I've Called It Quits From Selling on Ebay

[disneysteve]

To list is free and you pay only if it sells.

Many years ago there was a listing fee but they dropped that. One of the many improvements they’ve made. You also used to have to pay to add photos. Now you get up to 24 free. Heck you even used to have to write your own HTML code for your listings. It’s so much simpler now.

 

[COcheesehead]

Many years ago there was a listing fee but they dropped that. One of the many improvements they’ve made. You also used to have to pay to add photos. Now you get up to 24 free. Heck you even used to have to write your own HTML code for your listings. It’s so much simpler now.

The site really has improved greatly. The payment and shipping process much improved as well.
I don’t get the hate. I wonder if some of it is user error. I see listings with shipping costs to the moon that no one in their right mind would bid on. That tells me someone doesn’t know what they are doing.

 

[disneysteve]

The site really has improved greatly. The payment and shipping process much improved as well.
I don’t get the hate. I wonder if some of it is user error. I see listings with shipping costs to the moon that no one in their right mind would bid on. That tells me someone doesn’t know what they are doing.

I’m in several reseller groups. People constantly come on and post about some issue they had with eBay but when they tell the story, they were clearly at fault. I’ve found that most complaints turn out not to be eBay’s fault.

 

[Midpack]

I’ve basically quit eBay too. I sold almost 100 items decluttering years ago and made almost $10K - but fees are much higher now and there are too many scammers and pros just flipping items.

I also got cheated out of $200 by an unscrupulous buyer - and buyers can get refunds anytime they want. All they have to do is return your item, or claim something was broken or missing, and you can’t stop the refund. Sellers have no recourse. I know someone that sold 4 wheel covers, the buyer said he only got 3, and returned 3 for a full refund. There’s no doubt in my mind the buyer intended to score a free replacement wheel cover all along. Lots of sharks out there…

 

[COcheesehead]

You can report buyers.

 

[Cortina]

Like the next person, I've always found ebay a good place to sell some stuff I no longer use but too good to just drop off to charity. Used to be putting something up for auction there'd just about always be some bidders.

That was then. I just put up something at a low price for auction. Ebay has that add a bit extra to promote. So, I did that, $5.99 for 7 days promotion. It's already been over 5 days and 0 bids. Only 5 views. Then there is the "share listing" option to share the listing to my social media accounts? What? ebay wants me to go spamming my friends and their friends. Not only bug them but have the seller do the work of promoting?

I'll still be an ebay buyer as bargains can be had as seems like things are tilted in favor of buyers there. But as an ebay seller, I've seen better days .

Identical to my experience - I have given up too (used to be lots of watchers . bidders and buyers ... they seem to have disappeared !! (obviously gone elsewhere !!))

 

[easysurfer]

Identical to my experience - I have given up too (used to be lots of watchers . bidders and buyers ... they seem to have disappeared !! (obviously gone elsewhere !!))

Glad to see I'm not alone wondering "Where have all the bidders gone?"

The final straw for me is even after I did the promo thing, in 6 days only had 5 views. My listing wasn't over priced. What I experienced lately in the past was maybe only get 1 or 2 bidders.

On the flipside, as an ebay buyer also, there are deals to get.

 

[GenXguy]

I've been an eBay member since April 1999, but I've never been a heavy user. I've bought more than I've sold on there. In fact, I haven't sold anything on there for quite a few years.

Only had one instance where someone didn't ship me a product and never responded. I contacted eBay, and they reimbursed me. I've never done Facebook Marketplace (buy or sell), and I've only purchased once on Craigslist, but no selling.

 

[Midpack]

You can report buyers.

And it won't do any good whatsoever IME. Been there, done that.

 

[COcheesehead]

And it won't do any good whatsoever IME. Been there, done that.

Me too. With photographic proof of what was in the shipment and a delivery confirmation. Boom.

 

[Midpack]

Me too. With photographic proof of what was in the shipment and a delivery confirmation. Boom.

I sold a planer to a guy in PA. 30 days after it delivered, he said it arrived broken? Wonder what it was doing for 4 weeks in his possession? He said when it arrived he put it in his garage and didn’t open it and look at it? After some back and forth, eBay agreed with me, no refund - so we were at a stalemate.

The buyer consulted PayPal (they were the payer then), and they told him if he returned the planer they would give him a refund. So it came back and he got a refund immediately.

