posted on July 14, 2001 02:13:57 PM
Perhaps this has been discussed before. If so, sorry, I never saw it.
Given the problems of deadbeats, late payers, bounced checks, etc. on eBay, couldn't they adopt the same payment system as their sister site, half.com? An example:
Seller posts a widget and the bidding gets hot and heavy and it eventually sells for, say, $100.
Instead of sending EOAs, eBay bills the buyer's CC (like half.com) for the sale price plus postage, then emails the seller with an address to mail it to.
Seller gets mailed a check twice a month from eBay. (Just like half.com)
Granted, there may be items to hammer out regarding determining the postage, but the seller could state that he/she uses Priority only, for example.
Would this fly? What do you guys think?
I have all but given up selling on eBay because of all the problems of late. (By the way, I haven't used CC acceptance companies like Paypal, Billpoint, etc. So maybe I'm not really "informed" enough to offer suggestions.) Any ideas?
posted on July 14, 2001 02:24:03 PM
eBay claims to be integrating Half.com or its features into the eBay site in the coming quarters. The automatic payment mechanism could be a feature they implement at eBay. However, eBay charges Half.com sellers 15% of each transaction for that added convenience. Do you think eBay taking a 15% cut would fly at the auction site? A move like that would effectively kill PayPal while eliminating deadbeat bidders. I'm just speculating but don't put anything past eBay in their pursuit of profits!
posted on July 14, 2001 02:28:35 PM
If it were an option that sellers could choose from, I suppose I could go along with it, but overall, I think it's a bad idea.
I'm sorry if you're having problems with deadbeats, late payers and bounced checks, but I'm not, and I don't want eBay dealing with the bidders in my auctions because of problems other sellers are having.
posted on July 14, 2001 02:49:31 PMInstead of sending EOAs, eBay bills the buyer's CC (like half.com) for the sale price plus postage, then emails the seller with an address to mail it to
Who would really be the seller in this instance....?? hmmm
Who would the buyer then have recourse against if the goods weren't delivered or mis-represented...?
Who would I issue the chargeback against?
eBay??
Maybe they'll use the same tactics Ibill does to deter chargebacks by threatening to blacklist the CC number for all internet transactions using that service if a chargeback is levied......
The war has only just begun....
Additionally, many buyers aren't likely to be thrilled about paying CC interest on items they buy on eBay when they might otherwise have paid cash or MO....I don't carry balances on any of my CC's but , IME, I'm still in the minority.
That's right! I forgot about the 15% thing. (I KNEW there had to be a serious flaw in this idea....I just wasn't sure what.)
THAT would be bad.
Lest it be thought that I am an "anti-buyer" seller, I most certainly am not. MOST buyers are courteous and pay on time. It's that ten percent that don't that seems to kill the fun of it all.
Also, I haven't heard of eBay thinking along the lines of changing to this format...I was just wondering what MIGHT happen if they did.
posted on July 14, 2001 06:47:15 PM
I think this would be tough to implement because of the variables.
15% isn't terrible - if they ditch the listing fee like at half.com. That's never going to happen. (Figure that people selling items for $9.99 who offer paypal are already paying 30 cents to list - 3%; 30 cents + 2.9% to PayPal - 6%; and 5% FVF; so that's about 14% on low end items right now.)
The shipping allowance would have to be worked out somehow. I only know about books, cd's, etc. on half, but the shipping allowance is fixed. How would they factor that in?
Also, a lot of sellers don't want to take credit cards or give out their bank info to eBay.
I think this would be tough to implement. But you never know. You just never know what the twentysomethings in their marketing dept will think up next time they've had too many capuccinos.
posted on July 14, 2001 06:56:16 PM
Forget the fees Some sellers would be in the poor house, many sellers have hundreds of sales daily and weekly the buyer pays not only the bid price but the shipping.
If you were shipping hundred or more items daily but only getting your money twice a month shipping fees would drain you before your sales turned into cash.
posted on July 15, 2001 05:11:14 AM
Hmmmm..... ya mean, sorta like an automatic check-out for eBay items?
