more changes on the way from ebay

[Russianwolf]

Basically, if you sell books, dvd's, cd's etc. they are going to force you to included a "reasonable" shipping and handling cost. Regardless if your costs are more or not. If you want to protect your shipping cost "include it in your beginning price" (so that they can charge you more in listing/final value fees). (Will likely come to other catagories soon)

They are disallowing check/Mo payments on all but the most expensive items (real estate and cars). So only buyers who are willing to use electronic payments will be allowed.

encouraging free shipping, by rewarding powersellers (the people who need the least reward) and giving everyone subtitles (whoopdee).

Oh, and if you have less than a 4.3 on their star program you will no longer be able to sell on ebay.

I really think they want to shut themselves down.

http://pages.ebay.com/sell/August200...FAQ/index.html

[crokett]

corrected link:
http://www2.ebay.com/aw/core/200808....08-08-20070116

for the free shipping:

Beginning on October 1, 2008 and running through the end of the year, all sellers will receive the option to use subtitle for free, worth $.50 per listing, when free shipping is offered. And for eligible PowerSellers, you will receive double your PowerSeller Final Value Fee discount on these items, starting on the same date and running through the end of the year when you offer free shipping - this is up to a 40% discount! As always, items with free shipping will get a boost in Best Match search results.

Appears to me that anybody can offer free shipping, not just power sellers. They just give power sellers a bigger reward.

For the electronic checkout:

Starting this fall, we're moving to an electronic checkout process that's faster and more reliable for sellers and buyers. As part of this move, checks and money orders will no longer be accepted on eBay, although buyers can still use these payment methods for item pick-up, at the seller's discretion. In addition, the electronic payment methods will be fully integrated into eBay checkout. For example, if a seller has an internet merchant account, a buyer will be able to directly enter a credit card and never have to leave the site. Today, items paid with check or money order are 80% more likely to result in an item not received (INR) than those paid with credit card or PayPal. Also, buyers who pay with check or money order are 50% more likely to leave negative feedback than those who pay with electronic methods. So starting in late October, 2008, we are moving to 100% electronic payments - credit cards, ProPay, or PayPal.

I don't see a problem here. Reads to me that if somebody wants to pay by check or money order they still can. It is at the seller's discretion.

[Uncle Cracker]

Frankly, many sellers do pad their profits with often ridiculous shipping and "handling" fees. Shouldn't one be expected to "handle" one's own merchandise without charging for it? I very often see $7.50 or more charged for a $2.00 media mail shipment on books, or $11.99 on a few pen blanks that will easily fit in a flat-rate Priority Mail envelope for $4.80. I personally know a guy who does a ton of Ebay business who triples his actual shipping costs, and then brags about it. I think these new rules will simply level the playing field, and give buyers a truer feel for the dollars they are spending.

Yes, I know that this means a higher cost basis for the sellers, and more fees for Ebay, and that's probably Ebay's primary motivation, but I think the system bogs down for everybody if there are no buyers, and many just won't go for it while there's obvious shipping gouging going on, and Ebay turns a blind eye.

As for the new rules meaning an end to Ebay, I don't think so. Amazon has used a standard shipping fee schedule on their 3rd-party sellers for years, and they seem to be doing OK...

[Russianwolf]

check and money order are still acceptable for pick-up items at the sellers discretion. They will be removing the option from ebay except for select catagories is the way I'm reading it.
try this link

http://pages.ebay.com/sell/August2008Update/Payments/ if not here's the quote from it

Faster, more secure checkout experience

Paper payments end this October

Beginning late October 2008, all items listed on eBay.com must be paid for using one of the following approved payment options:
Direct credit or debit card payment via a merchant credit card account
PayPal
ProPay
Payment on pick-up
Paper payment methods such as checks and money orders will no longer be accepted on eBay.com.

By January 2009, all approved electronic payment methods will be integrated into eBay checkout. For example, buyers will be able to enter their credit card number directly into eBay checkout, and the payment will be routed to the seller's Internet merchant account or to their PayPal account.

Please note that the new payments policy will not apply to the vehicles categories in Motors, capital equipment categories in Business & Industrial, Mature Audiences and Real Estate.

I love how they are excluding the policy for "mature audience" items. Can't have people outed for porn.

Postage and handling isn't always as simple as just the shipping cost. There are also the packing materials that need to be included in this price. It's great if USPS has a box that fits the item you're shipping, but if I'm shipping something that I want really protected that won't fit in their boxes, then I have to buy the correct box and pack it appropriately. This can cost money. I had a box done at the UPS store one time that the packing fee was $20 not including the shipping. I ate most of that, but I wanted to make sure that the item would be arrive intactsince it was a set of custom boards that took about 30 hours to complete.

Yes, abuses do take place, but having them say "this is the most you can charge for shipping" is wrong. If anything they should force the use of the calculator and put a limit on the handling of a couple dollarsto cover the packing expenses.

[Uncle Cracker]

I know that packing materials often cost money, but most of the boxes I get stuff in are re-used, or are given free by the PO or the shipping companies. Personally, I save boxes, newspapers, peanuts, and bubble wrap for when I need to ship something. I cannot remember buying anything more than the occasional roll of tape for years. I sure don't see too many folks (Amazon being the notable exception) that are spending any significant $$ on brand new packing material, but so many sellers are charging like they do, and have been for years. It's hard for me to sympathize, even though I'm sure it is a bit of a hardship for some. But as usual, all it takes is a few greedy folks to screw something up for everybody.

[thekon]

here's my problem with their changes......I have an excellent rating......only one negative out of hundreds of sales and that was retalitory after the buyer would not pay. I have had problems with paypal and will not take it anymore. It cost me major amounts of money.
I will not accept it. But they will not let me list without taking it now. I am now looking for alternatives to ebay. I have not broken their rules, always given good services to my customers yet I get constantly slammed with new rules. Bye bye ebay!