The once again new Ebay policy changes to hurt sellers even more.

[MeDiCo_BrUjO]

Once again Ebay have decided to try and squeeze the last cent from the seller's pockets. They have announced that they will introduce changes to their selling policies, and in addition to the latest ones (the ones in Feb when they removed the sellers ability to leave negative feedback to a buyer & skyrocketing their fees) are making this site a really unfriendly and expensive place to sell anything.

1.- They are going to force you to a "maximum shipping charge" according to what THEY think it should cost.
IE: Shipping for an item under the "DVD" category has a maximum shipping charge of $3.... that's not even the cost of the postage!!!. They don't have a sub-section of Multi dvd sets or something like that, so if you sell a set that contains 7 DVDs (like I did last week), they will force you to charge just $3 shipping for it.. I PAID $6.75 for just the postage!.
Now, they have an amazing tip on how to deal with the new rule, and I will quote it from their email:

What can I do if the maximum shipping and handling costs do not cover my expenses for packaging and shipping?
The maximum shipping and handling cost may not cover sellers' shipping costs in some cases. In the event that it does not, you can do one of the following:
*Include all or part of the shipping cost in the item price

Sure!, so they will be able to get their percentage from it since they are not allowed to collect any money from shipping charges... that is just LOW.

2.-No more checks and money orders... that's it!. Guess what?, all payments now will have to be electronic payments... handled by whom?... yes, that's right.... PAYPAL. If you state that you receive payments by check or Money order starting mid-october, your listings will be suspended and your account may be canceled.

3.- If you don't have a minimum of 4.3 in every star-rating they keep, your account will be blocked from selling until it comes back to their "standards"... if that ever happen.
For a Power seller, or someone that sells hundred of items every day this is no big deal, because one bad review (there is ALWAYS somebody that gives you a bad review) will vanish between the others, but for a small seller, one bad review will mean an account blocked for 30 days or more.
It doesn't even have to be a BAD review, just a 4 out of 5 star qualification. If you don't have more to make a good balance... bam! your account is blocked from selling.

There are more where these came from... These are just the three that bothers me the most.

I really want to find another place to sell. Regretfully I have to acknowledge that Ebay is the biggest one but it seems that they are really working hard to make it easier for us to leave the place.
Do you know more auction sites that could serve as a replacement for Ebay?. I'm really starting to hate the place.

P.S. http://mousewords.wordpress.com/2008/02/19/strike-that-ebay-sellers-protest-unfair-new-policies/

This article is from the past changes, but it is a GOOD article about it. It explains a lot on why the place sucks right now.

[budz]

No money orders on Ebay that sucks ass! I don't have a paypal acct. because I've heard too many horrid stories from friends who've gotten their accts. hijacked/id theft. I'm betting Ebay will lose buyers with their new stupid policies.

[rallynavvie]

I've been able to circumvent the "dangers" of a PayPal account. I set up a savings account with my bank for deposits only and set that up as my account in PayPal. If they try to draw funds from that account at all my bank denies the transaction as it is a limitation of that account. I can only transfer funds from that one to my other accounts held with the bank. For payment I run everything through my Amex charge card. If anything goes wrong I call up customer service at Amex and they refund the charge and deal with the consequences. They've already gone to bat for me a couple times and have had some surprising results.

I'm not much of a seller, and my FedEx discount is so ridiculous I always roll shipping charges into the product price (I sell only high-dollar, rare items on eBay) because the buyer will never notice, they just see "free shipping". I still have 100% feedback. I'm more of a buyer though, I do small selling on Craigslist so that if the transaction goes bad I can set the person on fire

So what's this about sellers not being able to leave negative feedback? About time. I hated the whole "hostage feedback" crap that some sellers pulled. As soon as the proper money is in your account as a seller you should leave positive feedback. You have your money and that's that. If the buyer decides to leave negative feedback that you don't think is fair, tough. That's the world of customer service. I post positive feedback as soon as the funds are in my bank account, even if it's before I even send out the item. If refunds are required then the entire auction gets scrubbed and all feedback is redacted.

I don't know, there are always going to be people who think the site is evil and those who don't care. eBay is still a business and they want to make money just like any other business. If you don't like it you just go back to the way it was before online auction sites.

