eBay

milezero · ‎12-09-2013

10% final value fees and a "shipping final value fee"?! WTH is that? Oh, I know, it's way of pretending final value fees are lower than they actually are.

Wait, I can hear the chorus already: "other auctions charge more". Yes, and with other auctions you just drop off the goods and pick up your check. Big difference in time, trouble and aggravation.

However, you can boil a frog if you do it slowly, so the fees will keep rising until sellers drop out I guess.

I hear several large corporations around the world have entirely eliminated their middle management and surprise(!) things work just fine. Better in fact as the paper pushers are sent back to the floor to do productive tasks that produce goods or serve customers.

Time eBay discovered this concept and instead of trying to screw more out of the sellers who make this place exist, save by getting rid of useless mouths who spend their time trying to squeeze more juice out of someone else's lemon to justify their paychecks.

But of course part of the function of middle management is to provide peons for upper management to order around, so upper management has to feel the need to give up that pleasure in exchange for better profitability.

Thank you and good night.

rose-dee · ‎12-11-2013

rose-dee wrote:

My store fees are $14.95/month. I regularly make that up in the FVF discounts on one decent sale, and the rest of the month the benefits are all mine.
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Oh yes, and I should add, that although it isn't directly related to FVFs, a store subscription comes with 150 free listings per month, so I save money at that end too, which again helps to offset other costs.

pierrelebel · ‎12-11-2013

". Let's compare apples with apples."

I agree

I took a look at your recent transactions. I did not see any : sale $10 shipping $10 total $20 ($2 FVF).

Sale $5 shipping $3

You pay FVF on $8 ($0.80)

On the $3 shipping, you actual out-of-pocket is well below $3 and one can safely presume $3 includes whatever FVF you have to pay.

The fact you do not get 20% TRS discount is not something most of us have any control over. We get the discount.

The fact you do not have a store where you could save on FVF is your choice.

Overall, most of your items are very low priced ($5/$7 seem to be the average). It is not really possible to build a business at that level unless you have substantial volume and your history shows only 10/12 transactions per month on average.

So you are looking at a hobby, not a business. And hobby do cost money.

Enjoy your eBay hobby.

rose-dee · ‎12-11-2013

@73rhc wrote:
Not everyone has TRS discounts or an eBay store! So your example is not the norme.

Maybe not the norm, but certainly attainable for any seller who wants to build a reputation here. It took me time, effort and perseverance in learning and following eBay's policies and best practices, sometimes even against my own inclinations, but as I said, it can be done. It is admittedly more difficult if you are only selling on a casual or infrequent basis.

73rhc · ‎12-11-2013

" I did not see any : sale $10 shipping $10 total $20 ($2 FVF)."

It was an example!!!!

And I was answering to the OP's statement. There are still a ton of people who don't have stores, who still want to sell here occasionally and still have a little fun. This is the reality. Just because it is not your reality doesn't make it unso! Some people on this board should get out once and a while and realize that their situation is not the only one!!!

73rhc · ‎12-11-2013

"Maybe not the norm, but certainly attainable for any seller who wants to build a reputation here. It took me time, effort and perseverance in learning and following eBay's policies and best practices, sometimes even against my own inclinations, but as I said, it can be done. It is admittedly more difficult if you are only selling on a casual or infrequent basis"

And what were your fees like all that time before getting there!

rose-dee · ‎12-11-2013

@73rhc wrote:
And what were your fees like all that time before getting there!

I've had a store since the beginning, even when I was only selling casually. I considered the cost of the store as a cost of building my business until I was ready to put more time into it.

However, it is true that years ago many of the fee reduction programmes that are now available to sellers were not there. That includes the shipping FVF reductions for Canadian sellers and the TRS. Everybody who wants to build a business on eBay now has those available.

I'm not clear where the OP got the 10% fee figure from -- most sellers (even new or casual sellers) pay 9% or less now, which is an improvement over a few years ago.

