eBay charged $0.06 for 2nd store category for months when I didn't exceed monthly limit !!!

[8088edge]

This is my first post ever after selling more than 15+ years on eBay. I've just had the longest day on the phone with eBay "Support".

I've just noticed that eBay has been charging me for months for 2nd store category. My selling limit is 250k listings, but only have under 20k listed on eBay.

Under "Important Disclosure" at the eBay fee Table (last updated on 8th Jan 2019), it stated clearly that "if listed in 2 categories, insertion & feature fees are doubled". Sure thing, but how can you double the $0 fee amount to $0.06 when I am still clearly under my monthly limit???!!!

If listing in 2 categorie is a selling feature, why that "fee" is not shown on the complete fee table? "fee may apply" but how much???

You don't state that fee, then you can't charge that fee ! Especially when I'm still under the limit !!!!

"support" supervisor said he will credit all those insertion fees, but want me to remove the 2nd store category in avoid fee in future listing. I said "NO - EBAY CHANGE THE DISCLOSURE STATEMENT WITH THAT FEE CLEARLY STATED, THEN I WILL DECIDE IF I WILL PAY IT OR REMOVE FROM MY LISTINGS".

Sure just 6 cents, but with 18k listings...Imagine all those sellers who didn't check their eBay statements regularly, and all those fees!

Anyone here agree with what I'm doing here?

[zilbacat]

Hi Davwil

So you read the ebay store price list pre 2 months ago  and what is included and what is not and an expert on the topic. Well if your right then I got away with it for 10 years .  You just have to love forums (all of them) and why its not a place for informed advice just random people who love to talk with nothing of fact to add but much miss information to spread and lets not forget the Nosy Parkers and Trolls. Tell me which of the above descibed you

PS I have not looked at the current store charges just know what was fact and what has changed without an announcement as aknowledged by ebay till it became live fact

[davewil1964]

I am one who deals in fact.

eBay not notifying you that a policy they've had in place since at least 2009 is now going to be enforced is not something I would expect an announcement of.

Regardless, none of us here, being only members, who you seem to have little regard for, can do anything, so maybe you should confine your enquiries to eBay. I'm sure the average CS in Manila, reading from a cheatsheet of keywords, with no authority, will give you some motherhood statement to get you to go away.

Usually - 'nobody else has complained' or' I have referred it to the Tech team'. Or both.

Good luck

[countessalmirena]

@zilbacat,

davewil is correct. I have been posting on these boards for less time than other eBay members - but still for longer than a year. For considerably longer than that, I have been aware that adding a second category to a listing incurs an additional fee. (I helped a family member on about 7-8 occasions when they wanted to sell some around-the-home items; I searched eBay's Help pages so that I could give some facts-based help rather than say "I think" or "I suppose". The family member wanted to list some various-coloured vintage ceiling light shades in more than one category - and I said "Don't - it's an extra listing cost". That was at least more than 3 years ago, and probably closer to 5 years ago.)

It has been the case for years that listing an item with more than one category incurs an additional fee. As I haven't seen your invoices (and they are not my business), I can't say whether or not you have been getting away with a second category for free for years - but if you have indeed not ever been charged for listing with a second category, then there is only one logical conclusion: eBay somehow didn't realise, and erred. That would mean that for years you have had the benefit of a second category for your listings without paying what everyone else listing with a second category paid.

Alternatively, you misread your invoices and didn't realise/notice that you were being charged that additional fee.

Is there any need to accuse davewil of being a troll, simply because his reply was somewhat acerbic? (I don't mind acerbic. For the record, I like davewil although i've never met him in person.) He gave you a fact-based response, and nothing in his reply comes even close to the definition of an internet troll. You offer as an alternative that he might be a nosey parker. In what way? Has he asked you to show him your invoices? Has he enquired what brand of deodorant you use? Has he snooped in your personal financials or grabbed your phone to see which numbers you call? No. In fact, his post was devoid of any questions at all. Demonstrably, then, not a nosey parker.

