So having never used eBay before until a couple weeks ago, I posted a couple of items for sale. They haven't sold yet, but greedy eBay have already billed me over £20.00!
OK, so maybe I assumed a level of fairness and morality that probably has no place at all in business, but still, I expected that they would only take their commissions when I actually sell the items - that fair right?
Its not the £20 that rubs me, its the sheer shisting greed of Ebay.
Just about everyone in the developed world* uses eBay as far as I can tell, surely they can make enough profit** from sellers not to have to charge those who's items don't actually sell? I mean its not as if they have to actually walk across the shop floor and pin my hastily scribbled advert to a public noticeboard in their shop window, burning calories from the physical effort and expending mental energy concentrating on not stabbing themselves in the eye with the drawing pin
I wouldn't mind if they were more blatant about it, you know, with an <H1> tag wrapped around the phrase "GREAT DEALS - we'll take your money even if you get nothing back!" - but come on! - who reads the small print these days! - agree to Ts and C's? sure, I trust you, you're successful so you can't be conning people! :p
I know, I know, expect nothing, assume nothing... blah blah ... sure, but where's the fun in that square boy!
bah! unscrupulous poo bags.
* well, nearly... (233 million worldwide users they rekon) http://pages.ebay.co.uk/aboutebay/thecompany/companyoverview.html
** Ebays net profits are even bigger than Amazons and second only to Googles according to online trading statistics analysis.
source: http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/EBay_(EBAY)/Data/Net_Income/2010/Q1
I'm mostly with you on your thought here Gav, however there is a cost associated to eBay to list your item and have people view it.
ReplyDeleteCost of hosting and other related things.
There is probably enough in it for them to only charge when the sale is made, but as you say... it is a business.
Chris
praps Im really objecting to capitalism as a whole and the unbridled greed it manifests in private enterprise.. actually, its probably good ole democracy thats to blame....mmm ;)
ReplyDeleteEBay are a bunch of greedy f**ckers, Seriously all they do is rob sellers by charging extortionate fees by finding sly and dirty tactics to hike fees up every year. This year they have lowered listing fees by 10p and have promoted that they are 'HELPING SELLERS' yet they have upped sellers fees by an extra 3% before if you sold an item for say £25 they would take £2.49
ReplyDeletenow it would be £3.10 thats more than 11% not forgetting they own paypal so take and extra 5%. I mean how do they expect sellers to make a decent profit....i cant wait for a decent competitor to come on the seen, then it would be 'F**k you Ebay im outta here.
At one time there was no doubt about it ebay was the place to find whatever you wanted far cheaper than anyone else could do it for, for instance if you were looking for video games or dvd's I find that Play.com are usually cheaper than ebay, this is due to ebay's greedy fee's forcing sellers to put there prices up and being more expensive than play.com and the likes, I know this is very easy to say but the only way that ebay are going to change there greedy ways is for everyone to stop selling and buying and eventually forcing ebay into begging there members to come back.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree - with operating profits of £300 million per quarter, you'd think they'd also manage to widen their employment net to include beings other than than rhesus monkeys to employ as customer services staff. I am a business seller, and I have simply given up trying to contact eBay (or PayPal) about anything, because it seems that I might as well save myself the anger that negative energy brings and just ask my fucking cat - I'd get a similar level of sense in terms of a response.
ReplyDeleteGreedy and annoying tw*ts. They made me turn into a business so i could not have a free listing. Free list upto 100 items it says then they restrict you and tell you the limit will be increased if you turn it into a business with about £20 turnover a week. Love the way they always encourage you to offer free post, cause they don't make money on that. I wish everyone would defect to EBID its a shame the site does not attrack more Buyers. Only just found this posting site, lets keep it going. Mick
ReplyDeleteI been selling at EBay for 3 months and I am already looking to jump ship because of their greed. One hurdle I have is competitive pricing when shipping cost is involved, living in the northwestern corner of the U.S. I am getting slammed because the majority of the buyers live on the east coast. EBay keeps harping lower your shipping cost but they have the audacity to charge a fee not just the selling price but the shipping also. Plus they try to gouge you on listing every chance they get.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more about the 2 faced greed of ebay.
ReplyDeleteA memo from ebay proclaiming 'Good News!' invariably means a sneaky increase in sellers fees.
They are 100% biased towards buyers and completely focused on building more and more profit for themselves.
Trading partner my ars.
Hopefully one day we will see a tangible competitor to ebay ( one they can't buy) and just watch how many friends they have. I truly have never known of a more hated organisation than ebay.
I do admire their business model but their policies and personal greed make them morally bankrupt.