kustom-65 (5431)
Is it worth having a store or not? What are all these FEES about?
4/10/2009 19:01
I keep getting hit up with mysterious fees every time I look! I'm barely selling anything, so where are these charges coming from? My online invoice gives no indication as to what they are are for -- eBay has now become so complicated with different fees depending on whether it's a full moon or whether you throw salt over you left shoulder before listing, that I can't keep up with what the heck I'm being charged for. And of course they don't ANSWER me if I ask them about it!! I have US$30 in unexplained fees from the past week alone.
I'm seriously considering closing my store and just doing Buy It Now listings -- would this be a good or a bad move? Opinions please! :-x
moonlightbooksandgifts
Maybe you should let your listings expire, so that you end up with NOTHING listed for a week or 2, to see if you're still getting hit with mysterious fees.
If you close your store, your relisting fees will be a KILLER.
kustom-65
> Maybe you should let your listings expire, so that you end up with NOTHING listed for a week or 2, to see if you're still getting hit with mysterious fees.
>
> If you close your store, your relisting fees will be a KILLER.
>
> What do you "My online invoice gives no indication as to what they are are for"? Don't you see a breakdown of insertion fee and FVF?
Yes, that's all there but it's only a matter of small change and adds up to way less than what I'm being charged.
How do relisting fees differ when you don't have a store?
phorum_junkie*
Kustom with the relatively small number of items you have listed and the fact most of them are one offs, plus the fact you list a fair proportion as auctions I wouldn't have thought a store was economically viable.
Why not close your store for a couple of months and see if you make more or less money, if it is less you can open a new store, if more you can continue to list as ordinary listings and BINs.
I tried a store for a couple of months back before they reduced visibility in searches and for only 30 or so items, mostly one offs, it just wasn't worth it. Suspect it would be even less profitable now.
kustom-65
Thanks Phorum. I WOULG list much more, but I can't sel what's already up there as it is. I think you're right -- I'll ring the so-called power seller helpline next week (to speak to some Mormon eBay employee in Utah!) and go from there.
kustom-65
Just wondering - -when I close my store, will I get an email for every unsold item, so that I can relist them again as I see fit? The last time I closed my store, that didn't happen.
thebeadlady-4charms
I closed my store in August and I don't recall getting emails for unsold items.
Even the auctions and BIN are slower for me than before the changes, and items aren't getting the prices they were
I used to sell just about everything I listed but now I'm have more Unsold. I am glad I closed my shop.
Good luck in your decision.
phorum_junkie*
You can choose which things you want to receive emails for, I turned off the unsold item notifications as I don't need them, I use Selling Manager so it is easy to see which items haven't sold, not that I usually re list anyway.
I can't comment on changes since the search criteria changed as I will not be listing again until the 20th but am cautiously optimistic looking at the number of items with bids and the selling prices of items in the category I sell in.
Only time will tell.
ambridgebuckskins
l closed my shop on my personal account and all the store listings went to the unsold folder. From there l could relist as a auction or delete the listing.
l still have a book store open on my buisness account but intend closing that once the listings near the end of their 30 day period. The fees are eating any profit on that account and it's just no longer viable. From 300 books listed in the store to (now) around 40 left, they are just not moving.
Sad, but that's life, hey?
kustom-65
Indeed! Well, I just closed my store and I did not get an email notification for each unsold item. They are, however, all in my unsold items folder in My eBay.
I think I may go back to auctions, as that seems to engender a sense of urgency for buyers. With BIN, they think I must be stocked in depth on the same item (I'm not) and that gives them the idea that there's no hurry to buy.
Anyone else notice that psychology? I've tried having a store a few times in the past, and every time my sales have plummeted.
So why do I keep doing it? I've always put this down to different causes, but I think the above-mentioned is a real factor. Having a store SEEMS to make sense, but in practice it never works -- not for me, at any rate.
thebeadlady-4charms
All I know is the whole thing is depressing at the moment :_|
How it has changed so much in such a sort time is unbelievable.
I hope it changes soon but have my doubts. I'm listing auctions only now and no where near as much as before as I want to keep fee's as low as possible so only listing most popular.
gem0075
Kustom.. I just clicked on your items, and even though you have closed your store, I see items listed for 29 days! :O
kustom-65
That's right Gem, I can still do BIN listings for 30 days. I've put up a couple of those.
phorum_junkie*
I have to agree with you about the auction v BIN thing, most of the clothes items I sell are one offs and I have never had much success using BINs.
vintage2287
> Kustom with the relatively small number of items you have listed and the fact most of them are one offs, plus the fact you list a fair proportion as auctions I wouldn't have thought a store was economically viable.
>
> Why not close your store for a couple of months and see if you make more or less money, if it is less you can open a new store, if more you can continue to list as ordinary listings and BINs.
>
> I tried a store for a couple of months back before they reduced visibility in searches and for only 30 or so items, mostly one offs, it just wasn't worth it. Suspect it would be even less profitable now.
***
I have noticed a downturn in sales, also. I had only just started to make good, but now my fees are taking any profit that I had made. I have an ebay store because I thought it was the way to go. Now I'm not sure if it is the right way. I do'nt know anyone personally that sells a lot on ebay, most only sell the occasional thing.
I have been trying so hard to start a little ebay business, but am now wondering if it is only a pipe dream. I have been reading all the comments today, and it seems that lots of sellers have lost sales, but then I have also noticed that powersellers are doing OK. What is the answer>
stitchcrazybunny
hmmmm
looking at sales report for sales in august (sept not in yet)
sales $109 fees $49 (ebay + paypal) with most wholesale markups being $100% I have paid $54.50 (approx) for product sold.
well that means I made $5.50 profit in august.
now with change in fees. so far this oct I have accured $108 in listing fees alone.
hmmmm I hope ebay were right when they said sales would pick up due to more visible listings, or i will be in trouble!!!!!!
tokyotoyman
very very sad state of affairs
what will become of us all in a few months ??
will we give up?
battle it out?
open or shut a store?
this is so very hard, years and years of building up customers..
hours and hours of missed time with the kids
while we photograph, list, pack run off to the post office,
keep the customers happy at all costs
the changes that have ocurred in the past few years
are beyond comprehension to so many of us
will it ever stop..?
will we give up ?
only time will tell..
off to see my therapist again.....LOL.
stitchcrazybunny
> very very sad state of affairs
> what will become of us all in a few months ??
>
> will we give up?
> battle it out?
> open or shut a store?
>
> this is so very hard, years and years of building up customers..
> hours and hours of missed time with the kids
> while we photograph, list, pack run off to the post office,
> keep the customers happy at all costs
>
> the changes that have ocurred in the past few years
> are beyond comprehension to so many of us
> will it ever stop..?
> will we give up ?
>
> only time will tell..
>
> off to see my therapist again.....LOL.
can I come to your therapist too?
For the benefit of those who can't view the eBay forums... UGH! Reading forums using message source is MESSY.
