Ebay raising rates & even more on Top Rated Sellers
hiijacker
Posts: 1,163 ✭✭✭
http://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/seller-updates/2017spring/index.html
We're reaching out to you, a valued partner, about the 2017 Spring Seller Update and what it means to you.
This year, we're increasing our investment in the marketplace to drive more traffic to your listings and make eBay the place the world shops first. The spring update introduces great new ways to boost visibility for your inventory and help make your listings more competitive.
Performance Standards
Top Rated Plus discount. Starting May 1, the final value fee discount for Top Rated Plus listings will be 10%. Note your qualified listings will still be highlighted for buyers with the Top Rated Plus badge and your solid performance as a Top Rated Seller will continue to be a factor in eBay search.
Higher fees for below standard. For accounts not meeting eBay's minimum performance standards, final value fees will be increased by 4 percentage points starting May 1. For example, a normal fee of 5.15% will be 9.15%.
Stores Updates
Change to final value fees. Starting May 1, final value fees for eBay Stores in most categories will be increased by 0.15 percentage points. For example, if the current rate is 5%, as of May 1 it will be 5.15%.
Note that the final value fee rate for electronics and equipment categories currently at 4% will not be increased.
$150 in eBay-branded shipping supplies. Starting April 1, the quarterly coupon for eBay branded shipping supplies included with an Anchor Store subscription will double from $75 to $150.
Listings Visibility
Removing the most prominent third-party ads. We're dedicating these and other prime placements on item and search results pages to promoted listings from eBay sellers to keep buyers on eBay—and give you more opportunity to increase your visibility and sales.
Your special offers on mobile. The best special offers created with Promotions Manager will show up in eBay mobile search results—another great way to expand your visibility and help you capture more sales from the fast-growing ranks of mobile shoppers.
Cashback from Mr. Rebates
Comments
You gotta love eBay.
It still peeves me to no end that they charge Final Value Fees on shipping.
I think I signed on to a class action lawsuit on this a while back.
Does anyone know anything about it?
eBay will strangle itself to death.
I am so sick and tired of feeding the eBay coffers !!!
PayPal rates are also going up...What impact do you think this will have on sellers?
My guess is little to none. Most people say they'll stop doing something, but they can't or won't.
Ike Specialist
Finest Toned Ike I've Ever Seen, been looking since 1986
Is my impression wrong. .Have Ebay coin listings been declining last couple of years ,auctions fewer , with many relisted coins ...recirculating over and over.
EBay has effectively driven away many of the small time seller listings as they continue to transition to an Amazon-type platform.
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 think everyone says they will leave, but there is no marketplace with the reach and brand that eBay has. Until that platform comes along, it will be difficult for many to leave as they want/say they will.
Being one of those small time sellers this is making think I might have to do a spring clearnce and take the summer off.
When you own the ball, everyone plays by your rules.
Compared to the auction houses- I will still use EBay to sell < $1000 items. More eyes, and less fees overall. Like others have said, until there is another viable option EBay will still be my choice.
eBay ID-bruceshort978
Successful BST:here and ATS, bumanchu, wdrob, hashtag, KeeNoooo, mikej61, Yonico, Meltdown, BAJJERFAN, Excaliber, lordmarcovan, cucamongacoin, robkool, bradyc, tonedcointrader, mumu, Windycity, astrotrain, tizofthe, overdate, rwyarmch, mkman123, Timbuk3,GBurger717, airplanenut, coinkid855 ,illini420, michaeldixon, Weiss, Morpheus, Deepcoin, Collectorcoins, AUandAG, D.Schwager.
So many complainers, I say ebay and PayPal work great.
I built a business on ebay with paypals help.
Stop complaining and move forward.
Yeah...but eBay's close to squeezing the blood out of the turnip in my opinion.
I was a big seller on ebay back in the late 90's early 2000's. I sat down one day and did some number crunching. Ebay was making more on the sale of my coins than I was. Yeap...quit listing for a decade!
A significant chunk of my business is ebay, and I get the top discount, so it is somewhat transparent.
Little guy takes it hard, unless the reason they are not top rated is poor feedback, negatives, etc.
It is pretty easy to be a top tier, just run a bunch of $1 listings, and you will be over 100 quick.
