Ebay policy changes

Posts: 413 · Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 8:39 am

According to the anouncements all auctions should have listed shipping charges starting today.

It still looks like auctions are being listed with no specified shipping but maybe there is some loophole to this new policy.

Posts: 1200 · Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 10:47 am

Logged onto eBay this morning and there is a completely new look on the "My eBay" page. Shocked

Took me about 1/2 hour to figure out where everything is and to customize it to be able to read it. Evil or Very Mad

Posts: 1117 · Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 10:56 am

jasonw1239 wrote:

Logged onto eBay this morning and there is a completely new look on the "My eBay" page. Shocked

Took me about 1/2 hour to figure out where everything is and to customize it to be able to read it. Evil or Very Mad

I just clicked the opt out link, rather than try and deal with that mess. Wink

Posts: 1200 · Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 11:08 am

I figured I might as well get it over with and make the change.
What is "opt-out" today will be mandatory in a month or so. Evil or Very Mad

Posts: 11 · Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 4:51 pm

Looks like eBay is pushing hard to eliminate paper payments (despite admitting they account for 10% of sales).
Too bad none of the major competitors really offer an auction format...

Posts: 4543 · Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2008 2:04 pm

It's offical, yesterday Ebay had it's all time low of $23.24 a share. They managed to rally to $23.77 a share by the end of the day. A far cry from almost exactly a year ago when they closed above $40 a share on October 11th....but so much has happened since then, none if it good for Ebay or it's customers (the economy has played a part), and the stock price reflects this.

Some experts are saying Ebay stock should rally by the end of the year, but I find that hard to believe with one huge major change (mandatory pricing) and a minor change (no checks or money orders to be accepted) coming in October, along with what could be another sluggish holiday season. I can't create a scenrio where Ebay rallies $10-$15 a share before the end of the year, but I could be wrong.

The problem seems to be, IMO, not the wholesale changes, which would have been weathered and swallowed in past years with a bit of grumbling and complaining; the problem is the TIMING of the changes, when the economy is struggling, joblessness is high, and gas, food and home prices have gone up. Genius.... Rolling Eyes

If anyone is keeping track, volume is down in listings and has been down all year. The buyer friendly changes have resulted in sellers leaving in droves. Rarely does the daily total get anywhere close to 15 million (It's usually in the 14 million range) listings, when last year at this time they were enjoying a typical 20 million listings on average.

I'd say things are very ominous in Ebay land; Donawhore has done everything he can so far to drive his new company into the sewer.

Mike B.

Posts: 592 · Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2008 2:27 pm

Hi,

I would have thought the economy would be playing in Ebays favour - people are more likely to be
a) selling off old stuff to get money
b) buying old and second hand instead of new

Certainly there is an increase in business in a lot of Charity shops in the UK.

The fact that the shares are DOWN in such an environment is not good at all.

Cheers,
Malc

Posts: 995 · Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:30 am

jasonw1239 wrote:

I figured I might as well get it over with and make the change.
What is "opt-out" today will be mandatory in a month or so. Evil or Very Mad

One constantly wonders what is wrong with Ebay. In the old format Seller services were concentrated in the top right corner, were easy to find, and it was easy to navigate - now it is all over the place.

They can't possibily think that format is better?

What do they put on the job desccriptions there? 'Only apply if you are a total moron, completely out of touch with public opinion.' ????

Posts: 4543 · Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 12:30 pm

Badmike wrote:

It's offical, yesterday Ebay had it's all time low of $23.24 a share. They managed to rally to $23.77 a share by the end of the day. A far cry from almost exactly a year ago when they closed above $40 a share on October 11th....but so much has happened since then, none if it good for Ebay or it's customers (the economy has played a part), and the stock price reflects this.

Some experts are saying Ebay stock should rally by the end of the year, but I find that hard to believe with one huge major change (mandatory pricing) and a minor change (no checks or money orders to be accepted) coming in October, along with what could be another sluggish holiday season. I can't create a scenrio where Ebay rallies $10-$15 a share before the end of the year, but I could be wrong.

The problem seems to be, IMO, not the wholesale changes, which would have been weathered and swallowed in past years with a bit of grumbling and complaining; the problem is the TIMING of the changes, when the economy is struggling, joblessness is high, and gas, food and home prices have gone up. Genius.... Rolling Eyes

If anyone is keeping track, volume is down in listings and has been down all year. The buyer friendly changes have resulted in sellers leaving in droves. Rarely does the daily total get anywhere close to 15 million (It's usually in the 14 million range) listings, when last year at this time they were enjoying a typical 20 million listings on average.

I'd say things are very ominous in Ebay land; Donawhore has done everything he can so far to drive his new company into the sewer.

Mike B.

A new low on Wed.....$22.59. How low can they go???? Shocked

They did rally a bit today...but shareholders have to be pissed, unless the stock is poised to jump $10+ a share in the next month. Which it wont.

Surely if it goes under $20 a share some grumbling from that quarter will get louder?

Miike B.

Posts: 605 · Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 7:23 pm

Badmike wrote:

A new low on Wed.....$22.59. How low can they go???? Shocked

They did rally a bit today...but shareholders have to be pissed, unless the stock is poised to jump $10+ a share in the next month. Which it wont.

Surely if it goes under $20 a share some grumbling from that quarter will get louder?

