Ebay T&C change coming up

[LAX54]

Seems Ebay are altering the T&C's in a few weeks, going along the 'Vinted' route
Sellers will be paid 2 days AFTER DELIVERY.
Buyers will pay a fee of 4% PLUS 75p on purchases, (the 4% will be lower on higher prices), the 'fee' will be added to the sellers price and not billed seperately.

eBay adds buyer fees and delays private seller payments (and it starts soon)

eBay will introduce a new buyer fee and make sellers wait for payment until delivery is confirmed, as part of a major shake-up.

uk.news.yahoo.com

eBay will introduce a new buyers fee, as part of several changes to its selling systems.

An email to all customers explained: "We recently changed our fee structure, so it's now free for private sellers to sell, and there are no barriers for you to list the items buyers will love.

As part of this change, we're launching Buyer Protection to give buyers more confidence and security when shopping."
From February 4, a fee will be included in the item price when purchasing from private sellers.

The fee will be included in the item price from private sellers. Buyers will pay up to 4% of the item price, plus 75p.

For sellers, funds will be available in eBay balances two days after delivery confirmation, or notification of local collection.

To sweeten this, eBay is adding 24 / 7 customer support, with a real person by phone at any time of day, or answering chat messages.

 

[Harpo]

Buyers fees are included in the price so at least there are no add-ons.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Certainly interesting when purchasing stuff like railway books online, just how much the price varies, for the exact same item, from the same bookseller, depending on which selling platform the item has been listed on.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Seems Ebay are altering the T&C's in a few weeks, going along the 'Vinted' route
Sellers will be paid 2 days AFTER DELIVERY.
Buyers will pay a fee of 4% PLUS 75p on purchases, (the 4% will be lower on higher prices), the 'fee' will be added to the sellers price and not billed seperately.

I presume eBay will be holding all the money for two days - which will be substantial across the whole platform - and earning some interest on it in that time, so they've basically found a way of adding two fresh revenue streams for themselves at once...

...and it makes me less likely to ever go back to selling on eBay; I think I'll stick to using my own website!

 

[Belperpete]

Certainly interesting when purchasing stuff like railway books online, just how much the price varies, for the exact same item, from the same bookseller, depending on which selling platform the item has been listed on.

I have found most things can be bought cheaper on eBay than Amazon. Always worth doing a search on the seller's business name. Don't know whether these new fees will change that or not.

 

[LAX54]

I have found most things can be bought cheaper on eBay than Amazon. Always worth doing a search on the seller's business name. Don't know whether these new fees will change that or not.

The way I understand it, if the seller puts a book on for £10, Ebay will add 4% + 75p, and that will be the price you see when it's listed.
Seller will not see the money in the bank until 2 days after the item has been delivered.

 

[eastdyke]

Seems Ebay are altering the T&C's in a few weeks, going along the 'Vinted' route
Sellers will be paid 2 days AFTER DELIVERY.
Buyers will pay a fee of 4% PLUS 75p on purchases, (the 4% will be lower on higher prices), the 'fee' will be added to the sellers price and not billed seperately.

These changes are for items from 'Private' Sellers only.
Sellers sending items untracked will be paid 14 calendar days from the order date.

Getting paid for items you've sold

Getting paid for items you've sold on eBay is simple. Your buyers can choose from many payment methods, and you'll receive your payouts directly in your bank account. You can track all of your payouts in the Payments tab - opens in new window or tab in Seller Hub or Payments - opens in new...

www.ebay.co.uk

For untracked deliveries, or tracked deliveries when there is no delivery confirmation, funds will become available 14 calendar days from the order date

 

[jfollows]

My better half sells things on eBay from time to time, but doesn’t post the items until payment has been received. With this change, will payment be confirmed even if not paid? Sounds like a scam by eBay to me.
As a buyer I don’t care about the details, I bid based on the cost to me. I often bid £10 for items, minus all the extra costs, so I end up paying £10 in the end. I’ll keep an eye out for the changes mentioned here, but essentially I’ll end up paying less to the seller.
EDIT My primary purchase has been railway working timetables, since Covid, so I’ve probably got enough now, but I’m not generally prepared to pay >£10 inclusive of costs and eBay taxes. I’m not prepared to pay 4%+75p on top. Up to sellers what they choose to list for, but in my case I won’t generally consider paying the tax myself.

 

[Belperpete]

My better half sells things on eBay from time to time, but doesn’t post the items until payment has been received. With this change, will payment be confirmed even if not paid? Sounds like a scam by eBay to me.
As a buyer I don’t care about the details, I bid based on the cost to me. I often bid £10 for items, minus all the extra costs, so I end up paying £10 in the end. I’ll keep an eye out for the changes mentioned here, but essentially I’ll end up paying less to the seller.
EDIT My primary purchase has been railway working timetables, since Covid, so I’ve probably got enough now, but I’m not generally prepared to pay >£10 inclusive of costs and eBay taxes. I’m not prepared to pay 4%+75p on top. Up to sellers what they choose to list for, but in my case I won’t generally consider paying the tax myself.

