Ebay,Ebay,Ebay,junk yard

[jdpos]

In truth I'm selling a little on ebay but in the main I've found it most useful for converting search terms from my fumble-fingered laymens speak into the technical terms I required.

Along the way I've acquired a manufacturer who was selling on ebay but had a business offline that provides me with the very custom clips I required, another company in the US that provide some tubing parts I need and more.

It's not ALL bad but the key thing with it is always to have your whits about you and a decent pricing plan. Why on earth would anyone sell on there to make a loss?

The charges have gone up alot in recent months/years and the business' that have been running all that time are now making as little as £1 profit on items that sell for £80+ also it is now so competitive it's stupid. I'd avoid ebay as a seller unless I knew I could make good profits.

 

[Eagle]

Dont Use It Then, Simple Really

Exactly. There's a lot of sour grapes around here.

 

[Springmedia]

Ebay has it's place as an online marketplace. Odds are 95% of people that sell on it wouldn't be able to sell as much elsewhere. It's just another business cost. If you can't afford the fees, then find somewhere else to sell your product.

In my opinion I think it is a great way for new businesses to test their products and price points and can be a good cheap way to get started and make mistakes without incurring a lot of costs up front.

I can understand that it's frustrating to feel that you're giving away your profits,uUltimately making money is all about selling the right product at the right price taking into account your costs.

Just my 2p

Julie

 

I can understand that it's frustrating to feel that you're giving away your profits,uUltimately making money is all about selling the right product at the right price taking into account your costs.

Just my 2p

Julie[/quot]

On the Button Julie.Problem is a lot of people have been making a living via Ebay and have seen there profit margind erroded to the point where they have to decide whether to continue with them.

Always a difficult decision when you live in hope of the good times returning.

Earl

 

[Peter1982]

Ebay Ebay Ebay,

A superb tool for clearing out all that old junk, recycling, getting some great unwanted bargins.

What I really really hate about ebay is honest hardworking business are undermined by poeple selling their goods cheap out of their garage with little overheads (except those ebay fees). For example, you run a small independant shop on the highstreet and people come in and say they like your things but before buying they go home and check ebay to see if they can get it cheaper and hey preseto some clever F***** is selling it with a 10% margin because he doesn't have to pay rates, rent, bills and probably doesn't pay tax.

Ebay started as a car boot sale on the internet and it was great fun. But as they've got greedy and people have started selling new things in their ebay shops it's become a constant nusaince to reputable businesses.

Just my thoughts

 

[gogojonny]

There are 2 evils to Ebay - Ebay and Paypal

Ebay was once get for getting rid of clutter, but now it is the home of many 'home businesses'. Anyone can list items and sell without having to display a company address etc and this gives rise to scammers. The solution to this would be to make Ebay second hand items only.

Paypal quite frankly is the most nasty piece of work I have ever dealt with. I have been scammed on Ebay and Paypal were no help, instead they tried to make me pay £300 to the buyer of my item as a refund (after the buyer had tampered and messed around with the product, then claimed it did not work). The system for Paypal disputes in so complicated and they are trying to create something that does not need to exist. If someone pays for something by Paypal, like with a cash payment it should be Buyer Beware. Now Paypal can initiate refunds, coupled with buyers also complaining to credit card companies and creating chargebacks.

Worst thing is Paypal is not regulated in the UK - Luxembourg! How do they get away with it. So many horror stories on on the internet, and I bet many more who haven't reported them.

I have closed my Ebay account. When Paypal/Ebay believe a buyer with a feedback of 11, inactive for months, from an Eastern European country, over myself with a feedback of nearly 800 and regular member, then it is time to say goodbye.

 

[Peter1982]

Just reading some other posts, people complaining about rising ebay fees. But hold on, your selling stuff out of your garage and probably not paying tax, what exactly are your overheads? ?

Ebay fees should be higher than they already are for the ebay shops.

It's already been said but ebay should be about private sellers getting rid of things they don't want. Not people selling from home trying to make a quick buck and winging that paypal and ebay are taking all their profits.

 

[Simon-M]

I bought a car off ebay. Didn't even see the it. Still haven't. It's in the garage having the bodywork repaired that was not mentioned in the sale. Still... you know what they say... "a fool and his money are easilly parted"

Simon

 

[directmarketingadvice]

Well rather than complain about it find somwhere else to promote your business.

Well said.

If ebay is not giving you a good deal, walk away...

And, if you're not willing to do that, you must be getting more from them than they're taking.

Steve

 

[Jezclayton]

As much as reputable eBay merchants complain about Joe public selling stuff, High Street retailers probably complain about the eBay Merchants.

I buy alot of items on eBay, most of it from Joe Public who is selling unwanted purchases. I have rarely been ripped off and where I have it has invariably been one of the so called reputable merchants who sell crap for pennies and then charge the earth for postage.

From a buyer perspective, my latest purchase, a wall channeler. Cheapest price available from a merchant £500, cost from Joe public (used once and with both original receipt and guarantee) £200. I have no risk because I will normally buy locally and collect in person.

