posted on March 18, 2001 03:29:12 PM
I have noticed quite a difference the the amount of buyers using BIN since eBay now requires a CC on file and charges a 5.00 fee to the buyers! Several customers have contacted me directly to complain about this new rule.They see it as one more way to extort more fees from the users. I started using the BIN for auctions when it first came out and continued to use it as long as it was free.My inventory was turning around alot quicker, and I thought this was a plus for eBay because as quick as a seller sells, they can relist and thus eBay gets more fees.But apparently they didn't think this new 5.00 fee to BIN bidders through too completelty as now they are not using the BIN feature. I have listed several auctions in the last few weeks with BIN for only 5 cents more than the opening bid. What do they do, just place a bid and not BIN.Alot of the auctions closed higher than the opening bid.It seems customers would rather wait than pay the 5.00 EBay fee. Has anyone else noticed this in their auctions?
posted on March 18, 2001 03:39:56 PM
I believe that buyers don't HAVE to pay the $5.00 fee to get "verified" as long as they put a credit card on file. If they put a CC on file there is no fee - because they then do not have to get "verified".
posted on March 18, 2001 03:40:06 PM
There is a $5.00 fee when you (as a buyer) BIN? I didn't know that. Is it a one-time thing, or on every BIN? Can you provide a link to this? I couldn't find anything about it on eBay's fees page. Thanks!
Edited to add: Ah, the fee is for Verification. Gotcha.
[ edited by athena1365 on Mar 18, 2001 03:41 PM ]
[ edited by athena1365 on Mar 18, 2001 03:41 PM ]
If you do not have a credit card on file with us or are not already ID verified, you will be asked to complete a verification step by choosing either credit card verification (free) or ID Verify Service ($5 fee). NOTE: If you choose to place your credit card on file with us, your credit card will not be charged and will only be used for verification purposes.
posted on March 18, 2001 04:49:08 PM
I have noticed a drop in BIN buyers, but it is hard to imagine it is merely because one has to have a credit card on file to buy - Yahoo had such a "rule," and it didn’t effect buying at all.
I am not sure eBay buyers are inclined to use the BIN as Yahoo buyers did. I have started listing my normally BIN items as regular auctions because as BIN, they simply weren't getting any action. The same auctions listed as standard auctions and not BIN auctions are doing fantastic.
One never knows. Actually, many of our buyers obviously aren't very savvy - items I told under the BIN at $13.00 have sold up to $66 under a standard auction. I was very happy to sell them with a fast turn over under BIN for $13.00 - but if the buyers prefer to spend a week fighting over them and over inflating the prices, so be it.
As a seller, I'd prefer to sell 3 to 5 a week under BIN at a fair price, than waste a week for an auction to end and get a horribly inflated price. I really feel bad when buyers run a price so absurdly high.
In the “early” days of auctions, back in the mid 90’s, when a closing bid was so preposterously high, I’d reduce the price to my customer. BUT, I learned that instead of appreciating the reduced price, most of the customers thought I was insulting their evaluation of the item, so I quit; but I still feel bad when an auction goes to a ludicrous price.
posted on March 18, 2001 05:47:59 PM
Execgirl. I know what that link says now, but this is what happened to me last week. I had a customer email and say he tried to BIN and a screen came up saying he had to register a CC or id verify, he even thought it was MY policy! He was very mad and refused to do so. This was the first I heard of this policy. I then came to AW and noticed a BIN auction of mine from one of my accounts would not launch and a screen came up saying I had to be id verified to launch a BIN. So I go to ebay to register both of my accounts. They already have my CC and always have, so I try to check it out.When I registered my CC again with eBay they also charged me the 5.00, per account. I shows up in my account status. I think "Oh well, they got me again" LOL. So I come here and post to find out as a seller, I did NOT need to id verify and it was just a glitch that my auction didn't launch! But with the email from a customer and the 5 minutes later the auction not launching, both tied to BIN, I really didn't want to deal with it. It also was the last day before AW started to charge for listing. So the bottom line is.. I got 2 cute little id verify icons in my feedback profile and they cost me 5 bucks each!! They got me again!!! So if you give a CC to id verify on eBay, be aware they are gonna take that 5.00 too!
