That all depends on how 'automated' the seller is and how "one of a kind" all of their items are --- I have quite a few items that are not one of a kind and those are easy to list through an automated inventory control program... it is the one of a kind that I need to list that is very time consuming. If all I had was one of a kind, I would rathr wokr as a buss boy or something. --- as to why we are all STILL here. global exposure and reasonably good sell through rate is great - best there is. I sell stuff to Australia, France Singapore.... WHILE I sleep - 24/7 can't do that in bricks and mortar - and my margin, while eBay does indeed seem to take more and more of it, is FAR FAR FAR BETTER than if I had a bricks and mortar. Retail margen is around 5%.... what do they call it, "Black Friday"... the day after Thanksgiving, when the average retail store gets in the black.... I am in the "black" all year.
My gripe with eBAy and what I hope they will adjust is to balance this fee/discount thing out and be a little more realistic with this "nuetral counts as a NEG" stuff, and the 5 star rating system.... they need to refine it so that when BOZO's hit you wiht wrongful feedback or nasty ratings, it does not put your profits in a tail spin for the month - or longer. - As I said, I do like the aspect of not paying gallery fees and lower listing fees - that was an improvement, the counter balnace was way to high FV fees... and this messed up discount structure which appear to be designed to no let sellers have a discount. (an now they are talking about 20% if your ratings are 4.9.
Ebay... my sugestion is to provide a sliding scale not 5% 15% and now 20%, but a 55 through 25% --- perhaps start the discount at a much more realist "GOOD" number --- if you have color in any part of 5 stars it means that some buyers are giving 5 stars and think your service is top - 5 stars SHOULD mmean something, IE: 4.1 or better you should get a discount.... How about 4.1 = 5%; 4.3 = 7%; 4.5 = 10%; 4.7 = 15%; 4.9 = 20% --- and perfect 5.0 = 25%
I know eBay is not listening and will never do this, but it is what I think they should do if they don't want to destroy their seller base all together.