Interesting conversation with eBay CSR today . . .

[Boba]

Maybe they should cut out the ship amount percent if someone prints shipping label thru ebay-that way they weed out the cheaters.

 

I thought this was the right approach, and like I said they have (or had) triggers when the ratio of shipping charges was too high - which would seem to solve the problem too. I don't see how that would require legions of CSR's needing to be hired by them.

 

I just think they used it as an excuse to gouge us with even more fees.

[Boba]

On the other hand, why not just raise the shipping cost? No one is making you sell there. Something's just aren't worth selling on the bay

 

Raise the shipping price, and you either get no sales or less bids

I agree that it should always be a last resort to sell there.

 

I very much disagree with that statement.

 

It's allowed. That's why it's called an opinion.

 

I was on my phone and hit the submit before I got to explain. I am sorry. I am at my computer now.

 

There is an audience here that is looking for specific things in specific categories. I sold some of those Valiant books over on the Valiant boards at a much better price than I was privately offered here for them. The Valiant boards are better for selling some of the Valiant books than the CGC boards. Just as that is true with certain things, it is true for eBay.

 

A while ago I wanted to sell a group of books that no longer fit my collecting focus. I offered them here for $650. I offered them here for $450. I heard crickets. I went to eBay and put them up there for $700 + shipping and they sold within a week. Even after fees, I did much better than I would have here. There was no audience for those books apparently.

 

Books do better here depending on the book and the demographic that lurks in each sub-forum. I do not believe that purple label books will ever do better in the GA/SA/Bronze area than they would at auction with CLink, eBay, Heritage or Metro due to the forum stigma attached.

 

I also do not believe that this is the place for big ticket items. Sure, we may see one offered here from time to time, but the biggest sales have come through auction houses like Heritage, eBay, Metro and CLink.

 

eBay offers a wide audience and reach that the boards do not have.

 

I will always offer my books on the boards here first perhaps due to loyalty, perhaps due to convenience. However, if they do not sell, then it is off to eBay.

 

I too have had some remarkable successes on eBay, prices I got for things I couldn't sell anywhere else.

But lately I don't seem to have the same results. Maybe my items aren't grabbing buyers, but the same books sold here.

 

It could be the time of season - or the pendulum of choices where people buy has just swung in the other direction - and will someday come back. But the fee on shipping is just plain sucky.

[tv horror]

On the UK Ebay site the postage is fixed and their new scheme of the buy it now does not allow for combined postage they take the full amount for each item listed. I have stopped buying from the U.S because the postage rates are through the roof, I have seen $1 comics with a $120 shipping listed. It has nothing to do with a rare book so who sets the rates.

[Phantalien]

Maybe they should cut out the ship amount percent if someone prints shipping label thru ebay-that way they weed out the cheaters.

 

You are a genius!

[kav]

[Boba]

 

Maybe you should write them a note or call them. It is a good idea.

[Boba]

What, I didn't win the "Friday" thread

[vaillant]

This is nothing compared to the unlikely totals one could reach with the "Global Shipping Program". Even if within the European Union, it’s still one of the worst ideas they have had.

[jcjames]

I just think they used it as an excuse to gouge us with even more fees.

Bingo.

 

If someone, anyone, is making any money through a transaction on their site - they're gonna want a piece of the action.

 

 

[Mmehdy]

Maybe they should cut out the ship amount percent if someone prints shipping label thru ebay-that way they weed out the cheaters.

 

(thumbs u My point is it's fixable.

 

He said the money they collect helps pay for the losses eBay suffers by cheaters! I was incredulous at that statement - you mean we, the loyal and honest sellers should pay the tab for that? Poor eBay is not making any money

 

I'm wasting time ranting but I had to get it off my chest

 

Ebay has been constantly going downhill...get ready they are gonna nickel and dime you to death while the sales go down

[Boba]

Maybe they should cut out the ship amount percent if someone prints shipping label thru ebay-that way they weed out the cheaters.

 

(thumbs u My point is it's fixable.

 

He said the money they collect helps pay for the losses eBay suffers by cheaters! I was incredulous at that statement - you mean we, the loyal and honest sellers should pay the tab for that? Poor eBay is not making any money

 

I'm wasting time ranting but I had to get it off my chest

 

Ebay has been constantly going downhill...get ready they are gonna nickel and dime you to death while the sales go down

 

Which effects us, unless we stop using it. The problem is they are still the 800 pound gorilla in the room, and as some have pointed out and I agreed, there are some instances where it's the only resort for items that may need to find an audience that apparently isn't anywhere else, or in a significant quantity - and so we go back to the drug that is eBay.

 

We need somebody to com along and knock them off the fence. Wouldn't be investing if a company like Comiclink decided to set up an eBay style site for comics and related items?

[joeypost]

Build the price into the book and offer free shipping.

[Boba]

So I tried to snipe 4 books last night, after signing in and sitting watching the clock for an hour - and when I placed my bid it asked for my password - and I missed the first book, and then was so disgusted I quit trying for the other 3 - the books went for dirt-cheap and the seller lost money. I wonder how many of my auctions went down the tubes the same way. Hey, you may hate snipers, but they're bids and what would you rather have less bids when your book is already going to sell? Not me. The evidence is mounting that I should stop selling there.

[Boba]

Build the price into the book and offer free shipping.

 

I've been told this turns bidders off, almost as bad as high shipping fees.

But it's nice to see you posting in my threads again Joey!

[1Cool]

So I tried to snipe 4 books last night, after signing in and sitting watching the clock for an hour - and when I placed my bid it asked for my password - and I missed the first book, and then was so disgusted I quit trying for the other 3 - the books went for dirt-cheap and the seller lost money. I wonder how many of my auctions went down the tubes the same way. Hey, you may hate snipers, but they're bids and what would you rather have less bids when your book is already going to sell? Not me. The evidence is mounting that I should stop selling there.

 

Wow - a person did a $1 auction and they lost money. Can't believe that!

 

The days of $1 auctions are so dead unless you just absolutely need the money. I've been alternating between auctions set at the price I want to get and just setting the BIN and forgetting about it.

[joeypost]

Build the price into the book and offer free shipping.

 

I've been told this turns bidders off, almost as bad as high shipping fees.

But it's nice to see you posting in my threads again Joey!

 

Obviously this is not for $1-5 books. If you have to sell $1 books it may be better (and this has worked well for me in the past) to sell a lot of 40-50 books starting at $40 with free shipping. I have always had those groups bid up and it is a lot easier sending out one box of books compared to 40 separate envelopes.