Help re free postage rules on Ebay!

[RosieMBanks]

I haven't sold anything for a while on Ebay - I sometimes sell books after a clear-out - generally in children's, fiction and occasionally antiquarian categories. I started to list a children's book this evening and was amazed not to be able to enter any postage costs...then realised the rules have changed since 19th October! Postage in most of my usual selling categories has to be free! The imposition of the £2.75 maximum postage rule covered most of my costs, with the occasional 'Courier' charge put on for a heavier book, but this seems mad...I have never made a profit on postage, just covering costs of stamps and a good quality Jiffy bag. Anyone else frustrated by this?

It is annoying but you just have to adjust your start price to cover your postage I guess.

I think it is very unfair and just a way to get more money for eBay .

I listed some items before Oct 19th and charged postage and then wS listing one on the 20th and suddenly I couldn't. I am all for people not charging excessive postage but this is silly. Am going to investigate selling on amazon I think.

I now list on Amazon. Even though they have a higher fee than eBay, not having PayPal's cut taken too makes it about the same in the end. And it's a lot easier, no need to take pictures etc.

It's such a shame - there is something very impersonal about Amazon - but the old days on Ebay seem to be over. There was a good feeling about private sellers compiling good ads, doing small volumes of business with each other and leaving useful feedback - even now on the website they talk about the 'Ebay family' but there certainly doesn't seem to be much family feeling at the moment!

after the 19th the number of listings in books more than halved so that would indicate a heck of a lot of people are annoyed at these changes. A VERY big chunk of the listings are those of the top 5 big boys (who get a special deal with ebay) and they list books they don't have, don't put a description or a photo. their feedback is dreadful but due to the high volume the negs get disguised. (if only buyers would read the actual feedback and not just look at the %)
Buy.com are about to start listing on ebay - it will be like amazon listing their entire inventory +++++++ so unless you are selling something 'non' high street, then you are stuffed - can't possibly compete

I have noticed that books in the "Baby" catergory can still charge p&p

Thanks for the feedback - I have sold two books on Amazon in the last two days and although I have always found that putting decent pictures and descriptions on Ebay helps to sell books, the simpler listings on Amazon do seem to work! I have really enjoyed using Ebay, and I much prefer to offer buyers photos and detailed information about items, but until Ebay changes this new rule about free postage, I will be happy to use Amazon.