Comments on: EBay fee hike sparks seller rebellion

By: Mike OB, Portland Maine

Mike OB, Portland Maine — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:34:25 +0000

I just wanted to leave a note to myself because I nearly made the same mistakes as I did 2 years ago. That is partialy due to the sagging economy and partially due to the apparent unwillingness of eBay to crack down hard on bad eBay buyers, even after 3,353 posts on this site.

To clarify my situation:

I am trying to clean out my closet of collectibles. Many of these collectibles are grade worthy, many of them may not be. All of them are thoroughly described as best I can. All of them are described as "no returns accepted." The whole point of purchasing these collectibles was to have something to sell in case of a rainy day. 2007-2009 have been very rainy days.

I thought eBay was the place to sell such collectibles. I was doing this under a semi fictitious name so that my personal name goes no where near these items.

It was all going pretty smoothly – maybe one bump in the road – pretty much until Black Friday. On Black Friday, there was a dramatic rush in demand for my collectibles that was completely unforeseen. The prices shot up dramatically. Also, eBay incentived listings with reduced fees that week.

Rashly, I put up more collectibles for bid than I should have. In the closing minutes of the bidding, I tried to cancel all of the auctions. My inability to do so was my own fault.

What was not my own fault was that the winning bidders were some of the same jokers that hassled me two years ago. And I immediately perceived that they were up to their same old scams.

In the retail world, returning an item immediately after purchase is theft. Apparently, this opinion is not shared on eBay, which gives customers 45 calendar days for returns and then additional days for chargebacks. This is especially sensitive for this type of collectibles booms during the holidays and busts pretty much all the rest of the year. A return 45 days – or 60 days after a cc chargeback – after Black Friday pretty much means that the item cannot be re-sold until the holidays one year later!

Even though the SNAD policy supposedly prevents buyers from returning items "on a whim" the SNAD policy seems to be interpreted by eBay and PayPal so broadly that it seems to be used as a catch all by buyers who want to return their items – paypal will rule in favor of the buyer even when the buyer leaves positive feedback for the item saying that the item was in great condition on receipt!

There are good reasons for preventing returns such as more sophisticated collectible dealers can (and have) return items that are significantly different – and more importantly, significantly lesser in quality – from the items that were originally sent. eBay and PayPal are indifferent to this complaint.

Other problems: when I originally encountered these hassles two years ago I tried to leave feedback to alert eBay, other customers and myself of my potential troubles. Instead, eBay shut my account and erased all the feedback I left.

eBay was wholly indifferent to the disparagement of my services which up until then had been 5 stars.

And if you sell as a lot, you have to individually ship and confirm each of the items in the lot – even if you're offering free shipping – because otherwise customers can receive the lot and then claim that individual pieces of the lot never arrived.

So my response to all these hassles? I pulled the rest of my stock of collectibles from sale and won't be going back to eBay or PayPal.

By: Mary, Costa Mesa, CA.

Mary, Costa Mesa, CA. — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 01:22:14 +0000

Ebay claims in it's BS pr campaign that holds will only happen to 5% or less of it's sellers. Well the numbers don't seem to crunch do they. I've been w/ebay for over 10 years, have 100% positive feedback & I don't buy or sell in any of the outlined "high risk" categories yet somehow they still deem it necessary to hold my money. This is all a BULLSHIT front to give them more power to screw people and not be accountable for it while making interest off your cash.
I went through a transaction dispute once in 10 years with them in which case I sold a clothing paid for via pay pal with the buyers credit card. The buyer complained of a color shade discrepancy well after the 7 day return period. None-the-less, I offered to refund her money if she would return the item. Instead she kept the item and filed a charge-back with her credit card. It doesn't take a rocket-scientist to know that the credit card companies exercise more power than ebay/pay-pal and WILL just "take" back their money. This leaves pay-pal with nothing to do but claim you at fault to cover their own asses. I was completely covered by Pay-Pal's and Ebay's "seller protection" (the two were separate companies at this time) requirements, I complied with all their proof requirements, faxing and mailing them all the documentation proving that this person had received the item as described and refused to send it back, and STILL my claim was denied. It does not matter if you are in the right, that is not what they care about. The whole thing is a charade, a front. FUCK PAY PAL & EBAY! Return to the free market and find alternatives. You have more to gain & less to loose.

