topic Re: eBay taking commission from postage costs! in Selling

eBay taking commission from postage costs!

carouselfetish — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 13:45:02 GMT

Hello, it has come to my attention, and my concern, that eBay's online calculator for postage is proving to alter eBay's commission from sales upward, often excessively, at the expense of the sellers, who then afterward are obliged to refund excess postage costs to the buyers. eBay then, interestingly, does not refund the percentage of that excess postage that the seller must give back, to the seller. eBay keeps it.
Very frequently the online postage calculator for eBay has determined postage to my location of quite small objects to be extremely high. In every case, the actual postage has been a great deal lower. The seller has always been surprised and has refunded that postage to me.
In other examples, I have been unable to request a total for a range of items from one seller if any of those items are set at a discount price. As postage is separate to such discounts, it should be possible to request combined postage. But eBay prevents that if discounted items are included. Why is that, please? I think that should be rectified as soon as possible.
After some months of purchasing items from eBay sellers, I have been refunded many hundreds of dollars IN POSTAGE EXCESS ALONE to my account by those sellers. And from those many hundreds of dollars, eBay has taken an extra commission because it takes a percentage of the total cost, including postage.
This is unfair practice, and cause for great concern. I am considering contacting Consumer Affairs about it.
Many sellers I have dealt with have complained to me about this, but have felt unsure what can be done about it. I, however, am not the least unsure about what can and should be done about it.
I suggest that eBay refrain from taking a commission from the total sale price that includes postage. After all, eBay should only be entitled to a percentage of the sale price of the item itself. The postage is not a profit situation for any seller, as it goes to the postal service/courier, and should not increase eBay's commission.
I am interested to hear eBay's position on this issue, which I will take very seriously and to further authorities, regardless of eBay's response to me. I am, after all, not an eBay seller. But I am a concerned citizen aware of fair and unfair practices.
I intend to post this into eBay's forums to begin with. I do hope that eBay takes this issue seriously.

Re: eBay taking commission from postage costs!

countessalmirena — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 13:58:59 GMT

You have already posted this topic here.

carouselfetish, I can see you're passionate about this topic, but you should avoid spamming the boards with the same topic, as that is likely to get you into hot water.

I should also point you in the direction of eBay's Unsolicited idea submissions policy, which will give you some idea of how valuable eBay will find your submission (as in... they won't.) It might SEEM as though it's a good idea to post in the Community Feedback board, but it will be a squeaky wheel which no one in eBay will hear.

Re: eBay taking commission from postage costs!

k1ooo-slr-sales — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 14:11:49 GMT

countess, thanks for posting that Unsolicited ideas link. I never knew that existed. I think we should bookmark that page and use the link every time anybody comes to the boards with the intention of telling eBay how they should change their operating procedures.

Thanks again, great link.

to be honest, I thought the link was going to take me to a funny meme

Re: eBay taking commission from postage costs!

countessalmirena — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 14:23:09 GMT

My pleasure, k1ooo. I found that earlier today when I had two hours between bookings, and was semi-idly trying to see what policy pages there were with the vague idea of perhaps eBay members putting together their own version of a Site Map.

I won't say I would never link to a funny meme... but eBay's ruthless page on how they don't actually value or want feedback was sufficiently funny if one's in the mood for black humour, I thought.

Re: eBay taking commission from postage costs!

kopenhagen5 — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 23:01:29 GMT

Firstly eBay staff don't read here.

The boards here are even run by a different company called Lithium.

Secondly, kindly refrain from attacking posters whom are only trying to be helpful.

If there is a post you don't agree with just ignore it.

Thirdly, there is a very good reason ebay changed the system to charging fees on total invoice.

You would do well to research the topic properly before passing comment and certainly before intending to contact an authority.

And as stated if you intend to gather support for such a crusade, you may find yourself banned from posting on the boards all together.

Apart from the above, sellers can get that fee credited back.

