How can we compete

[littlemiddy]

Hi

How do we compete with a seller who sells at a loss, I purchased a pair of earrings to see how they package/post them, cost $1.99 aud, when the earrings arrived, the postage was $2.20 aud add ebay fees onto that your looking at maybe $2.50 aud so they losing $0.50 per sale, there is no way I can compete, and they have over 10,000 listings on ebay with 195k items sold, i checked their feedback history and most people buying the $1.99 earrings and not the more expensive to even out the so called sales. Ebay stated that they have other accounts with more expensive items to even out the sales......again how is this fair to the rest of us??

They litterly have a monopoly so why should I sell on ebay and is this happening with other items??

How can we compete with this????

[twyngwyn · Accepted solution]

I think you have a legitimate question......HOW DO WE COMPETE? Sometimes we cant, and no, it's NOT a fair playing ground. The Chinese get assistance from their government re postage, and this is world-wide.....you will find that if you go onto other eBay forums (USA, UK, Canada etc) we all have the same complaints. I don't know what the answer is, but it is NOT a level playing field 💩

[littlemiddy]

Thank you, this was never about my stuff being the cheapest no - hobby, or small business can compete with that, fair playing field was all i was saying 

[imastawka]

---

@littlemiddy wrote:

Thats a really mature response, seriously walk away from the keyboard 

---

But, but, I have to be here.   Really I do.

I'm an 'Honored Contributor' 

It says so under my ID.

[kh-jean]

Hi everyone,

This discussion has gotten a bit heated. Please remember that, while it is fine to disagree with others, discussion should always remain friendly and respectful as required by the Community Guidelines .

Thank you for your cooperation.

[countessalmirena]

I’m not a seller.

I’m also not a buyer of cheap items from China. Lowest price is not my priority; quality and performance and reliability matter more to me than rock bottom price.

OP, if you’re selling the sort of item which a Chinese eBay sellers or dropshippers can (and do) sell at a price which you cannot possibly match, don’t sell that sort of item. eBay won’t force a minimum price on an item; that would not fly. Sellers are allowed to set whatever price they want, even if believe it’s unfair.

Welk, yes, it’s unfair. Life is inherently unfair; we don’t all have the same gifts, financial or social background, etc. Chinese sellers don’t have the same blocks in selling as to Australian sellers and they certainly receive subsidies or subsidised services not available to Australia. You cannot compete with the Chinese on unbranded stuff or cheap generic things or goods not meeting Australian standards… 

So… muttering about “Unfair, not an even playing field” is simply stating an obvious truth.

Find something to sell that you know for certain is good quality, perhaps…? Look for Australian made or for items produced in other countries, something not already available in a glutted market.

And… many posters on these boards use a posting ID, which in no way represents their selling activity (or even their major buying activity). 

[kermit2023]

---

@littlemiddy wrote:

Thank you, this was never about my stuff being the cheapest no - hobby, or small business can compete with that, fair playing field was all i was saying 

---

I’m sorry… but I’m also going to disagree with you. 
We all know life isn’t fair. 
But for you to come on here and  make a statement that eBay should stop these sellers from conducting their business on eBay because it’s *unfair* … is ludicrous! 

Business is Business and if you can’t compete with the opposition, then that’s not eBay’s fault, it’s yours! 
You will have to think outside the box and get a smarter business sense if you want to stay in the eBay algorithm of searches. 

Ebay just want to make a profit whilst staying just this side of the law! 😉 … but by all means, contact them and tell them you want them to introduce a fair playing field (or selling platform) which ever floats your boat today. 

And just for the sake of it, and not because  you asked, but because you seemed unaware of others id’s, I also have a selling account, and have for many many MANY years….. this is just an account I recently added in order to join in here on the boards while protecting my own business. 

[littlemiddy]

seriously?? your saying I am not smart cause I dont want to sell at a loss, so therefore I must be just bad at business, sounds to me like a bunch of new/fake/various ids justifying what I have pointed out,

[countessalmirena]

CORRECTION (Bad autocorrect! Naughty phone keyboard! )

I’m not a seller.

I’m also not a buyer of cheap items from China. Lowest price is not my priority; quality and performance and reliability matter more to me than rock bottom price.

OP, if you’re selling the sort of item which Chinese eBay sellers or dropshippers can (and do) sell at a price which you cannot possibly match, don’t sell that sort of item. eBay won’t force a minimum price on an item; that would not fly. Sellers are allowed to set whatever price they want, even if you believe it’s unfair.

Well, yes, it’s unfair. Life is inherently unfair; we don’t all have the same gifts, financial or social background, etc. Chinese sellers don’t have the same blocks in selling as to Australian sellers and they certainly receive subsidies or subsidised services not available to Australia. You cannot compete with the Chinese on unbranded stuff or cheap generic things or goods not meeting Australian standards… 

So… muttering about “Unfair, not an even playing field” is simply stating an obvious truth.

Find something to sell that you know for certain is good quality, perhaps…? Look for Australian made or for items produced in other countries, something not already available in a glutted market.

And… many posters on these boards use a posting ID, which in no way represents their selling activity (or even their major buying activity). 

[littlemiddy]

I make my items in australia with australian purchased items, nothing cheap about them

[imastawka]

For heaven's sake, what you're selling and the item number you mentioned are worlds apart.   Nothing alike.

Why are you banging on about an 'even playing field' when you're not selling the same item?  Or even similar?

If you have no faith in your items compared to Chinese junk, then no-one can help you.

Especially ebay - who don't give a rat's anyway.