By: Charles Raleigh NC

Charles Raleigh NC — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:35:49 +0000

Face the facts people, no matter how much you sell or how well you sell it, eBay/PayPal will always make more profit than you. You are a puppet eBay is your puppet master. Here try this site http://www.hagglerhouse.com/ start selling & making profit for yourself again.

By: mazy shermantx

mazy shermantx — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:11:58 +0000

I think they were designed to see how well they can shaft buyers and sellers.
Follow the $$$$$$$$ trail.

By: mazy shermantx

mazy shermantx — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:04:20 +0000

Next time I need anything elctronic I'm heading to the local office supply with my cash!!!!!!!!!

By: mazy shermantx

mazy shermantx — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:02:18 +0000

Hold of funds that I authorized is deceptive. Purchased electronics and now I have $285 iin limbo! PP is too big of a monopoly!! BUY IT NOW is not really buy it now but is deceptive. Talking to PP is like talking to a rock. If I trust my money to be released great. I think they hold funds and make interest off of YOUR $$$$$$$$$$.

By: Aaron, Midland Michigan

Aaron, Midland Michigan — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:10:35 +0000

Ebay can go to hell as far as I am concerned. They are now holding my money that was needed to ship the item I sold to the buyer … but how the heck can I ship it and get the money if they are holding it?

This has got to be the most IDIOTIC thing I've ever heard of …

By: Pen, Driggs, Idaho

Pen, Driggs, Idaho — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:59:58 +0000

I buy and sell on eBay for both personal and business. I cringe every time I take a hit on the fees from eBay and Paypal and I have to remind myself that it's a necessary relationship. But now I'm realizing that eBay doesn't even have my back. Yes, there are bad sellers out there but you can't create a blanket label to imply that we're all bad so this shift to more "buyer-friendly" rules is like kicking a guy who's already down. Our margins are small enough as it is and our feedback is everything to us. Now they add insult to injury … well, let's just to say "to the victor goes the spoils" and it isn't to the seller.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:50:07 +0000

eBay is a terrible business with no concern for seller protection against petty buyer problems. eBay and Paypal definitely need a serious competitor.

By: Lisa, Cleveland, Ohio

Lisa, Cleveland, Ohio — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 04:42:53 +0000

In short: As an ebay seller, I've reached a point where I LOATHE ebay and all their selfish, money-hungry fee's and changes.

By: Chris, Swansea, UK

Chris, Swansea, UK — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 20:45:22 +0000

I have been with e-bay more or less since the on-set & their new "holding funds" policy has definitely not been thought through properly. I hold 100% feedback of over 700 and being a small family run photographer listed a commercial advert on e-bay. I received a review from someone called the brainwaver – "stay well away from this couple known all round wales for scamming" thebrainwaver added "ordred a amount of photographs,the hitchmans added 3 times the postoge amount and the qaulity of photographs where has if took on a standerd throw away camera" We can categorically state that we have never though e-bay or by any other means dealt with this person as we NEVER POST OUR WORK OUT! I opened a new account as this review was embedded in all my new listings and even though we have requested copies of the alleged photographs nothing has been forthcoming since May 09. I listed a solid silver bracelet on e-bay through a new account with zero feedback and it was won by member paulmeredith. Within minutes of winning this member requested I reduce the cost and suggested negative feedback if I did not do what was asked. On checking his payment it had been placed on hold by e-bay/paypal until a certain timescale had passed without feedback or until positive feedback had been received. Negative feedback is neither life nor death but in this case the member by leaving negative feedback would have had the item and his money refunded! Although we keep receipts what was stopping him saying that he had received an empty package? Paypal/e-bay make interest on held money, treat you like children and protect nothing but their own interests!