I do get 1% now on most all purchases, before it was less than 10%.
I have tried a lot of other platforms and shows, but, for whatever reason, ebay continues to beat all of it. It never rains, snows, road construction, and while I sleep, ebay runs the store for me.
Driving more business to sellers? I know people who have been selling there since the start and don't see this magic increase, but rather a decline since the golden days. Greed. http://imgur.com/pbpK9ay
I have been selling lots of stuff (not coins) on eBay for the last few months. I did not realize that having my old baseball card collection under my desk all these years was akin to having twenty, fifty, and one hundred dollar bills at my feet. Most of the easy items to sell are now gone, but I will continue to use eBay to offload cards, autographs, and various other household items (like unworn Polo shirts, a Lladro statue that was a gift, ticket stubs, unused printer cartridges, etc.). For me, it's a hobby, not a business, and the price increase will not keep me from getting paid to declutter.
I like how they say that "the seller is important to us, but we are going to charge you more".
I always find it annoying they try to make fee increases sound good. The reason for cutting the top rated discount in half this time is "We’re making changes to the eBay Top Rated Seller program to better meet buyer expectations and retail standards." How the heck is keeping more of my money meet the buyer expectation more??
I don't know if any of you sellers actually read what they are doing? I did.
-You are losing 1/2 of your discount.
-If you forget to ship one or two items within a day, or you get whacked by a buyer, your fees go up to 9% (from 5%) AND you lose your now reduced discount. Add in PayPal and you will be paying 12%.
Might as well send everything to GC. I imagine this is great news for Ian.
This sounds like just another move to eliminate small sellers. The small sellers are unwanted competition for the big name company sellers eBay wants.
FWIW, we spoke to eBay about this, and the rep we talked to mentioned that they weren't implementing this until May so that they could get seller feedback.
So, maybe some calls and complaints will help. Again, maybe not, but it can't hurt.
For a large selection of U.S. Coins & Currency, visit The Reeded Edge's online webstore at the link below.
The Reeded Edge
The email I received mentioned a sale on KY jelly
I would like to thank the resident eBay cheerleader for his sound advice.
Sellers can complain if they want to.
Sorry if this offends the resident eBay sycophant.
.....yeah, that's a good one.
And some people here actually believe it!
Not cheerleading, I just state facts, sometimes insert my opinion and always look forward.
You can choose to look to the past and be negative.
Your choice.
The fact is that most large companies can find another payment processor and accept credit cards. In many cases, these companies may be able to undercut PayPal. The population that cannot negotiate better rates (or independent credit card processing at a reasonable rate) are smaller sellers that are being choked off by the newer policies. It would be incredibly ironic if the new policies come back to bite eBay and PayPal.
The one that's frying me lately is the box I see when I look at any on my listings. "Beginning sometime in mid 2017, ebay will be eliminating active content for all listings." I use a link in my listings as an attempt to drive traffic to my other listings. So that will be gone. It's going to coat me and it's going to cost them.
When I read this e-mail, I was struck with its Orwellian tone, as well as its condescending tone.
Nice to know they are looking out for me by keeping more of my money,
Well, I will stick with them for now..................
It reminds me of working in corporate America - the first screw over they would say its going to get worse but it will get better, the second tons of people are let go. Reminds me of the TV show Colony where LA is basically a death camp and the "Hosts" have a countdown as to when it will be without humans.
Of course at each screw over they are touting "an exciting new culture" or "Bob is highly thought of by Corporate, we are so lucky to have him as our manager now." It was a pattern I saw happen over and over. The special career path you trained for is outsourced, a few years later your trashed out by a new vicious manager who is jerking your around between two offices in a phony career opportunity forcing you to report to a nit wit contractor and then fired 3 months later "you don't fit our culture." A lot of us agreed its such a steady sinking pattern its like the orbit of some large planet in the outer solar system causing havoc every x thousand years.