73rhc · ‎12-11-2013

" one can safely presume"

Keep presuming! Out of pocket was $2.60. It went in a padded envelop. It wasn't free, btw.

pjcdn2005 · ‎12-11-2013

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

Non store owners pay 10% fvf

73rhc · ‎12-11-2013

"Sale $5 shipping $3"

If you're going to take the time to look at my recent items. At least get it right, the item sold for 5.99 not $5. So I will go over it again for you. $5.99 + $3.00= $8.99. $8.99-$0.90 fvf= $8.09. $8.09-$3.00 shipping= $5.09. $5.09 / $5.99= 15%

mr.elmwood · ‎12-11-2013

This is the reality. Just because it is not your reality doesn't make it unso!

Your reality has to be ours because you said so. Our reality does not have to be yours because you said so. That makes no sense.

Our reality is that properly managed, fees are a lot less than many want to believe. That is reality, and under your belief system, it has to be for everyone. One reality fits all!

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73rhc · ‎12-11-2013

Nice way of twisting what I said. If you take your time to reread it slowly. You may understand what I was saying. If you don't get it. I can take the time and explain it to you. Maybe seeing my invoice from eBay will make a believer out of you. But then again, even the facts are hard to believe for the conspiracy theorists!

rose-dee · ‎12-11-2013

@73rhc wrote:
But then again, even the facts are hard to believe for the conspiracy theorists!

We're not being conspiracy theorists at all -- just the opposite. It actually sounded as if you felt there was some sort of deliberately unfair treatment or conspiracy by eBay against sellers, especially lower volume sellers.

I agree there is always a challenge in balancing costs but I doubt many of us see a fee conspiracy here on eBay, just relatively reasonable fees in exchange for the services.

73rhc · ‎12-11-2013

"We're not being conspiracy theorists at all -- just the opposite. It actually sounded as if you felt there was some sort of deliberately unfair treatment or conspiracy by eBay against sellers, especially lower volume sellers.

I agree there is always a challenge in balancing costs but I doubt many of us see a fee conspiracy here on eBay, just relatively reasonable fees in exchange for the services. "

I don't believe that I ever said anything with regards to unfair treatment to any sellers. I will be the first to say that if you do not like the rules of the game, then get out of the game!

My reaction is more to the same old gang that has their holier than though attitude. It's no wonder that people come here with their own concerns, just to get shot down. Instead of getting a little support and understanding. The condescending attitude on these boards are overflowing! Ask not why most of the occasional sellers/posters don't stick around! Take this thread as an example, we haven't heard a peep from the OP since his/hers original post!

mr.elmwood · ‎12-11-2013

@milezero wrote:
10% final value fees and a "shipping final value fee"?! WTH is that? Oh, I know, it's way of pretending final value fees are lower than they actually are.

Wait, I can hear the chorus already: "other auctions charge more". Yes, and with other auctions you just drop off the goods and pick up your check. Big difference in time, trouble and aggravation.

However, you can boil a frog if you do it slowly, so the fees will keep rising until sellers drop out I guess.

I hear several large corporations around the world have entirely eliminated their middle management and surprise(!) things work just fine. Better in fact as the paper pushers are sent back to the floor to do productive tasks that produce goods or serve customers.

Time eBay discovered this concept and instead of trying to screw more out of the sellers who make this place exist, save by getting rid of useless mouths who spend their time trying to squeeze more juice out of someone else's lemon to justify their paychecks.

But of course part of the function of middle management is to provide peons for upper management to order around, so upper management has to feel the need to give up that pleasure in exchange for better profitability.

Thank you and good night.

Instead of getting a little support and understanding.

By the gentle way you express yourself, I am shocked, shocked I say, that things do not go your way. Please continue insulting us.

"The beatings will continue until morale improves"

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rose-dee · ‎12-11-2013

@73rhc wrote:

My reaction is more to the same old gang that has their holier than though attitude. It's no wonder that people come here with their own concerns, just to get shot down. Instead of getting a little support and understanding. The condescending attitude on these boards are overflowing! Ask not why most of the occasional sellers/posters don't stick around! Take this thread as an example, we haven't heard a peep from the OP since his/hers original post!