Miike B.

And we were all lamenting how the changes were going to result in problems. We were also hoping eBay would suffer because of their stupid decisions. Well what do you know? It is happening.

I am personally disappointed we were right because I used to like eBay a lot. I hope this results in some changes to the way it used to be, but I don't have a lot of hope.

Posts: 83 · Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 7:43 pm

QUESTION: Has anyone who is still selling on Ebay (I'm not) encountered any (and I man ANY) sort of problems as a result of the no negative feedback for buyers policy? This single policy is the #1 reason I no longer use Ebay to sell.

COMMENT:

I belive two things hurt Ebay. #1 their changing policies and listing formats. They've made things hard on sellers, increased fees, mandated PAYPAL (which I think should be illegal and I'm sure the question will be before a judge soon and investors know this also so that hurts stocks). #2 Shipping costs have gone up quite a bit. If I save say $20 by buying something on Ebay but it costs me $15 to get is shipped then I'm only saving $5 and that's not enough to keep me from going to a local store. Add to that the fact that seller fees have gone up so they don't make as much, which means they demand higher sale prices, which means I don't save as much in the first place... you see my point.

Anyway, if the economy is down, Ebay should be doing better. Two reasons: #1 If you need money, many people sell off things they've collected or have for cash. #2 If you don't have much money you tend to look for bargains and that's one significant reason I buy things like Wii games and such on Ebay.

Wags

Posts: 4543 · Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 8:59 pm

Wags wrote:

QUESTION: Has anyone who is still selling on Ebay (I'm not) encountered any (and I man ANY) sort of problems as a result of the no negative feedback for buyers policy? This single policy is the #1 reason I no longer use Ebay to sell.

Yes it has directly affected me. A moron who got his items in 10 days was pissed because he didn't get them in five days, left scathing negative feedback, with no recourse for myself (although I'm trying to get it removed due to lies he told ebay and paypal). Checking his feedback, he's done the same for at least two other sellers, with no recourse except to post warnings in the POSITIVE feedback we have to leave him (I'm about to do the same). He mostly buys magazines and miniatures, I would urge eveyone that hasn't already done so to block him IMMEDIATELY:

Scubabri420

Anyway, if I or the other sellers was able to leave negative feedback, morons like this would be forced to think before they left negs.

Mike B.

Posts: 1291 · Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:13 pm

Your feedback to him cracked me up Mike!

Interesting to see negative comments being left in positive FB now - it will only become more common I'm afraid.

Once again I'm seriously considering not selling on ebay anymore - it's just no fun any more. It seems sellers are at the mercy of idiots with an axe to grind. (And don't get me started on the DSR's!)

Posts: 1007 · Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 10:20 pm

neged T&T as well I see, once again its a stock photo, but the descritpion plainly says that it is well rodgered....

Brette:)

Posts: 4543 · Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 11:02 pm

gyg wrote:

Your feedback to him cracked me up Mike!

Interesting to see negative comments being left in positive FB now - it will only become more common I'm afraid.

Once again I'm seriously considering not selling on ebay anymore - it's just no fun any more. It seems sellers are at the mercy of idiots with an axe to grind. (And don't get me started on the DSR's!)

I plan on leaving him three more, spaced out the next month or so. Buyers can get postive feedback removed, if "negative" comments are included...but I don't think this guy has a clue how to do that. The trick is to make it so your comments aren't negative...which mine surely won't be! I'm POSITIVE he's the nicest tranny I've ever dealt with..... Very Happy

Mike B.

Posts: 269 · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 5:40 am

The stock will rally (not due to anything positive at ebay) but because around november is when fund managers have to start putting their money (alot is sitting on the sidelines) back to work. I think a rally to $30 is likely by christmas.

IMHO Wall Street considers paypal the real moneymaker at ebay.

Posts: 1007 · Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 9:47 pm

Less than 5000 items in the rpg section...

UK ebay looks like lots, is this anything to do with there new multi listing policy??

Brette:)

Posts: 413 · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 4:35 am

Anyone notice the change in final value fees?

books, Dvds, etc... are now starting at 15%

Fixed price, which they are pushing, are now starting at 12%

Posts: 943 · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 10:25 am

JasonZavoda wrote:

Anyone notice the change in final value fees?

books, Dvds, etc... are now starting at 15%

Fixed price, which they are pushing, are now starting at 12%

I think the 15% fee is only for fixed price listings:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/fees.html

So all fixed-price listings are either $.15 (books & music) or $.35, no matter what the start price, and last for a month, but the FVF is 15%.

Auctions are still the same (at least for now), with an incremental scale.

Has anyone started listing their RPG stuff under Books instead of Toys? Or is the lower exposure not worth it?

Posts: 4543 · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 10:58 am

zhowar wrote:

I think the 15% fee is only for fixed price listings:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/fees.html

So all fixed-price listings are either $.15 (books & music) or $.35, no matter what the start price, and last for a month, but the FVF is 15%.

Auctions are still the same (at least for now), with an incremental scale.

Has anyone started listing their RPG stuff under Books instead of Toys? Or is the lower exposure not worth it?

If you list them under Books, you'll be hit by the "maximum shipping fees" and can only charge $4 per item shipping. For the time being Toys and Hobbie is really the best place to list stuff.

Mike B.