ebay's authentication service - looking at more than just authenticity

[BobC]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

I believe they started charging for the "Sneaker Authentication", which apparently was free for a while.

Ebay doesn't do anything unless it eventually leads to them getting a bigger piece of the transaction pie.

Any idea what the charge is, and is it coming directly out of the seller's pocket, or being tacked on to the buyer like sales taxes?

Can easily see the fees to possibly be charged for card authentication being a different amount, and even charging different amounts for verifying authenticity versus inspecting TPG holders, based on the actual differences in services being performed. But expect Ebay will be consistent in who they then directly charge for the service.

And since they are now charging someone for sneaker authentication, any idea if they are allowing an opt-out option for that service by either the buyer or the seller, or both?

Thinking like a business, I'm going to guess Ebay is directly charging the sellers, and there is no opt-out. But if there is any opt-out available, I'm guessing it is available to at least the buyer. Businesses like Ebay are most definitely buyer favorable. Keeping the buyers happy and coming back creates demand, and that demand in turn influences and gets sellers to create more supply. Even if they don't necessarily like selling on Ebay. More supply does not necessarily create more demand though, at least not sustainably over time (junk wax era anyone). So, you could have all the happy sellers you want on Ebay, but if there's no customers buying, they're no sellers selling.