as a seller ...why must I pay a final shipping fee on eBay ?

[all_the_junk_collector]

SO this makes no sense to me!!!

As part of my eBay fees which include: a store subscription fee, a final value fee AND  a Final Value Fee on Shipping!!! **bleep**!!!  I pay an additional fee for the shipping charge? WHY?? PayPal takes a cut when the buyer pays already!!! THIS IS INSANE.... for example ......

I sold a doll for $26.00 CANADIAN. and ended up  I paid C $2.34  final value  AND C $1.53 for the shipping final value  that's nearly 4 bucks of fees just with eBay!  PLUS PayPal took their cut and that's another few bucks so now I am short on the shipping and  have to pay that extra that PayPal took for the shipping to make it up... only for eBay to scam another 2 bucks out of the shipping (which I only ever charge exact amount to buyers address) so now I'm left with getting LESS then 20 bucks CAN out of 26.00 ! somehow that shipping fee seems like I'm being scammed by eBay ....and  then they have now upped there cut from 9..to 9.15(?) percent!!!!!!!!

I guess I need to know why I'm paying that fee on shipping because I'm seriously ready to end my relationship with eBAY!!!

Thanks

[thestuffofchris · Accepted solution]

Years ago, eBay only charged FVF on the price, not shipping. Many sellers tried to take advantage of this by putting a low price with high shipping, so their costs would be covered and they would make a profit without having to spend a lot on fees. The classic example is someone selling an item for $0.99 with shipping for $99. Back then, they would only pay FVF on the $0.99. eBay didn't like that (they like money, as we all do), so they started charging FVF on price and shipping.

[all_the_junk_collector]

Yes I understand that but for those sellers such as my self I'm going to have to start over charging because in the end by doing exact shipping I'm out 4 bucks on the shipping that comes out of MY pocket
I know there are good sellers and honest sellers as well as the not so honest ones ... so that means eBay gets to over charges me? why not increase a few fees? (which they have) so that I'm not paying 4 bucks on a 20 dollar product!! Like maybe a few cents on a couple fees would feel less outrageous to a single mom trying to make a few bucks !!!

[all_the_junk_collector]

Id also like to point out that when I restarted my eBay store recently and went to UNDERSTANDING eBay FEE's and what I needed to know..... I read NO WHERE about being charged a fee for the shipping from my buyers .... Even now I've been trying to figure this fee out and I don't see it mentioned in the seller central ...if I had known about this hidden fee I would have accommodated my pricing to include it in price...

[thestuffofchris]

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/sell/insertion-fee.html#fvf

[all_the_junk_collector]

interesting... That is new!! never saw that months ago and  believe me I LOOKED!!  I think thats been added not that long ago....but THANKS for pointing it out and sharing:-)

it still does not feel like a fair thing to pay... the buyer pays their own ship cost so why should I be charged a fee on eBay for their shipping? also isn't PayPal and eBay owned together? if so I pay double charges on someone else's shipping to the one company in the end???
Just curious anyone's thoughts on this I  may be wrong (probably am:-)    

t it just seems so  unfair to me

[reallynicestamps]

Your selling price:         $26.00

Your shipping charge  $15.30

                                   _______

                                     $31.30    

Your selling fvf                             2.34

Your shipping fvf                          1.53

Your Paypal fees                          1.05

Fee to Canada Post                    15.30 (*)

                                                      ______                

                                                      20.22

I have some guesswork in there.

But you made even less than you think.

Did you allow for your packing materials? Bubblewrap ain't free.

Did you allow for GST and Fuel fees on the shipping cost?

On the profit side, did you use a Paypal Shipping Label and get from 5% to 17% off the PO counter price for shipping?

Whether you sell on eBay as a business or a hobby, it is important to know what your costs will be when you set your asking prices.

Since you sell in the high fraud Doll category, I would suggest that you also add a few pennies for Cookie Jar Insurance against the inevitable scammer whose Claim will cost you even more. A virtual cookie jar of pennies will offset those costs.

Also.

You mention a Store fee.

Stores are very useful and have many helpful options and perks, including reduced listing costs, but with only 50ish items are you sure it is right for your business at this time?

Fifty items is right on the verge of a store being economically viable.

[all_the_junk_collector]

YOU are absolutely right I did not charge extra for a handling fee as I try and reuse boxes to save on money but now feel I will and have started to ask an extra buck or to in the handling fee  in the shipping section  ,... however the problem then becomes the buyer  just see"s  an extra cost and in the end I'm not selling what I could or should be  ....

[all_the_junk_collector]

also I have an eBay store only so that I can list with BUY IT NOW with 30 days to sit ...and I believe that's cheaper with store?? its better then having to relist every week no? The last 2 months I've paid something like 120.00 'in eBay fees that doesn't include the PayPal fees it... apparently I'm paying an average of 12.7% ?? I think I read that right somewhere on my account....
that's why I'm also upset I,m paying the buyers (agreed to contract to pay shipping when they buy an item then ebay is putting a fee on something I never paid its nothing to do with my selling ... ebay has gone along way to change their policies on sellers overcharging for shipping and its up to the buyer if not happy with inflated sipping they don't buy it that simple ....

[thestuffofchris]

PayPal and eBay split into separate companies in 2015.

[ypdc_dennis]

"... I have an eBay store only so that I can list with BUY IT NOW with 30 days to sit ...and I believe that's cheaper with store?? its better then having to relist every week no?"

You DO NOT need a store to use 30 day BUY-IT-NOW. You get 50 free listings per month as a non-store seller on both ebay.CA and 50 free on eBay.com

[femmefan1946]

. apparently I'm paying an average of 12.7% ??

