I will no longer sell on ebay.

New ebay shipping regulations is extremely frustrating for international sellers.Many countries (like Russia,Ukraine etc) doesn't have own ebay and forced to use ebay.com .So far is no option to specify "I'm international seller,please allow me own shipping rates".I reported this problem to ebay ,they promised me to find solution.But first the told me something stupid " sellers from Germany should use ebay.de" .I asked rep if any prohibition exists for UK & EU ebayers to sell on Ebay.com ,and didn't get any answer because I think it's not prohibited.
Also other thing.If I put ware for sale on ebay.de and even specified "world wide shipping" ,it's not visible on ebay.com.I don't need to explain, ebay.com of course has much more bigger audience compare to ebay.de.

 

And Amazon isn't "big business!!!"?

I hate (as distinguished from "love to hate") eBay because I was burned so many times on LP purchases, about half of which were bad, and on which, because of eBay's then-extant "vengeance feedback" policy, I was unable to leave well-deserved negative feedback for a number of sellers.

I've softened some now that buyers can't get negative feedback, but I only buy CDs and dishes there now, and those rarely, as I need very few and very specific dishes, and I prefer to buy CDs on Amazon Marketplace. I only sell on Amazon Marketplace as well. Listing on eBay has become a metaphor for useless complexity ("If it ain't broke, fix it, fix it again, fix it some more"), and sellers don't leave FB for buyers on AM, which eBay should have started doing a decade ago.

As far as "second-rate offerings," if you know how to look for original pressings of CDs, I think it's much easier to find them on AM than on eBay. And it's a lot easier to avoid MovieMarz, Sound City Beaches, and their ilk on AM.

 

Jay, Amazon is a big business but they don't have the stigma of omni-presence that eBay has. How many times have you seen people post the question "are there other auction/selling services other than eBay." Folks literally feel trapped into selling and buying on eBay.

I've said many many times that I'm a fan of Amazon and like you, I like that you can see all of the same item in one shot. It's just easier to shop for CDs there. But it seems that being a fan of eBay isn't so popular round here.

That said, did you know that there is button for Amazon sellers to leave feedback for buyers (you could always do it but they made it easier now)? Sellers on Amazon can leave a negative comment for a buyer. While a negative comment from a seller doesn't effect your star rating or your point average there is no way to distinquish the comment as coming from a seller. And the buyer can not place a comment on it like a seller can.

It happened to me. I called Amazon to complain and told them that it was unfair since I had no recourse. They told me that there was nothing they could do. So if you leave negative feedback for a seller just beware - they can leave negative feedback on your profile. This won't bother people who only buy on Amazon but if you're a seller, be careful.

 

Same here. What's the point of issuing unreadable numbers?

 

Wow, you guys are deep. How you can complain about this verification code thing is beyond me. If you've ever been the recipient of spam due to someone getting ahold of your eBay contact information you'd appreciate eBay's efforts here.

Here's a picture of the verification numbers eBay uses. They are not hard to read. One of the numbers has to be somewhat confusing so that the code can't be picked up by a reader. The only place I encounter these is when I'm trying to contact some (and only if I'm not in a transaction with the party). This is a good thing and eBay has the easiest to read numbers I've ever encountered. They are the only place I've encountered the option to "listen to the code."

View attachment 85690

 

msn.com has the "listen to the code" feature also. Although on my computer it doesn't work.. anyway, ebay shouldn't be looking at people's passwords. They should be encrypted, but I guess they aren't.

 

Not sure what you mean? How do you know eBay is looking at people's passwords?

What is the transaction you are doing that eBay prompts you for that code? The only place I get it is when I want to communicate with another eBayer (one I'm not buying from or selling to). That code shouldn't be related to your password at all.

 

I'm convinced that mafru2 works in PR for ebay - he's always creaming about how good they are and defending them EVERY SINGLE TIME - he never ever accepts any genuine failure that eBay has. Not once!

 

I'm discovered!

By the way imarcq, what is "creaming"?

 

It's a bit like using Ebay as a Jaz Mag...

 

imarcq, I'll address you directly:

What is the difference to you if I defend eBay? Most of the people coming to this thread to complain are not going to listen to me anyway. I'm really the only one taking the position I am taking. But the fact that folks pass bad information here does bother me. If you're going to leave eBay - LEAVE!! - but leave for your own reasons not because someone lead you to believe that $3 was maximum charge for priority shipping or that eBay is charging 15% fees on all of your sales...etc.

I've said before when you poked at me that I do no work for eBay and I do not own stock (thank god) but I do really like the company and its service. If that bothers you I'm sorry. Over my 10 years with them I've seen some frustrating things - most of the worst in my early years - but nothing they've done so far has been bad enough to drive me away. That's just me though. I'm sure other folks have found far better services elsewhere.

Lastly, please cut the jabs. I'm cool with a little fun now and then but you've spent more time addressing me and my beliefs then you have spent debating with me. We can disagree without the personal commentary, can't we?

 

Folks, enough! Simply post your views and do not attack others who disagree with you. I don't want to have to close this thread.

 

Keith - imarcq and I are cool now. I'm not an eBay spy - and if I was one, heaven help me.

 

Cheers Keith - its all good.

 

It only costs $1.85 to ship a cd. That's First Class Mail and it only takes 2-3 days to get. At worst it only takes one day longer than Priority. I would hate to pay Priority for something under 13 ounces and can be sent First Class. Priority only makes sense when it's too heavy for First Class.