How would something like that work in a positive way for sellers and buyers?
Someone mentioned "fixed price shipping".... I'm really not clear on that one either (I don't sell on Half.com)... I've heard that Half.com charges a fixed amount for shipping, but does NOT pass on all of the shipping amount collected to the seller. The idea of a third party collecting money for SHIPPING and then NOT passing ALL OF IT along to the party responsible for doing ALL OF THE WORK and SHIPPING the item, just IRKS me, quite frankly.
The title of this thread is:
"Would this work? Would eBay try it?
And to that I say: "I dunno!" and "Yep, they probably would!"
posted on July 15, 2001 09:24:36 AM
How about, when seller files NPB, ebay refunds LISTING and FVF and then charges the buyer the listing fee!
I know, I know, it wouldn't work. Some sellers would take advantage of it and file NPB against items they shipped to the customers. And buyers would be required to register a credit card or provide their SS# or something and that might eliminate some of the buyers on the site.
I do wish their was something that could be done to stop deadbeats. I only have had a few, but those few have been enough. I like my 30 cents to be well spent, not wasted on someone who has no worries of never paying for things they buy. If there was some financial consequences to bidding and not paying, would that lessen the # of deadbeats? I would hope so.
posted on July 15, 2001 10:09:43 AM
I would love to see Ebay implement automatic payment. I think they are already on the way to doing so with Billpoint. There's already a Billpoint Instant Payment button on the closed item page, they just need to take it one step further and make it automatic.
Sellers would benfit by not having any deadbeats. Buyers would benefit by making payment easier and quicker. Ebay would benefit from not having to refund closing fees from NPB's.
Keep in mind that the 15% that Half takes is all of the fees combined, not just the payment fee.
posted on July 15, 2001 10:32:44 AM
I hope they never do it. Or if they do we should have a choice to opt out perhaps.
I don't want to sell a high priced item and have a chargeback months later. I want to have the option of receiving payment by the methods I prefer. This would be just one more way for ebay to have more control over all of us.
posted on July 15, 2001 10:49:34 AM
There is already something being done about how you call them Dead beats.
Dead beat is a person who was window shopping and made an offer some time dureing the listings duration and over time either found a better deal on the same item or found it wasnt what they needed or wanted.
EBAY offer the NPB and refund of your fees for these Situation.
I bet Walrmarts and other stores would give anything to have people who pick up Items in there store drag them around the store for an hour or three in a shopping cart only to leave the cart in the store with the goods and leave only buying one item or none.
Also Ebay is now offering instant payment through billpoint for Auction sith BIN price and in there new stores this is nice but sellers and buyer still need some freedom to choose how they want to do business and shop. http://www.Dman-N-Company.com
Email [email protected]
posted on July 15, 2001 11:16:46 AMI've heard that Half.com charges a fixed amount for shipping, but does NOT pass on all of the shipping amount collected to the seller. The idea of a third party collecting money for SHIPPING and then NOT passing ALL OF IT along to the party responsible for doing ALL OF THE WORK and SHIPPING the item, just IRKS me, quite frankly.
Profiting from the shipping charge? Heaven forbid!!!
I wonder if it would be safe to say that none of the posters here on AW who refuse to bid on auctions which include a handling fee over and above the exact postage have ever bought anything from half.com...
posted on July 15, 2001 12:25:50 PM
Well, I've sold a lot of (mostly low priced) books on half.com and only once did they not compensate me fully for postage. (Maybe I packed it TOO good.)
I realize that for eBay to do this stuff, things would be a little different.
I was just bouncing the idea around partially out of my frustration with eBay's lack of action regarding no-pays and late-payers.
eBay has our CC numbers anyway, doesn't it? (Registration.)
I do not want eBay forcing me to accept one form of payment either. I would think we'd be able to opt out if we want. I certainly don't think this option is without flaws. I was just thinking of possible ways to combat the the bad apples that are ruining eBay selling for some sellers.