"Also, with a new workday calendar, you'll be able to define your own business days. For example, if you ship on Saturday, eBay will count it as a business day to show buyers an earlier estimated delivery date. With this tool, you'll also be able to specify your cut-off times for same-day handling on a day-by-day basis. "
If this is what I think it is, it will be a big improvement. Not to take away from other changes that I think are bad, but one of the biggest problems I face is that right now, a business day is 24 hours, Pacific Time, for everyone. My example problem (which I've given to eBay reps a lot) is that if someone pays me at 11:59PM on Monday, I have to ship by COB Tuesday, because the payment came on Monday, so shipping next day means Tuesday. But I do shipping in the evening, and ideally am asleep at 11:59, so I won't see the payment until Tuesday night to be shipped on Wednesday, and now it's late. Now, if the payment came in 2 minutes later, I'd have an extra 24 hours to get the package sacnned. If this lets me put in reasonable hours, I won't have to worry about payments like these being problematic.
This is something where I see both sides. The fee is annoying (especially on items with legitimately high shipping costs), but sellers asked for it. Before this got put in place, a lot of sellers would charge many multiples of a reasonable shipping rate. Take a $100 item. If someone charged $97 + $3, no problem. But sellers would aim for $75 + $25. They got the same $100, but eBay lost out on the fees for $22. eBay's only way to fight back was what they did. That also meant that the good sellers lost due to the greed of others.
Take a $100 item. If someone charged $97 + $3, no problem. But sellers would aim for $75 + $25. They got the same $100, but eBay lost out on the fees for $22. eBay's only way to fight back was what they did. That also meant that the good sellers lost due to the greed of others.
Your example is a minor one. I saw BIN's for $.99 on $100 items with s&h @ $99.00.
I do recall the days (not that long ago) of $100 coins with bids starting at $1..........with $99 shipping.
For "eBbay store" owners and top rated sellers, the increase will bee negligible. And I believe most of us, who are not bellyaching, are. For those that are not, make an effort to become one.
Yes, I understand that and I can remember when sellers did that.
I never did, but it still really frosts me to pay a fee on shipping costs.
If you build it into your shipping costs, the cheapskate eBay tirekickers won't buy.
Your alternative is to offer "free" shipping, and build it into the price, but a lot of times that results in an obvious price point, so you have to go higher or lower. Not going to go lower, obviously, so that results in even more lost sales.
Thanks again, eBay.
Sorry if this post seems negative or seemingly glorifying the past( pre-eBay, or early eBay days.)
Yes, believe it or not, sometimes coins were actually sold person to person before eBay came along. I know that is hard to imagine, but close your eyes and try.
But after all, the past is gone and I will choose to look forward.
Always forward, and onward!
After all, it is my choice.
I will choose to look forward to more chiseling and dry humping from the greatest marketplace in the free world, eBay.
Just the cut in top rated discount will cost me about $500 a year. Your definition of negligible must be different than mine.
I'm more concerned about visibility than fees. I don't sell coins except once in a while mostly I sell auto parts. I've felt for a few years that they have been shutting off visibility and turning it on in bursts. I can go 10 days without a sale then get 10 sales in one day . It makes it harder to figure out whats going on with my items items if you aren't selling because they randomly hide then reveal your listings. I shouldn't say randomly , there seem to be triggers that open and close the visibility window .
I agree, although increasing fees are a big concern for me; it's as if there is some weird formula or algorithm that they use and all of a sudden your items are on page 1 or even at the top of page 1 in the search.
Next day, buried to pg. 22.
Not too long ago I got a phone call from a friendly eBay rep wanting to help me with my sales.
I'm so happy they were concerned about me.
It was basically a pay-for-play deal, where you paid eBay a fee to bump your items up in the search.
Wasn't that sweet of them?
I've been a member here since 2006 and if there's one thing that's been a common thread throughout the past 11 years, it's complaints about ebay and/or paypal. Yet, we still use their service as another, better, less costly option does not exist, unless you are running your own site and business which has its own share of associated fees and expenses, too.
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.
The tracking requirement to qualify for Top Rated Seller status will increase from 90% to 95% on June 20, 2017. Top Rated Sellers will be required to upload valid shipment tracking within your promised handling time for at least 95% of your transactions with US buyers in the last 3 months.
So PayPal fees are going up to 2.6%. For all those astute business people that say their fees are too high, please provide me with processors that charge less (not just the variable fees....all fees including fixed monthly fees etc).
While I don't like going from 2.2 to 2.6%, its still cheaper than any other processor I've been able to find.
