Are 99c Listings Really Worth The Risk?

[dieseldude1968]

I would classify myself predominantly as a buyer on eBay.

Recently, I listed an item at 99 cents and charged 'actual postage' as calculated by eBay during the listing process. This was $15.00 at the time.

Item sold for 99 cents. FVF was charged on the sale price of 99 cents AND the $15 postage cost. Whilst I didn't really mind actually paying $15.50 for the postage at the PO, I was gob smacked to find that the FVF charged on the postage was $1.49, so overall, I have lost money on the deal.

Since when have eBay charged a FVF on postage?

[*tippy*toes*]

Ebay have charged FVF for about 3 years now. 99c auctions are crazy and I'd never recommend it for anything other than phones or coins. Pretty much anything else you are going to lose out, as you have seen. If you want to run auctions, always start at the lowest you are willing to accept and that is taking into account fees on the item + postage. You have to assume you are only going to get 1 bid. If you get more, all the better. The days of bidding wars are over, unless you are Chinese, sell phone, or coins.

Learn from your mistake and don't make it again. From Jul 1, you also have to take into consideration 10% GST on the fees you pay. So if your fees were $1 on June 30, they'll be $1.10 from Jul 1.

[justkidzbiz]

I never do 99c listings. When I first started selling on eBay many moons ago I did EBay's recommendation and listed about 30 items at .99c. Most of the items sold......at 99c - a big loss. 😱

Always start your auctions at a price you're happy to sell at, then anything beyond that price is a bonus 🙂

[springyzone]

The short answer is no.

No way.

Even back a decade or so ago, when we didn't pay a fee on postage, we rarely started auctions at 99c but we did start quite low.

In fact, looking back on my selling days, if I could do one thing differently, it would be to start a lot of the auctions a lot higher.

The bottom line is ebay doesn't care if you lose money, as long as they make their share from the sale.

Next time, whack the price up a LOT more.  Be ambitious.  If it doesn't sell after a couple of weeks, you can always lower the price & mention that in the ad.

[*tippy*toes*]

The car parts you have listed for 99c, I'd be inclined to list them as buy it now a bit more than you'd like, with best offer enabled. I can tell you now, if they sell now, they will only get one bid and you'll lose out big time again. Don't let eBay reap your profits. You can edit the listings and change the start price if there's more than 24 hours to go.

[*tippy*toes*]

To late to edit. With your phone, they are very high risk. Make sure you photograph serial numbers, model numbers, IMEI number (VERY important). It's common for buyers to initiate a return for not as described due to not working. They then send a broken phone so they can get a new one for free. If you have proof its a different phone sent back you're more likely to win a dispute. If you don't, you can report the buyer for fraud, via the online fraud police. Don't send it overseas.

[lyndal1838]

I would be inclined to increase the auction start price of the dining setting.  You are unlikely to get anyone using the BIN option while there is such a wide gap in the prices.  If anyone wants it they will just place a minimum bid and sit and wait for the auction to end.

[enigmabear]

Nope, 99 cent auctions are never a good idea

IMHO

[dieseldude1968]

Some very helpful advice there. Thank you all.

🙂

The phone I have listed sold originally for $430, but that bidder was a dud, so offered to next highest bidder who never responded. Hopefully this tme I can get a result. Also... monthly invoice from ebay doesn't reflect the fact that I have received a credit for the fees for the bad sale, so I have to cough up $40+ now and have a credit for the July invoice?

[glenbankloel]

Never done the .99c thing.

If we do have an auction we always start the listing at the lowest price we would accept.

If we get more we are drinking champers, but if we get what we started the listing at we drink tea!

But at least don't lose any $'s or sleep.

Fastest way to go broke in our opinion.