Well, there are people who put up posts on these boards not to get answers or helpful input, but just to rage against some aspect of the site. That's fair enough. However, those who do rant (like the OP) should expect to hear dissenting opinions, and I think it's also fair to say that a different opinion is not a mark of lack of support or a condescending attitude -- sometimes it's just from better knowledge of the question.

There is a lot of experience and advice available on these boards from the "old gang" (which I don't think I could call myself part of!). Mostly I've found that when a number of them are saying more or less the same thing, it's probably accurate, or at least worth listening carefully to. On the other hand, I've seen a lot of "OP's" who simply react to the fact that others disagree, rather than honestly looking at the reason for the disagreement. As the saying goes, a person has to be ready to receive advice to benefit from advice.

73rhc · ‎12-11-2013

Are you eBay? No? So where were you insulted?

73rhc · ‎12-11-2013

I know what you are saying and I agree that you are not part of this group. I say this mainly because I have read some of your posts and you are never condescending and usually very helpful.

My experience here has not always been great and have seen many retaliatory posts when someone has an opinion. This board is for just that, sharing opinions. There is another board for those seeking help!

Experience and time spent on eBay does not a expert make!

rose-dee · ‎12-11-2013

@73rhc wrote:
I know what you are saying and I agree that you are not part of this group. I say this mainly because I have read some of your posts and you are never condescending and usually very helpful.

My experience here has not always been great and have seen many retaliatory posts when someone has an opinion. This board is for just that, sharing opinions. There is another board for those seeking help!

Experience and time spent on eBay does not a expert make!

Well, I appreciate your comments, as I do always try to be reasonable and respectful, but I will certainly state my views clearly if I disagree. And in this case I disagree that these boards are just for opinion-sharing; otherwise I don't think the "Accept As Answer" button would have been included (you'll see this when you post anything on this board). We do see a lot of people -- including myself -- come here hoping to find solutions to problems we encounter.

As far as experience not making an expert is concerned, ironically I might have agreed with you 2 or 3 years ago. However, the more I learn from those who have "been around the block", the more I realize that it takes a lot of experience on eBay to absorb all the important lessons.

I would agree that not every long-time seller has accumulated enough knowledge about eBay to be considered an "expert", but many of those who frequent these boards are the closest thing to "experts" you can get. Of course each may have a different perspective, depending on their selling focus, but there is a lot to learn from the ones who have been serious about making it professionally on eBay. I find the newcomers are often dismissive and disrespectful of those people's opinions. Free advice never seems valuable.

I find I still regularly pick up information and advice on these boards. I would say that the most experienced sellers are, at the very least, worth paying serious attention to. They often understand more about the day-to-day issues of selling than the eBay "Pinks" do, and certainly more than any of the people in East Asia at Customer Service. Some can be a bit more caustic than others in dispensing advice, but I treat that as a sort of impatience with the uninitiated and try to take it with a grain of salt. Still, I grant you, there are a few who forget their Canadian manners and could use some lessons in courtesy now and then.

There is also on these boards the factor of "combined experience" which I particularly appreciate, that often adds up to more than the sum of the parts, i.e. if several people say basically the same thing, chances are it's accurate and worth taking note of.

It's strange, as I said, people often don't see the wisdom of advice until they get to the point of being able to understand it -- I include myself in that statement. What is worse I think are the "beginners" who think they've become experts after a few dozen transactions and make erroneous statements or conclusions based on lack of experience or lack of understanding of eBay policies, which others who are not experienced may not realize are incorrect. That sort of misinformation needs to be corrected by the 'experts' for the sake of everybody who visits here.

73rhc · ‎12-11-2013

Then we will agree to disagree. For many things. I don't see any "accept as answer" button here. If you look under the main discussion board heading, you see the "user to user help" . It's certainly okay to ask for help in this category, but it' snot the only reason for posting. But some seem to think it is.

People don't seem to differentiate that there are different kinds of sellers out there. So what works for you doesn't work for everyone. I read another post about using surface shipping. Well I never had a problem with it and will continue to use it as it's the only way to keep costs down. If you (as a general public ) disagree, well it doesn't make it wrong. And then that is where the condescending attitude manifests itself. So I feel some people with 5digit feedback, while they do gave experience, still have their blinders on.