Correct, eBay does not owe me anything, and I do not owe eBay any loyalty either in my business transactions.
It is thanks to traders like me, and another 20 (that I know have stopped selling on eBay), that eBay has built a solid and reputable platform in the UK.
In most business, you will reward your loyal and customers that invest much money and time, you will not look to put them in a major disadvantage compared to competition from Europe and the USA.
eBay is supposed to be a global platform, how come they have not introduced these draconian fees for other eBay countries? Why is UK and Ireland the only countries?
Does not stimulate the economy doing this, does it?
eBay has grown to become a monster out of control, due to lack of serious competition, I can see the future demise of eBay in it's current version, as they will be targeting larger companies, that's the whole reason for eBay making it simple to understand eBay fees, they do not want to have small/medium size companies doing business in the long term.
SamStones, I don't know, maybe you working for eBay, with your views, a business that existed for 10 years, has been thrown into turmoil with very little warning time to prepare or restructure. It is not like eBay advertised these changes 12 months in advance, so us sellers knew what was coming.
I admit at periods I made very good profit on eBay, and eBay used to be good to me, in what world in business, would you see fees on your product increase with 200 -500%, within only few weeks warning?
And let's get this UNDERSTOOD, THIS APPLIES ONLY FOR ITEMS LISTED ON EBAY.CO.UK
What does this mean?
This means when Mr Cowboy in Texas lists one item, and requests international visibility for his listing, this will show the item visible in the eBay UK, but they will only pay fees applied by eBay.com - which again for high value items, works out on average approx. 3%, like the old system in eBay UK.
Would eBay dare to set up similar fee structure in the USA? I doubt so, there would be a massive protest, as they did in the past, for much smaller changes.
It's pretty petty to have such an arrogant and supportive view of eBay, when you see the reality of what they have done, the worst there are people like you who happily except all changes that are thrown against them, I guess this is a typical English phenomena, because UK is the only country where eBay have been able to do this. Accept any garbage these companies throw against you!
Of the 20 dealers that stop selling on eBay, incl. me, we used to have average eBay fees of £1000 - £1500 a month, for eBay this is nothing, but we was each turning around figures of around £200.000 - £300.000, so even if profit margin was not 30%, there was a healthy profit margin in the business, now there is no margins left, because I do not accept that eBay have a larger profit margin then myself on my sales.
I am astonished by lack of vision by eBay, and some people here too. But this is a typical society, corrupt politicians just suck more and more taxes from people, to make sure they look after themselves, and can find new ways to drain money from it's people, to cover their expenses, this is corporate greed, eBay UK showing the worst of all, and the The Federation of Small Businesses is spineless, joke, who also does not have a clue.
There should have been a cap for high value items, they do this on cars, properties etc. A sliding scale would have been the most fair system. Just because you/some have a set mind that you have to have a certain percentage profit for a business to be viable, I can tell you this completly BS, as somebody can be selling example cups for £6 each, and have a margin of 200% , but to make example £4000 a month he will have to sell 1000 pieces, which is very unlikely to happen. While with a much lower margin I could maybe sell 15 to 20 items with similar margins. (with the old fee structure)
Now counting the costs, somebody selling 1000 items a month will probably need somebody to help him with that, while a business like mine would be able to work for myself (I don't, but with such a requirement of sales, it would be possible for somebody to do this himself)
So the big bulk seller will run up additional costs, but a 12% fee on a 200% profit margin does not seem so bad.
But because the nature of say my business, the numbers are larger, and now because of the new fee structure, what would be a healthy sales margin of between about 5 - 10% after fees have gone, and the only is to screw the customers, by putting up the prices!
The customers then again see and understand this, and goes somewhere else to buy, when they understood they are paying over the market price for items. eBay looses, other ebay sellers looses, as confidence in the market place will decay, as people are aware.
It is so right what you say, eBay owes me nothing, that's why I owe them nothing, and you know what? I used eBay good this year, I sold for £25.000 or more, all by taking people out of eBay, not paying them fees, and giving my customers good price and quality. eBay was the advertisement tool to do this.
So the motto has to be, USE eBay, we helped create eBay, and we can help destroy eBay too, and if that happens, everybody looses!
I know of many who are doing exactly this, eBay shot itself in the foot, and have a created a system where it is worth to cheat the system, is that something other eBay sellers are comfortable with?
Or are you NEW sellers, now not understanding how royally screwed you are by eBay UK? Just accept whatever they throw against you, because you will be screwed by them when you least expect it, like happen with many of us this summer.
Me personally I do not see a long term future in this, I have better things lined up for me, I did use some of the money I made to secure myself another profession. As for eBay, it's going to be me, me and then again me! Use them, abuse them, and screw them, thanks and goodbye!
