eBay scrapping selling fees for private sellers

[bp122]

even cash on collection used to have the fees applied, just saved any paypal fee

Yup, and postage hassle.

 

[Doris]

Yup, and postage hassle.

Plus what's this all about?

​

​ Introducing eBay Balance​

From 16 October 2024, we’re introducing eBay balance, a new way to use your funds after you sell. You’ll be able to use your funds to shop directly on eBay or pay for things such as delivery labels, promote your listings, or to cover any selling needs. Alternatively, you can withdraw available funds from your balance to your bank account - payment holds may apply. As your funds will be stored in your eBay balance, daily, weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly payout schedules will no longer be offered.​

It looks as though Ebay are going to be hanging on to your money after you've sold an item. One wonders how long it will take to extract your money from them.

This and eBay telling me what courier to use in the future, printing postage labels being made mandatory etc. Some backhander going on there with their "chosen courier" I reckon.

Royal Mail is bad enough as it is but still go to the post office and pay for their time and service to keep them in busy. Maybe eBay have just had enough of parcels going missing but I suspect its more likely a backhander from a rival company.

I've heard of Paypal accounts being frozen on the suspicion of money laundering so I can see the same thing happening on eBay in the future too.

I've been selling on eBay for over 20 years but now won't bother as I feel these changes have gone too far. Buying on there already is hard enough because of all the crap from China to wade through.

 

[Blackswanwood]

This and eBay telling me what courier to use in the future, printing postage labels being made mandatory etc. Some backhander going on there with their "chosen courier" I reckon.

Royal Mail is bad enough as it is but still go to the post office and pay for their time and service to keep them in busy. Maybe eBay have just had enough of parcels going missing but I suspect its more likely a backhander from a rival company.

I've heard of Paypal accounts being frozen on the suspicion of money laundering so I can see the same thing happening on eBay in the future too.

I've been selling on eBay for over 20 years but now won't bother as I feel these changes have gone too far. Buying on there already is hard enough because of all the rubbish from China to wade through.

I’m sure you are right about them getting a “commission” from the carrier but I also think the changes probably remove some of the risk for both buyers and sellers. Facebook marketplace is probably the other end of the spectrum which arguably has more scammers than legit sellers. My guess is that eBay see increasing the control they have over the sale process as providing longer term competitive advantage.

From a money laundering perspective PayPal is different as it can be used for payments without the reason being visible. If the payments relate solely to goods bought and sold on eBay it’s hopefully easier to differentiate between legit and nefarious activity.

I’d much prefer if they could add a sort function to put the Chinese rubbish at the bottom

 

[bp122]

I’m sure you are right about them getting a “commission” from the carrier but I also think the changes probably remove some of the risk for both buyers and sellers. Facebook marketplace is probably the other end of the spectrum which arguably has more scammers than legit sellers. My guess is that eBay see increasing the control they have over the sale process as providing longer term competitive advantage.

From a money laundering perspective PayPal is different as it can be used for payments without the reason being visible. If the payments relate solely to goods bought and sold on eBay it’s hopefully easier to differentiate between legit and nefarious activity.

I’d much prefer if they could add a sort function to put the Chinese rubbish at the bottom

I agree with this.

In the last few years, I have been selling on eBay, FB, gumtree, UKW etc.

UKW of course is the most pleasant with zero issues

eBay is a second (both as a buyer and seller), I have had one problematic transaction as a seller and 1 as a buyer on nearly 8 years. Neither of them cost me any money.

Facebook and gumtree: I put this as a disclaimer up front on all my listings (whether it costs £10 or £1000) "If the listing is live, it is available. Asking "is it available" will be ignored! NO Paypal, NO DHL, UPS postage, NO Scam. Cash on collection or can post (Royalmail insured delivery only) AFTER successful bank transfer. "
Even then for every 10 enquiries, I can factually say that 7 of them are scammers.

 

[tom1asz]

In the last few years, I have been selling on eBay, FB, gumtree, UKW etc

What is UKW?

 

[MorrisWoodman12]

What is UKW?

Where are you? Are you here on UKW-orkshop or just away with the fairies? No disrespect intended.

 

[bp122]

What is UKW?

Yeah, sorry mate. We usually abbreviate UK Workshop.

 

[Agent_zed]

Facebook and gumtree: I put this as a disclaimer up front on all my listings (whether it costs £10 or £1000) "If the listing is live, it is available. Asking "is it available" will be ignored! NO Paypal, NO DHL, UPS postage, NO Scam. Cash on collection or can post (Royalmail insured delivery only) AFTER successful bank transfer. "

That's fine but the problem I find with marketplace is that half the people don't bother to update the listing so it could be weeks old and then you ask to buy it and they either ignore you and you find the listing is removed without any notification or you get a 'sorry it's sold' message.

They could do with a system where you have to click that it is still active each week or so.

Unless its something local and collected FB marketplace is full of dodgy scams. So many things seem to be £89 for a new E-bike or a Shed which have stock images, numerous adverts of the same but in different locations in the country.

