Being a Seller is sometimes frustrating

[corvettes4me1953]

I got so frustrated the other day when I read about somebody talking about high shipping costs on an item he was looking to buy on eBay. It seems that those who are 100% buyers just have no idea the effort, time, and costs that go into selling online. My response to this person's blog entry is as follows:

It is getting much harder for people to make any kind of money on eBay with recent fee increases. eBay now takes 9% of both the selling price and shipping price on an auction final value fee. That’s right, if you sell a $10.00 item and charge the actual $5.00 to ship it, eBay gets 9% of $15.00. Then, Paypal (which is owned by eBay) takes 2.9% + $.30 of the total payment which in this case is the $15.00. So all total, if you take advantage of the 50 free auctions listings per calendar month that eBay gives you (meaning their is no fee to list the item and only a final value fee) you end keeping $7.91 out of the $10.00 sale. Furthermore, that $7.91 still does not reflect: the cost to obtain the item, the time to list the item, the time to answer questions, the time to promote one's items on social media (if applicable), the time/costs of packing, the time/gas costs to bring the item to the Post Office, time to handle complaints if any, and income taxes which even in a low tax bracket in NJ is 15% on the $7.91. This might all sound a little long winded but, eBay is really sucking the wind out of many peoples’ sails and I am one of them.

The above entry is slightly edited from the original version to add some things I forgot to include the first time around but, I think all can concur with the points I made. I do not usually write responses such as the one above but, I had to put things into perspective for him. As a seller I try to list, promote, and sell items which the buyer's market is looking for at a price that works for both the buyer and the I. In today's environment, while trying to maintain costs, profits, and buyer's satisfaction, I am so happy to have found eBid whose fee structure is so much more palatable for a small seller like myself. Thanks all.

[ajfinds]

Hi I am new on ebid.net and have been telling everyone I know about this site I am also very happy to find this site. It actually gets me excited to get way from all those fees. Started promoting your items on here through the forum section the sales are a bit slower but in the end they are so worth it I have been able to sell my items at a lower cost lower shipping and offer free shipping because I am away from all those fees. I enjoy once again selling. Welcome to ebid I am here for the long haul. Please send me a link to be friends trying to get to know people and on here they have so many areas which can answers your questions and how to's its great. AJ

[maryatkinson52]

YOUR statements are very true and hits the target. Customers have become so demanding and hard to please. I would like to see Ebid overtake Ebay someday soon. I enjoyed your posting.

[suesjools]

I got so frustrated the other day when I read about somebody talking about high shipping costs on an item he was looking to buy on eBay. It seems that those who are 100% buyers just have no idea the effort, time, and costs that go into selling online. My response to this person's blog entry is as follows:

It is getting much harder for people to make any kind of money on eBay with recent fee increases. eBay now takes 9% of both the selling price and shipping price on an auction final value fee. That’s right, if you sell a $10.00 item and charge the actual $5.00 to ship it, eBay gets 9% of $15.00. Then, Paypal (which is owned by eBay) takes 2.9% + $.30 of the total payment which in this case is the $15.00. So all total, if you take advantage of the 50 free auctions listings per calendar month that eBay gives you (meaning their is no fee to list the item and only a final value fee) you end keeping $7.91 out of the $10.00 sale. Furthermore, that $7.91 still does not reflect: the cost to obtain the item, the time to list the item, the time to answer questions, the time to promote one's items on social media (if applicable), the time/costs of packing, the time/gas costs to bring the item to the Post Office, time to handle complaints if any, and income taxes which even in a low tax bracket in NJ is 15% on the $7.91. This might all sound a little long winded but, eBay is really sucking the wind out of many peoples’ sails and I am one of them.

The above entry is slightly edited from the original version to add some things I forgot to include the first time around but, I think all can concur with the points I made. I do not usually write responses such as the one above but, I had to put things into perspective for him. As a seller I try to list, promote, and sell items which the buyer's market is looking for at a price that works for both the buyer and the I. In today's environment, while trying to maintain costs, profits, and buyer's satisfaction, I am so happy to have found eBid whose fee structure is so much more palatable for a small seller like myself. Thanks all.

