That's it! No more selling for me on eBay

Well, I've just sold my last item on eBay....

Vintage Dinky Toy airplane :  Sold for $5.34 CDN to International buyer

 

Shipping:   $9.40 CDN

 

Final Value Fees (eBay):  $3.42 CDN

 

PayPal fees:  .89 CDN

 

.....which means that I made a grand total of one dollar and three cents.   Definitely NOT worth the time and effort. 

WHY eBay finds it necessary to claw back fees from the shipping is beyond me.  Yes, I've read in other posts that it's because some sellers will charge "0.99 for an item", and then charge "60.00 for shpping".   Fine....then penalize THOSE sellers, and not the ones who are charging for the ACTUAL shipping cost.  This is the final straw for me.....Webstore is looking better all the time! 

Message 1 of 54
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That's it! No more selling for me on eBay

Have you checked your ebay invoice to see what you were charged for? If you really were charged 3.42 for that 1 sale then you should complain as fvf should have been $1.47.

Ebay usually bills you just once a month so perhaps that total includes fvf for the item that you sold on July 1.

Message 21 of 54
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That's it! No more selling for me on eBay

Anonymous
Not applicable
To cumo.. I just checked your listings, you are SO BRAVE to ship your items to International by Surface! I wouldn't dare!!
Message 22 of 54
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That's it! No more selling for me on eBay

Ship surface with tracking  and fully insured....and ship only to a select few European countries...

 

International Parcel .....

 

I have learned which countries not to ship to.

 

Tracking shows the parcel is in the destination country by about 5 weeks... with delivery  at about 6 weeks.... after about one week in customs....

 

I have had no questions  such as  "Where is my parcel"....

 

If they really want it they buy  and it arrives safely... fully insured and with tracking..

 

-----------------------------------------------

 

The following email is sent to these European buyers....

---

 

Thanks for purchasing this book.

Your purchase will be in the mail on Wednesday, February 27.

Delivery via surface mail should take about 6 to 7 weeks,  and sometimes
longer if the parcel gets caught up in the postal system, or in customs.

A delivery time of 6 to 7 weeks is standard for countries such as the United
Kingdom and Germany.

Once delivered to the post office in Canada,  delivery  becomes the
responsibility of Canada  Post   and then the local postal service in the
Czech Republic

The parcel will be fully insured, and with a tracking number, allowing one
to follow the path of the parcel as it travels through the postal systems.

If you have any questions at anytime, please do ask

 

 

Message 23 of 54
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That's it! No more selling for me on eBay

Its kashka...as in cash-ka....(altho it has nothing to do with  cash..lol)..or just Lisa 🙂

 

Prices in western MB auctions used to be reasonable but everybody is an ebayer now so one has to really look for the deals.I make more money now selling/trading to the dealers and then flipping the good stuff on other sites.Just last wknd after a local antique market had a dealer stop by and give me $400 for some stuff on my living room shelves.

 

The days are gone when you used to spend $50 at the local auctions and turn it over for $500+ on ebay the next week(for me anyways).Plus I have made a few contacts over the years from Ebay on specific items and sell directly without the fear of defects and rising fees.It has actually turned out almost as profitable as the early frenzy days of this site (1999-2008) when you could list almost anything and sell it.

 

I do miss the fun of the auctions on ebay,watching the bidding wars but now with all the changes its just not fun anymore and the buyers aren't there like before..or maybe they are but they just can't find the items they want.I just don't wish to give my items away for nothing anymore.So I list some elsewhere for next to nothing fees and make sales there..where the buyers make it feel like the old days again..

Message 24 of 54
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That's it! No more selling for me on eBay

73rhc
Community Member
You had two items sell in July. Maybe that's why you paid that amount. That being said, I totally agree with you. The condition of your item is irrelevant. Obviously, somebody wanted it! Or it would have gone unsold! eBay discovered a while ago that they could more than double their fees. By adding fvf on shipping. They used the seller as a scapegoat. Yes, there were sellers charging exhorbatant shipping. But like you said, penalize those sellers. Or, if you use the shipping calculator= no fees. Flat rate shipping= fvf fees. There was surely an alternative solution. But eBay wins, big time!
Message 25 of 54
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That's it! No more selling for me on eBay

I understand what you're saying, and you may be right that selling the sorts of items you have would be better done elsewhere.  Canada Post is a big part of the problem when it comes to selling collectibles, and eBay is the rest, but there are ways of minimizing or eliminating FVFs on shipping.  

 

For others who may still want to sell such items and are wondering how to avoid paying inordinate FVFs on shipping, here are some strategies: 

 

1)  If you have items with a variety of shapes, sizes and weights at different prices, shift the shipping pain around to the items that can take a couple of extra dollars of shipping cost, and reduce it on others.  The principle is to end up with more or less a wash where shipping is concerned -- win some money here, lose some money there.  