Re: eBay taking commission from postage costs!

davewil1964 — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 07:22:49 GMT

Fourthly, the postage calculator DOES NOT add eBay commission to postage prices. At most, if true, it would be trying to discourage sellers from using it. eBay want sellers to offer FREE delivery, along with guaranteed previous day delivery.

Re: eBay taking commission from postage costs!

carouselfetish — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 13:32:44 GMT

Firstly, sellers don't get that fee credited back. Please do your research.

Secondly, this is the response I have received from eBay Customer Service for charging a commission on postage costs:

"As for the final value fee on shipping, we mandated the fee because before when we are not obliging sellers to be charged final value fee on shipping, we received numerous reports with regards to the sellers charging expensive postage. To prevent that we now charge a fee once a seller offers postage to their items."

Thirdly, your dislike of my post and its content is no reason for you to threaten me with a banning that you have no capacity to bring about, as I am free to raise any concerns I have here.

Fourthly, you are not being at all helpful by trying to prevent a fellow community member from raising a genuine concern, that multiple sellers have complained to me about.

And fifthly, well, is it just me, or can anyone else see the illogic of eBay Customer Service's reply to me??

If anything, adding a commission on top of the postage would simply encourage sellers NOT to refund the excess postage to buyers, but rather keep it to make up for the unfair commission taken by eBay. After all, the buyer is not to know, and the seller is not obliged to refund it, as far as I'm aware.

Yet every single seller, from the hundreds I've bought from, has refunded all excess postage to me, down to the very last cent. Regardless of me never requesting that; they just do it. That is because the sellers are honest people trying to make a living and improve their businesses with good will. They are sensible enough to know that exorbitant postage costs will only put people off buying in the first place.

So I do NOT accept eBay's stance on this policy, and I stand by my statements. And I am amazed that you seem to think this sort of discussion has no place in the Community Forums. Where on earth else should one discuss one's problems with eBay? Is the Forums simply for us to praise eBay? Are we not allowed to criticise?

You seem to be very scared of being banned. Your statement that this forum is run by a totally separate body implies that we aren't supposed to discuss eBay here at all...

This is no crusade. It is commone sense and I am attmempting to alert buyers to this issue. Because if buyers seek combined postage from sellers before paying, then at least that will help the situation. The buyer will pay less total and the seller will be charged less commission. It works for both parties, and as far as I can see, it's the only way around eBay's Unfair Commissions.

You need to relax a bit more, kopenhagen5.

Re: eBay taking commission from postage costs!

carouselfetish — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 13:34:22 GMT

You don't get the postage calculator bit.

I didn't say the postage calculator adds commission. I said, eBay takes a commission from the total cost; including postage. Which is not right, because the postage calculator usually calculates very high, much higher than the real cost. So the seller has to refund the excess, but loses the commission already taken on that excess.

Was that too complex for you?

Sorry.

Re: eBay taking commission from postage costs!

countessalmirena — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 15:14:33 GMT

@carouselfetish, if you want to post in a way that makes you seem combative, you're unlikely to get many sympathetic replies, even if there's agreement with any basis of your comments.

If you were to remove that aggression, you may be surprised by the kindness and helpfulness of people here.

Re: eBay taking commission from postage costs!

davewil1964 — Sun, 15 Apr 2018 02:51:37 GMT

I am sorry.

I am a seller, and am well-versed in eBay's commission structure. First hand, at that.

You can complain about commission on postage all you like, but you would be better off picking a fight you have a chance of winning.

This matter was done to death when eBay introduced the change. Many years ago.

The ACCC and the Federal Government said it is legal. It's immoral, but businesses tend not to do morality.

As far as the postage calculator goes, eBay uses Australia Post figures. So your beef is either with AP or the sellers who don't put the correct information in.

Edit: As far as I'm aware, from reports by many sellers, it is possible to get the excess fees credited. How you, as a buyer, would 'know' this is not the case is a conundrum.