Ike Specialist
Finest Toned Ike I've Ever Seen, been looking since 1986
Square?
I would love to pay the fees you guys pay. I am at around 16%
10%+ on eBay and 5%+ on PayPal.
I do free shipping and add 16% to price. That doesn't include actual shipping cost.
I am a
Top rated seller
100% positive feedback
1,000+ feedback
I was "late to ship" once because I failed to upload tracking to every item on a multiple item order, just the first item. Thanks app glitch. Buyer received before estimated time and left great feedback.
I read this letter earlier And wow, now my fees are going up again?
Isn't that like using a bucket of sand for lube?
Also gift cards won't buy anything in these categories...coins or money or bullion. Same with eBay bucks.
Try getting another seller to change the item category to use gift card. Only 2 have ever agreed.
ErrorsonCoins... do you own stock in eBay? As a small seller how can we not complain? Move forward to what? Into the red? "Staying competitive" has become the equivalent of accepting pennies for profit after final cost, shipping, and fees in some areas.
Seems a lot like when Walmart and home depot move into town, then one can observe all the other small businesses and stores start wither and die.
This letter about fees is like the homewreckmart "Opening Soon" fliers that litter the streets and clog the gutters of our future. Paper cut fees are extra.
http://www.pcgs.com/SetRegistry/publishedset.aspx?s=142753
https://www.autismforums.com/media/albums/acrylic-colors-by-rocco.291/
I have no doubt in my mind about this practice. Have you noticed it is also regional? Go a few days with no sales, then bam...3 or 4 sales to different buyers in the same geographic area. The promote my item bribe has been in place for a while. I really wish some one would challenge the legalities of it. We are paying for a service we are not receiving. Now if ebay didn't charge listing fees that would be different.
This is interesting. When paypal 1st started jacking their fees over a year ago I was Grandfathered in at the 2.2% rate. A few months ago I received notice that all sellers will now have to pay the 2.9% rate...which I am now paying. Are you sure you were/are still at 2.2%?
I stopped selling on ebay in 2011 and won't be going back, the fees take most of my potential profit. I find other ways to sell where I can actually keep some of that profit. I will never go back.
Best, SH
Successful transactions with-Boosibri,lkeigwin,TomB,Broadstruck,coinsarefun,Type2,jom,ProfLiz, UltraHighRelief,Barndog,EXOJUNKIE,ldhair,fivecents,paesan,Crusty...
I quit selling on FeeBay in 2008 and got my own nice website designed. Sure, it's sleepier than Sleepy Hollow, but it does bring in an estate deal or a sale once in a while. And I am in charge of my own destiny. I set the rules.
Kind regards,
George
Ebay is a tool, why not use it?
I also have my own website. I use ebay as an advertising tool for my businesses.
I run 99 cent auction every week, and the winners get a link to my website and a business card on every purchase.
I also run BIN eye candy on ebay that gets quite a bit of interest.
Ebay has the eyes, and I grab some of them.
Yes, I do consider a .15% increase minor.
Change to final value fees. Starting May 1, final value fees for eBay Stores in most categories will be increased by 0.15 percentage points. For example, if the current rate is 5%, as of May 1 it will be 5.15%.
Top rated seller reducing to 10% from 20% will be a huge increase in bottom line cost to me. the processing time and 95% rule for tracking and uploading is not a problem as I meet that routinely.
Paypal fee's increase will affect some as well.
But since I do a lot of business there, Ill just have to eat it, but I have something in the works late april that will assist me in not having to list as much junk and regular everyday stuff there. Also my local vest pocketers will get more stuff to cart out of here so I don't have to list it. And for 1k plus items, I think its time to give Ian a call.
Gotta keep that EBAY share price moving up now that Paypal's free money machine has been divested. I am sure there is more to come.
It could be worse, they could raise the rates in line with GC and HA; which is highway robbery when sellers are doing all the work.
If this was eBay's true concern, it would have been very easy to correct in a few lines of code, exempting a small amount (first class mail + insurance for items under $250, priority small flat rate + insurance for $250-$x, etc., registered above $y, etc.). It was merely an attempt to squeeze more money from sellers.
Given them time... On another note, if you don't have a store, aren't final value fees like 10% + 3% PayPal = 13%? That isn't too far from GC.