Ebay no longer charging private sellers

[DCLane]

So, changes from Feb, all untracked shipments will require waiting 14 days from the order date to get paid! That is a joke really.

The potential risk is buyers putting in lots of claims. Almost everything I sell is untracked, but to date I've had only a few claims. This may change.

However, the Royal Mail now have the option of adding tracking for 20p extra on a parcel. Although not everyone at the Post Office appears to know this yet. I may simply add the cost onto the postage.

It almost appears like eBay are trying to copy Amazon sellers. However, the business model is different with Amazon sellers mostly selling new stock. As a second-hand book seller on Amazon I've found in recent years it's become a much more challenging process.

 

[chris-suffolk]

Ebay may no longer being charging private sellers but from February they will be including a 'buyer protection fee' in the sale price. Presumably ebay will be getting their cut this way.

​

​ How the Buyer Protection fee works​

​ •​ The fee will be included in the item price from private sellers, so there are no surprises at checkout.​ ​ •​ You’ll pay up to 4% of the item price, plus £0.75. For example, when you see an item for £20, the fee of £1.49 will already be part of the price.​ ​ •​ The fee is lower on higher-priced items over £300, and there's a cap on the total amount you'll pay.​ ​ •​ For items from business sellers, you’ll get the Buyer Protection benefits at no extra cost.​

It's not quite so clear how the fees will show for auction bids.

 

[chris-suffolk]

I'll have to read the emails they sent me again, I saw the buyer protection update but didn't see the news about withholding payments for untracked items.

If that's true I'll be adjusting all my postage to tracked only and charging accordingly.

The email I got said they will withhold funds until it's been delivered, and they encourage you to use tracked to speed up the process. I always use tracked to avoid issues where the buyer trys to claim a refund saying it was never received.

 

[Gunk]

The email I got said they will withhold funds until it's been delivered, and they encourage you to use tracked to speed up the process. I always use tracked to avoid issues where the buyer trys to claim a refund saying it was never received.

This might speed up dispatch times, I’ve had some painfully slow deliveries recently, really cheeses me off.

 

[wiggydiggy]

This might speed up dispatch times, I’ve had some painfully slow deliveries recently, really cheeses me off.

I've noticed if I buy the label through ebay, it marks the item as dispatched. This is really annoying as I might have bought the label, but I haven't been to the PO yet.

 

[rogerzilla]

In an efficient market, which only really applies to new mass-produced (and therefore fungible) goods, the latest changes have put us back where we were a few months ago. If the buyer won't pay more than £20 for an item, as that's its market price, and the fee is £2, the seller has to price it at £18, so is effectively paying the £2 fee by taking a hit on the price.

For used or bespoke items, sellers are less impacted as the item is unique and the price depends far more on how much an individual might want it.

 

[vickster]

Bike sold yesterday afternoon, buyer paid online, handed over last night, full amount in bank account this morning. Can't complain

 

[Jameshow]

I've sold a very expensive item over the weekend. The money is there but I won't take it out until the buyer confirms they're happy.

Tourney rear mech I believe!🤣🤣🤣

 

[Emanresu]

Just sold an item on Ebay which is the first since they have changed their method. Purchaser paid a 'buyer protection fee'. Any idea what this is about as I would usually refund someone who is unhappy. Insurance? Or just a way for Ebay to make some more money?

 

[welsh dragon]

Just sold an item on Ebay which is the first since they have changed their method. Purchaser paid a 'buyer protection fee'. Any idea what this is about as I would usually refund someone who is unhappy. Insurance? Or just a way for Ebay to make some more money?

I've just seen it as we. I think I had an email about it not long ago. Protection for the buyer if anything goes wrong. Not sure if it applies to just private sellers who sell for free or not.

 

[DCLane]

The new 'buyer' fee is in on new listings so item prices look a bit odd. I just paid it on some jockey wheels.

 

[DCLane]

An announcement I've just received is that eBay's 'Simple Delivery' is the only postage option from 15th April . It'll be via Royal Mail or Evri and the exceptions are for low-price / bulky / collection items only.

 

[welsh dragon]

An announcement I've just received is that eBay's 'Simple Delivery' is the only postage option from 15th April . It'll be via Royal Mail or Evri and the exceptions are for low-price / bulky / collection items only.

Isn't that just for private sellers, at least that's what I thought

 

[MontyVeda]

I've noticed if I buy the label through ebay, it marks the item as dispatched. This is really annoying as I might have bought the label, but I haven't been to the PO yet.

that explains why, when i buy something on a Sunday and within minutes the item is 'dispatched'.

 

[a.twiddler]

It's awkward for people who prefer to collect a item, eg a bike. It looks like you have to pay beforehand now, and pass on a code to the seller as proof of collection so they can claim their money from ebay. Perhaps there's a way to manage the seller's fee if you want to see the item first before paying cash on collection but it's not obvious how that works, if it's even an option any more. Buying or selling smaller items which are posted is not so much of an issue, but larger non postable items (which I don't buy or sell very often) seem to have some rule change or other every time I've done it.

Come to think of it, when buying my most recent bikes I've not used ebay, and paid cash. It's about a year since I sold the Sinner Trike on ebay, and I don't recall any requirements to scan anything or ask the buyer for a code. I was able to transfer the money (after waiting a decent interval for positive feedback) without any issues. Yet I sold a motorcycle trailer a month or two ago and I wasn't able to transfer any money until I'd contacted the buyer to ask for the code (which neither he or I had remembered about at the time of collection) so I could enter it so ebay would release his payment to me.

It seems to be an increasing trend of control freakery on ebay's part.