Questions for UK ebayers

[Dustyblue]

I'm in Australia, and ebay Aust have finally decided to start charging commission on postage as well as item price, from May. I knew it had to be coming!

I think this'll finish me on ebay. I make so little as it is. So, how have you guys found that shift? Clearly many of you have managed it ok and still sell a fair bit. I don't have an ebay store, and it seems the new fee structure hits those even harder.

How have you found it/how did you manage the change? One prob in Aust is the lack of cheap couriers- it's pretty much Australia Post only, and ebay are crowing that they've negotiated a 10% mail discount for ebay sellers, but it's not straightforward to get and not much of a discount anyway.

Sorry for babbling, just a bit disappointed and wondering how you all got over it :)

[SantasLittleMonkeyButler]

I work all of my P&P charges in to the item price, and then list everything with free P&P. This way I only pay the one FVF - which, for me, makes it simpler to work out my figures.

That said, I am not selling much at the moment at all - I had a busy February but March has been really slow! It is not that my prices are too high as I always check other listings and price accordingly.

[PurpleFrog]

I have just added a little bit on to both starting price and postage price. I have not gone down the route of free postage as I like to give postal discounts for multiple purchases.

I hope I don't jinx things, but unlike SantasLittleMonkeyButler my February sales were abysmal but March has been really good so far. I currently have a lot of 30 day fixed price or best offer listings (free listings) and am shifting a number of things that have been listed many times before.

[LaurieFairyCake]

Am I being daft or is it that in order to do 'free' p and p you have a start price of at least the p and p?

Do they not charge to do a start price?

[LavenderGreen14]

not if you list during free listing weekends they don't, no.

[MissMilbanke]

I've done what Santa said above and only list on free listing days.

But I do combine postage and my listings say this, although a buyer paid for one item out of two and then I had to refund her before issuing a combined invoice which cost me 16p for the privelidge. I know its pennies but when profit margins are so small grrrr

Having said that I am really cutting down on what I am selling now as I just don't think its worth the effort anymore sadly.

I only spend what i make if you know what I mean so unfortunately when my PP balance is nil I won't be buying anything anymore off ebay either.

[HolidayCriminal]

What SantasF & MissMill said.
I don't say anything about combined postage; rather I "offer multipurchase discounts."
My minimum price tends to be 4.49 as that means I have 1 profit after postage (2.60) & fees.
Maybe the changes will spur someone to start a cheap courier service in Oz.

[HolidayCriminal]

pound signs on last msg...

[Dustyblue]

Ah ok, some good advice there, thanks. In Aust you get 20 items per month free to list, so I think I'll try the 'free postage' thing & see what happens.

Yes, hopefully we'll see some well-priced courier services starting up over here. I think distance is the problem with that, comparing Aust to England. There's such a big gap in the market yet no-one's done it. Hopefully someone'll figure it out.

Meanwhile I'd better look into the 10% postage discount for ebay sellers. Paperwork nightmare but I'll give it a go.

Taa for the advice :)