eBay goes free for private sellers

[sammyc]

Just a couple of snippets for any on/off sellers who may not be slavishly following every eBay update but may be interested -

1. Changes to funds availability - in a nutshell payments being held until after delivery, anywhere from 2-14 days after according to varying criteria https://www.valueaddedresource.net/e...held-delivery/

2. Simple Delivery - if Managed Payments and eBay wallet were not bad enough, then 'Simple Delivery' so-called may be the bridge too far for a lot of people, myself included, dependent on final details. Currently still opt-out but soon not to be afaik https://www.ebay.co.uk/sellercentre/...ad6afb1662660d. https://www.valueaddedresource.net/e...e%20program%21 Mark ye it will be a shambles..

[Rob_B]

christ.

No control over postage yet potentially still the liability for returned items.
No way to necessarily use the drop off location you want.
No pick ups (like royal mail do for free),
No weighing or measuring needed unless it is in which case do it or we'll charge you the extra.

What could possibly go wrong.

[Jonj1611]

Takes the mick

Another problem is Royal Mail even when sent tracked don't always update to say its been delivered so according to that story above it would be classed as untracked and payment will be in 14 days!

[jimbouk]

Yeah, glad my last eBay sale ended up going through bank transfer on collection. Got another couple of bits to shift which will most likely need to be posted (leftover car bits) - is there an alternative or is this classic ensh*ttification due to a near monopoly?

[AGTDenton]

Great, does eBay want private sellers or not.

The best period of eBay was pre PayPal ownership when you could choose a number of options like payment provider (NoChex, PayPal, cash and a number of others I've forgotten) and not be charged for shipping. Yes it meant people would over charge and take the biscuit but the buyer could still make the decision to not purchase from a seller if they didn't like those costs. People forget that to a private seller, postage costs can include additional costings like logistics and packaging, so it is not always so straightforward as the price you see from the courier, it annoys me that none of this can be factored in.

I'm going to force myself to have a blitz next week

[sammyc]

They do seem to have systematically nibbled away at everything that made it relatively simple and pleasant to use. It's been drip drip (irritating stuff like Good til Cancelled which I still hate, page redesigns etc, and notably the de-linking from Paypal - have to laugh that what they are trying to sell you about Managed Payments + Wallet is that it's easy to shop out of your selling proceeds - the exact thing PayPal worked so well for, I used to recycle my eBay sales in that way, like many people I imagine. There has even been a 5% discount this week if you pay from your eBay balance, so basically nothing unless you are a seller, which is a bit thick).

There have always been always mumblings from people who hate one change or another that they will 'go elsewhere' and there tended to be an element of yeah yeah, but I think this slew of new stuff means this is now not just talk. The sponsored listings stuffed in everywhere, useless search, extra clicks & pop-up boxes, mucking about with feedback and so on, speaking personally it is all change for the worse, such a pity. From what I read other sites run along similar lines unfortunately, Vinted for example the shipping setup is the same I believe.

Good luck anyone chucking listings up while the going's good. Oh and they will be after your NINO any day..

[Jonj1611]

The problem as well is they send payment until either Royal Mail or whoever has delivered the item or 14 days. The problem is you get some people who are out, parcel gets taken to the depot and they take days to pick it up. All that time you have no money for the stuff you have sold

[sammyc]

^ I think I read that a delivery attempt may count but not sure of that 100% - either way, far too many possible pitfalls all round.

[Jonj1611]

Indeed, it's a mess. Funny that business sellers won't have this problem, yet the unwashed public can't be trusted it seems

[Rob_B]

Just got an email regarding "new buyer protection launching in February"

Broadly:

- Sellers paid after delivery
- upto 4% + 75p 'fee' for the protection 'included' in your purchase price

Fee calculation examples:

Item price set by the seller £20

Buyer Protection fee variable (4% of £20) £0.80

Buyer Protection flat fee £0.75

Price that buyer sees for the listing £21.55 + postage

So no more cheap items like £2 books etc.

Not clear what this is actually adding to the protection. eBay mentions the existing money back guarantee will continue, so it seems you're paying this fee for the sellers to get paid slower... nice

[Jonj1611]

I had a hard time actually working out who would pay this fee.

I am thinking and I maybe wrong that if I list it as buy it now for £10 that the price will change to £11.15 which is the 4% + 75p but I would still get the £10 and all buyers will see is the £11.15

I might be completely wrong but that was all I could work out it might be. No idea how it would work with variable price listings.

[Rob_B]

Yup, seems like that's what'll happen.

[sammyc]

Just got an email regarding "new buyer protection launching in February"

Broadly:

- Sellers paid after delivery
- upto 4% + 75p 'fee' for the protection 'included' in your purchase price


So no more cheap items like £2 books etc.

Not clear what this is actually adding to the protection. eBay mentions the existing money back guarantee will continue, so it seems you're paying this fee for the sellers to get paid slower... nice

Depends if your £2 book is from a private seller or not - businesses aren't included in this (yet). Still, it sucks at the cheap end for private sellers and annoying not to be able to pitch your item at 'classic' prices like £9.99 without mathematical jiggery-pokery. Had to happen though given this is Vinted's model more or less, although theirs is a variable fixed portion, and you do see the cost breakdown on the item unlike this.