As I understand it, the charges will be invisible to the buyer. The listed price will still be what you pay. The charges will be deducted before the payment gets passed to the seller. How many items we will see listed at 11.15 instead of 10.00 we wait to see.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Railwayana auctions went down this route some years ago,hammer price plus commission plus VAT. I suppose it is no different to commercial auctions but it niggles that what you expect to pay suddenly rises by perhaps 18%. One just has to make allowances for this when bidding. Doesn’t make it right though.

 

[jon81uk]

Sellers sending items untracked will be paid 14 calendar days from the order date.

Worth knowing if you do sell that the standard Royal Mail parcels service (£3.25 bought online for second class) includes delivery confirmation. It won't show the full tracking, but putting in the barcode number from eBay will generally mean it shows when it is delivered and therefore will trigger payment under the new system. There is no need for fully tracked unless over £20.

As I understand it, the charges will be invisible to the buyer. The listed price will still be what you pay. The charges will be deducted before the payment gets passed to the seller. How many items we will see listed at 11.15 instead of 10.00 we wait to see.

Yep, the change is just in terms of how much the seller gets, for private sellers they get the price they asked for and the fee is paid by the buyer but not really shown. For business sellers they receive the net amount after their fees, the price they ask for will have fees taken from it.

My better half sells things on eBay from time to time, but doesn’t post the items until payment has been received. With this change, will payment be confirmed even if not paid? Sounds like a scam by eBay to me.

Currently you should be posting once eBay confirm it is paid, not when the money is withdrawn to your bank. The change means you won't be able to withdraw until the item is confirmed as delivered or 14 days later. As above though, this is possible with standard Royal Mail parcels.

 

[jfollows]

Currently you should be posting once eBay confirm it is paid, not when the money is withdrawn to your bank. The change means you won't be able to withdraw until the item is confirmed as delivered or 14 days later. As above though, this is possible with standard Royal Mail parcels.

If eBay confirms it has received payment, then that’s not too bad then. In due course eBay will hand over the money on delivery, understood.

 

[12LDA28C]

Slightly off-topic but what really bugs me as a private seller on eBay is how many buyers don't have the courtesy to leave feedback once they've received the item, a process which takes around 30 seconds. I spend time packaging stuff securely and posting it promptly and the buyer can't be bothered to leave feedback so I know they've received it safely. Annoying.

 

[jfollows]

Slightly off-topic but what really bugs me as a private seller on eBay is how many buyers don't have the courtesy to leave feedback once they've received the item, a process which takes around 30 seconds. I spend time packaging stuff securely and posting it promptly and the buyer can't be bothered to leave feedback so I know they've received it safely. Annoying.

Yup, as a buyer 100% of the time I always leave feedback and have a brilliant “buyer rating” but the reality is that it doesn’t really matter, if I didn’t leave feedback I’d still be able to buy stuff. To me, it’s kind of part of the deal, but clearly not every other buyer thinks the same. eBay confused things a few months ago by “suggesting” words for feedback, which was obnoxious to me, but seems to have climbed down.

Now they seem to limit themselves to “reminding” me to provide feedback, which I can ignore, but last time I realised I hadn’t even received the item, so contacted the seller who gave me a excuse but eventually sent the item, in due course I gave appropriate and accurate feedback.

 

[GatwickDepress]

Slightly off-topic but what really bugs me as a private seller on eBay is how many buyers don't have the courtesy to leave feedback once they've received the item, a process which takes around 30 seconds. I spend time packaging stuff securely and posting it promptly and the buyer can't be bothered to leave feedback so I know they've received it safely. Annoying.

I have a bug that means I can't leave feedback for some reason. I just get stuck in a loop of entering my password. Tried different browsers, computers, my phone, etc, same result. eBay support is obviously completely useless.

 

[Belperpete]

Slightly off-topic but what really bugs me as a private seller on eBay is how many buyers don't have the courtesy to leave feedback once they've received the item, a process which takes around 30 seconds. I spend time packaging stuff securely and posting it promptly and the buyer can't be bothered to leave feedback so I know they've received it safely. Annoying.

The problem is that virtually everything you book and buy online these days, is followed by a request for feedback, that people get fed up of it. I know I do. Also, at one time the majority of eBay sales were private sellers, but nowadays the majority seem to be commercial sellers.

 

[12LDA28C]

The problem is that virtually everything you book and buy online these days, is followed by a request for feedback, that people get fed up of it. I know I do. Also, at one time the majority of eBay sales were private sellers, but nowadays the majority seem to be commercial sellers.

