EBay fees & changes13346
 It's like the Roach Motel for comic collectors.
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chester15 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I guess I get the stupid people, because they leave me their email address (even though it's almost impossible to do that, somehow they do), or their phone number, or I'm supposed to just message them back using Ebay's own system!! The scenario you describe, not using eBay's messaging system, is legit. It's the Wild West out there now. And now back to our regularly scheduled topic. |
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| Post 26 • IP flag post | ||
 Collector
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moodswing private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @chester15 I actually had that happen and was wondering the entire time how did their email or number get through the ebay system. I had a buy it now with a best offer. The dude sent an offer for my buy it now price and in the message his cell number was listed. Red flags everywhere. I have only tried to hunt down a seller once or twice. I just tried sending messages like "check IG". Unfortunately, it didn't work. |
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| Post 27 • IP flag post | ||
 Collector
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poka private msg quote post Address this user | |
| what some buyers do is that provide their phone number in an attachment. Apparently, ebay not yet monitoring the attachments. but for me - I am kind of ignoring such mails |
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| Post 28 • IP flag post | ||
 Masculinity takes a holiday.
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EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by chester15 @chester15 For me it's primarily about the 10% sales tax that I have to add to every Ebay purchase now. For a single book I would typically be satisfied with saving that, and let the seller keep the savings of the seller fees. As the purchase amount gets larger, or depending on the initial asking price, I would negotiate more of the transaction fee savings to be discounted from the asking price. |
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| Post 29 • IP flag post | ||
 Collector
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Puckster private msg quote post Address this user | |
| So my Managed Payments started a little over a week ago. In a nut shell, you get charged $0.30 per transaction. Like I had one person buy 10 items. I only got charged $0.30 for the whole thing, which was great. After that, it's something like 12%. I can't remember the exact percentage. So the overall percentage charge is actually smaller than what you were having to pay in fees previously. You see a lot more savings on higher priced items. You're also not getting hit with PayPal fees. That was the big kicker most of the time for me. Ebay would take out their fee and PayPal would also take out theirs. There are a few youtubers who go into a lot of detail that are worth watching. The Auction Professor has a couple of them that ware well worth the watch and he explains it a lot better than I can. | ||
| Post 30 • IP flag post | ||
 To answer your question, no, this is not where the comics go to die.
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MutantMania private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @Drogio There has been plenty of warning about the Managed Payment System. I believe eBay started mentioning it in 2018. I received multiple messages through eBay messaging this year. The last one advised that I sign up for the MPS so I went ahead and did it. Bottom line is it is mandatory and anyone not switched over will no longer be able to sell on eBay. I asked eBay about it and this was their response: 10:00:38 UTC Keith Yes, we are transitioning all users to Managed Payments at this time, about 10,000 a day. So not everyone has switched over yet. We have been doing this for over a year, there are just a ton of people to move into the program. |
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| Post 31 • IP flag post | ||
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Collector
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moodswing private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @Puckster I have not received one email about making the switch to the managed payment system. I don't sell much so maybe that has something to do with it but as of today, nothing. |
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| Post 32 • IP flag post | ||
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It's like the Roach Motel for comic collectors.
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chester15 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @EbaySeller You make it sound like all of this "creative accounting" is ok. It's ok to dodge the sales tax, even though that's a law. It's ok to dodge all or some of the ebay fee, or use it negotiate a lower price, even though the only way you and the seller may have even crossed paths might be due to eBay. Like the eBay fee belongs to both of you to battle over. The word "ethics" comes to mind. I guess that the IRS relationship is a bit loose, too. People dodging eBay fees just makes everybody else's fees higher. EBay is going to get the money they need one way or another. People dodging Sales Tax just makes everyone else's taxes higher, same principle. And again for the IRS. If no one pays their fair share, all the systems involved collapse. It's one of those slippery slopes. I guess we all have to follow our consciences, and that does make for a wide array. |
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| Post 33 • IP flag post | ||
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Masculinity takes a holiday.
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EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @chester15 I get what you're saying and I would say that I partially agree, I partially disagree, and "it's complicated". Your right about Ebay...it's an important service that deserves to get paid if we use it and want it to exist. I can't legitimately rationalize cutting them out after using the service to find the seller. IRS...doesn't have anything to do with me the buyer, that's between the seller and the IRS. The local sales tax issue is complicated. Courts have ruled that Ebay has to collect sales tax for the states that request it, and I understand why. However, if I don't go through Ebay and I buy directly from a seller in another state (for shipment to my state) I do not believe there is a legal obligation for sales tax to be paid in either state. However, it's possible the laws have changed in recent years. Even in California, other investment retailers such as precious metals (coin stores) have been able to minimize sales tax liability through lobbying efforts. Collectibles do not receive this same consideration, and it's this sales tax unfairness that puts me over the top. My cost of investing in collectible comic books is essentially 10% higher than someone who lives in a state that does not require this sales tax. |
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| Post 34 • IP flag post | ||
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It's like the Roach Motel for comic collectors.
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chester15 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @EbaySeller You're right, it IS complicated. There are inequities throughout, probably always will be. As for the State stuff, every state has disadvantages and advantages, no rhyme or reason. You try to stay within the lines, and then the lines move. I guess we all just have to navigate the best we can. |
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| Post 35 • IP flag post | ||
 Collector
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bbking private msg quote post Address this user | |
| well the prices are crazy on Ebay.... lets be honest. So is it not logical that some try to avoid Ebay and the fees? I could never scam somebody so I have no idea of any Wild West that could happen? If you pay by PayPal, are both parties not protected? Anyway I often had the opposite happend. Sellers that send me their e-mail address LoL. |
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| Post 36 • IP flag post | ||
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Masculinity takes a holiday.
