Considering Returning in 2021

[rose-dee]

Some "old-timers" here may remember me.  I left eBay a year ago because (a) costs were getting too high; and (b) sales were getting too low, mostly due to eBay policies that chipped away at my longstanding top seller status.   I'm considering -- possibly -- returning on a small scale (Basic store again).  

My questions are this, especially for those who have been around continuously for a few years:

Have things improved for the smaller independent seller?  Or got worse/more expensive/more difficult?  

I'm fine with Managed Payments, as I've gotten used to the same concept on Etsy -- it's a pain, but tolerable.  

One other thing: Does eBay now allow digitally delivered goods?  I can't imagine so, but honestly I've seen so much flagrant ignoring of this restriction that it's disheartening to think I'd be trying to follow the rules while competitors are happily breaking them without consequences. 

BTW, the "Seller Central" board seems out of date -- the last entry shows 2018 -- what's happening there?

Thanks in advance!

[recped]

Well you missed the Covid boat, for a lot of sellers April 2020 to March 2021 was the best 12 months in  years (perhaps ever if you were not here in the "early" days).

eBay has always allowed digital items but under certain restrictions which I don't believe have changed.

Not sure what you mean about Seller Central,  this is the SC board and while it's not as active as the US boards there are new posts every day. Perhaps check your Community settings for display sort options. You are lucky you missed the recent board upheaval,  new look, slightly different format but in the month long transition period the boards were almost unusable. Things are mostly back to being similar to the old version with mostly just cosmetic changes remaining.

In other aspects nothing has changed, eBay is still "greedy", eBay is still "trying to get rid of small sellers", it's still "not fair", all buyers are scammers and oh yeah eBay is still going out of business any day now.

And finally, life is harder for tax evaders!!!!!!!!

[cumos55]

eBay is here.... Managed Payments is here...

Store selling fees for Managed Payments.

Link to...

https://www.ebay.ca/help/selling/selling-fees/store-fees?id=4809

[lady.stark]

I'm really glad to read you again on the boards Rose! While you are thinking about coming back, I'm thinking about leaving. Just haven't made a decision yet about one way or the other.

But to answer one of your questions, no, things have not improved for smaller sellers - unfortunately.

[ricarmic]

Hi Rose!

Yes eBay is likely more complicated than it was a year ago, outside ebay is more complicated and expensive than it was a year ago too.

For me the answer is simple. I sell on 4 different online sites. The next closest site does well to do 10% of my sales here. 

As you know from your time other sites, every site has it's problems and its advantages.

One thing that might be better for you is I think it is possible that you can put up more listings for a smaller amount now, I've seen a number of people who've been able to downgrade their store without having to downgrade their total number of listings. In my case, I could downgrade the store and still have lots left but I'm going to delay that for now for a number of reasons I won't go into here.

I've yet to be inflicted by MP, (that's one of the reasons I'm not downgrading, my Anchor store CSRs are much better than what I'll have if I downgrade) and I'm sure that it is going to be a pain, as all changes are, but I will still be here afterward, just the same as for all the other changes.

The capitalistic part of my brain notices that the sellers that leave also means that there are fewer of them competing with me, I don't know whether it has made a difference or not, but certainly COVID has woken up a lot of hobbyists, I had an awesome year last year and this year is so far the same.

Certainly I'd like to have you back on the boards so I'm cheering you on to come back!

[blackranda2]

Hi,

As others have said, things do not seem to be better. You are familar with managed payments but right now while they implementing it on ebay.ca there are a lot of glitches.  Suggest you check all boards about managed payments problems before you make your decision.  A lot of upheaval and numerous complaints here.  I  have been here a long time as well and am another who is considering leaving sooner than expected due to managed payment issues.  No funds going PayPal, higher fees and SIN requirement to sign up are just a few of the issues.

Wish you well whatever you decide.

[blackranda2]

"The capitalistic part of my brain notices that the sellers that leave also means that there are fewer of them competing with me, I don't know whether it has made a difference or not, but certainly COVID has woken up a lot of hobbyists, I had an awesome year last year and this year is so far the same.?"

Someone leaving could make a difference for sellers who have many competitors for the items they sell.  I have very few competitors for the items I sell so that will make little if any difference in my case.  The majority of my buyers are regulars who have bought from me for years and who have chosen my items because they are aware of their quality compared to my competitors.  Pretty sure they will follow me no matter where I go if I decide to list on another site or go solo.  Since I was planning to retire at the end of the Christmas season this year anyway, I will have to decide if it is worth the effort to go elsewhere for the rest of year or not.

