eBay

pocomocomputing · ‎03-17-2015

http://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/news/springupdate2015/

http://pages.ebay.ca/sellerinformation/news/springupdate2015/

cumos55 · ‎03-18-2015

Link to the following

http://www.ecommercebytes.com/cab/abn/y15/m03/i17/s01

for a new fee profile

A Premium store at $50 each month... 500 free listings... and then 10 cents per listing.

With 750 listings the cost would be $50 + (250 x $0.10) = $75 each month as the cost of a store with 750 listings.

musicyouneed · ‎03-18-2015

Thanks for the info. Is there a benefit in FVF?

cumos55 · ‎03-18-2015

The critical factors become...

(1) Number of listings... listings fees

(2) The average selling price per listing.. The FVF component

(3) The cost for shipping... The FVF component

(4) The number of items sold each 30 days.... known as sell through rate......

The number of sales each month,,,,, the value of those sales and in turn the net return... Sales plus postage (Shipping plus handling) charged to the buyer minus all fees (Store + Listings fees + FVF) plus postage paid by the seller.

Then the cost of inventory, and all of the other costs associated with selling on eBay...... to cover costs and then make a profit...

cumos55 · ‎03-18-2015

There has been a lot of discussion on eBay.com about the next promotion and what rules for listing will be applied.

eBay has run a lot of tests...the promotions... and this new update appears to the the result of all those tests...

The new fee structure will limit which "promotion sellers" will be able to continue selling on eBay... and in so doing eBay might be able to control how many listings will be put up on eBay.

Promotions allowed a lot of items to be listed that perhaps should never be listed on eBay....

that is low priced and low sell through items.

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Listing fees have always been a way to control the number of listings on eBay and the profitability of selling certain types of inventory on eBay.

From a personal perspective, low value inventory... to be listed at much less than $15 each is no longer listed on eBay..

The personal decision has been to list high value items at prices where that inventory will sell... and not just sit on eBay.

eBay's next step may be to introduce `the 18 month rule...and control listings without a sale within 18 months after being listed...

The idea would be.... not to list ... and ...let it sit on eBay.... without some form of seller's input

A seller has to work the listings and find ways to make them sell.

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If a seller needs a free listing promotion to sell profitably on eBay... then perhaps eBay is not a sales venue for that seller....

cumos55 · ‎03-18-2015

Is there a benefit in FVF?

The FVF for media sold with a store on eBay is 9 % .... .. not 10 % which is the FVF for sellers without a store

FVF is a part of the cost of selling on eBay..

Becoming a Top Rated Seller... TRS..... reduces FVF charged on the sale of inventory and not shipping and handling ......... by 20 %.

With a TRS standing on eBay and a 20 % discount, the FVF becomes 7.2 % for the price of the item... but not shipping and handling...

Free shipping ... effectively shipping included in the price... on eBay... adds the TRS discount to the cost of shipping..... because now the shipping cost is a part of the cost of the item for sale...

Free shipping works best with low cost items... and with items that have have a low cost for shipping...

cumos55 · ‎03-18-2015

The lower FVF.......

--- first with a store... and

---then with TRS standing.....and

--- then with free shipping

are all factors controlled by a seller

These do reduce the impact of listing fees which are set by eBay, and

vary in relation to how a seller chooses to sell on eBay.. store versus no store ......and then level of store.

Ultimately the most important choice by a seller is ... What inventory to sell on eBay....

Everything should fit together like one big puzzle... with the aim of selling to make money... to generate a profit by selling on eBay...

and ....do remember there are non-eBay costs to selling on eBay...

julieo459 · ‎03-18-2015

I feel sick. I saw it coming with the tricky promotions.

I sell collectibles - mostly postcards. Now I can only do 20 free per month on .com (and another 20 on .ca) where before I could do 50 and 50. I have some other items other than collectibles that I can still sell with my other 20/20.

I understand the part about the credits for items that sell above the 20/20

I had a number of questions that I couldn't find answers to on the discussion board, so I got brave a few weeks ago and called customer service. Agent was helpful and answered all my questions. However, when I mentioned that I might open an anchor store, he laughed at me and told me not to bother. The reason you ask? I sell postcards that are small value and don't have a quick sell through rate. ebay doesn't make enough money from people like me. I knew something was up so I have been waiting for this update before I committed to anything.\

I have no idea what to do next except to maximize what I can until May 1st.

pierrelebel · ‎03-18-2015

On the Spring Update 2015 board, Raphael from eBay.ca Toronto office stated:

"Unfortunately I can't speak to the logic behind these changes"

Please allow me to explain the logic, it is very simple.

eBay wants more sellers to opt for the monthly charge associated with an eBay store. The predictability of that revenue stream is important to eBay. That trend has been in place for several years and the changes taking place in May simply accentuate the trend.

I find it unfortunate that eBay employees are not allowed to speak openly on the subject. It is not a state secret after all.

goldnideas · ‎03-18-2015

"Later this year, sellers will be REQUIRED to include product identifiers such as a manufacturer part number (MPN), and global trade item numbers (GTINs)—such as Universal Product Codes "

What if I will sell new, brand name product without a box? or some cosmetic items manufactured without codes - Paula's choice, Avon, etc...

cumos55 · ‎03-18-2015

Product codes and more are required for items listed as.... new....

Read things carefully... and logically... and you may find the wording.... not available... or not applicable. or similar wording....if you do not have the code..

or alternatively...

Can you visit a .local store and find the code? Perhaps...

