[Broncho]

I used to use eBay to sell and buy an awful lot, I loved selling as you could have some pretty decent surprises watching the clock tick down and the bids come in.

I stoped using it a few years ago and started using the local selling sites for some reason...

Anyway the in-laws dumped a load of tat at our house for safe keeping when they sold theirs to fuck off to Spain for good leaving us in the shit for childcare so I’ve been selling their stuff which is fun....

2 things are clear now with eBay, it’s USP has gone, it’s now not an auction site as I reckon 95% of selling is just a buy it now or set price which leads me on to number 2 that Amazon is far better in that respect.

Auctions don’t work as you just get one bid in the dying seconds even though there’s dozens of watchers, it really never used to be like that.

Anyway I’ve managed to pocket 130 sheets so far this week which will pay for a night out at the weekend, no hotel though as eBay is crap nowadays and I should have twice that imo.

[robbiep]

Start the auctions at 99p. It gets people starting to bid, they get invested in the item, and are more likely to keep on bidding.

[Broncho]

Originally Posted by robbiep

Start the auctions at 99p. It gets people starting to bid, they get invested in the item, and are more likely to keep on bidding.

This was my method years ago but it just hasn’t worked when I started selling again recently, nobody is bidding anymore, I sold a few things a couple of months back and they did literally nothing, even starting at 99p.

[bishbosh]

I find it shit nowadays too. Sold 4 server grade hard disks and only got a tenner for them. Oh and ebay take a cut of the postage charges too - they must think we all have access to free packaging.

[inkiboo]

I think the bigger issue is that the value of most 2nd hand items has plummeted. Like is mainly because people don’t have the same levels of income they had 10 years ago.

[Russbmw]

It is the percentages eBay charge that are a piss take, IMO. You're charged to list it, they charge a percentage of the final sell fee and finally you get charged for paypal.

Without fail each month the automated ebay payment for fees etc surprises me.

Trouble is, other than facebook marketplace where most transactions are done face to face and paid with cash, the eBay alternatives are think on the ground. I tried using that Shpock for a while, but fuck me, if you think eBay is full of dickheads, you want to try that.

[SkyJawa]

Only ever use it when it’s £1 selling fees offer as I don’t like them bending me over the table and shafting me with their normal final value fees....

[aquazi]

I had been selling on eBay since 2001... back then i used it to supplement my uni - made a couple hundred per month bulk selling items.. moved into Nokia's and then camera lenses. Was a good money earner!

After i got stung by their unfair seller policy i stopped bulk selling - sold a canon lens for around £700; the buyer said it was defective - so i asked them to post it back - i got worthless cracked sigma lens back in the box i sent; despite me showing photo evidence of what i sent out/ serial numbers; even the postage weight difference eBay sided with the buyer.

Now I will sell the odd item - mainly old iphones when we get new ones; offering a discount with cash on collection.

The fees are a joke - even with my free 20 listings or whatever i get a month the final value fees and Paypal; which inc postage. The only advantage i think is that it opens you up to more genuine buyers than the facebook/ gumtree which i found full of time wasters

[JustChris]

Agreed, the eBay buzz has gone. We use Facebook market place a fair bit now.

eBay fees got silly and auctions are a joke. There is literally no one there and one 'sniper' bid comes in with 20s remaining.

Also IT IS INCREDIBLY ANNOYING how many thick people believe I will accept a bid at about 100% less than my asking price or if I say local pick up only for and someone asks will I post. FFS read!!!

[Hugrov]

Yeah eBay has definitely lost its way nowadays, it's the fees that kill it for me. I think the fact I keep getting sent the max £1 final selling fee offer says a lot about how their business is going, the only time I'll sell on there now is when I get the £1 offer through, it has literally saved me around £600 in fees in the past few months............I'm currently waiting for another max £1 offer to come through so I can list my mountain bike!!

[JustChris]

Originally Posted by Hugrov

Yeah eBay has definitely lost its way nowadays, it's the fees that kill it for me. I think the fact I keep getting sent the max £1 final selling fee offer says a lot about how their business is going, the only time I'll sell on there now is when I get the £1 offer through, it has literally saved me around £600 in fees in the past few months............I'm currently waiting for another max £1 offer to come through so I can list my mountain bike!!

Please could peeps post on here when that offer is on. I've something in mind to list also.

[SuperHamz]

Originally Posted by JustChris

Please could peeps post on here when that offer is on. I've something in mind to list also.

You should get a message from eBay to tell you when it's on. As most people have stated on here, the fees are killing eBay as a selling platform.

As for the alternatives:

Shpock app is awful to use
Gumtree is alright, but too many low ballers, plus it's owned by eBay
FB marketplace - requires you to be on FB
Nextdoor - limited market
Car forums - great for car specific items, otherwise a bit redundant

[jackstrath]

Ebay as a seller is a pain, iv been lucking iv only had 1 bad experience but i tell you now ebay always flavors the buyer!

In other news iv just bought a splitter from ali express ! first time ! miles cheaper than ebay so excited to see what turns up haha!

[RobUK]

Seems to have loads of stuff that is being sold for way more than it costs on Amazon

[SuperHamz]

The moment Amazon asked for a utility bill and a copy of my passport to prove my address and identity, I stopped using the service.

[Kal101]

Here’s a question. Without sounding like a thicket

When the eBay selling fee is £1 selling fee do you really only get charged £1. Just that I sold some stuff on eBay on the £1 fee and got charged more than that.

[SuperHamz]

Did you "activate" the offer before listing your item? I last listed something before I knew about the £1 selling fee offer

[g9icy]

I'm not sure I've ever been charged any selling fees?

Whenever I list an item it's always free.

They take a whopping 10% cut still, which I think is robbery. It should be 1% at most.

Had an interesting experience this last week buying a used iPad. It arrived and had a defective touch screen, seller said they didn't know about it (yeah right), but it was still in warranty. Nipped to an apple store and got it replaced within 15 minutes. So I effectively got a brand new iPad for £250 less than it would have cost to buy new.

[SuperHamz]

Originally Posted by g9icy

I'm not sure I've ever been charged any selling fees?

I think the £1 max selling fee refers to the final value fee rather than the listing fee. I think PayPal (which is owned by eBay as well) still take a cut.

[g9icy]

Originally Posted by SuperHamz

I think the £1 max selling fee refers to the final value fee rather than the listing fee. I think PayPal (which is owned by eBay as well) still take a cut.

Ooooh. So rather than 10% it's just £1?

Damn I wish I'd realised that earlier.

[allachie9]

Originally Posted by Kal101

Here’s a question. Without sounding like a thicket

When the eBay selling fee is £1 selling fee do you really only get charged £1. Just that I sold some stuff on eBay on the £1 fee and got charged more than that.

Yes, I regularly sell photographic gear after upgrading and always wait for an email offering the £1 selling fee. But you do have to activate the offer as per below.

Originally Posted by SuperHamz

Did you "activate" the offer before listing your item? I last listed something before I knew about the £1 selling fee offer

I recently sold an item for a few hundred, it was listed for free and I was only charged £1 for the sale.

[Hugrov]

Originally Posted by JustChris

Please could peeps post on here when that offer is on. I've something in mind to list also.

I think it might just be an offer that's sent out to individuals, I certainly seem to get them on a regular basis nowadays. Just waiting for the offer again otherwise I'll be paying over £200 in fees on a mountain bike I'm gonna sell.......sod that!!