[MeDiCo_BrUjO]

It is a business indeed, but they can't force you to charge X amount for shipping even though they are recognizing that the amount they just pulled off is really low and won't cover actual shipping costs for most sellers. If they acknowledge that it is not enough, then why do they do it?.
I am already paying fees for listing my items there, it's not like it's free. It's one thing that there are sellers that have $0.01 DVDs + $30 standard shipping lists and I agree that they must be dealt with, they are circumventing final fees.
But if I decide to charge X amount for shipping & handling because I spend some time actually making sure that the item is well packed and buying packing materials, they can't force me to undercharge my service and taking the loss, or even worse, "transferring" the shipping fee to the actual cost of the product so they can have a share of it. THAT is not honest, it is even worse than sellers that circumvent fees.
Like I was saying, I already pay fees to list my items whether they sell or not; if after explaining the customer why I charge a little more shipping than the actual cost of the postage he decides to purchase from me then why is the bitching all about?. It's not like I'm making him buy from me at gunpoint nor did I hide the cost of shipping and let him know after the purchase was made how much was I going to charge him.
And Ebay already made money from that, so it is unfair; and they act like this because they know there is not another place that can actually challenge their market.
And their "star rating" is actually misleading. Starting September, if you have less than 4.3 on every star rating your account will be blocked from selling. but what does a 4.0 seller means in every rating?:
These are the questions asked after the transaction was completed:
How accurate was the item description?
With 4 stars the description says: Accurate, with 5 stars it says Very Accurate.
How satisfied were you with the seller's communication?
With 4 stars the description says: Satisfied, with 5 stars it says Very Satisfied.
How quickly did the seller ship the item?
With 4 stars the description says: Quickly, with 5 stars it says Very Quickly.
How reasonable were the shipping and handling charges?
With 4 stars the description says: Reasonable, with 5 stars it says Very Reasonable.
So, let's assume that I Accurately describe my item, that I do satisfy my customer with my communications, that I ship quickly and that I offer reasonable shipping charges. Do I sound like a good seller?.... well, according to the new Ebay rules this description will block me from selling for 30 days. Is it Fair?.
I currently keep a 4.8 overall rating in my stars, but last week a dumb SOB gave me a bad review on shipping time because even though I advised him NOT to pick media mail, the cheap bastard did and it took the item 8 days to arrive at his place. The item had a tracking number and it stated clearly that I did drop the package at the Postal office the same day he paid, then WHY THE **** AM I TO BLAME FOR HIS OWN DAMN CHOICE?.
Nevertheless, that single star rating lowered my count to 4.1 in that single category, but according to the new Ebay rules I would be blocked from selling for 30 days.
I'm not saying that the site is evil, I'n just saying that it is becoming a fucked up place to do business as a seller.
Since the new feedback rules took place in february, I've had 7 Non-paying bidders.... seven in six months and I don't sell a high amount of items. I've been in Ebay for years and In all those years I've only had 2 non paying bidders and suddenly since the new rules I've had 7. And I couldn't do SHIT to them, I couldn't post negative feedback or leave a note on their profile or anything, I had to swallow the bad moment and they just walked away because sellers can't leave neg feedback to buyers NO MATTER WHAT.
I still don't encounter (knock on wood) one of those buyers that try to shake more stuff from you threatening negative feedback, but those stories are quite common these days, just read the Ebay seller forums.

[BJ_M]

they lowered the costs for Canada last week oddly enough - also lowered paypal fees ....

[Conquest10]

Wow witch doctor. I'll have to set some time out to read that post.

In theory this is what was needed. I was tired (and I'm sure eBay was too) of seeing those items for sale with $40-$50 shipping for a DVD. Problem is that, like you said, they put a maximum that is unreasonable and they suggest you add the shipping to the price. That shows that they did it mainly for business reasons and not to help out the buyers.

[MeDiCo_BrUjO]

Wow witch doctor. I'll have to set some time out to read that post.

I had a lot to vent...

[Xylob the Destroyer]

although I'm glad to see they're doing something about the shipping rip-off bullshit that is rampant on the site, I don't think they're taking the right approach.

I'm sick of paying these ******** $8 for shipping and then getting the package in the mail with the postage clearly marked $3.75. Especially when there is NO WAY IN HELL they invested $5 in packaging.
I have only bought comics on eBay and a couple import video games.
I have gotten completely raped on shipping every single time.

[Supreme2k]

I'm sick of paying these ******** $8 for shipping and then getting the package in the mail with the postage clearly marked $3.75. Especially when there is NO WAY IN HELL they invested $5 in packaging.

To be fair, many (most) people selling on eBay are not running a business with couriers or UPS coming to pick up. Not only do they have to personally package the product, but also drive/walk/skate it to the deliverer. If they're out in the sticks, that's even more work or travel time.

