Ebay

[broker-len]

like most people I do some buying and selling on E bay----I remember when I first became a member one of the payment options was a personal check----now it is pretty hard to push that   ---so when selling something the seller pays commission, and fee to paypal and possibly shipping------again,,I don't do alot of selling ---is there something I could set up to satisfy Ebay's posting platform and the younger buyer--- ????   

 

thanks for your help-------BR

[TerryB]

Facebook Marketplace

[auburnseeker]

You will eventually be forced into ebay managed payments where they will require a direct link to checking account at some point.  That platform will accept apll kind of payment forms including pay pal and ebay will give you your money whjen they feel like it,  after taking their commission on shipping and sales tax collected as well of course plus the final value fee on the item itself. 

[1937hd45]

Today was my first day of "Managed  Payments" and I made a sale!  Guess what? Can't find a record of the payment. You know that eBay will gig you for late shipping, but I never ship till payment is in hand or account . I liked PayPal.  Bob 

Edited August 18, 2020 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[auburnseeker]

That's one of the big complaints with managed payments.  Pay Pal you had access to your money almsot immediately,  so you could (often in my case) use that money to buy new inventory off from ebay (so they are making commission twice on the same items) 

Now who knows when you will have access to your money and then it will deposited into your regular bank account so you have to keep track of what's in that to buy more inventory or worse yet when a customer has a grievance and ebay reaches in and takes it back out.  

 

On a side note,  I have learned that you can print the shipping from the funds paid that ebay is still holding.  You have to scroll down the page though as it's not at the top and select that option.  

I somehow dodged managed payments so far,  though I signed up because they can seem to link the bank account I opened just for them to my ebay account.  It's internet only checking so I will never get a statement or a cancelled check.  I did order checks in with the info on them,  which should do,  but I decided to wait until they stop me from selling to add a picture of a voided check and see if that will suffice.  

I'm wondering if i found the one loop hole they haven't closed as it's been over a month since the deadline and time I signed up.  

I figure they will eventually find it,  but I will enjoy every day of freedom while I still have it. 

[1937hd45]

When I find my $4.99 I'll let you know. Bob 

[Restorer32]

Auburnseeker, did you receive the lit?

[Joe in Canada]

Is E Bay worth all the trouble? As I rarely see a positive posting about them. Baled out years ago as a regular buyer and have never looked back and now only on the rare occasion. With all the extra shipping cost too expensive for me when they use a courier.    

Edited August 18, 2020 by Joe in Canada (see edit history)

[alsancle]

33 minutes ago, Joe in Canada said:

Is E Bay worth all the trouble? As I rarely see a positive posting about them. Baled out years ago as a regular buyer and have never looked back and now only on the rare occasion. With all the extra shipping cost too expensive for me when they use a courier.    

 

I've been a member since  May 2000.  I think they have made the buying side very easy,  while squeezing money out of the selling side (which is ultimately paid for by the buyer anyways). 

 

I'm buying obscure car related artifacts that are typically not found anywhere else.    But like most things that get too big,  arrogance ends up ruining it.   I think we are seeing that here.  

[West Peterson]

As a buyer, it is a great resource for finding needles in haystacks... if you're patient enough. I find some incredibly rare things at incredibly reasonable prices.

[Restorer32]

Last week we sold a project '33 Packard. Most of the interest we had was from folks who saw the car on Facebook Marketplace although admittedly it was not advertised on Ebay or any of the usual places.

[F&J]

1 hour ago, alsancle said:

I'm buying obscure car related artifacts that are typically not found anywhere else.    But like most things that get too big,  arrogance ends up ruining it.   I think we are seeing that here.  

After seeing this newest thread on the tattered remains of ebay, I just ran my usual search for "1932 Nash  -fits -car cover -antenna"   and after going 5 pages in, there is only one or two percent of anything remotely related to a 32 Nash.

 

I am done for good, my time is better spent sitting outside doing nothing. 

.

 

 

.

[39BuickEight]

It’s very easy to find what you are looking for, if you know how to use the search tools.

[auburnseeker]

5 minutes ago, 39BuickEight said:

It’s very easy to find what you are looking for, if you know how to use the search tools.

