Big News For Ebayers

Big Changes for Ebay Starting in April

Some Fees are Going Away, Some are Being Added

I just got an email from Ebay.  If I understand it correctly, there are some big changes coming to Ebay around April 19th.

Here are the changes as I understand them:

1. It will be FREE to list auction style, any start price, up to 50 items a month for free.
2. BUY NOW will be a new option that is FREE.  Again, I think it is for up to 50 items a month.
3. Now, they will be restructuring the Final Value Fee. Looks like they will be charging a Final Value Fee on the WHOLE amount of the sale, shipping included.  This is to do away with those that were circumventing the Ebay Fees when they charged little for the item and a lot for the shipping.  Also, it is to encourage Ebayers to keep their shipping costs as low and reasonable as possible to promote more sales.

If you ask me, it looks like 6 of one, 1/2 dozen of another. They are promoting it as good for the sellers and buyers. It could be. We will see what the final value fees start looking like.  If you are a buyer, this should be really good news. There is a new incentive to keep your extra costs like shipping down.  If you are a seller.. I dunno if these changes are quite as wonderful as they are being promoted.  I know I keep my shipping costs at cost. This means my fees will probably be more than when I just waited to list 30 items at once during regular "Free Listing Auction Style" sales.  

Shoot Ebay an email for further information on all of this, or just go check your email to see if you got the update.  I supplement my family's income with Ebay, so I really will be curious to see how the fees pan out. I have a feeling it might level out and you might end up paying the same fees as a seller either way.  Hopefully these changes will save some money on the fees. I bet we see less of the cheaper items and more of the expensive ones now though. If you can sell an item for $1.99 on Ebay, but it costs $4 to ship, I bet the fees will make selling it a wash now that you will be paying a fee on the $4 as well. Who knows. Let me know how it pans out for you once they swap over how they are doing it.

Anyway, it is food for thought, and money related, so I thought I would give you the head's up!