The most important part of having this code.... is.. use the right code .... for the item being listed....

jt-libra · ‎03-18-2015

@goldnideas wrote:
"Later this year, sellers will be REQUIRED to include product identifiers such as a manufacturer part number (MPN), and global trade item numbers (GTINs)—such as Universal Product Codes "

What if I will sell new, brand name product without a box? or some cosmetic items manufactured without codes - Paula's choice, Avon, etc...

I have the same questions. The Spring Update reads:

Starting in June, sellers will be notified which of their existing listings should be updated with the required product identifiers in eBay’s bulk listing and editing tool. Remember, you’ll benefit from adding product identifiers to your listings immediately, so be sure to add them to your existing listings as soon as you can.
Also, beginning in June, listings that include product identifiers will receive even greater prominence in eBay search results relative to those listings that don’t include product identifiers.
Later this year, sellers who list branded items in new condition in the above categories will be required to include the item’s brand, MPN, and GTIN to complete their new listings. We will provide sellers at least 60 days’ notice before this requirement goes into effect.

The requirement to include product identifiers will not be mandatory until "later this year"; however, those of us who sell in the affected categories should gear up for inclusion by early June in order to benefit from greater visibility. Therefore, I'm hopeful that these questions will be answered before then. There will be thousands of people looking for those answers.

cumos55 · ‎03-18-2015

The following is for

julieo459

I know of a major bookseller that rotates his inventory every 30 days.

He puts 10,000 listings up for 30 days, and then a second group for 30 days..... and keeps doing this.

With a basic store you have 150 free listings....

If a rotation is used that could be 150 one month and 150 listings the second month for a total of 300 listings.

When you list for 30 days... eBay search constantly treats your listings as new listings... a most important aspect of rotation listing

Similarly with a Premium store ... $50 per month ....you can rotate 500 free listings each month...

or ......with a Basic store it could be 150 different listings each month over three months.... 150 free listings each month for a Basic store fee of $16.00 per month ...... which would be the sale of three postcards at $6.00 each for each month.

First work with a Basic store... and then move up to the next level of store if you have the inventory and if the rotation of inventory works....

You may even choose to leave a top selling item within more than one rotation... but beware of duplicates...

If you have the inventory... then an Anchor store might work with 2500 free listings each month and with 5000 different listings over two 30- day periods or even 7500 different listings over three 30 day periods... this would be lots of work... and require lots of inventory.

cumos55 · ‎03-18-2015

If I read things correctly...

The codes are required when an item is listed as... NEW.

Looks to be a narrow range of listings...

jt-libra · ‎03-18-2015

@cumos55 wrote:
If I read things correctly...

The codes are required when an item is listed as... NEW.

Looks to be a narrow range of listings...

To my way of thinking, this is not a narrow range of listings. There would be "new" items listed in all of the following categories.

Baby
Books
Business & Industrial (Test, Lab, and Office Equipment)
Cameras & Photo
Cell Phones & Accessories
Clothing, Shoes & Accessories (Shoes only)
Computers/Tablets & Networking
Consumer Electronics
DVDs & Movies
eBay Motors
Health & Beauty
Home & Garden (Tools and Appliances only)
Music
Musical Instruments & Gear
Pet Supplies
Sporting Goods
Toys & Hobbies
Video Games & Consoles

cumos55 · ‎03-18-2015

narrow range of listings.

For me it is books.... new books being sold would be a small part of` selling on eBay... books sold as new and not Like New....

Did not look at the reality in other categories.....

and when it comes to something ....like electronics.... It would be 'New Only" ...if and when I buy...

jt-libra · ‎03-18-2015

@cumos55 wrote:
narrow range of listings.

For me it is books.... new books being sold would be a small part of` selling on eBay... books sold as new and not Like New....

Did not look at the reality in other categories.....

and when it comes to something ....like electronics.... It would be 'New Only" ...if and when I buy...

Sorry, you were referring to your own listings. I thought you meant categories.

My category -- Health and Beauty -- all new (my items anyway); however, some items which were a part of sets or are travel size do not have a UPC number. I suppose we could use the number from the full-size item. I'm not worried about it yet.

Your books are fabulous. I've often looked at them and thought ... what a great selection. They all look brand new but are just in mint condition, I guess.

Anonymous · ‎03-18-2015

You even can have another 500 free monthly listings on eBay.com after you are done your 500 on eBay.ca, all for one same store fee!! I do that all the time for a few years now. 1,000 (500 on eBay.ca and 500 on eBay.com) monthly.

rose-dee · ‎03-18-2015

@cumos55 wrote:
The following is for
julieo459

I know of a major bookseller that rotates his inventory every 30 days.
He puts 10,000 listings up for 30 days, and then a second group for 30 days..... and keeps doing this.

With a basic store you have 150 free listings....
If a rotation is used that could be 150 one month and 150 listings the second month for a total of 300 listings.

This is exactly what I was going to suggest, i.e. not list the entire inventory at once.

In fact, don't forget that with a basic store Canadian sellers get 150 free on .ca and 150 free on .com. Plus, with the new changes, another 150 free auctions (but only if they sell, which means listing the most desirable and saleable items at auction). In addition, with the new changes, you'd have an additional 100 free auction listings available in the collectibles category (which I imagine your items are).

I don't know whether the new changes include an additional 150 + 100 auctions on the .com side. This is something you'd have to check into.

So potentially you could get a minimum of 600 per month free with a basic store if you organize it well. In addition, you could have some of the extra inventory/listings ready and available to take advantage of promos, some of which are now Fixed Price as well as auction.

I think, with good management, and taking advantage of promos, you could probably run almost 1/2 of your entire inventory for free every month.