Then you attempt to insult these boards and forum members by saying "not a place for informed advice just random people who love to talk with nothing of fact to add but much miss information [sic] to spread..." I think you have posted this because you're feeling frustrated... but I'll just take each point to address it:

• This is a place for advice from any eBay member. Nothing prevents any eBay member from posting here. That means some of the advice will be informed, and some of it will be ill-informed. In terms of the advice you were given, it was informed.
• The people who post on these boards are random only insofar as they can be any eBay member. True, someone who creates an eBay account but never buys or sells anything on eBay is just as able to post here as a long-established and active eBay member. True, there is no selection process. True, a random person in Iceland can post here (given the previous). That means that yes, random people who love to talk can post here. You'll have to evaluate each poster's content post by post.
• Some people post on these boards with "nothing of fact to add". There are blank posts in some threads. That is true. There are also some posts which are more about a personal reaction than about facts. True. However, balancing that against the fact-based posts shows that overwhelmingly the majority of responses do include facts.
• Nothing in the response you were given was misinformation. It may be something you don't want to believe (because you would like to think that the second category charges were not your fault, that they were eBay's fault for not telling you about a recent change  (which didn't happen) in second categories), but it is factual and correct information. You may resent davewil's assessment of the time it would take for you to manually edit each listing to remove the second category, but that is actually helpful information. Not palatable... but helpful.

I'm sorry that you aren't able to bulk edit to remove those second categories; it is a pain. How did you contact eBay? Was it by email, phone, chat? (The best way is via Have us call you.) However, whichever eBay CS rep tells you that a technical glitch is causing that inability and that they will contact the technical department and prioritise this and get back to you, unfortunately it just won't happen. Basically, eBay CS reps will tell you whatever is needed in order to get you off the phone.

HOWEVER... it's still up to the individual eBay member to ensure that their listings are correctly edited. I'm sorry about the time this will take you.

Re court case against eBay, I can only repeat again that listing with a second category has for years been an added option that incurred an additional fee, even if you were listing for free. No matter how much energy you put into making life hell for eBay, it won't touch eBay's board of directors, managers, decision-makers, or tech dept. The only ones to bear the brunt of your efforts would be the low-level poorly-paid CS reps who aren't responsible for even a snippet of a decision made by eBay the corporation.

(But you may get vicarious satisfaction out of complaining. You should of course feel free to take whatever action you would like to take. If you wish to contact eBay politely to request with the utmost courtesy that they waive the fees this time, as you misunderstood / were taken by surprise, you may have some luck. I certainly wish you luck in that. For that purpose, use the Have us call you option.)

[brerrabbit585]

I have a copy of the pdf file for fees that I saved on 16th April this year.  At the top of the fees table it says "last updated 15th April 2019".  It clearly states that any listing in two categories will be charged an insertion fee for the second category.

Dealing in facts, what the fees table said before is now irrelevant.  if you weren't charged before but are being charged now, they've either changed the fee structure or they're enforcing what they didn't enforce before.  If they changed it and you weren't notified there's a good chance they would have refunded you if you'd contacted them as soon as you knew about it (preferably within the first month).  

The fact is that you know about it now and you need to be pro-active.  What happened in the past is irrelevant and you can't go on expecting to list under the previous terms. 

If bulk editing doesn't work, have you tried only bulk editing listings from the same category at the same time, not editing listings from a mixture of categories together?  In seller hub you can get it to show just one category at a time on your active page.  

The best you'll win in any case against ebay is the amount of the fees for the first month after they changed the fees, but you'd need proof of what they were before (a screenshot of their previous fees page if it was different).  It'd cost you way more in legal costs than you'd ever win.  Refusing to pay your fees is what's called cutting off your nose to spite your face.

[zilbacat]

So I take it you both have Anchor Stores and know what was included as free . Or maybe both of you instead know something about , a Basic Store or Free number of listings per month  side of ebay. My Store costs of $550 a month GETS me freebies you may be paying for or discounted to for exampe 5 cents for an Austion while your paying $1 as an insertion fee

I trust you both know that the US ebay variation of the NEW ebay Australian charges is USD$ 2999 a month which a little over a year ago was a fraction of that and why a large number high listing count sellers left ebay

I trust you both know that Australia has always paid higher fees than the USA and under ebays  new Australian billing format it is still the case even with the dollar

Tell me I miss read an invoice for years and cant tell the difference between a bill that is now 3 times what it was 2 months ago is wishfull thinking on your part

I quote you 

"This is a place for advice from any eBay member. Nothing prevents any eBay member from posting here. That means some of the advice will be informed, and some of it will be ill-informed. In terms of the advice you were given, it was informed."

"

Take my advice readers . While ebay support staff is not always " informed" its 100 times more reliable , less frustrating , and they follow ebay etiquate so no Trolls and Nosey Parkers to deal with.