Well put, kudos.

Best wishes for many sales to all,

[TonyBridger]

It is getting much harder for people to make any kind of money on eBay with recent fee increases. eBay now takes 9% of both the selling price and shipping price on an auction final value fee. That’s right, if you sell a $10.00 item and charge the actual $5.00 to ship it, eBay gets 9% of $15.00. Then, Paypal (which is owned by eBay) takes 2.9% + $.30 of the total payment which in this case is the $15.00. So all total, if you take advantage of the 50 free auctions listings per calendar month that eBay gives you (meaning their is no fee to list the item and only a final value fee) you end keeping $7.91 out of the $10.00 sale. Furthermore, that $7.91 still does not reflect: the cost to obtain the item, the time to list the item, the time to answer questions, the time to promote one's items on social media (if applicable), the time/costs of packing, the time/gas costs to bring the item to the Post Office, time to handle complaints if any, and income taxes which even in a low tax bracket in NJ is 15% on the $7.91. This might all sound a little long winded but, eBay is really sucking the wind out of many peoples’ sails and I am one of them.
.

Sorry but IMO you are wasting your time writing things like that. Whenever I am buying I, & I think most other buyers, could not care less about sellers expenses, whether it's auction fees, packaging costs or the wholesale cost. If I think the shipping or item cost is too dear I will not buy.

I certainly never think about a high street shops rent, electric or staff bill when I buy something, so why should buyers concern themselves about online sellers costs. The only thing a buyer is concerned about is whether the item & shipping charge looks reasonable to them,

[astral276]

Someone who doesn't sell usually does not understand the costs of selling - particularly for the small (in quantity - not stature) seller.

These cost are normally hidden when they buy from larger outlets (be that physical or online) as those cost are spread over a far larger throughput of goods. This makes the cost per individual item very low, which can be absorbed into the selling price and become invisible - e.g. when you do your weekly shop you don't see storage, shipping, and infrastructure costs itemised on your till receipt. So when they see what it costs to process and deliver a single item it can come as a bit of a shock.



That said, some sellers do over egg shipping and handling. One medium size online seller lost my custom yesterday because they had a minimum delivery charge - which would have made the postage four times the cost of the item, when in reality it should have been a quarter of the cost of the item.

[corvettes4me1953]

I understand the concept of not buying something because the total cost is too high. However, if say you are looking to buy a particular digital camera and you initially find it for $200.00 + $10.00 shipping at Best Buy but, then you find the same camera at Walmart for $170.00 and $20.00 shipping, I'm buying from Walmart. The $20.00 shipping cost may be outrageous but the total cost for me ($190.00) is the cheapest overall price I can find, so Walmart gets my business.

[JimmyCee]

High Shipping Costs ......

I'm of the opinion most everyone hasn't a scooby doo idea of what hi shipping cost are.
I just received a package of a gallon of vinyl paint (one gallon)
The paint's cost was $90.00.
Here in the U.S. it cost me $40.00 to ship that 1 gallon of paint 3 states, about 600 miles.
Now that in my opinion is excessive, when it is traveling in the same vehicle as other packages.
Yes it's rated as hazardous, however am I able to add this cost ? noooooo, and I'm not complaining
Just trying to show what real hi costs are..
And just try to go over 70 lbs with U.P.S., that's another issue, then rural charges along with fuel adjustments, which by the way never go down when fuel does (did go down 2 yearas ago)

And buyers complain about shipping rates ......

[PurelyPlus]

Well put!!!!

Have recently started on eBid and decided today that I would put against my better selling items on ebay that I now have a store on eBid and that they can get that same item cheaper at my new store. I'm nervous as I don't know if this is a positive or negative thing to do but I am like you and feel very frustrated by ebay's greediness and I am only a small store owner.

Good for you for telling it like it is!

Nicole

[MegaClap]

It is getting much harder to make any money when fees keep going up. Especially if you sell lower ticket items, shipping can seem extremely high compared to the cost of the item. Which makes me say a big thank goodness for the eBid's reasonable fees. I'm also an eBay refugee who hopes to make a very happy home here with our eStore!