is eBay really this expensive?

Stinicker

Hi Guys,

I have been on eBay for years but this week I made my first ever sale. I sold something and couldn't believe my eyes when I got hit with the Final Value fee. I never even knew it existed and it seriously sucked the profit out of my sale. With Paypal at 3.4% and the Final Value fee @ 10% and when you take into account the other fees for the listing, buy it now and photos the bill for selling on eBay can come close to nearly 15% of the sale value especially on the smaller value items.

How are the lads in China selling stuff for €2 or €3 and still making a profit? Even UK eBayer's often sell stuff at half the price of buying a similar thing in a shop here. Do powersellers get reduced fee's due to their movement of hundred's of items each week?

I sold on eBay.co.uk as there was no demand for the product in Ireland and while eBay has a massive market and I sold the item in 6 mins after listing it with "buy it now".

I think I will stick to adverts.ie for the tiny bit of selling I do in future or even donedeal.

Judgement Day

Welcome to eBay! Yes, it is that expensive which is why most of the ordinary sellers have been forced out. Listing fees, final valuation fees and then PayPal (owned by eBay) robs more on every payment received. Trouble with Adverts.ie is that it just don't have the global reach - there's just not enough buyers on Adverts.ie

allthedoyles

Stinicker wrote: »

I think I will stick to adverts.ie for the tiny bit of selling I do in future or even donedeal.

eBay will give you a nationwide audience and a worldwide audience if you so wish .

DD and Adverts are okay but you will find buyers will need to communicate and negotiate .

Whereas eBay is only a few clicks and item is bought .

Allow about 15% fees - If you have been listing on eBay for years and only made your first sale this week , you must be doing something wrong.

Stinicker

allthedoyles wrote: »

eBay will give you a nationwide audience and a worldwide audience if you so wish .

DD and Adverts are okay but you will find buyers will need to communicate and negotiate .

Whereas eBay is only a few clicks and item is bought .

Allow about 15% fees - If you have been listing on eBay for years and only made your first sale this week , you must be doing something wrong.

I've been a member for years and bought loads of stuff, this week was my first ever attempt at selling and it sold within an hour and everything went fine. The amount I was charged in fees was a surprise however.

christmas2012

since i started ebay,ya prices have gone up,its not the little piece of heaven it used to be,but,if youre a smart and thrifty ebayer(use recycled post,old shopping bags cut up,or paper,and sellotape for parcels as opposed to expensive jiffy bags)you could do well..

make sure you get at least 2 euro over on profit from postage,as its expensive at times,so cover your costs..

allthedoyles

Free listings this weekend for auction style listings too

5500

christmas2012 wrote: »

make sure you get at least 2 euro over on profit from postage,as its expensive at times,so cover your costs..

Thats a good way to get neutral/negative feedback and a low dsr right there.

Ive had people whinge at excessive postage when charging €1 for postage (stamp 55c, allowing 45c for envelope and expense for me to get to the post office)

Apart from it being against ebays rules, its not a good idea to try make your profit from postage.

rubadub

Stinicker wrote: »

How are the lads in China selling stuff for €2 or €3 and still making a profit?

Cheaper postage, and far cheaper cost of living depending on where they live.

Trixster

I am considering selling a few items on Ebay also and the fees are extortionate but at the moment what other choice do we have. I can't understand why someone has not made an effort to offer some decent competition to Ebay.

The day will come when Ebay will fail through greed!