 

2)  If you sell mostly outside of Canada, list with free (or very low - as low as you can stomach) first domestic shipping on all your items, so that you'll pay little or no FVFs on shipping, and follow procedure #1 to shift some of the FVF savings to your Canadian or other customers where you need it. 

 

3) Unfortunately, selling items that are bulky, heavy and/or breakable but of lower value is a real challenge.  Sometimes it can be effective to move some of the shipping cost into the item cost -- many sellers will pay less in FVFs on sold items than on shipping.  

 

I agree with you though that collectibles are a harder sell these days.  I really don't have any good theories to account for it, but prices (and demand) have both stagnated for such items.  

 

Feedback is another area that has changed radically on eBay over the past couple of years.  I used to be able to anticipate close to 100% FB, now I'm happy to get 50-60%.  I have some theories on that subject, but none of them will change anything.  Woman Frustrated  Some say it was an ego trip to see those numbers rise, but I always felt it inspired confidence and offered reassurance to my customers.   All I can say is that it seems most sellers are in the same boat at the moment where FB is concerned.  

Message 26 of 54
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That's it! No more selling for me on eBay


@73rhc wrote:
You had two items sell in July. Maybe that's why you paid that amount. That being said, I totally agree with you. The condition of your item is irrelevant. Obviously, somebody wanted it! Or it would have gone unsold! eBay discovered a while ago that they could more than double their fees. By adding fvf on shipping. They used the seller as a scapegoat. Yes, there were sellers charging exhorbatant shipping. But like you said, penalize those sellers. Or, if you use the shipping calculator= no fees. Flat rate shipping= fvf fees. There was surely an alternative solution. But eBay wins, big time!

I don't see what difference the number of items sold in July would make to FVFs.  I also don't think that offering calculated shipping makes any difference in the amount of FVFs charged on shipping, except that the seller has less control over what those FVFs will be (because the buyer is choosing the shipping service/rate).  

 

My belief is that FVFs on shipping were introduced not only to discourage outrageous shipping charges by sellers (which by and large it did), but more importantly to push sellers toward offering free shipping, which has become an eBay mantra in the last year or so.  I don't think it was as simple as just finding a new way to increase seller fees, since many, many sellers now offer free shipping (at least domestically) and pay no FVFs. 

 

That in turn benefits the biggest commercial sellers -- including in particular those shipping from China, with their highly state-subsidized rates -- who can afford to offer free shipping without a twitch.  Not always the case for us smaller sellers unfortunately. 

Message 27 of 54
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That's it! No more selling for me on eBay

" eBay discovered a while ago that they could more than double their fees. By adding fvf on shipping."

 

You have been on eBay for a very long time.  There should be no need to explain that - three years ago - when eBay lowered FVF across the board for fixed price listings and changed their fee policy to charge FVF on the value of the transaction, it was basically a wash for eBay (more or less "revenue neutral").  Whatever they gained by charging FVF on the shipping charge, they lost by lowering the fee charged on the selling price.

 

Now, that statement applies to eBay.com where the bulk of transactions are conducted by American sellers with shipping costs much lower than what Canadians pay.  That is another reality but it was not considered by the folks at eBay in San Jose when they made the decision to change their fee structure.

 

We should also keep in mind that a big factor in the decision to change was the fact that Amazon, eBay's largest competitor, had been charging fees on the transaction value (including shipping) for years.

 

Many sellers (mostly Americans) experienced an overall reduction in fees paid to eBay when the policy was changed.  The fee savings on the sale more than offset the fee charged on shipping.  That worked great as long as your average shipping charge was no more than 20% of the selling price.  Sellers who were already offering "free shipping" (shipping included in the price) realized great savings.

 

The "more than double their fees" could only have applied if the shipping charges were well above the selling price.  Looking at eBay in general, you find only a very small percentage of such situations.  Keep in mind that transactions originating in Canada (sales and purchases) account for less than 1% of the overall eBay business.  That is correct: less than one percent.

 

eBay set up their rules and policies based on the reality they know: the American marketplace.  The way they see it is: if Canadian buyers and sellers can fit in great.  If not, too bad.

 

So far, I have not seen a viable option for Canadian sellers who insist in using a venue where costs and policies would reflect the Canadian reality of high shipping costs. 

 

It is not a new problem. It has been around for over one hundred years and experienced by Canadian businesses involved in mail order.  The fact buyers and sellers now use the Internet to do business has not changed the reality that goods have to go from one to the other and it costs a lot more coming from Canada.

Message 28 of 54
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That's it! No more selling for me on eBay

"I don't see what difference the number of items sold in July would make to FVFs."

The OP is complaining his credit card was charged $3.42. He sold two items in July! The plane at 5.46 CDN + Shipping and a butterfly at $11.46 + shipping. Add the totals of both items and I think you get the $3.42 fvf!
Message 29 of 54
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That's it! No more selling for me on eBay

"You have been on eBay for a very long time. There should be no need to explain that - three years ago - when eBay lowered FVF across the board for fixed price listings and changed their fee policy to charge FVF on the value of the transaction, it was basically a wash for eBay (more or less "revenue neutral"). Whatever they gained by charging FVF on the shipping charge, they lost by lowering the fee charged on the selling price.

