Insertion fees

[maderocki3]

I have received my June statement. I have been charged insertion fees AGAIN. I have been told on a number of occasions I am only allowed to list 40 items, and not to exceed 40.  I have followed this advice but still you charge me for insertion fees. 

[enigmabear]

Members (the only people here) do not charge each other insertion fees

eBay have charged you and eBay staff do not read here

Have you actually contacted eBay about this at any time?

[maderocki3]

thanks for your quick reply.  I usually talk to them on the chat line but couldnt find it this time.

[*tippy*toes*]

How much in insertion fees have you been charged? When you sold the item in June, did you list a new item to take it's place? If you did, then it would actually be 41 items for the month, so you'd have been charged fees on one of the items when they rolled over after 30 days.

If it's more than that, then you need to ring eBay asap to get it sorted out. Don't email, call them, or use the call me back option. If you have no luck with the person on the phone, ask to speak to a supervisor. Be calm and polite in your manner and you are more likely to get a good result.

Cute items by the way!

[brerrabbit585 · Accepted solution]

To enlarge on what tippy said, you get 40 free listings to use per month.  It's not a case of only having 40 listings at any one time. 

If your items are on GTC and they roll over twice in the same month, eg. on 1st & 31st, they'll use one of the 40 each time.  That shouldn't be a problem next month as they've changed the system, but make sure nothing you listed on 1st July will roll over on the 31st July.

[purplemon18 · Accepted solution]

Those are seriously cheap items. I reckon you could double or tripple your price and sell the same number of them. After all, they are hand crafted "bespoke" items.

I would take a photo of the completed item the next time you get an order to use as an example, so that people can get a better idea of what their purchase would look like. Front and back. I would also do close ups of the embroydered name and overlocking on the edges.

I would also try to make a label with some ribbon so that I can put my ebay address on it. Guaranteed other mothers would take photos of that label to buy their own.

As an aside, having more and better photos would help when it comes to things like "Item not as described" refund requests too, which is why I suggested a picture of the back.

[maderocki3 · Accepted solution]

thanks for all your advice.  I have spoken to eBay and they have explained the listing situation.  I was wrong, I thought I could list and keep 40 different items each month.  What you have written explained it alot better. I did make 2 new listings when I sold 2 items in June.  They were nice to talk to and credited the listing fees.

I am  a senior pensioner and trying to make some pocket money.  I am not good at taking photos, I know they look second rate but I will try to improve.  Also I will consider your other ideas.  I used to sell at the local market but I had to give it up due to health reasons.

I appreciate the time you have taken and thank you.

[brerrabbit585]

On your All Selling page there's a counter showing how many listings you've got left that month. If you list any more than the 40 it will show a listing fee on the extras, but best to keep an eye on the counter.

[countessalmirena · Accepted solution]

You show a good attitude in being willing and able to learn, to accept that you were mistaken, etc.

Re photos... I know that digital*ghost had some helpful information about improving photo quality.

The only other thing I could suggest is to practise taking photos again and again and again... My father took ages to come to grips with the fact that once photography became digital, there was no need to take only one or two photos. He's finally got it, I think - after a hundred times of my saying "Take 20, 30, 40, 50, even 100 photos of one thing to get it right. It doesn't matter how often, because you're not wasting film. If you take 100 photos, you've got a better chance of there being at least one really good photo, but if you only take five photos, you may have one with a decapitated head, one out of focus, one showing something distracting in the background, one that's too dark, and one with your thumb showing."

[maderocki3]

thank you for your good advice. I did use the free version of Photoshop for a while and liked it but now they are asking for a monthly fee it is not worth it for the bit I am selling.