Re: eBay taking commission from postage costs!

brerrabbit585 — Sun, 15 Apr 2018 09:41:37 GMT

Ebay's postage calculator has always been spot on for me. I'd suggest some sellers don't put the right measurements or weights in when they do their listings.

"Is it just me, or can anyone else see the illogic of eBay Customer Service's reply to me??" Anyone who expects logic from ebay is living in dreamland!! We're all well aware of how illogical a lot of their policies and decisions are and have decided for the sake of our health and sanity that it's just not worth trying to fight something we can't do anything about.

Re: eBay taking commission from postage costs!

digital*ghost — Mon, 16 Apr 2018 08:39:53 GMT

@carouselfetishwrote:
Firstly, sellers don't get that fee credited back. Please do your research.

Automatically? No.

By contacting ebay and requesting the credit? Yes.

Re: eBay taking commission from postage costs!

gutterpunkz05 — Mon, 16 Apr 2018 10:31:57 GMT

@carouselfetishwrote:
You don't get the postage calculator bit.
I didn't say the postage calculator adds commission. I said, eBay takes a commission from the total cost; including postage. Which is not right, because the postage calculator usually calculates very high, much higher than the real cost. So the seller has to refund the excess, but loses the commission already taken on that excess.
Was that too complex for you?
Sorry.

Your a bit behind the times, It has been happening for years and you have only just noticed

Re: eBay taking commission from postage costs!

seasidemarion — Thu, 25 May 2023 02:48:27 GMT

thankyou for your “well said” notes,, It makes me extremely disappointed in ebays method of charging fees on postage,, does Australia Post know this ??? it would surely be unlawful to profit this way,, does it mean then that shops who also sell stamps, can charge extra too,, ??? I do all posting myself, and find oftern cheaper than ebay quotes,, BUT as I do overquote, to be safe, then I include any excess in the parcel with stamps,, sometines up to $3 refunded,,BUT GUESS WHAT - yes ,,, ebay charged me fees on my “quoted” postage?!?!?!?! how unfair is that,, When contacted, they can only tell me

“it is ebay policy” —- NO ITS NOT, it is sheer theft !?!?!?!?! and it should be refunded to me,,,

its so good to see so many other places to sell now,, so is it time to give up on ebay,, I have been with ebay for maybe 12 or 14 years and loved it,, but now,, hardly any sales since that ridiculous “specific requirements” came into being, its dreadful, I refuse to use it, so much quicker to add your own than search their huge long lists, only to find what you need isnt there anyway,, what a huge waste of my time,, -so,, now they WRONGLY add words from my description, and its causing me to lose sales,, e.g. a co-ord dress pattern — they added “shorts” -/ NO, —its for jacket, top, trousers n shorts ?! another, they said “dress” -/ NO, — thats for a maternity top and trousers ?!?! /. another dress pattern, they said “ patterned paper” -/ NO ,,

I am not selling Gift Wrap. ?!?!

Oh SPARE US from this horrible dilemma !!!! Ebay must delete that requirements lists,, and simply let us know if we do miss a needed detail,, I see that BOOKS still do not say - size, or number of pages,,, but its so easy to ‘contact seller’ - which is what ebay used to say,,”get to know your buyer/seller”. I dont see that anymore. , 😟,,, the other query,, ???why do I not see any mention of it when I search for something ??? we need HELP,,,, not just pushed aside ,,,, regards ,,,

Re: eBay taking commission from postage costs!

sugar249 — Thu, 25 May 2023 03:03:51 GMT

Hang on you are giving up on Ebay but still have 52 items listed, thats hardly giving up.

By the way this is a 5 year old post, why not open a new one and have your rant.

PS. don't slam the door as you leave.

Re: eBay taking commission from postage costs!

kh-stanley1 — Thu, 25 May 2023 04:59:03 GMT

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread HERE if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thank you for understanding.