From a seller perspective, I sold my last van on eBay. Best trade in offered was £2,000, eBay sale secured me £5,000. I really don't care what the charge was, didn't even look, but I doubt it was much more than Auto Trader etc. As for payment, again this was cash to avoid Paypal charges.

I still think eBay is a fantastic resource for the general public and businesses to sell surplus or otherwise unwanted items. Rather than blame them for the demise, I think it is the merchants who are destroying the site not the other way round. For one, I think the prices many of you ask are just plain greedy compared to High Street outlets and the charges peanuts compared to the same High Street overheads.

My bigest gripe is against the so called reputable merchants who add VAT and then never provide a VAT Invoice/Receipt.

 

[Peter1982]

Agree with you totally Jez,

I've used ebay to buy and sell lots of things in the past. For unwanted or used goods it's great. Sell your old car, buy a nice piece of furniture locally, buy someones unwanted birthday present. As a business we would sell off some sale stock to clear.

It is the merchants who discretid the site and other peoples business

 

[Jezclayton]

Now I think of it, I actually rank immigrant workers above eBay Merchants. Neither of you pay your fair taxes (with a few exceptions of course...don't want to be accused of stereotyping), but at least the immigrant workers earn their money.

 

[Peter1982]

Jez,

I think your refering to 'illegal' imigrant workers. Just thought I say that before you get yourself in trouble with the political correctness bureau.

I agree ebay merchants are bad people!

P.S. this is a sweeping generalisation and to be taken with a pinch of salt.

 

[Jezclayton]

Of course I am.

I was actually born in Jersey (Channel Islands) and am often referred to as an immigrant myself.

Useful though when the English, Welsh, Scottish, Irish etc...arguments start.

As far as the political correctness bureau is concerned, I'm in the mood for a good fight right now. Roll it on.

 

[cmoney]

Changing the subject a little. Has any one out there had or has any dealings with The Select Dropshippers?

 

[websnail]

Good grief... I've become the devils spawn in less than a month... Who knew.

Nice sweeping generalisations there folks. Not everyone is a rip off merchant although in fairness if I had a penny for everyone who'd emailed or messaged me in stunned amazement when I answered questions, sent stuff quickly, etc... I'd be rich So, obviously there's plenty of scammers about.

It's much like anything else though, if you do your homework, listen to your instincts and don't jump at "cheap bargains" without heeding the signs then you've no right to complain frankly. It does work both ways...

Right now I have someone who bought a printer from me, second hand. 2 weeks after I'd asked for confirmation that they'd received it I got an email saying they had a problem that I hadn't caught. Fair enough, so before they could ask I offered to take it back. I got a reply another week later saying yes they'd like to send it back, so I replied in the usual rapid time saying that I'd happily pay for postage if they sent it back parcelforce and send me a tracking number.

... that was 2 weeks ago.. No package and no email... Of course it'll most likely result in my 100% perfect rating going south but what can you do... And just to add to this, you hear of plenty of honest sellers being blackmailed by buyers saying they want a refund AND to keep the item or they'll post negative feedback... WTF?!!!

So, sorry folks... disagree with the "ebay sellers inhabit pirate city" whitewash. There are some good and some bad... but ebay and paypal are doing very nicely thank-you very much.

 

[Jezclayton]

Good grief... I've become the devils spawn in less than a month... Who knew

.

All tongue in cheek really, but be proud of your new position in life.

I think some of the new eBay rules regarding feedback stink, as does their complaints procedure. I wouldn't want to be a merchant myself.

 

[websnail]

.

All tongue in cheek really, but be proud of your new position in life.

Right hand man to the guy downstairs... New business card time?

I think some of the new eBay rules regarding feedback stink, as does their complaints procedure. I wouldn't want to be a merchant myself.

In fairness I think ebay is like Tiscali... Great while it works and then when you get burned...

I just felt my hackles getting up and had to let rip... Therapeutic if naught else...

 

[cmoney]

I really hope some one from ebay is reading all these posts. A few people I know who used to do ebay full time have now moved their business over to Amazon.

 

[Simon-M]

If you think anyone from ebay is reading this or that anyone really gives a hoot about any of this then you need a reality check. Yeah...ebay are changing their business model as I type just to accomodate us all here.....NOT.

Come on... this is a great forum...but it aint THAT GREAT

 

[jdpos]

I saw a news story the other week on a tech site and apparently 8% of eBay's powersellers moved over to a different bidding site in the space of 3 day's, the new site were doing thing like offering 10 auctions for £5 or something daft like that.

 

[moose88]

i find it hard to sell on ebay, because their is too much competition. everyone on their believes in pile it high and sell it cheap... so unless you sell hundreds of things in a day, you might as well work at mcdonalds... unless of course you manage to find a product that is in demand, but had low competition

 

[jdpos]

i find it hard to sell on ebay, because their is too much competition. everyone on their believes in pile it high and sell it cheap... so unless you sell hundreds of things in a day, you might as well work at mcdonalds... unless of course you manage to find a product that is in demand, but had low competition

Yup! . . .

 

[s brown]

yes to maike money you need to sell alot we make about £450 a week on ebay sometimes more but you need to sell alot of stuff to make real money x