 

I think the problems with incorrect limits on what you can charge for shipping, and these items are probably in the minority, come from Ebay's database of available items for sale and/or discrepancies therein. Case in point, and forgive me if I'm repeating myself, if one is trying to sell those older Sony Mastersound CDs in the longbox style cases, Ebay doesn't recognize that these weigh more and will cost more than their (Ebay's) shipping limit to securely mail - probably due to their system assuming you're sellling the later(?) slipcased version. That's just one example.

There will always be holes like this in their system and overall, if these changes keep sellers from price/shipping gouging, then I suspect that it's for the better; though my "trick" in the past was always to never buy from a seller that I felt was gouging on shipping and just to move on to the next one - still works too.

-s1m0n-

 

Another aspect of the $3 requirement for shipping: I have checked some of my saved searches. There now are many sellers complying with the rule (probably forced to when they listed). However, I also see there still quite a few with no option for $3, even for U.S. sellers shipping inside the U.S. Some appear to be volume sellers who probably just roll their ads over and can get around any problems with postage by not starting a new listing. Others seem to be new listings that managed to avoid stating any postage when filling out the listing form and then just say in the listing itself that postage will be more than $3. It will be interesting to see how uniformly this policy is enforced.

 

Stand Alone

Am I the only one who uses Delivery Confirmation with First Class Mail? I also use a poly/bubble CD envelope and either single or double bubble wrap the CD. First Class with Delivery Confirmation is around $2.75, the envelopes are $.89 to $.99 and the bubble wrap is roughly $.15 for a one foot sheet. I cut it in half and either single or double wrap so that is between $.075 and $.15. That brings shipping in a manner I consider decent for the buyer averaging between $3.71 and $3.89. Now is my time of any value and what about the cost of gas these days for a trip to the post office?

 

It costs me around $2 to mail one CD with Delivery Confirmation when I print the label online. IIRC, the postage is either $1.68 or $1.85 for postage, and either .16 or Free for DC.

I buy the envelopes for ~.25 in bulk. I also recycle the envelopes I buy CDs in. I don't use an extra layer of bubble wrap. I'm not even sure that would fit inside a size #0 bubble wrap envelope, which is the perfect size for one CD.

Total of $2.01, max.

As far as time and gas, I believe the original intention was that the cost of those should come out of the profit you make from selling the CD, not out of the postage amount. Of course, these intentions were based on the cost of gas around ten years ago.

You can state in your auctions that you only go to the post office once a week. Or, if you print your labels online, you can drop the CDs in any mailbox. You don't need to actually go to the post office anymore.

 

I think Ebay have found another way of earning money because of this 3 USD maximum shipping charge. I´m a swedish guy who just started to sell some items on Ebay. I clearly state in my auctions that the International shipping is higher than the default figure. I also state that people should wait for my invoice before paying. A lot of people still pay with 3 USD as shipping charge. Then I send a mail with the additional shipping and people understand that they have not read the auction terms. Shipping from Sweden is 8 USD for 1 disc. (actual shipping cost). So they send me additional 5 USD and Paypal always nips 50 cent of the 5 dollars. For me this is f*****g annoying, but for Ebay this is great business if this happens all the time.

 

The max. $3 fee is a myth since it only applies to "fixed shipping cost". If you use the "calculator" alternative you can add a "handling fee" to the actual shipping cost and get it over $3.

 

I took a break from eBay about four years ago but during the years I was actively selling CDs, I shipped in a bubblewrap envelope with a very thin piece of cardboard folded in half around the case for extra protection and taped the self-stick flap for extra security. All of my domestic orders were shipped by first class with mandatory insurance for $4. Before eBay, I was selling for close to twenty-five years in Goldmine and before that, Trouser Press. I have always required insurance. It gives indisputable proof I mailed the item to that address and financial protection if they claim it was damaged or didn't arrive.

By the way, my feedback currently on eBay: over 600, with 100% positive, not a single negative or even neutral.

A few comments: I too am put off by a dealer listing a CD on eBay for $5.99 and then see the shipping is $8. I usually limit my buying to Amazon and eBay's set-sale sister half-com where the shipping rates are set, and then I search out dealers who offer free upgrades to first class at the basic postage rate. Using Media Mail for a small package with one CD or DVD is a joke, taking up to two weeks for the same or higher cost as 1st class, but many are apparently ignorant of this, just as they are to the U.S. Postal Service's Priority Mail scam for items under 13 oz. which could travel at the same speed if sent 1st Class for a fraction of the cost.

 

Here is one to think about. I go to another board. One of the members sells GI joe collectibles. His feedback is 100%, however his DSR's are low in one area - so he can't sell. They told him he was suspended from selling till his DSR's improved. If you can't sell, and you only get DSR points when you sell, how is he supposed to have his DSR's improve? And really, if you have a 100% feedback rating what difference does the DSR make? Really ?????

 

Well if you think that's odd, how about the sellers that want to use Parcel Post, which costs only a few cents less than priority mail and travels as slow as media mail. I see Parcel Post listed frequently on ebay, sometimes as the only option. Really strange.

 

Was it going to be sent insured? You'd be surprised how expensive it is to send stuff from Europe to the States. I usually have to make a loss on the S&H to the States for large items or expensive ones that need insurance otherwise the buyer would react like you did