Ebay sellers prices through the roof

[retrowise]

Since the managed payents I've noticed steady increases in prices. But it's no wonder since cheap items attract much higher fees, what a terrible system. Cable tie you would buy for $1 year ego now cost $5, it's hilarious and sad at the same time. Sellers want to survive so have to rise prices but off course no one is buying at these prices. Used items gone completely crazy. My self I've just risen prices by 30%, I don't expect to sell anything but at least I won't be feeding Ebay instead of me. I just don't see any future in Ebay anymore. Personally when I need something, I and most of my friends now go to Amazon with sure bet that the same items will cost me 20-30% less. I used to love Ebay but that's gone now. How do you guys see this sad situation?

[digital*ghost]

I don't understand... Fees with MP can be marginally higher in some cases than they were when fees were paid to eBay & PayPal, but it tends to work out to a few cents more on lower priced items, which can easily be dealt with by a 5 or 10 cent increase in price. 

That being said, my own price + postage prices have gone up because I switched to tracked only some months back, I dare say a lot of sellers have done that this year, which is more likely to be the culprit behind bigger increases on lower-value items than managed payments (changes in postage services available / used, I mean).

But, even more than that, eBay is actually cheaper for selling low-priced items than most third party sites, even the one where the FVF is only 5% - that fee rate sounds great, until you see all the other fees they syphon off a seller; it's definitely cheaper for me to sell lower value items here than it is on that site. 

[jellybirddesigns]

I don't ever think I've seen a discussion about what people are paying and what they're making in profit, and I'm on the forums of several major platforms. Nobody is going to divulge their selling tactics.

For sure, postage has gone up, so it's MORE LIKELY that sellers are changing tack and keeping the postage low, but increasing the item price to  make up the difference and this is what you're seeing when you search.

Fees are virtually identical to what it was before MP, so that argument doesn't fly.

[gutterpunkz05]

20 - 30 % increase, rubbish, unless an item sells for about 30 cents, in which case ebay is not profitable anyway.   Anyone increasing prices, is more than likely doing it to cover additional postage costs, rather than continuing to send items untracked and underpaid.

[jellybirddesigns]

Good point @gutterpunkz - with Ebay wanting the majority of items to be sent with tracking, sellers are having to fiddle around with their price points to make it work on top of actual postage cost increases.

[chameleon54]

Prices are rising everywhere. Both on ebay and in B & M Stores. It hasnt got anything to do with managed payments, its all because of COVID's impact on global economies.

Governments around the world have printed money on a scale never seen before. Basic school economics will tell you that at some point this will translate into rampant inflation.

Add in shortages due to factory workers being affected by COVID, global shipping delays because shipping crew are affected by COVID, Port disruptions because port staff are affected by COVID, very few international airline flights and trucking transport disruptions due to COVID and you have a powder keg of inflation just waiting for a spark. 

You dont have to look at ebay to see the problem. Have you checked out rises in real estate prices lately ? the cost of a new car ? Fuel ? or tried to get a spark plug for your lawn mower ? Repco have 16,000 Honda mower plugs on back order and no supplies in Australia. Even dirty old coal is at record prices and dont mention steel or timber prices.

Managed payments caused all of this ...................Pffft !

[gutterpunkz05]

Well put Cham,  Hard to believe there are actually things outside of ebays control.

Anyway due to covid and managed payments, my online sales have boomed.  As a result my  AP discount has increased, more than covering any "increase" in ebay fees.

[springyzone]

I used to sell on ebay, don't any more, but if I did, I'd have to change my approach and what I sold.

Low cost items are a bit dearer now on ebay, but given that sellers have fees to pay plus postage is dearer, that is understandable.  

I think the prices are still competitive though. I don't know about cable tie, it isn't something I have ever looked for, but for craft supplies eg ribbon, ebay is a great place to shop as it has such a wide range of colours, widths available, better than a lot of stores.

Amazon: I have made one purchase from there, it wasn't dirt cheap and postage wasn't any cheaper of better than a lot of other online purchases. Worst of all, Amazon just doesn't have a lot of stuff. 9 times out of 10 when I have searched, it doesn't have what I want located in Australia. You go look at ribbon on Amazon. Dearer prices and often I get the message it can't be shipped to my location. My location is not all that remote. I am in suburban Melbourne, for heaven's sakes!

If you want to sell random cheaper type items eg $5- $10, you'd often be just as well popping them on marketplace where locals can pick up and save on postage.  If you want to buy the cheaper items, it's also an option to search it.

Ebay is good for finding what you actually want (it has a large range) and the prices are competitive most of the time. But usually on better stuff or good quality second hand. 

The days of picking up things for $2 are gone except maybe at garage sales. Time marches on.

[imastawka]

Cable ties $2 for 100 with Free postage

cable ties | eBay

Just sayin'

[paper-jack]

"Cable tie you would buy for $1 year ego now cost $5"

just maybe the manufacturer has started paying employees a reasonable income.

When I want to buy something I search online. Sometimes the only place with what I want is on Ebay.  Occasionally I've gone to a seller's personal website (why else would they include this information on their business card?) only to discover it is cheaper to reorder via Ebay.