I had sent it in the original packaging, cardboard, plastic bags and form fitted styrofoam. When I opened the box and looked at the planer, a major casting had broken - making the planer unusable. However, the cardboard and even the styrofoam showed no damage at all. So I am pretty sure he took it out, and dropped it, how else would it break a sturdy casting without damaging any of the packaging? I shared all that along with pics with PayPal, but they said if he returned it they had to give him a refund no matter what.

Pure BS.

I also told you about the guy who got cheated out of a wheel cover.

 

[ownyourfuture]

I'll still be an ebay buyer as bargains can be had as seems like things are tilted in favor of buyers there. But as an ebay seller, I've seen better days .

Ditto for me. I sold a football card for $600 sometime in 2020. Shipped it insured with signature confirmation required. The buyer accepted & signed on a Saturday morning. A full 16 days later, he filed a complaint. Said the card had scratches on the surface. I had to pay for the return postage. My biggest concern was that he had damaged the card. Luckily that wasn't the case, & I received it back in the same condition. But eBay sided with him completely and that's why I rarely sell through them anymore.

Sold the card in person for $850 about a year later

 

[freedomatlast]

Any business will encounter some small percentage of dishonest, unethical customers, whether on ebay or not. No doubt, in disputes, ebay almost sides with the buyer. I tend to use ebay for smaller nonfragile items to minimize shipping cost and shipping damage risk. Ebay's appeal is a huge market to sell more unususal items. The larger more commonplace items go on FB Marketplace and usually sell the same day as listed.

 

[WhenIsItTime]

I don't sell a lot of stuff, but do like to offload a few things from time to time that are too valuable to simply donate to charity. I have no interest in meeting a stranger in person to complete the transaction. eBay BIN works well for me. I also have 50% off FedEx rates, so I tend to make money on the shipping. After reading some posts, guess I'm lucky I have never been burned by a buyer.

 

[COcheesehead]

I sold a planer to a guy in PA. 30 days after it delivered, he said it arrived broken? Wonder what it was doing for 4 weeks in his possession? He said when it arrived he put it in his garage and didn’t open it and look at it? After some back and forth, eBay agreed with me, no refund - so we were at a stalemate.

The buyer consulted PayPal (they were the payer then), and they told him if he returned the planer they would give him a refund. So it came back and he got a refund immediately.

I had sent it in the original packaging, cardboard, plastic bags and form fitted styrofoam. When I opened the box and looked at the planer, a major casting had broken - making the planer unusable. However, the cardboard and even the styrofoam showed no damage at all. So I am pretty sure he took it out, and dropped it, how else would it break a sturdy casting without damaging any of the packaging? I shared all that along with pics with PayPal, but they said if he returned it they had to give him a refund no matter what.

Pure BS.

I also told you about the guy who got cheated out of a wheel cover.

eBay has been updated since the PayPal days. I always have photos of what was shipped. After running a business for 24 years I have learned a few things about what can happen in shipping. Always insure shipments.

 

[Midpack]

eBay has been updated since the PayPal days. I always have photos of what was shipped. After running a business for 24 years I have learned a few things about what can happen in shipping. Always insure shipments.

The damage clearly didn’t happen in shipping…but maybe dropping PayPal would’ve made a difference.

 

[DrRoy]

I sold a fair bit on Ebay in the early 2000's when the fee was in the low to mid single digits, and didn't cover shipping. After 10 years the fees were too high and the seller protection let people return good items claiming a problem. Don't do much any more.

 

[imnontrad]

I have not sold on eBay in years and rarely purchase. I have had some success locally selling via Facebook MMarketplace without fees.

 

[Mansderm]

Agree. I was totally robbed. Listed a piece of equipment for$500. They paid via credit card. EBAY AND PAYPAL TOOK THEIR FEES. THEN buyer said item "misrepresented" and contested credit card charge. It was reversed. I had video of the item working and including packaging.They kept the item, it was not returned and PayPal pulled the money out of my account. They recommended I file a claim thru the FBI cyber division. I filled out all their paperwork and never heard anything. I was out the $500 and the PayPal and eBay fees. My son had a similar experience except they returned a box of garbage instead of the item. I use local sources or I say local pick up only.

