O/T Ebay to start collecting final value fees on shipping!

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by vintagetoppsguy

I strongly disagree. Show me the math to prove your case. I read from the email that eBay will lower the FVF on the item sold, but then add a FVF to the overall purchase.

"...starting July 6 Final Value Fee rates for Store sellers--Fixed Price and Auction-style--will be reduced and then applied to the total amount of the sale--including shipping."

Let's say your item sells for $100 and you charge $3.00 S/H. Currently, the FVF would be $9.00 (9%). Using the same example, under the new fee structure they are going to reduce the FVF (they didn't specify by how much, but let's say to 8.5% - a .5% discount), so it would be a $8.50. Then they are going to add a FVF to the shipping (again, they didn't specify how much, but let's say 10%), so it would we $.30. So, the FVF under the current fee structure would be $9.00, but the FVF under the new structure would be $8.80 - saving $.20 from the current system.

The above is just an example. I don't know what the exact percentages are, does anybody else? If not, how can you say this is a bad change? If my numbers are wrong then so be it, but show me an example with some true numbers.

And if I am wrong, just do what many, many other sellers on eBay are already doing - offer FREE S/H. They're loving this change because it is actually saving them money.

I posted the percentages in the 4th post in the thread as it relates to ebay store owners who run "auctions"

All the new percentages can easily be found on Ebay.

$3.00 S&H? Oh in a perfect world. I suppose I won't insure anything going forward. Rigid packing..............gone...............Priority Mail..............gone................Delivery confirmation.............gone.........I'll just hope my stuff shows up in good shape and on time, where it's going and have my DSR scores trashed in the first month.

I shipped a package to California last week cost me $14.07 just in postage costs alone. It wasn't a huge sale either, but publications that ran on the heavier side and cost enough I thought it was important to insure.

I sell Memorabilia also. 1st Class Mail only takes packages up to 13 ounces..........and as I've painfully discovered recently is getting less and less reliable. I just refunded a customer 80 bucks for a 1st Class package that disappeared on the way to Newark, New Jersey three weeks ago. I've seen NET54 members rail that Priority Mail is a rip-off and not worth it...........but I've yet to have a Priority Mail package disappear. Every lost package I've had in the last 11 years has been either 1st Class Mail or 1st Class International Airmail.

Take into account Paypal already gets their cut of the shipping charges.

Now Ebay is going to take their full FVF out of those shipping charges (they will not include them in the Top Seller discount, if anybody actually ever has one of those 6 months from now).

Free S/H? Show me any significant Ebay seller who runs "true auctions" as I've already mentioned. Low starting bids, lets the market decide what items are worth, and offers Free S/H.

Show me an auction house that offers free S/H.

Ask ScGaynor or JonStats how offering Free S/H on "auctions" would affect their ebay business. Ask any ebay seller who handles consignments on a regular basis and only gets a percentage cut of the final sale already, if they should start eating S/H costs.

It's completely unrealistic. You can't build S/H charges into the price of auctions.

Sorry for the rant.........but this one is hard for me to swallow.

Of course I'll adjust, figure it out and go on with my life.

Ebay is still the best venue around and I'll continue using it because it's the best way to move material.

Maybe GrandSlamBids will one day give them a run for their money. I'm rooting for them.

Until then............I'm stuck venting about it on Net54 for now. I'm sure I'll get over it and accept it eventually...............until then...........