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EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by bbking @bbking are you referring to the selling fees? I don't think they are unreasonable. I spent many years advising small business retail owners. In a retail store, even a fairly successful one, the overhead costs can run in excess of 40% of sales. So paying Ebay 10%-12% feels like a bargain to many people who have owned retail stores. Also, it's a variable cost, not a fixed cost. So it's safe...if you don't make sales you don't pay. In a physical location store you have significant fixed overhead expenses whether you make sales or not. I've worked with retailers who's overhead costs were more than 100% of their total sales...not even including their cost of goods. Those retailers don't last very long though. |
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| Post 37 • IP flag post | ||
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Collector
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bbking private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Oh no, not the fees, the comic prices in particular. Im from Europe, and I often buy at auctions houses. The prices are lower than Ebay's most of the time. I own an business so I know everything about overhead costs myself so thats even an reason why it could be cheaper to buy online right? I dont know why the crazy prices on Ebay sometimes versus the auction houses... For example I use comics.gocollect for a Fair market value price. I myself am always willing to buy it for the FMV, sometimes of course even willing to pay higher... I love collecting and the collectors market, but I am also wanting to invest smartly, and at auction houses often I can buy it for the FMV price, sometimes maybe a tiny bit lower. Thats why I can imagine that buyers want to deal outside Ebay. Because they think they will get an better deal... |
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| Post 38 • IP flag post | ||
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Masculinity takes a holiday.
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EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @bbking You're right, almost 100% of the time auction prices will be lower than the Buy It Now prices. But that's only logical, why would anyone compete to win an auction when they could have clicked a button 7 days ago and bought for a lower price. The Buy It Now listings basically set a limit on how high an auction price can go. Typically people use Buy It Now when owning the book is more important to them than the price they pay...it's convenient and it's guaranteed. Auction is for buyers who are more concerned with the price they pay than with ensuring that they get the book. I think you are also right that going outside of Ebay is our way of trying to have it both ways...to get the book we want at a price that we could otherwise only get by winning an auction. |
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| Post 39 • IP flag post | ||
 Collector
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Buckets private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Ebay is a business and the old payment system was no longer in line with today's marketplace. Ebay had to wait until sellers paid their fees and sometimes those fees were not paid. With the new payment system, ebay is guaranteed their money for every transaction and no longer has to wait until sellers decide whether or not to pay their monthly final value fees. If you sell outside ebay, they will track you down and either invoice you for fees on the transaction that took place outside their venue, or you are suspended. Ebay can't catch all the fraud that goes on daily but they are always watching and listening. People want to try and find ways to circumvent ebay's fees and policies, but just offset those by buying lower and selling higher. The fees and polices become a little less daunting. |
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| Post 40 • IP flag post | ||
 I showed my wife and she was so happy for me she started to cry.
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Batman66 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I side with @EbaySeller, I try to avoid paying sales tax on comics, the government gets too much of my money as it is. It does tilt the favor of an auction towards those in states that don't collect taxes from eBay. On larger purchases, I've spent over 500 just on sales tax on one purchase. I have shifted most of my sales and purchasing through Facebook. There are dozens and dozens of comic book groups. I just bought my Jim83 3.5 and only have about 4200 in it, I did trade/cash. Then I sold my raw copy .5 for 1900 in less than a half hour after posting it. I think it's better and easier than eBay. Just pay the 3% PayPal and shipping. | ||
| Post 41 • IP flag post | ||
 Collector
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Drogio private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by moodswing No emails at all. It one. Maybe those are getting dumped into my spam, ha! Again, if his was years in the making, and they NEED EVERYONE to switch over...I’d expect weekly emails on this from now until the end of the year. Seems set up to fail on them. |
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| Post 42 • IP flag post | ||
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To answer your question, no, this is not where the comics go to die.
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MutantMania private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Drogio I'm not sure if they were direct emails? I do remember mine coming through the eBay website message service but I also get an email when I receive any messages. Maybe it has to do with the volume of sales on an account so going from largest to smallest. I couldn't find any exact info but I did find this: Registering for managed payments If you are eligible and have not already registered, your invitation to managed payments should be in your email inbox, where you’ll find a link to register for the program. If your account becomes eligible to be activated for managed payments, eBay may send you an email requesting you to complete managed payments registration by a specific date. If you were sent this email, and you have not completed registration by the date specified, eBay reserves the right to start to restrict your ability to list, including, without limitation, restricting new listings, restricting changes to existing listings, or ending listings. Restrictions would apply no earlier than 30 days following the date of the email. |
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| Post 43 • IP flag post | ||
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Masculinity takes a holiday.
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EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Batman66 @Batman66 I'm going to add an additional thought to your statement. We have been discussing the subject as if buying through Ebay is an either/or option. There is a third, more likely option, which is that the transactions would not have happened at all with 20% extra fees. I bought one book from the dealer through Ebay. We moved off the platform and I bought 13 more books. If we had not moved off the platform, it would still be just one book. Your transactions through Facebook most likely would not have occurred through Ebay. If you add 20% to the JIM 3.5 it goes over $5,000. If you add to the .5, it goes to $2,400. Most likely you would not have bought for $5,000 and you would not have been able to sell for $2,400...so these transactions never would have occurred on the Ebay platform. I'm starting to understand why they say that a vibrant Black market is good for an economy, lol. |
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| Post 44 • IP flag post | ||
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