percentage do you get? Did you actually even make a profit? We haven't even included the cost associated with supplies, etc. But, at the end of a month's sales, you can take all the profits (and losses) and combine them, then subtract the cost of supplies for that month)
Now that you have determined how little you actually made, look at how much work you put into listing the item, taking them to the PO, UPS, Fed Ex and packaging things up. Divide the number of hours spent selling on eBay, by the profit (or losses) and see now how much you have earned; if anything.
Now, keep in mind, that there are buyers who will leave you negatives for no other reason than "They can". And, sadly, they will, and have. I was given information on one seller who has left greater than 28% negative FB this past year, since eBay's adoption of the new FB policy, disallowing sellers to leave legitimate negative feedback. There are also claims she has filed complaints with payPal to get money back, and has kept the items.
Now I hope this doesn't happen to you, or anyone else. But, this has to be expected, and of course, this comes off your profit margin, when it does. So, when it does, or if it has, you can take the amount of money spent on the item, the fees, the postage, and the bid amount, along with the postage fees paid, and you can now subtract that from your profits too.
Personally, I cannot afford to sell on eBay. Just ONE rotten apple would ruin me. Even on great sales, I barely make a profit. Then to have ebay/paypal take my money back? AND allow the buyer to keep the item too? NO THANKS! I'd rather flush money down the toilet. At least that way I know I'd be charged $95 an hour, and I'd at least have fun watching it go down the hole.
Tim
http://forums.delphiforums.com/boycottebay/start