Open and close the store

[asyahijab]

I want to open a store for couple of months.

My billing is calculated in the midle of the month (15).

When the best time to open and close the store in order to benefit on it? ( I mean my store fee don't get waste at all).

[pierrelebel]

It does not matter.

http://pages.ebay.com/storefronts/Subscriptions.html

For stores opened more than one month, store monthly fees are prorated.

[tobyshitzu]

It does make a difference and you can game an advantage if you aren't keeping a permanent stiore.  eg first open a store with 1 day left in the month with listings ready to go and you pay one day for the same listings as if you openned it on the first day and paid for the entire month for the same lsitings

Mid month billing date sucks  The store will go from mid motnh to mid month, but the listings go by calender month.  You are better off openning on the 14th and paying 2 weeks for the same listings as if you open on the first and paying 1 month.  but its not as good as someone on end of month billing

[inuk_the_polar_bear]

A baisc store is a whole $20 a month with 150 free listings. $20 is a burden to afford?

I am guessing you are looking at the christmas season. That starts now and goes to Dec 24th. That is four months.

[tobyshitzu]

Better the $20 in my hands then theirs just for choosing the start date right.  And even better the $120 in my hands by getting the benefit of having a store for a year but only paying every other month

[pierrelebel]

Read all the rules and terms of service carefully.

eBay is not there to "nickel and dime" you but one must understand how fees apply. A seller must be careful not be be "penny wise and pound foolish". 

The purpose of having a store on eBay for a few months, compared to selling without a store, is to get more "free" listings and lower FVF.  "Free listings" are not really free since you have to pay a monthly fee of $20 for a basic store (150 "free" listings; you get 50 without a store):

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/sell/storefees.html

For monthly sales of $1,000 the difference in FVF is $10 (in most categories)

For monthly sales of $2,000 the difference in FVF is $20 (in most categories) - approximately the monthly cost of the store

If you expect to sell more than $2,000 monthly, do not worry too much about nickels and dimes.

From eBay Help pages:  http://pages.ebay.ca/help/sell/closing-your-store.html

Information about closing your Store

If you close your eBay Store:

• All of your current auction-style and fixed price format items remain active until their end date, they are sold, or we end your listing. Active fixed price listings may be subject to standard fees after you close your Store.

[tobyshitzu]

""Free listings" are not really free since you have to pay a monthly fee of $20 for a basic store (150 "free" listings; you get 50 without a store):"

In fact they are almost free for what the op wants to do.  Sign up for a store 1 day before the end of the month, which commits to the full next month.  Get 400 extra listings (100 on each site, each month) for the $20.70 store fees, instead of $120  (.30 each).  The fvf savings of .8% to 6% depending on status and category is extra savings.    Granted there might be a listing promo during tha time that would cover the listings without the $20.70 store fee, but no way of knowing if, when or who will get one.  So paying the $20.70 if you want a lot more listings isn't a bad deal, especially with the lower fvf paying at least some of it.  Selling on more ids would get more free listings too but it wil take awhile to get the limits off now if one doesn't already have them.