And, actually, $8 - $3.75 = $4.25.

I get my shipping labels online (where you can omit the price being printed on the label), just for that reason. If you agree to pay the amount set for shipping, you shouldn't worry about it. If you don't want to pay the shipping fee, don't bid on/buy the item.

I agree with the gripes about shady practices (ebay's and sellers'), but a seller's profit margin is none of your business.

I used to work at a movie theater, and I felt like strangling everyone who complained to me about the price of popcorn.

[MeDiCo_BrUjO]

I'm sick of paying these ******** $8 for shipping and then getting the package in the mail with the postage clearly marked $3.75. Especially when there is NO WAY IN HELL they invested $5 in packaging.

To be fair, many (most) people selling on eBay are not running a business with couriers or UPS coming to pick up. Not only do they have to personally package the product, but also drive/walk/skate it to the deliverer. If they're out in the sticks, that's even more work or travel time.

And, actually, $8 - $3.75 = $4.25.

I get my shipping labels online (where you can omit the price being printed on the label), just for that reason. If you agree to pay the amount set for shipping, you shouldn't worry about it. If you don't want to pay the shipping fee, don't bid on/buy the item.

I agree with the gripes about shady practices (ebay's and sellers'), but a seller's profit margin is none of your business.

I used to work at a movie theater, and I felt like strangling everyone who complained to me about the price of popcorn.

Thank you very much!

That's exactly my point, if you do decide to bid (accepting the shipping/handling fee) then why complain about it afterwards?. If you think it's too much then don't bid on it.
I do charge a modest and HONEST handling fee, enough to pay for all the expenses related to packing and delivering the item to the postal office, and I completely loathe those who use the "$0.01 item $39.95 shipping" auction type. But if I'm already paying good money to put my item for sale regardless it sells or not, then why should they force me to charge an amount they know for a fact is too low to cover the expenses and on top of that suggesting that I should charge the difference in the price of the item?, all in the name of "helping me complete more transactions successfully?".
Shame on them, that is just dishonest. They want you to keep charging the same but instead of charging it as actual shipping (where they can't get a fee percentage), they want you to inflate the item price so they can get a bigger cut in the final fee.
They are a business, they have the right to want to make more money, but this is not the way.

[Anonymous4]

12

[PuzZLeR]

Although not perfect (yet), I do like the step eBaY is taking in the right direction regarding S&H. I personally have gotten tired of buying "cheap" stuff on eBaY, even for just a few $, or even pennies, only to get smacked with a $40 shipping fee later. (And the Border Nazis at Canada Customs will slap another duty fee along the way, that is, if they don't steal it first).

I remember a long time ago once winning a tie for $10 and then getting quoted a $25 shipping fee from the seller. (Back then you'd get your foreign shipping price after the auction.) I told the guy to just fold and dump this, very light-weight, item in an average envelope and ship the stupid thing, which is possible for less than $2-$3 - what's the big deal? He said some bull about it being a "process" in his shipping logistics, and that if I add more items from his stupid eBaY store, it would be cheaper per unit. How lame.

It wasn't the money, it was the principle that annoyed me. I still refused. But after some back-and-forth, he did agree to $15, which was still high. He caved a bit (with an attitude), then I caved a bit in paying it - only because we both didn't want our feedback ratings affected. The point is that this whole effort was painful in more ways than one to keep my perfect record, so I fully agree with eBaY in this one. All they need to do is adjust the rule a bit and it will work to enhance the shopping experience.

Although I'm very entrepreneurial myself, I do side with the shopper on eBay. The abuse factor can be exploited much more by sellers than by buyers there.

As well, I agree with the PayPal rule, even though it's probably for selfish motives (do they still own PayPal?). But c'mon guys, isn't it a pain when the seller doesn't offer PayPal? I hate that. I can't stand having to make a foreign money order - writing down the price, going to the post office, waiting in line for it, paying the stupid fee for it, and then at home printing a copy of the auction's web page, write my "notes", add postage to the envelope, write the stupid address on the envelope, make sure there's no mistakes (otherwise the whole process would be worse) then wait for the extra lead time of waiting for the letter to get there, then emailing the sender that you sent it, and the risk that it will not get there or be found, ...., WHAT A PAIN!

Isn't it better to just click a button or two and have the whole thing done instantly from an electronic invoice? I agree with eBaY here - if you're going to trade there, then join the modern age and get a PayPal account.