By: Don Dulmage, Belleville Ontario Canada

Don Dulmage, Belleville Ontario Canada — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 05:27:05 +0000

I was a buyer caught in the 21 day hold. The seller would not ship when the funds wereheld. Frankly i did not blame him. As a former small businessman and even former Ebay store owner NOTHING leaves my shop tilll I see the $$$$$$$. I have now stopped using ebay completely. It has become useless to me. When I buy a used item I make my own judgement call just as i would at a regular live auction.When I send money I expect it to be delivered not held. This Ebay paypal policy has nothing to do with buyer protection. It has everything to do with earning 21 days interest on buyers money. As I buyer I felt my trust in paypal was violated. When i pay I expect it to e delivered. Period.

By: Rebecca,

Rebecca, — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:48:45 +0000

Yes, I have had it with ebay too. I recently had a bad feedback for no reason and it was not my fault. The buyer out of meaness (I think was acompetitor) left me a neg feedback. Ebay has these new policies that do help the sellers to suceed and now I have looked for another auction site. I heard on the radio this week of another auction site (PutItUp4sale.com)starting up and I am trying it out. So far, my listings were free and I will only have to pay a final value fees, which are so much cheaper! No listing fees unless I choose to bold or highlight etc. Already I have had many hits.

By: Rebecca,

Rebecca, — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:43:53 +0000

Yes, there is PutItUp4sale.com. I discovered them when I heard their advertisement on the radio. From the advertisement, they have just opened to the public this week. At first I was not familiar with the listing process, but then I found it to be so much easier and faster than eBay. Ebay took so long as they were so slow in between clicks. Already I have had many hits on my items. It was totally free for me to list all my items and I understand that the final value fee is so much cheaper than ebay's fee. I have a really good feeling about PutItUp4Sale.com.

By: steve

steve — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 10:43:22 +0000

i have not used ebay before and as several of my friends recommended it, i thought i'd use it to sell my old phone as a quick way to generate cash for my holiday in 2 weeks…. the sale was no problem, and i have the confirmation of delivery… however because the buyer has not left feedback i have to wait 3 weeks for the funds….. they are earing the interest off my money! and i can not do anything to stop them!!!!!!
so lets just say i will NEVER recommend ebay and paypal no will i EVER use it again to sell!!!!!!

By: William Hollingsworth

William Hollingsworth — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:12:00 +0000

They are trying their best to kill small time sellers like me. I don't sell enough every year to make the minimum, so their CoHorts PayPal freeze my payments for up to 21 days after each sale.
Well, I've had it. Goodbye ebay: Goodbye PayPal.

Done deal!!!!!

By: Dan HAdley, Queen Creek, AZ

Dan HAdley, Queen Creek, AZ — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:48:30 +0000

I'm a long time Ebay seller (and buyer) and I'm looking for alternative sales venues. Ebay's recent anti-seller policies are forcing me to look for a different sales outlet. Are there any other auction sites available?

By: Patty, Alaska

Patty, Alaska — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:46:17 +0000

Yes, I'm a small seller that sees eBay as its own worst enemy. As a buyer too, they've sure grown away from their early days. Too bad.

By: JamesterDude,Florida

JamesterDude,Florida — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 03:55:55 +0000

Wow eBay just bit my hand that was feeding them!!!when a person get pos feedbacks and generates $1200 plus dollars a month they still envoked the stupid gold star 4.1 crap(five minutes after paying a $265 invoice) wonder what part of those states made me a bad seller? I am moving on I am trying out http://www.multi-sale.com it is twitter enhanced using the twitter api evey item I list is tweeted to my and @MultiSale simultaneously way cool Thanks ebay for saving all those listing fees http://www.multi-sale.com is free and charges 1% final value at this rate I am sure it won’t be long before ebay is down to 1% sellers

By: Dee The Colony, TX

Dee The Colony, TX — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 23:46:57 +0000

I was shocked as well to find the payment on hold. Who is earning interest on that money? Also, ebay is taking the seller's fees out of my account and the money is still on hold. If its held from me it should be held from ebay. I may just give the buyer neutral feedback as I'm not receiving POS feedback even though they received the item. Hopefully, this will end up in the courts as illegal.