May 2013 Fee Structure Changes

[CmtyGuide@ebay.com]

eBay will be introducing a new fee structure on May 1, 2013.

For some sellers fees will be going up, while others will see notable reductions.  We encourage you to take the time to visit the newly launched Seller Centre to see how the changes will affect you (http://sellercentre.ebay.com.au/fs5).

You will notice that to offset the fee change, we have worked to remove the major barriers to listing and have continued to reduce upfront fees to make selling on eBay easier and fairer. Most sellers should only be paying fees on an item after it sells – not before.

Your fees contribute to eBay’s ability to significantly invest in the overall experience for both sellers and buyers.  Enhancements on the buyer side of the equation are aimed squarely at driving traffic to your listings and ensuring the 7.3 million Australians who visit the site every month continue to do so. For example, investments in marketing, social media promotions and mobile commerce applications helped sellers to capture a greater share of online sales in 2012 and saw a 21% year on year increase of visits to eBay.

After reviewing the changes it should be clear that the new fee structure also encourages sellers to adopt the behaviours that we know buyers increasingly prefer (eg: fixed price over auction in some categories) – therefore increasing your chances of a successful sale.

In 2013 we will be working even harder to respond to the rapid pace of change in our industry and to ensure you are taken along on the journey. You will see a number of innovations announced in the coming months and throughout the year which support all of our sellers, no matter what their size or business aspirations.”

[yeoldecoinco]

Thanks eBay. As a relatively large seller, a Platinum Power Seller in fact, for whatever that means, you have been good to me over the years.

Been trading on the Internet for 15 years now, started in 1998 on Sold.com (later bought out by eBay as every competitor is, or will be)

Get rich tip. Set up an Internet trading/auction business, build it up, get some loyal customers, then sell them out to eBay)

Back then, a decade and a half ago now, the eBay fees were about half what they are from May 2013 and there was no Paypal to worry about.

Over the past 5 years, however, eBay, like Australia Post, has screwed me more and more in a gradually less profitable and much, much more competitive market.

Why do I, the loyal, paying customer, have to pay more and more to prop up these people?

As a relatively large seller, your latest effort, just too much.

You gave me nothing extra of any value and took another 20% in fees.

A while ago you took away my ability to leave non payers the feedback they deserve.

Your mates Paypal relentelessly side with buyers and claw back money from my accounts without proper justification.

You buy out any competition (Gumtree the latest) and are a creeping monopolist like Coles and Woolworths.

Is their a competition watchdog in this country???

My first step, get rid of the "Anchored Store" you are slugging me $500 a month for, gradually reduce my listings, improve and spend more money on advertising my $50 a month website and use you exclusively for what you are.

A 24 hour garage sale junk shop, which in coins at least, lists mostly either common, fake or overpriced material (this partly caused by the eBay/Paypal fees).

Also, when does "eBay Australia" start paying GST - LIKE THE REST OF AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSES, by the way?

I am just furious, but you have also made me very, very focussed.

So, thanks for that.

Kind regards.

Richard.

[movie_models]

I notice a few people are saying "do the sums" Well I just have. My business relies on low price collectables. I have worked out that if I sell at item now at 100% profit (and who does this) After Ebay fees, Paypal fees and GST I will make up to 20% profit myself. This is based on the facts as they are and is irrelevant to what the "changes" are. It is not profitable. So Im in trouble. Time to set up a website and go to quicksales be these options slow or otherwise. Ebay is now certain death to my business.

[acrowsa]

Well I for one will be going from a Featured Store back to the real basics of a Standard/No Store seller.

For me, selling generally around 25-35 listings (with multiple items ranging from $13 to $70) with reasonabe turnover, it was a bit of killer when ebay cut out the basic store but left me little choice than to go to the Featured store at $49.95 p/m,

As my listing numbers wont get anywhere near 80 (but generally under 40), I don't need the Basic store either.

The Standard and Basic still require a $1.50 insertion fee.

Standard can include auctions in the 40 free listings.

Basic store ranges from 3.9% to .4% less in FVF - so this would cost me a little more.

Standard and Basic Store have same subtitle fee ($2).

Standard allows Free BIN to auction (Basic store is .50c)

Standard charges $9.95 (Basic store is included free) for Selling Manager Pro - but I dont need it, so wont subscribe.

I have a Powerseller and Top Rated seller status - I don't think these will be lost going to the Standard level, but if I do, I don't care as they don't mean a great advantage.

So overall I will be way in front by saving $49.95 p/m although FVF will cost a few dollars more.

But I agree that ebay are killing off the mum/dad sellers with never ending fee increases and supporting buyers more than do the sellers.

Good Luck everyone with what ever decision you make.

[philip2727]

As a buyer I have just signed up for MasterCard’s new “MasterPass” professional online digital wallet at

https://paypass.com/online/Wallet/Registration;jsessionid=C61B6F9F4A8C7596B05FCF4A3B474571?cid=82823...

If you are a seller with a credit card merchant account then all the info you need is at

https://paypass.com/online/Merchant/Home

[scruff1936]

Hey,

Cheaper insertion fees = lower prices.

Lower prices = more buyers

more buyers = more profit for ebay

But that simple logic is far too hard for the modern corporate brains. Today's logic is if there are less customers, one needs to raise their prices. They are not geting the fact that while a small percentage of people are getting large wages, most of us struggle to pay the bills which just keep on bigger and bigger. No wonder the world is in a financial mess.

[scottydog65]

As i suggested in an earlier post,if ebay want more $$ how about the REDUCE sellers fees,give us a few more free listings AND charge the buyers 1% or a set fee per item and a nominal amount to place a bid.Most auction houses charge the buyer and seller a fee but ebay at odds with the norm,we dont even have a voice when it comes to feedback.Had a buyer recently took 3 days to reply then said they were off on their holidays for 3 1/2 weeks-didnt realise I had given a lay by option

[mankind79]

I have just recently changed from a Basic to a Featured. They both cost the same a month $49.95. I don't know if I get any Free Listings or cheaper Cat Fees? By the looks of it I don't. I also have sales else where and it's free for now but I only have a 4 Feedback there as I concentrated alot more on Ebay. I only Sell 2-6 items a week in the Antique/Collectable Side and with these new fees, that certainly counts me out:(

[davewil1964]

Mankind, you should read the fees announcement and the links scattered all over the boards, including in the OP.

You would then know that a Basic store (which hasn't actually been available for about 6 months) will revert to $19.95 from 1 May and that there will be free listings attached to both types of stores.

[thecatspjs]

They are hurting themselves, more and more people are fed up with ebay all the time. I will do my bit to spread the word not to buy of ebay I alread do and will always tell how its a shonky shiet hole.

Oh dear, why on earth would you do that, it won't hurt a multi-billion dollar turnover global company in the least. 

Whilst I get very annoyed with ebay for the inconsistency of direction it has shown in its changes in the past 12 months in particular, it is still the only viable on-line home for so many small on-line home based businesses across Australia, including myself. Your comments seem very disrespectful  to my business, and to the thousands of other small traders that operate via ebay.

[davewil1964]

What cats said.

Plus they are reintroducing the Basic store at $19.95 per month and 80 free listings.

As I already have a store with NO free listings and $50 per month store fee, the new fees will actually SAVE me money when I revert to a Basic store. And my non-store IDs get an extra 10 free listings per month, and freebies are all that go through them. Okay, the FVF on those goes up to 9.9%, but that is what I have been paying for store listings for the last two and a half years.