"eBay Redraws Rules for Sellers"

While, oddly enough, I can appreciate a few of the changes eBay's announced--which, in itself, is a small miracle--I can't help but feel, once again, that eBay's giving both its buyers and sellers dueling weapons, but only providing the buyers with any actual ammunition! For those of us who use eBay as a site for rare (and often expensive) collectibles, not allowing sellers to offer insurance as an option on medium-priced auctions or as a requirement on high-dollar / hard-to-replace items only further cuts into any possible hope of profits in this ailing economy. Likewise, and as should be noted by both eBay and buyers alike, a seller can't control the outcome or speed of delivery once an item has left his or her hands; with Fed Ex, UPS, and the USPS occasionally damaging or losing packages or taking a bit longer than expected to deliver them. To say that sellers should figure the cost of insurance into either their asking price, opening bid, or handling fee only works as a means for eBay to make more in listing fees on auctions posted with higher opening bids, despite the fact that buyers aren't as likely to meet these opening bids and eBay monitors shipping and handling charges so that, in order to protect themselves, sellers actually lose money on most media auctions since the imposed $3.00 maximum shipping charge is not enough to cover the cost of adding Delivery Confirmation, which is now necessary in the event a PayPal claim should arise. Rewarding sellers who have good feedback and high DSR ratings is a definite step in the right direction; but eBay's begun to hold its buyers' hands to such a degree that I can't help but feel that they've almost become patronizing, as if the buyers aren't capable of so much as crossing a busy street on their own or knowing right from wrong? I've often felt eBay should require some form of 'driver's test' before turning just anybody and everybody loose on its site since, as we all know, some unsavory characters, sadly, do lurk in the shadows and, with eBay's and PayPal's constant revisions of policies--which they may or may not uphold should you try contacting Customer Support--these unscrupulous individuals take full advantage of both said policies and unfortunate sellers. I've also always been puzzled as to how, when I compare notes with other sellers who've responded to eBay's 'surveys,' eBay can post (in its Announcements Board) what an overwhelming positive response they've received to something that no one, besides the folks at eBay, actually seems to like? The only feedback sellers can leave eBay is simply by leaving the site and selling their items elsewhere; but, sadly, eBay doesn't see this and, thus, continues to alienate both buyers and sellers alike in an attempt to generate revenue. If we could only return to eBay in its heyday, to quote the song, what a wonderful world this would be!

It is ALL about the buyers. Sellers are responsible for the workings of the US and international mails but can't even charge for the insurance to protect themselves. We must earn excellent DSR ratings to receive decent search placement and cost savings on Ebay fees yet the recommend "rolling" insurance expense into our handling fees. Never mind. Even if we offer free shipping, buyers can still leave as few or as many stars as they want for shipping charges (which they've agreed to by making a bid!) And, of course, we still can't say a word about bad buyers - no neutral or negative feedback, even if the buyer fails to pay and we've completed a non-payment process with Ebay. We must accept payments through Paypal (which IS Ebay, don't think for a moment that they are separate.) Ebay has gone from a forum where sellers and buyers could make their deals to a place where Ebay makes all the rules, buyers have all the power, and sellers pay all the bills. Anybody found any good auction selling sites they can recommend?

I don't know about anyone else, but between having to pay an extra $10/month to Auctiva, offering free shipping, & now having to insure my shipments... My costs are increasing but my income hasn't changed. Ok, that's wrong, it's gone down! The new insurance rules pretty much mean I'm leaving Auctiva, Inkfrog's rates are WAY lower. I have to wonder if eBay isn't out to kill Auctiva, they're recent actions sure do make it seem that way. Good Luck ev1!

quote:

Originally posted by gusfirefly:
It is ALL about the buyers. Sellers are responsible for the workings of the US and international mails but can't even charge for the insurance to protect themselves. We must earn excellent DSR ratings to receive decent search placement and cost savings on Ebay fees yet the recommend "rolling" insurance expense into our handling fees. Never mind. Even if we offer free shipping, buyers can still leave as few or as many stars as they want for shipping charges (which they've agreed to by making a bid!) And, of course, we still can't say a word about bad buyers - no neutral or negative feedback, even if the buyer fails to pay and we've completed a non-payment process with Ebay. We must accept payments through Paypal (which IS Ebay, don't think for a moment that they are separate.) Ebay has gone from a forum where sellers and buyers could make their deals to a place where Ebay makes all the rules, buyers have all the power, and sellers pay all the bills. Anybody found any good auction selling sites they can recommend?