I also had an awesome year last year and this year has been pretty good so far as well so have to admit the temptation to continue is there. We will see how much I enjoy having time off this summer and take it from there.

[femmefan1946]

Welcome back!

Your contributions to the Boards have been missed.

As others said, you missed the Pandemic Surge in sales, but that surge did bring many new buyers here and I have seen a few customers become regulars, which I had never seen before.

And more people have become online buyers than ever before.

Item Specifics have become more important.

Managed Payments-- as you say etsy has been using it for years, so your expertise may be welcomed.

As you know, with the new NAFTA the cost of buying from the USA has dropped, which might or might not change things for you.

And the Internet (state) Sales Taxes have made a small impact on US buyers, who hate it, and a difference in our fees, because we pay Paypal or Managed Payments on the entire transaction cost which includes tax, even though we do not touch the taxes ourselves.

Fees on some categories have dropped.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/fees-credits-invoices/store-selling-fees?id=4122

You'll have to scroll down a lot, and those are dotCOM prices.

Fees in some categories have risen.

The cost of shipping seems to have been stable, but that's up to Canada Post not eBay.

The only problem with digital items is that if the customer wickedly claims non-delivery, he wins and you refund. But that has been the status for decades.

This can be a biggie.

You get many more Free Listings with a Store, but since you also get 250 Free Listings without one, don't take on extra expenses.

And  putting your Store On Vacation has changed to Time Away and any member, whether she subscribes to a Store or not,  can use it.

[richardcm]

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@femmefan1946 wrote:

You get many more Free Listings with a Store, but since you also get 250 Free Listings without one, don't take on extra expenses.

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Non store gets 200 free listings, not 250.

[ypdc_dennis]

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@richardcm wrote:

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@femmefan1946 wrote:

You get many more Free Listings with a Store, but since you also get 250 Free Listings without one, don't take on extra expenses.

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Non store gets 200 free listings, not 250.

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ebay.CA has 200 free.

ebay.COM has 250 free if the seller is in Managed Payments (200 if they are not).

-..-

[cumos55]

I have been using Managed Payments since Augusr 15, 2020.

No problems. easy to follow what is happening.  Managed Payments has been making adjustments, that some sellers have  not been able to folow or understand in an erffective manner

There is a lot to read.... However, Managed Payments information is only avaiable to those that have registered for Managed Payments and are using Managed Payments

[cumos55]

You can register for Managed Payments, if you have ... all ...  of the necessary infomation to register.

Many sellers choose not to register because of a fear to provide certain information.

I had .... all... of the necessary information a month before I registered for Managed Payments.  

Registration occured at 9:00 AM,  and it was fully accepted by noon on the same day, mainly because ... all ... of the necessary information was provided in a quick and easy manner.

[katlover1952]

Hi Rose
Nice to hear from you again. I like you were am a small seller & IMO things have not really improved at all for small sellers. The New Managed Payment program is not something I would ever have chosen & eBay obviously was not concerned about accomodating sellers such as myself with it (my business acct with Paypal was a US bank located in US) & as of now you are only allowed Canadian bank accounts & they will process at their exchange rates which I am sure will not be terribly favorable to us.  Having said that I am still plugging along because I have not found anything any better.

[musicyouneed]

I have missed you.  Sales over 2020 and 2021 have improved for me.  I don't like the way the boards are now, I seldom visit, maybe once or twice a month.  

[zee-chan]

I don't think you need a basic store. Even free users get 200 free listings per month on both CA and COM so a total of 400 free listings

[rose-dee]

Hi 'femmefan', I've missed you and the other "regulars"!  However, the decision to come back to eBay is a difficult one because frankly I always found eBay more trouble and time-consuming than other sites I've used.  It seems I spent more time keeping up with and complying with policy than actually focusing on development of my store/business.  

Most of what you've said is what I expected, although I've benefited hugely from the Covid surge in online buying on Etsy, since I can sell my entire catalogue of designs in PDF format there.  It rankles to see sellers on eBay doing so, flagrantly ignoring policy, and this has been a big part of why I've stayed away.  

The issue of store/no store would be indeed one of the more difficult choices if I returned.  I always maintained that the branding and presence offered by a store was worth more than the monthly fee.  More noodling is no doubt required.... 😄

[rose-dee]

Yes, I decided to register for MP just recently, to keep my options open to return if I decide to do so.  I chose not to provide my SIN#, but my licence # instead.  I would rather not have had to do either, but that's the cost of being online these days.  Thank you for your input!

[cardboygaming]

Ebay is trash, take ur business elsewhere if u dont want a headache dealing with ur CS.