Now, that statement applies to eBay.com where the bulk of transactions are conducted by American sellers with shipping costs much lower than what Canadians pay. That is another reality but it was not considered by the folks at eBay in San Jose when they made the decision to change their fee structure."

But in this case the OP is selling auction listings, not fixed price. He/she is selling on .ca

I would like to see the numbers to back up your statement that it was a wash for eBay!
Message 30 of 54
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That's it! No more selling for me on eBay

"I would like to see the numbers to back up your statement that it was a wash for eBay! "

 

That is easy.  It will take you a few minutes to get the financial statements (it is public information) for 2010, 2011 and 2012 and compare their revenues (fees they receive) to Gross Merchandise Volume (sales by sellers).  A quick look will convince you it was basically a wash as eBay's revenues went up more or less by the same ratio as sales by sellers. 

 

If it were "double" as per your post, eBay's revenue would have more than doubled. That has not been the case.

 

"But in this case the OP...."

 

My comments were in direct answer to yours and had nothing to do with the OP's question.

Message 31 of 54
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That's it! No more selling for me on eBay

"If it were "double" as per your post, eBay's revenue would have more than doubled. That has not been the case."

2009 revenue of 9.15B
2014 projected revenue of 18.2B

Close enough!


Message 32 of 54
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That's it! No more selling for me on eBay

Five years later....

 

Come on.

 

Be honest.  Check the year over year when the change of policy took place.

Message 33 of 54
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That's it! No more selling for me on eBay

You asked me to check the past revenues!

Not bad. Double the revenue in 5 years. Even more if I go back further. I wish that would happen to me! As you said, I've been here awhile. Actual, since '97 under a different username. So I remember the tier structure for fees based on the final hammer price. You can make your argument depending on how far (or not) you want to go back. We are paying more then before, period! And it has become near impossible to sell items of lower value.
Message 34 of 54
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That's it! No more selling for me on eBay

"My comments were in direct answer to yours and had nothing to do with the OP's question."

Try not to stray from the thread. I was answering the OP!!!
Message 35 of 54
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That's it! No more selling for me on eBay

"We are paying more then before, period!"

 

Maybe you are.... I am not.

 

When I check my monthly July invoice, eBay advises: 

 

"Based on your monthly fees and credits totaling C $112.75, your fees as percentage of your sales is 5.94% "

 

That is lower than the 8% or so I was paying five years ago.

 

If you compare revenues from five years ago, you need to match that information to GMV (sales by sellers).  As stated earlier, it does not take that long to figure out that - on average - there is little difference in the percentage of fees paid by sellers now compared to five years ago.

 

However, as also stated earlier, that applies mostly to American sellers.  That very small minority from Canada, facing higher shipping costs, will show different results.

Message 36 of 54
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That's it! No more selling for me on eBay

"Based on your monthly fees and credits totaling C $112.75, your fees as percentage of your sales is 5.94% "

Sure, but most people don't have an eBay store.

"That is lower than the 8% or so I was paying five years ago."

Like I said, how far back do you want to go to make your point. 8% is more than the 5.25% (or so) that I was paying 10 years ago (or so) so I think you are paying more than when you first started. If you disagree, then you are arguing for the sake of arguing!

Message 37 of 54
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That's it! No more selling for me on eBay

Oh yeah, forgot to mention that was 5.25% on the hammer price. Not on the shipping!!! Do the math.
Message 38 of 54
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That's it! No more selling for me on eBay

except that the seller has less control over what those FVFs will be (because the buyer is choosing the shipping service/rate). 

 

Huh?

No the seller chooses the service. The seller inputs the dimensions and weight.

The program then looks at the destination and tells the buyer how much she must pay for shipping.

Actually for shipping and handling. The seller is allowed to add a small amount for packaging, etc.

 

Are you giving your customer a choice of what service you use? If so, he is paying for that service. You don't lose control of the costs.

 

Message 39 of 54
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That's it! No more selling for me on eBay

Oh E-bay you got me for the last time !!! about 4 months ago I started relisting on E-bay. At one time I had a store and we did quite well. Ebay kept gouging into my profits and started to jack up the listing fee's, remember the 5 cent listing days ?? Anyway a while back you could list up to 40 items free of charge did not matter if it was **bleep** you could try and make a dime. E-bay took 10% on the final fee and they took some more from the shipping and they took some more through the wholly owned paypal organization. Anyway I started to check my last two bills and noted that I have been paying 30 cents per listing for the past two billing invoices. So I started to delete my pages as they come closer to their renewal dates. I suggest that everyone head over to Kijii as it is also owned by Paypal but its totally free.

 

Fool me once shame on you fool me twice shame on me ..... I am done !!

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