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Originally Posted by jingram058
Just sold 7 items of vintage on eBay. Total with shipping, $421. After fees, $337. Spent $55 out of pocket to mail everything out. Now we're down to $282 of net profit. One guy had the nerve to tell me I was unreasonable for charging $10 for Priority Mail, which actually cost $19. This for an item from 1897 that I bought in the 1990s for well over $100 that he snagged from me for $67. On the other hand, one item from 1904 that I think I paid $8 for sold for $167. But since I haven't sold on eBay since 2017, I am a "new seller", even though I have been on eBay since 1998. I have to wait until the items arrive (tracking) in order to receive payments. So all of this...fees, waiting to receive payments, is a total pain. I won't sell on eBay ever again. You guys that sell on eBay, I don't know how or why you do so.
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It is a business model just like any other business. The fees, shipping costs, etc. have to be factored into the business. Try to open a store front that has a 12.35% OH that reaches millions of potential buyers. Good Luck!
Bottom line is Ebay is the best marketplace to reach a wide variety of buyers at a reasonable level. Certainly, it can be a headache at times but unless you do a lot of shows, it is the best place to sell.
It has been mentioned on here before as well but after a sale price surpasses $2500, the fee drops to .0235% for any amount above that threshold. So, on expensive items the net fees can be much less than the standard 12.35%.
Auction houses charge the seller 20% on say items expected to bring $500 or less. Yes, they do the work to describe and list the item and start the auction at 40% of the perceived value but with no guarantee of a return amount.
At least on Ebay, if you want $100 for an item, you can price it so that you get the $100 or keep your item. Just list it at a BIN of $120 and the $20 will cover all your costs as long as you charge the buyer the actual shipping costs and you net the $100 you wanted. True, it may sit for years and never sell but if that is the case, you probably have it way overpriced for the market.