That's lower than average.

With listing fees (including Store fees), selling FVF, shipping FVF, fees on unsold listings, sales taxes on postage, fuel fees on postage, and Paypal fees, I allow 20% of my selling price as overhead costs.

It's normally lower.

But I've been working in retail and mail order for decades, and I think I have a pretty good understanding of how much overhead a B&M store would be (including municipal taxes that do NOT include the cost of garbage pickup which is the shopowner's responsibility to arrange privately), and  being able to keep 80% of my selling price is great!

[femmefan1946]

now feel I will and have started to ask an extra buck or to in the handling fee  in the shipping section  ,..

You are right.

Buyers detest all handling fees (which no one understands) and also all shipping fees.

Put your packaging/handling costs into the asking price for the dolls instead.

If you could use Flat Rate Shipping, and you could ship your doll clothes Light Packet which is a Flat Rate, I would suggest putting that cost into the asking price as well and offering Free Shipping.

Don't Panic!!

Which is cheaper:

A $20 item with $4 shipping and $1 Handling/packaging?

Or a $25 item with Free Shipping?

[femmefan1946]

Don't feel sorry for your customers.

Of course, you want to treat them fairly, any honest person would, but you want to treat yourself fairly too.

And given your products, no one is going without dinner to buy them.

You are being paid from their mad money.

And the one who pays more is happier with her purchase than the one who bullies the seller into a lower price and complains about things clearly seen in the description and photos.

I've seen those customers described as 'armed bargain hunters' and the usual advice is to avoid them.

[femmefan1946]

I did not charge extra for a handling fee as I try and reuse boxes to save on money

Time is money.

Here in BC , time is 18cents a minute at minimum wage.

So finding boxes to reuse, can be a money loser.

Musing here, but most people don't understand the 3Rs mantra:

Reduce:

Don't use it in the first place. This is the idea behind bringing your own cloth bags to the grocery store.

Reuse:

The cloth bags of course, but also turning the occasional plastic bag into bin liners or newspapers* into packing material. And hand me down clothing for children. But not margarine tubs instead of tupperware, because you bought paper wrapped margarine in the first place.

Recycle:

Once it is worn out, try to turn it into something else. Which is why we have blue boxes (and green boxes and black boxes) at the curb on garbage day.

*Don't. Newspapers are heavy, don't work well for resisting blows, and are dirty.

[all_the_junk_collector]

Thanks for the advice ..Things on eBay have really changed ..I ran a store just cuz I was a stay at home mom and need some extra cash..From 2091 untill 2013 I never felt cheated I paid my percentage with feeling gouged, I was able to list in us funds without a problem and only had to deal with occasional eBay user that complained ...I took a 4 year break and now find I could use some space cash again ....However Ive only sold 8 things and so far on eBay alone I've paid out over $150 bucks in fees ...Just seems extreme to is all I'm saying ...People like to complain. About anything g and everything especially if they see through tracking the shipping was lower then they paid...
I reuse frozen food boxes for sending the clothes because 1) it's the perfect size 2) they are not heavy 3) they are readily available and 4) why would I buy boxes and add more cost ? That and getting to a store and getting boxes is difficult for me ...Is reycleling all the rage these days? ...

[all_the_junk_collector]

I'm finding already that they are sitting on eBay to long already lol..If I make it higher. Then I'm afraid they would sit forever ....

[all_the_junk_collector]

However I was thinking about making shipping a flat rate ...But then ll be doing what eBay didn't want which started that ..Final value in shipping to begin with...I'd be estimating the cost ...
However I may just start cuz I'm also finding buyers paying shipping Immed after buying and sometimes they pay to much or sometimes to little...Sometimes that shipping calculator is wrong ..

[femmefan1946]

Please use Reply rather than Comment, which is basically hidden.

However I was thinking about making shipping a flat rate ...

Not a good idea for items that must go parcel rate. And that is anything over 2cm thick and 500 grams.

Parcel rates vary with dimensions and weight (like Letter/LightPacket) but also with distance.

So I can send a thin paperback book to BC or Nunavut for the same price, but the price for a shoebox would be quite different.

I'm a BIG FAN of Flat Rate shipping and also of Free Shipping, which is just a variation of Flat Rate, but it is not suitable for anything bulky.

[femmefan1946]

However I was thinking about making shipping a flat rate ...

[femmefan1946]

Not a good idea for items that must go parcel rate. And that is anything over 2cm thick and 500 grams.

[femmefan1946]

Parcel rates vary with dimensions and weight (like Letter/LightPacket) but also with distance.

[femmefan1946]

So I can send a thin paperback book to BC or Nunavut for the same price, but the price for a shoebox would be quite different.

[femmefan1946]

I'm a BIG FAN of Flat Rate shipping and also of Free Shipping, which is just a variation of Flat Rate, but it is not suitable for anything bulky.

[femmefan1946]

.However Ive only sold 8 things and so far on eBay alone I've paid out over $150 bucks in fees ..

That does seem high.

For that in fees you should have sold about $750-$800 in goods.

Is that about right?

I keep a (paper, because I'm old) spreadsheet with all my costs on it (purchase price, selling price, shipping fee, postage, overhead costs ((printer ink, paper, polyenvelopes, etc)), paypal fees, and so on).

Totaling those columns gives me a good idea of where I am on a monthly and later annual basis.

With only about 50 items, having a Store does not seem economical at this time. There are advantages, but you get 50 Free Listings every month without a Store and then you are paying $15 or more again for listing.