I find ebay pretty good and has sorted a few problems I've had over the years pretty quickly. I dislike the 'make an offer' function when the seller doesn't actually want an offer or take 20p off as a counter offer?! If they don't want offers don't turn that on.

It does annoy me I can't set the filter to always be 'UK only' though.

 

[artie]

Facebook and gumtree: I put this as a disclaimer up front on all my listings (whether it costs £10 or £1000) "If the listing is live, it is available. Asking "is it available" will be ignored! NO Paypal, NO DHL, UPS postage, NO Scam. Cash on collection or can post (Royalmail insured delivery only) AFTER successful bank transfer. "

There's no way in a hot place I would send money to a seller on marketplace or gumtree.

Face to face only.

 

[bp122]

There's no way in a hot place I would send money to a seller on marketplace or gumtree.

Face to face only.

It's only there to deter people from proposing crazy ideas that their cousin out brother worked pick up our that they'd send a ups postman etc

 

[bp122]

That's fine but the problem I find with marketplace is that half the people don't bother to update the listing so it could be weeks old and then you ask to buy it and they either ignore you and you find the listing is removed without any notification or you get a 'sorry it's sold' message.

They could do with a system where you have to click that it is still active each week or so.

Unless its something local and collected FB marketplace is full of dodgy scams. So many things seem to be £89 for a new E-bike or a Shed which have stock images, numerous adverts of the same but in different locations in the country.

I find ebay pretty good and has sorted a few problems I've had over the years pretty quickly. I dislike the 'make an offer' function when the seller doesn't actually want an offer or take 20p off as a counter offer?! If they don't want offers don't turn that on.

It does annoy me I can't set the filter to always be 'UK only' though.

+1

 

[tom1asz]

thanks, I didn't know we can sell here like on E bay etc.

 

[bp122]

thanks, I didn't know we can sell here like on E bay etc.

We can. There's a requirement for a minimum number of posts or membership fees to enable this, I think.

 

[Blackswanwood]

thanks, I didn't know we can sell here like on E bay etc.

It’s not like eBay Tom - this may help …

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/for-sale-rules-guidelines-please-read-before-posting.54359/

 

[tom1asz]

Thank you guys, I just checked the place and the rules.

 

[stuart little]

even cash on collection used to have the fees applied, just saved any paypal fee

The few times I've sold with cash on collection, the buyers agreed to a cancellation of the order, thus avoiding fees. No £50 notes accepted - too many dodgy ones about.

 

[Doris]

From a money laundering perspective PayPal is different as it can be used for payments without the reason being visible. If the payments relate solely to goods bought and sold on eBay it’s hopefully easier to differentiate between legit and nefarious activity.

I’d much prefer if they could add a sort function to put the Chinese rubbish at the bottom

I'm not saying that eBay will be used for money laundering but I can see eBay freezing accounts with money tied up in them at the drop of a hat for any reason they decide upon like PayPal.

Etsy had a similar thing but I think that was a technical issue. Many sellers I know left as a result because they couldn't trust the platform anymore.

 

[Doris]

That's fine but the problem I find with marketplace is that half the people don't bother to update the listing so it could be weeks old and then you ask to buy it and they either ignore you and you find the listing is removed without any notification or you get a 'sorry it's sold' message.

They could do with a system where you have to click that it is still active each week or so.

Unless its something local and collected FB marketplace is full of dodgy scams. So many things seem to be £89 for a new E-bike or a Shed which have stock images, numerous adverts of the same but in different locations in the country.

Me personally I get tired of people asking if something is available and then you hear nothing. I think eventually you get so tired of it you tune out almost all messages that ask if it's available. Usually the serious buyers message a week or 2 after it's listed I find.

Also I get messages like "I'm in the area only today, will you except my stupidly low offer?"

Years ago I bought a car from Facebook.... never again

 

[Agent_zed]

Me personally I get tired of people asking if something is available and then you hear nothing. I think eventually you get so tired of it you tune out almost all messages that ask if it's available. Usually the serious buyers message a week or 2 after it's listed I find.

Also I get messages like "I'm in the area only today, will you except my stupidly low offer?"

Years ago I bought a car from Facebook.... never again

I guess at the end of the day though, if you are trying to sell something then getting some messages asking if it is still available shouldn't be the most annoying thing. Fair enough if you've put a message on there along the lines of 'if you can see this ad then it is still available' but otherwise it's hard to know.

I think i'd prefer 'is it available' to 'when could i collect?' with the later you end up relying 'Hey, I'm around on the weekend' etc and then you hear nothing from them so you don't know whether you are likely to have to be around if you want to change plans.

 

[Blackswanwood]

I'm not saying that eBay will be used for money laundering but I can see eBay freezing accounts with money tied up in them at the drop of a hat for any reason they decide upon like PayPal.

Etsy had a similar thing but I think that was a technical issue. Many sellers I know left as a result because they couldn't trust the platform anymore.

No, sorry I wasn’t suggesting you were. I was just trying to highlight why PayPal and eBay may look at things differently. Time will tell!

I’ve probably a bit more sympathy with PayPal than most as I’ve been the person accountable for Anti-Money Laundering that goes to prison if it goes wrong.