Turns out currency frustrations aren't just an eBay thing...

[ricarmic]

As I've mentioned from time to time, I sell on a number of sites, although eBay is my primary.

Got notification from one of the sites a couple of days ago that in just under a month, everyone will only be able to list and sell in their home currency. Previously I could list in a number of currencies (I usually sold in Euros). All non-home currency items will be converted to the home currency based on that days conversion rate on the switchover day.

So a different twist on the same issue we have here, despite the fact its PAYPAL that I use on that site, I'm only able to get $C now. (which is unfortunate as I source stuff from Europe so the Euros were good for that).

Doesn't make our woes here any less, but it does show that it isn't only an ebay frustration.

It also means my suspicion in a different thread that someday something would return here like what PAYPAL provides in terms of multiple currencies is less likely to happen....

[silverpinups]

To resolve your frustrations you needed to develope your own website using PayPal.  Since you have a strong customer base, you could of advertised your own website via these other sales channels for the last 10-15 years and you wouldn't need these sites anymore. You would be completely independant and calling the shots by now..... 

[femmefan1946]

Even with our own website, we still used eBay, Zillions of Stamps (American Philatelic Society), Bonanza (useless), and a couple of smaller hobby sites, in addition to our shop and our public auction.

As long as you can track your inventory and manage your bookkeeping, the more places you sell the more sales you will get.

Now that we have retired, we're sticking with eBay, but bookkeeping was so simple with Paypal, which allowed multiple currencies and multiple bank accounts.

@ricarmic 

This is the word from the site and not from Paypal ?

[silverpinups]

I will be exploring Google Marketplace (not the actual name) once I leave eBay. Google uses PayPal as the payment proccessor so I will see where that goes (the website developers recommended it). Otherwise I'm focusing on the website which is doing well.    

[ricarmic]

@femmefan1946 

Yes this is the site, they tell me they are doing this to simplify their website and transactions. It is nothing to do with PAYPAL. 

[ricarmic]

@silverpinups 

Yes creating one's own website is an option, however bringing people to it is work and cost as well, and will have it's own frustrations. (Many years ago I did have my own site and my site sales for a month were not even on day's eBay sales).

I see some of my regulars buying from me across the various sites I use. 

I seem to be different than many here, but as long as the cost of selling remains "low" (compared to the days before the internet) I'm fine with current sites despite the frustrations. I will of course focus on the site(s) that achieve the best sales for the lowest work and $$$, which so far means most of the time is spent here.

[femmefan1946]

A lot of the frustration and claims of "greed" and "gouging" come from sellers who have never before run a retail business, or been employed by one.

Just being able to keep 80% of the selling price of a product would be a dream return for B&M sellers. Even though 80% is not the profit.

While I discount reports that the profit margin for supermarkets in only 2%, most eBayers would be shocked at how little the owner of the corner store takes home from the day's sales.