Is it me, or has eBay become like really discouraging to sell on lately? There's some stuff that I've sold where I made literally almost nothing on it. Granted, I undervalued the shipping cost on one item, that was my bad, but 13% and 15% fees? I don't remember the fees being that high. It's no wonder people charge so much on there, as a buyer you forget how much of that is NOT going to seller. They even take a fee from the shipping cost, like you can help how much it costs to ship?
Maybe it's because Managed Payments really lets you see how much you're being nickel and deemed. But it's like, you don't make near what you think you're making on there. My most recent Payout was only a couple of dollars. Lmao. Apparently eBay just charged me a crap ton of money for some shipping labels I didn't realize I bought from them. It makes it look like my most recent sale made almost nothing after you subtract what I supposedly owe. I guess they pay you the full amount including the shipping with every sale, then bottle up your shipping charges just long enough to crush your spirit when you make another sale. Oh great, I sold something for $35 so they cut me a check for $2.92! Hooray?! I guess? I think I'll go buy a lollipop, cuz I'm feeling like a sucker.
You've been selling for how long on eBay now...? You sound like a clueless first-timer.
Here, use this before listing anything.
Anyway, the TOS were updated recently with the fees for various categories raised as well; you should've received an email about it. In regards to their managed payment program,
I posted and adviced against it back in November of last year, specifically due to the terrible stories I read and had been told by colleagues, which remain the same to this day. Granted, I don't know if eBay automatically enrolled you in the program, as it did to many others, but even so, you had the chance to opt out, especially after reading the small print...if you did.
But you and the rest that currently are part of the program won't be alone for long since eBay will be transitioning all sellers into managed payment by the end of this year, at least according to some reports. However, what's really messed up is that they've started using shady practices by "blocking" sellers that are still using PayPal as their payment method. What I mean by that is that buyers who make purchases from sellers that are still using PayPal are prompted with a message that states that those sellers "can't accept payment". Now, this isn't the case for everyone that still uses PayPal, but a good number of users have reported this issue, as well as the fact that customer support provides no assistance, passing the blame on to PayPal, and then PayPal doing the same in return. Not surprising since apparently the two companies haven't been in speaking terms for a while. When eBay announced that they would be managing payments, PayPal decided to revert their refund policy last year, albeit with a rocky start, but still implemented in the end where they're pocketing all transaction fees, as in the 2.9%, as opposed to the standard .30¢ fee they charge and used to keep in the event of a refund. And that's without going over the fact they're also taking a 2.9% cut of the tax collected from every sale.
So, in short, if you want to sell on eBay, you need to be a good boy and take it. However, things aren't always as bad as they sound if you're actually competent and know what you're doing. So far the main advantage the managed payment program seems to offer is that it potentially diminishes false INR and SNAD cases, especially when we consider a buyer can still open a dispute on PayPal were eBay to side with the seller...more so when PayPal gives all buyers a very generous 180 days to dispute any purchase they've made. With MP all of that is eliminated.
Regardless, I'm sticking it out until I'm forced to make the change, and hopefully by then all the kikns the program has would have been ironed out.
It's all so confusing, I don't even want to look at it. I just hope they're doing the math correctly and I'm not getting screwed. eBay is classic for giving you the impression that you're doing a lot better than you really are. They have the little money counter on your dashboard that pops up like a slot machine"WOW! L@@K at what you made!!!" But no, that's not after fees or shipping. It's just a deceptive pat on the head to keep the little guy motivated.
Well, you SHOULD definitely take the time to look at it because they've gotten things wrong in the past, so you might in the end be getting screwed. If there are sellers with stores that have been getting the shaft continuously, just imagine the field days eBay has with small sellers. You need to be on top of things.
I guess? But video game stuff happens to be in one of the highest segments of their fees system. All of their competitors have lower fees, but are fundamentally anti-seller as well. Like Micari not letting you have your money until the buyer leaves positive feedback. Yeesh.
Mercari is an entirely different monster, you can sell about anything there, but overall the demographic is different to the point certain items sell better and more than others, like high-end clothing and jewelry for instance. I mean, yes, you can sell video games and plenty of other collectible items there, but you're better off dumping all of those over on eBay, or Amazon, or some Facebook group even, especially considering Mercari encourages low pricing. I'm not shooting them down, really, as it is a good place to sell, but not for the things we commonly deal with.
Mercari reimburses its sellers in the event of a lost package, so there's that.