The forum is ebays cheap way out of paying staff to deal with issues at many times your sanity when a call to ebay is far superior and is job creating , even be it in another counrty call centre  ,exports, imports and so on. Its all win win going to ebay Support

Another Quote from you

How did you contact eBay? Was it by email, phone, chat? (The best way is via Have us call you.)  REALLY DO I NEED TO DIGNIFY THIS WITH A  RESPONSE AFTER MY RECONMENDATION FOR THE REST OF YOUTO DITCH THIS FORUM IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE

For this quote 

"No matter how much energy you put into making life hell for eBay, it won't touch eBay's board of directors, managers, decision-makers, or tech dept. The only ones to bear the brunt of your efforts would be the low-level poorly-paid CS reps who aren't responsible for even a snippet of a decision made by eBay the corporation".

Hear at least you have something correct, for the poorly paid . If anyone wants to call ebay and ask for Jaime ( As spelt and a male) in billing and ask his opinon of my sorrow for his pain ,your a fool to doubt me.

For th big wigs  lets see who just replaced the last CEO of National Australia Bank last week after the Minions had his scalp

I am not saying I will get thier heads on a plate but with abundent time and making the whole process a game to be enjoyed ,emails that can be sent in the billions .a Social Media ( not a current user) to float my boat on and a sexy story with what seems like click bait titles too tempting to not click it only takes one person to take my story to internet frenzy.  

Last point to make is ebay (called in person on the phone ) has admitted a wrong and is doing the revisions ONE BY ONE  (600 man hours by one estimate). 

Its now down the their other failures and one is to have all 600 hours done by the 20th (today) and some now damgaes I need to have added to this fiasco

All round you dont know what your taking about  .I posted this as a information item ( and possible court evidence trail) not a commment and send me your junk mail 

TO the 3 Rs TROLLS . Wrote it in a hurry , no proof read and a sticking keys on the keyboard so clear off. Cant dfollow it, bad luck . Speak to Ceasar about your promotion.  Its the most effort I am putting into this

[zilbacat]

Just anothe person spouting junk

Tell me I need to now be proactive  

 My lord have I not said I have been calling ebay and they dont keep promises of which one is they are doing them one by one so the tip about the listing tool is junk if ebay staff are doing them one by one

I could say more but its a waste of time dealing with Ceasar Generals

Truely all you nebies to asking advice on this forum , just call ebay they are paid to be the experts theses people are less than weekend warriors and more over the back fence brigade chit chaters

[countessalmirena]

A combative approach is not for me. I'll just add the relevant policy information, and leave you to read it or ignore it as you wish.

Best of luck with your selling.

Quoting from eBay's Help page on this subject: Adding a second category to your listing 

❝How to list in two categories

To add a second category, select Add a second category in the Product details section of the listing form.

If you choose to list your item in two categories, you'll pay an insertion fee for the second category, regardless of whether you're using a free listing. Any feature fees will be charged twice (once for each category).❞

Bolding and rubrication mine.

[zilbacat]

Before another person gives advice I did not ask for I just posted a story for anyone else with an Anchor Store so your not alone and fight it ,they will outright tell lies and try to bluff you but with a rebutal to there words ebay will fold as they already have its just much harder than it needs to be and may still be .

If your in my boat give me a bell I will give you the lay of the land and a shorter a road to the end (maybe)  that I have found to this point in time . If your soul is not as willing as mine its going to be worth the call. Its a limited over game I have hear but I dont know how many overs there are in the game ,but so far I have Ali on the ropes The Refs in the way (no call backs and I am doing the chasing)  and cant get the last blow in .

[davewil1964]

A store is a store when fees for additional categories are concerned. Even a non-store.

It is clearly listed in the fees that an Anchor Store gets benefits and what those are. It is also clearly listed in the addendum to those benefits that additional categories attract fees. As there is no exemption listed for Anchor stores, ipso facto (Caesarian reference just for you) there is no exemption.

I agree you should probably give it away. At best your sell through is .5% per month. Hardly worth the effort, imo.

[zilbacat]

Current rules  .

How about finding the rules two months ago for the Anchor Store people . How about you find the ebay announcement for this change in fees. What do you say to eaby confessing there is no way to bulk edit listings and and it being an ITEM NOT AS DESCRIBED on their part (my opinion) . What say you to ebay doing them manualy ONE BY ONE  as in I am doing squat to fix them they are doing the estimated 600 man hours involved 

Yes they are doing the right thing while they are stuffing around on others and we are now into me seeking damages from them for putting my store on hold  (the stuffing around part) and this is the last part of the David and Goliath, I have him face down bleading in the gutter ,I just need to finish him off or have him beg for his life but if they dont call back when promised or make a final decision I cant go one way or the other ,live or die I am stuck till I get the answer   . (the damages part)