posted on February 16, 2001 10:38:15 AM new
Hi, I've listed quite a few auctions on Ebay and racked up a 250+ feedback rating. But their new rates hit me like a ton of bricks. I was using Andale (very happy too), but the combined fees plus February's economic slow-down really crushed profits for the month (thought it's not over yet).
I started moving items over to Yahoo! I can get 30 days of exposure on a $9.99 auction for $.60. On Ebay, it's $1.20.
Plus Ebay and Andale would cop another final value fee of $.25 each, or $.50. We're now up to $1.70.
Then the bidder would be a non-payer. Ebay would refund $.25 and pocket the rest plus I'd be out another $.30 to relist. Up to $1.75.
That's $1.75 on a $9.99 item.
If someone wins and pays with BillPoint, Ebay gets another $.35, so now we're up to $2.20.
BillPoint also hides a DEPOSIT FEE in their fine print, a nickel here, $.15 there just to put the money in your account.
Now we're up to at least $2.25 on a $9.99 auction. $7.74 left with $5.00 in costs, or a whopping $2.74 profit for ALL THAT WORK.
NOT cool. No wonder Ebay is being called GreedBay.
Just like with PayPal, I walked in AFTER the rate increase so never had time to resent the fees at Yahoo! .
I guess I can't complain about Yahoo!'s fees just yet. It's always easier when the rate increase comes BEFORE you arrive on the scene, LOL.
I know because I was feeling nice and cozy at Ebay getting 30 days exposure for $.75, then WHAMMY, rate increases! Only a nickel, my toosh. For me, it was a $.15 minimum increase per auction based on a 10 day auction.
posted on February 16, 2001 11:23:28 AM new
I think you will find that Yahoo will end up being more expensive because you will very likely have to relist your items several times. And on Yahoo, you pay for EACH of those relists.
If a $9.99 item sells after 2 10-day listings, your costs for either site would be the same -- 40 cents. (Because Ebay refunds the second listing fee if the item sells.)
Granted, there are no FVF's on Yahoo, but it also takes more relists to sell items on Yahoo. Sometimes many more. I think that even the most avid Yahoo sellers will admit that.
So not only does it likely cost as much or more to sell at Yahoo, your turnover time is longer.
And sure, Paydirect is free, but you can use it on your Ebay auctions as well. Plus, I seriously doubt that it will be free much longer -- probably another month or two.
I know a lot of people are now advocating Bidville. It will probably take even longer to sell your items there, but it is growing VERY quickly, and it's free.
I haven't tried Bidville yet, but I would suggest that if you are going to take the time to learn the "ins and outs" of a new site, transition slowly and go with one that is thriving, not one that is on life support.
[ edited by amalgamated2000 on Feb 16, 2001 12:24 PM ]
Let me second that. I'm a powerseller on Ebay and have sold on Yahoo for over a year.
Depending on what you sell. Your 30 days of exposure on Yahoo is likely to give you less half as many bids as 1 week of exposure on Ebay. So, it will end up costing you more in the long run.
Dump the 10 day auctions because they aren't necessary for most items. Use Paydirect as a payment service, when you can, instead of Billpoint. Drop Andale, why give away more of your profits. Don't bother with any extras such as gallery images. Make extensive use of BIN while it lasts.
Compared to relisting $ and relisting $ and relisting $ on Yahoo. Ebay is still a bargain. Sell through on Yahoo is far worse than it was 2 months ago. We sold 100 items in December and only 17 with 3 outstanding bids since. Don't waist your time or your money. We are using our listing credits and then vacating the site. Before long there won't be much left there.
Yahoo was fun while it lasted but it was also the most frustrating site I've ever tried to sell on. If you get bids at all, you almost never get multiple bids. You can use the buy price, which helps by enticing people to bid higher to end the auction.
The best use of Yahoo right now is to advertise your web site if you have one. Provided you don't get caught doing it.
[ edited by outoftheblue on Feb 16, 2001 01:29 PM ]
posted on February 16, 2001 02:47:44 PM new
Lordy, you came here too late - Yahoo is quickly going down the tubes, listings down about 80% since fees were instituted.
If you haven't tried Yahoo before, it is totally different from eBay - when Yahoo was free it was great, because even though you had to list many more auctions, and often relist, and relist, once you got the hang of it you could really get on a roll - but when fees came it - the bottom fell out - Yahoo is not an auction which should have listing fees but FVF fees, because of the need to relist items so often.
Like someone else said, in the long run, you will probably save money listing on eBay, and certainly reach a bigger audience, as I am sure the buyer base at Yahoo will shrink as the listings have in the last month.
You found this train too late - it was a great ride till January.
posted on February 16, 2001 07:33:28 PM new
outoftheblue you made the statement and I don't know what BIN means-please define. Thanks, Zack
Make
extensive use of BIN while it lasts.
posted on February 16, 2001 08:25:57 PM new
Wow, lots of heads up above. Thanks! I'm keeping my eyes open for all viable options.
I'm weaning myself off Andale. It was so convenient, the gallery feature is cool, but they're expensive.
My sell-through on Ebay took a nose-dive when they dissected my categories (economy factor too?). I have to relist more than ever before in order to get a sale. 10 day auctions were a real boon because most of my auctions ended in BIN. This created a large number of multi-item/combined shipping sales on weekends that over-lapped. No longer. So I'm cutting back on my listings there.
My sell-through rate at Yahoo! is fast-approaching Ebay's with fewer NPBs. Rather than elated, I'm disappointed I'm not still doing as well as before on Ebay. I feel betrayed by them in so many ways, so I can relate to your feelings about Y!
Oh well, if Yahoo! disappears, I'll be looking at the next venue on the scene. I do have my eye on Bidville, ePier and AuctionAddict.
I never believed YPD would stay free (I do offer it on Ebay auctions), but I am enjoying the free aspect while it lasts !
posted on February 17, 2001 01:00:01 AM new
Also unlikely ebays, yahoo has a huge amount of deadbeats, anyone from foul mouthed cranky ladies to profanity using, and psychotic children. MAny of these deadbeats I question their sanity, as they are quite frightining. my last month closures alone, had 60 percent deadbeats. most doesnt even bother to respond to your EOA e mails, and most dont bother to pay, and comes up with every execuse to blame it on you.
Also unlikey ebays where it is easy to get your FVF back from deadbeats.yahoo it is almost impossible to get your listing fee back. And unlikely ebays, which has safeharbor, yahoo doesnt protect the seller from feedback threats and other stuff. Which is why yahoo's deadbeats consist of ebay rejects who probably got kicked out of there after 5 strikes as yahoo has no strike system whatsoever. So you have bidders with -70 still running around going amuck.
Also yahoo has this wacky TOS stuff, where they can nuke your account for any reason they feel like. At least ebays will warn you before deactivating your account forever. but yahoo, one warning and poof, you are gone forever. i know a seller with 980 feedback, no negatives, was deleted forever with one push of a button. beware of yahoo.
posted on February 17, 2001 10:11:11 AM new
ddeva, Aside from the fees, Yahoo's mandatory credit card verification for bidders has put an additional hurt on sales. Initially I thought it would be a trade off, but much to my surprise, my percentage of deadbeats did not decline (just my sales).
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