[fishywishy]

i was wondering why the item price and shipping columns changed :P i never could figure out $40 shipping from china

[bendixG15]

Another gimmick that is getting more popular.

On Ebay, I was looking at some VHS tapes for auction with a prominet FREE SHIPPING sign. Buried inside the lengthly, small text, item description were the words .... $15.00 handling.....

Hey, you gotta make a buck anyway you can.
I passed.

[coltonhelp]

It is a business indeed, but they can't force you to charge X amount for shipping even though they are recognizing that the amount they just pulled off is really low and won't cover actual shipping costs for most sellers. If they acknowledge that it is not enough, then why do they do it?.
I am already paying fees for listing my items there, it's not like it's free. It's one thing that there are sellers that have $0.01 DVDs + $30 standard shipping lists and I agree that they must be dealt with, they are circumventing final fees.
But if I decide to charge X amount for shipping & handling because I spend some time actually making sure that the item is well packed and buying packing materials, they can't force me to undercharge my service and taking the loss, or even worse, "transferring" the shipping fee to the actual cost of the product so they can have a share of it. THAT is not honest, it is even worse than sellers that circumvent fees.
Like I was saying, I already pay fees to list my items whether they sell or not; if after explaining the customer why I charge a little more shipping than the actual cost of the postage he decides to purchase from me then why is the bitching all about?. It's not like I'm making him buy from me at gunpoint nor did I hide the cost of shipping and let him know after the purchase was made how much was I going to charge him.
And Ebay already made money from that, so it is unfair; and they act like this because they know there is not another place that can actually challenge their market.
And their "star rating" is actually misleading. Starting September, if you have less than 4.3 on every star rating your account will be blocked from selling. but what does a 4.0 seller means in every rating?:
These are the questions asked after the transaction was completed:
How accurate was the item description?
With 4 stars the description says: Accurate, with 5 stars it says Very Accurate.
How satisfied were you with the seller's communication?
With 4 stars the description says: Satisfied, with 5 stars it says Very Satisfied.
How quickly did the seller ship the item?
With 4 stars the description says: Quickly, with 5 stars it says Very Quickly.
How reasonable were the shipping and handling charges?
With 4 stars the description says: Reasonable, with 5 stars it says Very Reasonable.
So, let's assume that I Accurately describe my item, that I do satisfy my customer with my communications, that I ship quickly and that I offer reasonable shipping charges. Do I sound like a good seller?.... well, according to the new Ebay rules this description will block me from selling for 30 days. Is it Fair?.
I currently keep a 4.8 overall rating in my stars, but last week a dumb SOB gave me a bad review on shipping time because even though I advised him NOT to pick media mail, the cheap bastard did and it took the item 8 days to arrive at his place. The item had a tracking number and it stated clearly that I did drop the package at the Postal office the same day he paid, then WHY THE **** AM I TO BLAME FOR HIS OWN DAMN CHOICE?.
Nevertheless, that single star rating lowered my count to 4.1 in that single category, but according to the new Ebay rules I would be blocked from selling for 30 days.
I'm not saying that the site is evil, I'n just saying that it is becoming a ****ed up place to do business as a seller.
Since the new feedback rules took place in february, I've had 7 Non-paying bidders.... seven in six months and I don't sell a high amount of items. I've been in Ebay for years and In all those years I've only had 2 non paying bidders and suddenly since the new rules I've had 7. And I couldn't do SHIT to them, I couldn't post negative feedback or leave a note on their profile or anything, I had to swallow the bad moment and they just walked away because sellers can't leave neg feedback to buyers NO MATTER WHAT.
I still don't encounter (knock on wood) one of those buyers that try to shake more stuff from you threatening negative feedback, but those stories are quite common these days, just read the Ebay seller forums.

Which means you now have to make useless comments over there to boost your rank so you can continue selling.

[JimmyJoeBob]

And once again a thread rises from the grave ......

[PuzZLeR]

Grave-digging is fine IMO in most cases if you have follow up info, useful updates, or even have a relevant question. More so if it was a search that led you there, especially since they say "use search".

Would this be follow up info or an update? Maybe a relevant rant.

[Noahtuck]

Yep, a noob bringing up a 5 year old thread to "add" some real relevant info.......

[PuzZLeR]

The most notorious grave-diggers, without relevant cause, are n00bs. And they even long-quote more often too.

They are also notorious for looking silly answering, even quoting from, the last post of page 1 on a multi-page thread in other cases.