A personal example of Ebay and Paypal Fees eating me up!
frankhardy
Posts: 8,135 ✭✭✭✭✭
So, I buy a 1967 Topps Rod Carew RC BVG 4.5 the other day. I won an auction and paid $88.00. After I got the card, I found another that I would rather have for less than $65, so I bought it too. I listed the BVG card this morning for $99.77 Buy It Now with free shipping thinking it would sell in a reasonable time and I would pocket a little. Well, I should have done more figuring. By the way, I am not an Ebay novice. I have a lot of experience, I just wasn't thinking too clearly.
It sold in less than 6 hours and I though, "Great".
Well, just now I entered everything in Quickbooks like I always do. Sold for $99.77. Ebay Fees $8.98. Paypal Fees $3.19. USPS shipping with insurance $3.63. That means I netted $83.97. Having bought it for $88.00, I lost $4.03. Even though I sold it for nearly $12 more than what I bought it for, I still lost money!
It sold in less than 6 hours and I though, "Great".
Well, just now I entered everything in Quickbooks like I always do. Sold for $99.77. Ebay Fees $8.98. Paypal Fees $3.19. USPS shipping with insurance $3.63. That means I netted $83.97. Having bought it for $88.00, I lost $4.03. Even though I sold it for nearly $12 more than what I bought it for, I still lost money!
Shane
0
Comments
<< <i>Well, if you bought it on eBay and received eBay Bucks, you should add 2% or $1.76 and if you used a credit card (fairly easy to get 2% cash back or points) another $1.76. >>
Good point.
Shane
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i>OTOH, how much do you think you would have sold it for if not for ebay? >>
Shane
Shane
<< <i>Well, just now I entered everything in Quickbooks like I always do. Sold for $99.77. Ebay Fees $8.98. Paypal Fees $3.19. USPS shipping with insurance $3.63. That means I netted $83.97. Having bought it for $88.00, I lost $4.03. Even though I sold it for nearly $12 more than what I bought it for, I still lost money!
>>
Don't forget about the postage label and ink. Another 13 cents down the drain!
<< <i>Well, just now I entered everything in Quickbooks like I always do. Sold for $99.77. Ebay Fees $8.98. Paypal Fees $3.19. USPS shipping with insurance $3.63. That means I netted $83.97. Having bought it for $88.00, I lost $4.03. Even though I sold it for nearly $12 more than what I bought it for, I still lost money!
Don't forget about the postage label and ink. Another 13 cents down the drain! >>
I forgot to add my time....my time is worth something.....
I am worth about......
It took me about 15 minutes to scan and list and another 15 mintues to ship and enter totals. That means I lost about $500,000. It's just not worth it.
Shane
Edit to add: and don't forget the gas to the PO!
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i>Sounds liike the buy and flip game may not be for you, LOL..
Edit to add: and don't forget the gas to the PO! >>
I agree. Actually, I wasn't trying to do that. I am building a 1967 Topps set. That is how this came about.
Shane
<< <i>Sounds liike the buy and flip game may not be for you, LOL..
Edit to add: and don't forget the gas to the PO! >>
WRONG! I will stick it in the mailbox at the end of my driveway!
Shane
<< <i>WRONG! I will stick it in the mailbox at the end of my driveway! >>
You slightly wore out the soles on your shoes by walking to your mailbox. Another 1.5 cents down the drain.
<< <i>I lost $4.03. >>
Hiya Shane
Glass "half full" scenario.
I'm assuming you didn't want to return the 88 buck card?
Just think like a "buyer" rather than seller.
You bought something for 88 bucks - all sales final - and lost only 4 bucks on the exchange.
Heck, it costs me 20 bucks to go around the corner these days. What do ya think?
<< <i>
<< <i>WRONG! I will stick it in the mailbox at the end of my driveway! >>
You slightly wore out the soles on your shoes by walking to your mailbox. Another 1.5 cents down the drain. >>
Ha! Good one.
= = =
In all seriousness, I hope people don't think I'm complaining too awful much. I just thought is was rather interesting that, when on the surface, it looked like I did ok on the flip (without thinking about it too much), and then it turns out that I lost.
Shane
Even if you speculate correctly on an item, it has to appreciate quite a bit to make it worth while or profitable to flip on ebay.
I have no idea what it cost ebay to run an auction or their bottom line, but it sure would be nice if they took less of a chunk!
I know they beat a lot of other ways to sell, but I'm just saying it would be a little more enjoyable game to play.
<< <i>Look at it this way. In the end you have the card you want for $23 less, so you saved about $19 from the original purchase. >>
Exactly. I thought the same thing. That is why I did it. It was in lower grade, however.
Shane
<< <i>I didn't realize that there were people who did those calculations AFTER a sale. I know my net profit on BIN's before I even list them. >>
Please reread the OP.
