OT: Will eBay's Managed Payments Destroy the Seller

[buymycards]

Hi Howard, this thread was in the Water Cooler section a few days ago. I share your concerns.

Rick
http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=272829

[basesareempty]

This may be part of the reason that local shows in my area now have waiting lists for dealers to get tables where 1-2 years ago you could have shown up the morning of the show and the show promoter could have gotten you table space.

[Buythatcard]

Originally Posted by buymycards

Hi Howard, this thread was in the Water Cooler section a few days ago. I share your concerns.

Rick
http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=272829

Thanks Rick. In my 10 years plus as a member of this forum, I don't think that I ever visited the water cooler section.

[CurtisFlood]

Interesting topic, though I will never be affected by their policies. I made my last sale on their site around 2007.

[Exhibitman]

It is a terrible plan. I also really, really dislike their chargeback process, which allows eBay to charge sellers a fee to handle charge-backs in certain situations.
eBay also is dropping global shipping, so if you sell internationally you will have to ship it yourself and shoulder all of the delivery fraud risks.

The big winners will be AHs; it makes consigning stuff more attractive just to avoid the payment and fulfillment processes.

[samosa4u]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

eBay also is dropping global shipping, so if you sell internationally you will have to ship it yourself and shoulder all of the delivery fraud risks.

Where did you read this? If eBay is dropping the Global Shitty Program, then that's great news! First of all, they would charge us high shipping fees - why would I pay like $25 USD to have a freaking $3 card shipped to me? There are so many things I couldn't buy because Americans signed up for this stupid program. On top of that, they would open all my parcels at their main sorting center, repack them, and then ship to me. I had a couple items get damaged by those idiots. I really hope they get rid of this program ASAP!

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by samosa4u

Where did you read this? If eBay is dropping the Global Shitty Program, then that's great news! First of all, they would charge us high shipping fees - why would I pay like $25 USD to have a freaking $3 card shipped to me? There are so many things I couldn't buy because Americans signed up for this stupid program. On top of that, they would open all my parcels at their main sorting center, repack them, and then ship to me. I had a couple items get damaged by those idiots. I really hope they get rid of this program ASAP!

I read it in the fine print on the program. It was in the link eBay sent to sellers to 'entice' them to make the switch.

You aren't going to save money if eBay eliminates Global Shipping; you are going to lose many American sellers. Before Global Shipping too many shady Canadians (primarily) were buying cards and asking for PWE shipping, then claiming non-delivery and stealing the cards and a refund because we did not have the ability to track PWE international shipments. We still cannot track unless the buyer wants to pay about $20-$25 US for specific shipping methods. No one except an inexperienced seller is going to risk an international sale without delivery confirmation because of the rampant fraud. The GS program allowed us easy delivery protection: I got my item to Erlanger KY and they took the risk after that. I will not sell internationally without tracking; I don't want the headaches or the charge-backs. So, when eBay forces us to switch to its payment platform, which currently requires us to ship internationally rather than going through an intermediary, I will eliminate international sales from my store, and so will many other American sellers, or I will charge the same rate as GS and ship with one of the few international tracking methods the USPS offers.

ETA: on the banking thing, I really do not want sales swept into my checking account every day; it creates a bookkeeping mess, especially when I have to ship items. Way too many transactions.

[samosa4u]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

You aren't going to save money if eBay eliminates Global Shipping

Sure I will. Right now if I buy a $60 US card, then I'm expected to pay the tax right on the spot. If a seller ships to me, and even if he writes $60 USD on the custom's form, there is a high chance the custom agents won't tag it.

And USPS First Class Mail International is around $10 - $15 USD. Better than paying $25 - $30 USD. Heck, they want me to pay like $60 - $80 for the even bigger stuff. They just rob us.

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

you are going to lose many American sellers.

Nope. I'll contact them and loosen em' up. I have been on eBay a long time and I have a great feedback; they'll see that and won't have to worry about anything.

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

The GS program allowed us easy delivery protection: I got my item to Erlanger KY and they took the risk after that.

Yeah, good for you Americans, but shitty for us, especially when those bastardos open up the parcels and break our damn stuff.

[1880nonsports]

eBay is STILL the easy way and likely least expensive way to auction items with values in a reasonable range - so I put up with all the crap and baggage. Been there since 1996 and have endured quite a bit. It helps that I can manage to occasionally buy there as well.

eBay has told me quite a few things they would do to make things "better" for me. Likely batting below the Mendoza line...…..

[Yastrzemski Sports]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

I read it in the fine print on the program. It was in the link eBay sent to sellers to 'entice' them to make the switch.

You aren't going to save money if eBay eliminates Global Shipping; you are going to lose many American sellers. Before Global Shipping too many shady Canadians (primarily) were buying cards and asking for PWE shipping, then claiming non-delivery and stealing the cards and a refund because we did not have the ability to track PWE international shipments. We still cannot track unless the buyer wants to pay about $20-$25 US for specific shipping methods. No one except an inexperienced seller is going to risk an international sale without delivery confirmation because of the rampant fraud. The GS program allowed us easy delivery protection: I got my item to Erlanger KY and they took the risk after that. I will not sell internationally without tracking; I don't want the headaches or the charge-backs. So, when eBay forces us to switch to its payment platform, which currently requires us to ship internationally rather than going through an intermediary, I will eliminate international sales from my store, and so will many other American sellers, or I will charge the same rate as GS and ship with one of the few international tracking methods the USPS offers.

ETA: on the banking thing, I really do not want sales swept into my checking account every day; it creates a bookkeeping mess, especially when I have to ship items. Way too many transactions.

Agreed 100%. Nicely said. When GSP is gone I will only ship to the US. I have had nothing but problems shipping internationally. Broken items, claims of missing items and outright theft. GSP took away all of my problems. The shipping cost isn’t going to be any less - just more paperwork for me.

Speaking of more paperwork - also agreed on managed payments. Most of the items I sell are $10 or less. I am already dreading having multiple little transactions going in and each shipping charge coming out. I am already planning on cutting out hundreds of items when this happens. Then being very selective about what I put up. Like I have said - they are rewarding my increased business with higher fees. I am going to return the favor by doing less business.

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by Buythatcard

Thanks Rick. In my 10 years plus as a member of this forum, I don't think that I ever visited the water cooler section.

Yeah, the market for prewar water coolers seems to be drying up.

[seanofjapan]

As someone living overseas (Japan) it does suck to read this thread. I totally understand the logic and concerns that sellers have with shipping internationally and why you'll only be shipping domestically so I'm not blaming anyone (except Ebay).

But it does suck for those of us on the outside. 10 years ago I used to regularly buy a lot of lower value (under $50) cards on Ebay from sellers who were willing to put them in an envelope and toss them in the mail for 2-3$ shipping. It made collecting US cards feasible even if you were overseas.

Now, nobody on Ebay sells singles with shipping rates under about 20$ per card. So the math basically eliminates you from bidding on or buying anything under $200 or so since the shipping fees make it not worth your while. I haven't bought any cards on Ebay in a few years as a result and have more or less given up on my US collection, save for a few trading-by-mail relationships I have.

At a broader level, its probably stunting the growth of the hobby by cutting off the entire international market for US cards.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

Yeah, the market for prewar water coolers seems to be drying up.

Water coolers are most needed with outdoor activity in extreme heat. Other than that there is some pretty good stuff over there sometimes.

As for the ebay mandate, I don't (haven't in a long time) sell there so we will see how ti goes.