 

[COcheesehead]

Agree. I was totally robbed. Listed a piece of equipment for$500. They paid via credit card. EBAY AND PAYPAL TOOK THEIR FEES. THEN buyer said item "misrepresented" and contested credit card charge. It was reversed. I had video of the item working and including packaging.They kept the item, it was not returned and PayPal pulled the money out of my account. They recommended I file a claim thru the FBI cyber division. I filled out all their paperwork and never heard anything. I was out the $500 and the PayPal and eBay fees. My son had a similar experience except they returned a box of garbage instead of the item. I use local sources or I say local pick up only.

Returns don’t work that way anymore. The buyer would have to return it to get a refund.

 

[youbet]

Never bought, sold, or browsed on e-bay. So, I can attest that life goes on fairly nicely even without e-bay.

+1

Like you, I'm an Ebay virgin and have no intention of wasting my time peddling things for a few bux I could just give away or trash.

 

[COcheesehead]

+1

Like you, I'm an Ebay virgin and have no intention of wasting my time peddling things for a few bux I could just give away or trash.

My lifetime sales on eBay are nearly $100k.

 

[youbet]

My lifetime sales on eBay are nearly $100k.

Ehhhh....... I don't know how many years you're talking about but doesn't sound worth it.

 

[COcheesehead]

Ehhhh....... I don't know how many years you're talking about but doesn't sound worth it.

LOL

 

[Katsmeow]

I Have sold on eBay since it started (~1998). I remember when you could leave feedback on users that you had no part in their auction, really!......


I quit selling years ago, but it was fun while it lasted and I sold near 500 collectables and other items over my time there.

Funny how wildly different opinions can be. I've been on ebay since May 1997 (it started in 1995 btw).


It really was the Wild West back then. Now it's phenomenally better organized, far easier to list and sell, safer, and more streamlined. I wouldn't want to go back to those early days at all, fun as they were. Every aspect of the process is better today in my opinion.

Many years ago there was a listing fee but they dropped that. One of the many improvements they’ve made. You also used to have to pay to add photos. Now you get up to 24 free. Heck you even used to have to write your own HTML code for your listings. It’s so much simpler now.

These posts caused me to go back and see when I joined. I joined in June of 1998. For a few years I sold a lot on eBay. I just noticed that today my feedback is exactly 1111. The vast majority of that (well over 1000) is as a seller. Back in the day I was a niche seller and sold collectible paperback books. If I sold one for $25 (which I had paid 25 cents for) I was ecstatic. Later I branched into collectible cards.

Early on I had a program on my computer that would make a sound of "ca ching" whenever I got a bid on my auction (it was all auctions then -- the debate was whether to set a reserve or not). I loved to hear that bid sound.

Disneysteve is right that it was very different back then. Yes, I did write my HTML code. I would use my scanner to scan the front and back of my books (or the card) I was selling. Early on, I was on a forum and someone from eBay Magazine (yes, that was a thing) was looking for sellers to talk about how to use a scanner with eBay. So they interviewed me and I was quoted in the article. My brother was dumbfounded that they quoted me. "Couldn't they have found someone else?..."

Anyway, it was fun times. Back then there were a few annoyances. Toward the end it was more of a pain. eBay bought Paypal and that became a thing which had its pros and cons. Shipping was becoming an issue. So many sellers were selling stuff with "free" shipping but with the low value items I sold it was hard for me to do that.

It was a lot of work initially in that you had to do your listing from scratch. But as eBay offered more tools to sellers they became very pro Buyer and I was nervous to sell anything that was worth more than a few dollars. I had a friend who sold some fairly expensive stuff on eBay (jewelry) but I was leery to take the risk.

Also at that time I didn't have a source for goods to sell. The book and card markets dried up as used bookshops and card shops got wise to the fact that those things were worth money and they didn't sell them for 25 cents any more.

I had some friends who frequented garage sales. That sounded fun but they said you had to be there by 7:00 or so in the morning to get the good deals. I get up about 11:00 so that wasn't very appealing.

Still, it was a lot of fun and I would do it again perhaps if I had stuff to sell...

I also got cheated out of $200 by an unscrupulous buyer - and buyers can get refunds anytime they want.

A few years ago I thought about selling some collectible porcelain figurines on eBay. I have collected these for many years and the prices on eBay are OK. I wouldn't mind selling some older pieces. My big fear was that I would sell something for a few hundred dollars and that a buy would claim it arrived broken or something...