Indeed, but I get pretty fed up taking stuff down to the Post Office and sending it off with no idea if it has reached its intended destination or not. Personally I always leave feedback on eBay, for anything I buy from either private or trade sellers and don't consider it unreasonable to expect others to do the same. It's just common courtesy, not to mention the fact that as a private seller my feedback rating is a measure of my reputation and should be relied upon by prospective purchasers as an indication of whether they can expect good service.

 

[Belperpete]

Indeed, but I get pretty fed up taking stuff down to the Post Office and sending it off with no idea if it has reached its intended destination or not. Personally I always leave feedback on eBay, for anything I buy from either private or trade sellers and don't consider it unreasonable to expect others to do the same. It's just common courtesy, not to mention the fact that as a private seller my feedback rating is a measure of my reputation and should be relied upon by prospective purchasers as an indication of whether they can expect good service.

Expecting someone to provide feedback every time they receive something is like expecting everybody you pass on the Underground to wish you a good day. Once upon a time it may have been considered common courtesy to greet anyone you passed, but times have moved on.

As far as I am concerned, I order something, it arrives, end of story. I feel no need to fill in feedback every time I stay in a hotel, every time I receive a meal delivery, or every time I receive an eBay or Amazon order. Just as I felt no need to send a nice thank you letter to the Passport Office person who sent me the passport I ordered, or to National Rail for sending me the Railcard I ordered.

I consider it an unreasonable presumption to expect people to spend their time doing you a favour. You should be grateful for those who do, not annoyed at those who don't.

These days, ever more people seem to want feedback. Even physical shops seem to be getting in on the act. Shopping centre toilets want you to press a button on the way out to rate the facilities. And now even my new work phone expects me to rate phone calls I receive! No doubt soon my kettle will be expecting me to give it marks out of ten every time I make a cup of tea.

 

[12LDA28C]

Expecting someone to provide feedback every time they receive something is like expecting everybody you pass on the Underground to wish you a good day. Once upon a time it may have been considered common courtesy to greet anyone you passed, but times have moved on.

As far as I am concerned, I order something, it arrives, end of story. I feel no need to fill in feedback every time I stay in a hotel, every time I receive a meal delivery, or every time I receive an eBay or Amazon order. Just as I felt no need to send a nice thank you letter to the Passport Office person who sent me the passport I ordered, or to National Rail for sending me the Railcard I ordered.

I consider it an unreasonable presumption to expect people to spend their time doing you a favour. You should be grateful for those who do, not annoyed at those who don't.

These days, ever more people seem to want feedback. Even physical shops seem to be getting in on the act. Shopping centre toilets want you to press a button on the way out to rate the facilities. And now even my new work phone expects me to rate phone calls I receive! No doubt soon my kettle will be expecting me to give it marks out of ten every time I make a cup of tea.

It’s not ‘doing me a favour’, it’s how eBay works. It’s not a huge undertaking to acknowledge receipt of something a human being has posted, as opposed to ordering something from a huge multinational corporation who probably don’t care if their products reach their customers or not and nor is it unreasonable for me as a seller to expect that acknowledgment. It seems people like you are part of the problem.

 

[Harpo]

Probably one for a different topic, but the feedback requests are getting ridiculous such as Sainsburys asking me to review a £1.10 jar of spice.

 

[GusB]

Expecting someone to provide feedback every time they receive something is like expecting everybody you pass on the Underground to wish you a good day. Once upon a time it may have been considered common courtesy to greet anyone you passed, but times have moved on.

I'm one of those people who really can't stand the "how did we do" and "please rate us" communications that various companies send out but when it comes to Ebay, this is how the platform works.

It's nothing like passing everyone on the Underground and wishing them a good day - you're not buying or selling from random strangers on the tube!

So far I've only ever been a buyer on Ebay and I can count on one or two fingers how many bad experiences I've had. In the vast majority of cases, my goods have arrived within the promised delivery time and I'm more than happy to leave feedback to say that the seller has done what they have promised to do within the agreed timescale. I've never ever had to chase up an Ebay purchase, which is more than can be said of other "mainstream" retailers. It only takes a few seconds to give a rating and you don't have to give a gushing review of the service that you've received; a simple "goods arrived on time and item was as expected - would buy from this seller again".

I'm also one of those people who will give positive feedback, without being prompted, if I feel that a business has done very well or has gone above and beyond what I expected. It doesn't cost anything but it helps the business and it also helps other customers when they're making decisions about where to shop.

 

[jon81uk]

Probably one for a different topic, but the feedback requests are getting ridiculous such as Sainsburys asking me to review a £1.10 jar of spice.

A product review is not the same on leaving feedback about the transactional experiance.
What Sainsbury's asked for is a review of the product (does it taste good, is it functional, value for money etc). I've had requests from Sainsbury's for feedback of the in-store experience (how was the till/cashier, was the store clean, was the item in stock etc). I've also left product reviews without being asked when I've eaten something that was better or worse than I expected.