specialty services payment

[tomtechtod]

How exactly does the payment work when the price for the service is not yet known?

Let's say I want to set up a repair service and I can only give the price after I received the item. I would put something like $0.99 in the listing just to put SOMETHING in? Sure I can ask the buyer to transfer money to my PayPal account after I determined the price but how this transaction will be linked to the ebay listing?

In other words, how will ebay get his fees?

[tomtechtod]

Apparently that's a difficult question.

I've seen offers though that work this way. I may have to ask another seller who does exactly this.

[mr.elmwood]

Most of us sell tangible goods.

[tomtechtod]

Yes, that's what I thought. Thanks

[reallynicestamps]

You could set up an appraisal service with a fixed price.

For example you charge $0.99 (although I think you would get more jobs and more respect for $25) for a written appraisal of the work needed to put your  customer's item right.

The customer ships to you on his own dime, and you ship back the written appraisal, holding on to the item until he accepts your price for thework. Then as a separate and non-eBay transaction you fix the widget and ship it back to him.

You would need to factor in the price of return shipping when no work is going to be done.

The potential for unhappy buyers, negative feedback and losses on postage would be very high.

[mr.elmwood]

Here is a repair listing:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Chronograph-Watch-Repair-Service-/360422481609?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0...