<< <i> I have a lot of experience, I just wasn't thinking too clearly. >>
Shane expressed the fact that he's no ebay novice but rather had a brain drain.
To me this was just a fun anecdote about buying cards.
<< <i>
<< <i>I didn't realize that there were people who did those calculations AFTER a sale. I know my net profit on BIN's before I even list them. >>
Please reread the OP.
<< <i> I have a lot of experience, I just wasn't thinking too clearly. >>
Shane expressed the fact that he's no ebay novice but rather had a brain drain.
To me this was just a fun anecdote about buying cards. >>
What am I missing? He made a sale and then calculated the fees, prompting the title of this thread.
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>I didn't realize that there were people who did those calculations AFTER a sale. I know my net profit on BIN's before I even list them. >>
Please reread the OP.
<< <i> I have a lot of experience, I just wasn't thinking too clearly. >>
Shane expressed the fact that he's no ebay novice but rather had a brain drain.
To me this was just a fun anecdote about buying cards. >>
What am I missing? He made a sale and then calculated the fees, prompting the title of this thread. >>
That it's really a non-issue for the OP. That if you're not careful you can lose money in midst of all the fees.
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>I didn't realize that there were people who did those calculations AFTER a sale. I know my net profit on BIN's before I even list them. >>
Please reread the OP.
<< <i> I have a lot of experience, I just wasn't thinking too clearly. >>
Shane expressed the fact that he's no ebay novice but rather had a brain drain.
To me this was just a fun anecdote about buying cards. >>
What am I missing? He made a sale and then calculated the fees, prompting the title of this thread. >>
You aren't missing anything. You just add approximately 13% to your item's price and you know where you stand. I am with you and would be aware of this prior to listing.
I think the basis of the thread though was just to show how EBAY fees can impact your net money but I think that goes without saying. Personally I think the fees are reasonable all things considered.
Also, the risk of an accident, being hit by a stray ball, meteorite, airplane blue ice on the way and back. Breathing in the pesticides from your lawn, future risk of cancer, healthcare costs in the future. The costs of selling back that one card is endless.
And just the stress of this whole process put on you enough to share.
But give the guy a break. Geez, he's just sharing his opinion/experience. Many board members here Are very quick to try and humiliate, embarrass, or maybe just try and "teach the op a lesson". The funny thing is I actually learned more than I knew about ebay fees from this thread, so in my book it was pretty informative.
Ok, you guys can now trash me!
Reading most if not all the posts, I don't think anyone here Tried to embarrass or humiliate him. We are all on his side is how I read it.
I abs agree with the OP and def share in his experience. In fact, for his very exact same reason is why I hesitate and have to rethink before I list something for sale.
99%+ here have had the same experience of being hit by eBay/paypal fees. He has more than a legit concern where you have to stop and wonder if its all worth it. Wheres the line, 13%..15%? Thanks for sharing.
<< <i>You guys are definitely comical!
But give the guy a break. Geez, he's just sharing his opinion/experience. Many board members here Are very quick to try and humiliate, embarrass, or maybe just try and "teach the op a lesson". The funny thing is I actually learned more than I knew about ebay fees from this thread, so in my book it was pretty informative.
Ok, you guys can now trash me! >>
Thanks for taking up for me. I realize how things can be around here. I've been here longer than most. Sometimes I just like to share something as a conversation starter just like I would in person around a bunch of guys sitting around the table. That is all I was doing. Some people just take it too seriously. It might have had something to do with the "mad" emoticon. I changed it to "embarrassed". Maybe that will change some peoples perception. If not....oh well.
Shane
<< <i>I sincerely hope it didn't come across as negative. Only meant to maybe bring a smile and take his mind off of his stress.
Reading most if not all the posts, I don't think anyone here Tried to embarrass or humiliate him. We are all on his side is how I read it.
I abs agree with the OP and def share in his experience. In fact, for his very exact same reason is why I hesitate and have to rethink before I list something for sale.
99%+ here have had the same experience of being hit by eBay/paypal fees. >>
Your fine. No problem. At first, I thought it was a little sarcastic, but you explained yourself very well in the second post. Thanks for doing that.
Shane
<< <i>I am going to give Mr. Hardy props for brilliantly using a Dr. Evil .gif, not once, but twice. >>
I wonder if George Bailey ever ended up having a net worth of
Shane
I hope I don't start worrying too much about prematurely-deteriorating hipbones or shoe soles the next time I do an eBay sale
<< <i>
<< <i>I am going to give Mr. Hardy props for brilliantly using a Dr. Evil .gif, not once, but twice. >>
I wonder if George Bailey ever ended up having a net worth of
The little care package I sent you not too long ago was worth about $5.00 including shipping so you are actually up almost a buck.
Don't let the negative types get you down. I enjoyed you sharing your experience.
Jeff, I will check out that fee calculator. Thanks.
Shane