eBay fees are too high

Stop crying in your Latte.

As a seller, I can state that it's hard work. Not only listing but having to put up with all the idiots that don't read the description. Resulting in a waste of time and effort.

Recently sold a shirt with exact measurements. Only to receive a message from the buyer stating that it doesn't fit. Three weeks later, shirt is returned in shyte order and damaged.

The other week I listed a M&S Per Una coat, size 14. Coat was brand new and I listed seventeen digital images. I started the listing at £4.99, bearing in mind we are looking at a coat with a retail price of £100.

I received a message from someone wanting to know what colour it was. Not only this, what size from tip of collar to hem, once the collar had been upturned.

Give us a break and be so kind and take this gripe elsewhere. You have not a 'pot of glue' the trouble and strife encountered as an Ebay seller.

Nuff written.

Hi Klaus, well written!

You can project your goods worldwide on Ebay. Also take into account that there are many ex-pats out there that just may want that pair of quality Next cargo shorts you have on offer. Hard pressed to find a Next store in Mongolia.

Some people need to quit moaning about the fees. How can you moan about the fees when you haven't read the rules and regulations?

Last month I bought a silk tie from a charity shop in little Ole Mansfield town, for 50 Pence. It was an Italian Canali silk tie. Thinking I would never wear it, I listed it on Ebay. I sold the tie in question for £85 to a gent in New York.

Now, is this a profit or, is this a profit?

Where else can you display all your crap to sell to thousands of potential buyers? Thats right. You cant. Get over it. eBay charges are silly, agreed. But you couldnt pay that and get access to so many buyers, worldwide, anywhere else.

I completely agree with you. I recently started a business on eBay and am surprised at how much they take off you. For example: For 16 items that I sell. My profit is £16.00, but eBay rake in over £50.00 from all my hard work. I cannot increase the prices of my items so that I have a better profit margin, as eBay sellers are extremely competitive.
I think eBay should take a flat rate of £1.00 per listed item (buy it now) and leave it at that. When you think about many sellers that are on there, they are already making a fortune. When are the bigger companies going to stop being greedy??!!

You people need to stop crying in your shandy.

Where else are you going to sell your goods for a fair price? Drag it along to a car boot sale, only for some Eastern European offer you Twenty Pence for a brand new pair of Calvin Klein jeans that initially cost over £75.

Ebay is swings and round-abouts. Some items sell for more than you expect and you may lose a little on others.

Why are you knocking Ebay when all your stories reflect items sold? Read the rules and regulations before you list your items.

How thick can one be?

I know,So very true.
Its absolutely ridiculous. Its cheating us left right and centre if you ask me.
Tragic for people like me. I don't earn an awful lot.

I agree completely with your comments, although for a similar value sale my fees seem a lot worse. I dont always feel the comparison to an auction house are fair as I would simply use another low cost alternative online. What do others think and what are the alternatives?

My thoughts (related to this post): http://www.binarydesigner.co.uk/2010/07/how-do-ebay-justify-such-high-fees/

The fees are a rip the paypal extra charges are stupid but the fact is if you sold you item at a auction house not online you could be paying up to 25%.

I dont like the fees as much as anyone but I just keep making one of payments to clear my fees so I dont get any nasty suprises! The key to success on ebay is being things at car boot sales and charity shops for peanuts and making a nice proof that covers the fee's.

The problem is every buyer on ebay waits until the last 20 seconds to bid so if you are stupid enough to list something for 99p unless you just want rid of it you will proberly make under a pound.

The only way to make money is to set a decent starting price or reserve - yes it costs more fees but you will cover your fees charged this way.

Ebay will not change there ways until someone else puts something to rival it in place but this is hard as they proberly own all the original concepts of online auction format meaning not just anyone can come along and open a new site.

Ebid looks promising but just seems full of sellers charging top prices for everything as you can list things for free one you have paid £40 one off fee.

The main problem I have with ebay is when they send me mails saying I need to register as a business customer as I have sold £1000 of items over a month even though this is stuff from my own collection which is a joke.

sold a bike for £70 - was charged 13.82 in fees, what's the point?

That's only the start of it. Guess who closed their own 'Billpoint' down (a 'slightly' fairer system) and bought out Paypal (retaining and increasing those extortionate fees). Things were better when Yahoo had FREE UK auctions!

ow greedy can eBay get? By charging 10p for every 99p over 100 listings per month they are driving sellers of collectables away thus depriving collectors of a good affordable marketplace. I did sell postcards at 99p this helped to fund my hobby. Ebay does not seem to realize that not every thing listed sells, or is it that eBay only see huge dollars signs in front of there eyes. I think so eBay is just plain greedy I have gone to eBid much friendlier and is run on the original concept of that that used to be eBay's ideals

eBay charge it because they can. They know people will sell on eBay. Ive just sold a load of stuff less than what I paid for it just to get it out of the way then I got stung with all the fees. I know a way to get the fees back, It doesnt work all of the time but it does work. Ask the buyer if they want to cancel the transaction, If they are ok with it, You get the selling fee back. Simples. I know how to rip paypal off too but I wont go into that.