topic Re: Ebay seller charges in Selling

Ebay seller charges

my_wishes_and_dreams — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 03:42:23 GMT

Instead of continually picking on the sellers perhaps it is time that the buyers shared some of the burden of the fvf.After all, if I increase my postage fees to cover the new Ebay fees then that is added to my fvf. it then becomes a circle of what to charge. ie.Postage is $7.20.Ebay takes 72 cents. Increase postage to $7.92. Ebay takes 79 cents. If I increase the price of the item to cover costs, then Ebay will take 9.9% of thae increase. Prices for goods,with maybe the exception of China are going to skyrocket and in the end make selling here unviable.

Re: Ebay seller charges

*crikey*mate* — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 04:27:24 GMT

You can't add the fees to the postage amount. They are an operating expense and must be added to the product cost.

Re: Ebay seller charges

gec2002 — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 04:37:08 GMT

Yes if your item costs $5 and you sell for $10 and postage is $7.20

Currently

FVF $0.99, Listing $1.50, Paypal $0.71 Total $3.20 Profit $1.80
New
FVF $1.70, Listing $1.50, Paypal $0.71 Total $3.91 Profit $1.09 A 40% decrease

To get back to your $1.80 profit you must increase your selling price to $10.81

FVF $1.78, Listing $1.50, Paypal $0.73 Total $4.01 Profit $1.80

So to maintain your profit margin with 0% change

eBay make an extra 31.7% in Listing and FVFs
Paypal make an extra 2.8% in fees

and the poor old buyer pays an extra 8%

But its all for the good of Buyers and Sellers. Yeah!

Re: Ebay seller charges

gec2002 — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 04:41:25 GMT

You can't add the fees to the postage amount. They are an operating expense and must be added to the product cost.

Garbage. You can add the fees were ever you want. eBay is charging fees for service they don't provide so can sellers. It just makes no difference now the FVF fees will increase either way.

Re: Ebay seller charges

*crikey*mate* — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 04:46:44 GMT

eBay are not charging a fee for a service that they don't provide.

fine, add your expenses anywhere you want to, but your accountant and the ATO will object if you don't categorize your expenses correctly.

Re: Ebay seller charges

fred_foofighter — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 10:35:33 GMT

fine, add your expenses anywhere you want to, but your accountant and the ATO will object if you don't categorize your expenses correctly.

They are not talking about how it is reported in the accounts but were the fee is added on the eBay auction. So Yes they can.

Re: Ebay seller charges

broncraft — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 10:56:51 GMT

So to maintain your profit margin with 0% change

eBay make an extra 31.7% in Listing and FVFs
Paypal make an extra 2.8% in fees

and the poor old buyer pays an extra 8%

But its all for the good of Buyers and Sellers. Yeah!

That is exactly right. it will be the buyers that suffer, and if they don't buy as much, our and ebay's profits will be down.

Good on ya Ebay sounds like a step in the ~~right~~ wrong direction. Time will tell I guess!!

Re: Ebay seller charges

*crikey*mate* — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 11:16:46 GMT

@fred_foofighter wrote:
fine, add your expenses anywhere you want to, but your accountant and the ATO will object if you don't categorize your expenses correctly.

They are not talking about how it is reported in the accounts but were the fee is added on the eBay auction. So Yes they can.

eBay ~~ironically~~ have a policy which prohibits the false inflation of postage costs. They are quite clear about which costs may be added to a postage charge. They are also quite clear that general operating costs cannot be added to the displayed postage and handling price.

Consequently, by adding an operating expense (and an amount not approved by ebay) to the declared postage and handling cost, it is in breach of eBay policy, and thus encouraging/advising members to add the fee into this price, is encouragiung them and misleading them into breaching eBay policy which may see them penalized.

So from my side of the computer screen, it seems more prudent to explain to other members how to do things the correct and approved way, not to mention the legally acceptable way, rather than setting them up for negative ramifications.

Re: Ebay seller charges

thecatspjs — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 12:07:03 GMT

The new expense could be rolled it into a "handling" cost, if you don't have one already, or you have a low / reasonable existing one - as long as you are not transparent with your buyers and do not mention it you will be fine to operate in accordance with eBay policy that encourage such practices.

*Tongue firmly in cheek*

Re: Ebay seller charges

jensmanchester-australia — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 12:17:10 GMT

I wouldn't be surprised to see ebay remove the excessive postage and handling policy as it formed part of the avoiding ebay fees policy.

Now that they are going to be charging fees on postage, fee avoidance will not be an issue for ebay.

Re: Ebay seller charges

thecatspjs — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 12:31:56 GMT

Might be the case Jen, I hope not though.

There are (and will continue to be I think) post pirate sellers that charge excessive post costs through sending goods by a cheaper method than a listing would lead a consumer to believe they are paying for (ie parcel post rates when really sending via letter).

Re: Ebay seller charges

sookie-snackhouse — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 12:34:26 GMT

OMG just admit that you are an eBay employee already!

Re: Ebay seller charges

jensmanchester-australia — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 12:54:42 GMT

thecatspjs - ebay don't seem to consider that a problem any longer. Under the new defect rate policy coming in later this year low ratings for postage costs and communication are no longer going to count towards your performance rating. As far as ebay are concerned if the postage fee is shown to the buyer up front then there is no reason why a seller should be penalised for postage costs.

Postage and handling charges and Communication DSRs no longer count toward your performance rating. This will protect you from low ratings for postage cost even though the postage charges are shown to the buyer up front when they purchase an item.

Re: Ebay seller charges

thecatspjs — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 12:58:00 GMT

I know... I know...Jen

But .... no matter WHAT eBay decide, I will never abandon ethical trading principles, nor cease promoting them.

Re: Ebay seller charges

*crikey*mate* — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 13:05:46 GMT

@sookie-snackhouse wrote:
OMG just admit that you are an eBay employee already!

ok, you got me.......

Re: Ebay seller charges

jensmanchester-australia — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 13:21:04 GMT

cats - honest traders will always remain honest.

Dishonest traders will always find ways around the system no matter what ebay does. Ebay can fiddle and change as much as they want but it won't change human nature.

Re: Ebay seller charges

thecatspjs — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 13:26:39 GMT

@jensmanchester wrote:
cats - honest traders will always remain honest.

Dishonest traders will always find ways around the system no matter what ebay does. Ebay can fiddle and change as much as they want but it won't change human nature.

I am so glad that I do not believe that for one single second. And sad that you seem to.

Re: Ebay seller charges

jensmanchester-australia — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 13:34:50 GMT

cats - I wish that wasn't the case but that is how society is. Fortunately the vast majority of people are honest but there is always that very small percentage of people who will take advantage of others if they can - not only on ebay but in life in general.

Re: Ebay seller charges

thecatspjs — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 13:49:46 GMT

Operating a business to cater to a small group of people who may operate in a certain unethical way does not bring long term benefits as you have promoted on the boards overtime ie. Items not received.

I truly don't quite understand the point you are trying to make. If eBay tailors its rules and operations to "deal with" such a small group, the losers will most certainly be sellers, most buyers and in turn eBay .... surely.

Re: Ebay seller charges

ejholden1963 — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 13:58:42 GMT

And that brings to exactly this point in time, cats .....

Either that, or there are a lot more postage pirates than we can ever imagine .....