I totally agree with yours, and the other postings on this subject. I have been an eBay Powerseller for years and have watched eBay turn more into a greedy monster, gobbling up everything it can and now with the acquisition of Paypal, becoming the monopoly/dictator company instead of the "fun" buying/selling venue alot of us used to enjoy. eBay always makes sure it gets it's cut of my sales before I even get paid....which happens "if" a buyer decides to honor their contract with me...but if not, no big deal for them--I can't let the eBay community know because I can't leave any feedback other than positive for the deadbeats and bad apples, and there are alot out there. My non-paying buyer claims have jumped 1000% since that stupid rule went into effect, but my time and inconvenience is not an eBay concern--even though I am a small fish in the eBay sea, they get a couple of hundred dollars a month in fees from me. Claims have to be filed, or I won't get my fees back from eBay! What a racket, but unfortunately, still the best exposure for sellers in the online world. I am happy to say, there are other good sites out there that are increasing in their popularity and traffic as more and more people become fed-up with what eBay has become. Among the best I have found is bonanzle.com. More sites and info can be located on powersellersunite.com....and you don't have to be a power seller to go there, LOL!

I am just glad to see a couple other ebay sellers as upset and concerned about these "New Policy" changes as I am. I am a longtime Ebay seller, and I am soooo discouraged about the entire on-line auction situation. It is still a great hobby for me, but the rewards are really getting thinner. My goodness, lets pay fees for ebay, and not get a discount, because I can't even get close to the Top Seller or Powerseller status...Good Grief, I do this for a hobby, but I have Spectacular Feedback and standing, but not good enough because I don't sell enough, or make more money for Ebay...My fee percentages of my sales is over 12% with ebay and paypal...and that does not include Auctiva..which I now pay for...so can we give the "Little Guy" a break here?? I have tryed Bonzale...but have not sold a thing...What's a small Ebay Seller to do?

Hi, I am a UK eBayer and am too very disappointed to say the least at eBays increasing draconian policy changes and there increased over time fees. Mention has been made of 12% overall eBay and Pay Pal fees. Well I can confirm that on average my fees total about 20 - 22% of the total sale value whcih works out about double of what I was being charged when i joined some 5 years ago. Furthermore I have had a number of Listings pulled by eBay because of a breach of their Policy whereby they state if you List something on eBay YOU CANNOT offer it for sale elsewhere concurrently! This has happened because I thought it only courteous to make it clear to potential bidders that some of my items were advertised elsewhere. I therefore included the following "offending" phrase in my Listing "Please be advised this item is on sale elsewhere, therefore unless the item is already sold on eBay via the Buy Now, I may close the auction/Listing earlyshould it be sold beforehand". I could come up with a number of similar "constraints of trade" like this, but instead will close by commenting on their reluctance to do anything about reported and blatantly obvious counterfeits "only UNLESS they are notified by the Copyright holder". I have seen so many Soprano counterfeits sold, despite me notifying eBay with relevant evidence including Amazon/consumer etc. reports and photos on the counterfeit product, and yet they still let down the buyer who ends up basically ripped off, unhappy and with little or no redress.

I myself have found it to be very tough to make any money selling on ebay with there being so many fees(outrageous insert fee, final vaue fee, and then paypal being a must + now to have to pay Auctiva too) especially with paypal taking their chunk of $ while many customers would still rather pay by check or money order, so many of my former customers (who chose not to have a bank account hooked up) have gone from shopping on ebay. Which has hurt us sellers! Then with shipping rates going up higher and higher on top of it all, it's like sometimes after my item is sold, I find the few bucks profit isn't worth all the hastle. I have had to resort to selling on a "free sight"(where there are no fees at all )as much as possible and resort to ebay only if it doesn't sell on there. Most of the time my item sells & I don't pay a thing for selling it, so that saves me money.

Djband. . would love name of free site you are using. . if you can't put on here pls. email me. lookandbuyme@yahoo.com.

Thanks. .