The Other Shoe Finally Drops

[digital*ghost]

Most sellers will probably wake up to the email, but since I'm up I thought I'd mention part 2 of the reduced fees and other changes introduced recently...

Featured store $49.95 per month (no more basic store, so that's the minimum your store will cost) - from September 15.

I'm figuring that's going to get the most attention, but there's a few other bits and pieces worthy of attention - new standards for TRS, variant format introduced to more categories... An Item Condition clarification field...formerly know as the description (I wonder if the option to create an HTML description page will eventually be gone?)

Interesting stuff, to say the least.

[digital*ghost]

Some links, for more info:

About item location requirements: http://pages2.ebay.com.au/Hub/May_2012_seller_changes/Boost_your_sales/Item_location

About new tools: http://pages2.ebay.com.au/Hub/May_2012_seller_changes/Manage_your_time/Tools_and_features

About store subscription fees: http://pages2.ebay.com.au/Hub/May_2012_seller_changes/Other_changes/Store_subscriptions

About category changes: http://pages2.ebay.com.au/Hub/May_2012_seller_changes/Other_changes/Category_changes

About Item Condition: http://pages2.ebay.com.au/Hub/May_2012_seller_changes/Boost_your_sales/Item_condition

Other changes: http://pages2.ebay.com.au/Hub/May_2012_seller_changes/Other_changes/Changes_for_2013

[davewil1964]

Wonderful.

150% increase in shop fees in four months - NO reduction in listing fees, NO reduction in FVF.

For me and my ilk anyway.

3 months at no profit and I'm gone. I've had a few marginal months, but an extra $25 per could well tip it over the edge.

I'll list where there are no buyers (:-)), but where any sale I make will result in a profit.

[governator]

I think it is still great value - like I have read in other threads, consider the amount of money you would spend renting an actual shop or placing an advertisement in a newspaper e.g. the Herald Sun, you would only be reaching Vic's, I have been considering opening a basic store for about a month now as I have a good source of items to sell. The price rise for me in the future when I do actually open the shop will be worth it I believe. But it would definently be hard on people that have small shops & would like to continue operating their basic store.

[clickbaitoz]

maybe you should have titled the topic 'a final twist of the knife' because i certainly feel like that  bet alot of other sellers do too. X-(               And to top it off when i cancel my store subscription i can't even get the 30 free listings per month because i'm a power seller, so thats my reward is it ebay?? it looks like besides waiting till i'm selling alot less, which i will be shortly due to the fee hike, the only other way i can get rid of power seller status is to break some rules. I'm guessing you've all worked out i think being a PS is pretty useless, especially with the sort of things i sell, people will buy them regardless because they are of a collectible nature.

  oh well, i guess its about time i went on holidays anyway, may as well do it when i close the store.

[putney32]

wow, I've just had a 4mnth break due to moving house, still manged to keep 30 or so listings going in the Store, usually have 100-150, all individual, collectable vintage patternbooks.

it would be of little use to me to list 30 for 10 days, and at the low value, no use paying $50 a month for a store..

I wore the $19 to $25 rise as cost of living... but $19 to $50 is tooo much to bear

and as a powerseller with my 12th year anniversary on ebay coming up, I sure wont qualify for 30 free listings!!!

[digital*ghost]

I think this will lead to the closure of quite a few stores. 😞 And not just those that were opened due to the reduced insertion and final value fees.

If I were in the position to submit a list of demands (:^O), for that kind of money I would want all advertising removed from my listings; variant format in all my main selling categories; functioning gallery images, guaranteed visibility at all times (none of this rolling blackout mumbo jumbo) with priority over international listings; increased accountability for low DSR leavers (a complicated issue; I suppose, but they need to be less susceptible to whims and unreasonable expectations); and while I'm at it, the default search results set back to ending soonest.

I'm ready to negotiate whenever eBay is. B-)

[extra-keen]

Yes, The next few months are going to be very interesting. From my own business point of view, I am not surprised and it won't greatly affect me. I've just enjoyed a 2 month period with reasonable sales and a lot lower fees, so I will be just where I was two months ago as far as ebay rent is concerned.

Just a shame ebay aren't a little more up front, these changes were obviously planned when the store fees and structure were changed recently.

Overall I am Ok with the changes especially if the multi variant listings are going to be available in more categories.

For the part-time sellers and store owners, this is going to hurt I think. A lot of sellers are going to re-think how they do business on ebay.

[syrupsmummy]

I thought the last change was too good to be true as it actually lowered the cost for me.

And now I know it was too good to be true. Now I have only two choice either paying double or closing my store 😞

[syrupsmummy]

I found this is more distubing than fee increase.

Changes coming in 2013

New picture requirements
From early 2013, all sellers will be required to upload at least one picture for each listing. Pictures will need to be at least 500 pixels on the longest side however we recommend 1600 pixels as a minimum length so you can take full advantage of eBay picture services including Supersize. Other picture requirements to be introduced next year include the removal of text and borders (watermarking will continue to be allowed).

Changes to the eBay Top-rated seller program
As buyer expectations continue to evolve, the eBay Top-rated seller program needs to keep pace. In 2013, a number of changes will be introduced to the seller standards program on eBay.com.au. Listings from Top-rated sellers that provide these buyer experiences - including 0-1 day handling time, free postage with an express postage option and 30-day money back returns, will receive higher rankings within best match.

Learn more about how to get ready for the changes coming in 2013.

I may have to close my store when it happens next year.