As well as eliminate a huge pile of words.  One of my searches literally has all these words eliminated. 

 

This seems to eliminate about 25-40 Percent of stuff I'm not interested in.  Now if I keyworded out rims and wheels,  I could lose a bunch more,  but you have to be careful to not remove a keyword that might include something you are actually looking for.   I search for alot of obscure mislisted stuff so that limits what you can eliminate without missing good stuff. 

 

 -suzuki -honda -kawasaki -harley -volvo -patch -decal -omc -evinrude -johnson -mercruiser -sign -watch -watches -nardi -wood

 

[padgett]

I only have purchasing experience (1997) but the financial handling seems very good, my main problem is items that are not as delivered (five screw hub with six holes, 21mm seat belt extender advertised as fitting 25mm buckles) but all in all it has been very good for me finding oddball things, particularly used or NOS.

[auburnseeker]

I believe the only reason they really survive is it's the only auction platform for smalls and obscure stuff that get the hits they do.  I wonder how people sell 1.00-5.00 items on facebook as most are pickup.  Is it really worth spending an hour talking to a stranger for a 5.00 sale?  I often see brochures on there and wonder who is going to drive across town to buy an individual brochures for a 50 year old car in fair shape for 10.00 or less, especially when you can buy the same thing from a sller on ebay that will ship it to you for less and usually in better shape. 

 

I will also say,  though they seem to have improved facebook marketplace a little bit,  the search engine is really , really, Screwed up.  Anyone that uses it knows what I mean.  Thousands of results yielded, you refine it to newest and it says no matches?   Or better yet nearest first and it says no matches.  Yet the page you were just on,  showed one in your own town and I have the default set at 250 miles.

 

[c49er]

Ebay is good to the buyer....except for the endless  hassle of using the right search  tools....it shouldn't have to be so hard.

Ebay is pissing people off...losing many buyers and sellers.

I feel sorry for the sellers.

Wish it was as it used to be 20 years ago.

[Dynaflash8]

I've found it easy to buy and often it is the only place I could find some rare part.  I don't have any problem dealing with paypal.  If I sell, their money goes right to my paypal account, and it is free to shift it to my special ebay bank account ($100 holding) so I can transfer it to my regular bank account....all on line.  NOW, when it comes to sell eBay is absolutely awful.  They demand you give the prospective buy the exact size and cost of shipping.  If you say too much, they change it.  With anything bigger than a priority flat rate box, they are IMPOSSIBLE. I sold a rare 1941 Buick Special and Super front exhaust Y-pipe last week.  I got $45 and asked $22 shipping off the top of my head with no idea how I could wrap it or send it.  I drove 23 miles to the pack and ship place to find out the odd-shaped box would cost $80.25 to California.  As luck would have it the dealer in California had bought it for a customer in Virginia (I'm in Florida).  I went to the post office an told them to ship it the cheapest way possible.  They said $22 at first and then they did the length and girth measurement and it came up to $33.75 by the post office.  Ebay took out California sales tax.  In the end I got $64.66 minus $33.75 for an $85 exhaust pipe that I wholesaled for $45 (living in the dark about shipping).  I will never sell anything again on eBay that is bigger than one of the USPS three flat rate boxes. What a gyp.

[Dynaflash8]

4 minutes ago, c49er said:

Ebay is good to the buyer....except for the endless  hassle of using the right search  tools....it shouldn't have to be so hard.

Ebay is pissing people off...losing many buyers and sellers.

I feel sorry for the sellers.

Wish it was as it used to be 20 years ago.

even ten years or less ago.  It is plan awful now.

[1937hd45]

9 hours ago, 1937hd45 said:

When I find my $4.99 I'll let you know. Bob 

 

Tuesday a new day and it is sunny and warm. Got another sale,  so now $24.99  is in eBay mystery land. Called my bank, not there, checked PayPal not there. eBay wouldn't let it sit some where and gain interest with the millions in weekly sales would they? 

[1937hd45]

Just now, 1937hd45 said:

 

Tuesday a new day and it is sunny and warm. Got another sale,  so now $24.99  is in eBay mystery land. Called my bank, not there, checked PayPal not there. eBay wouldn't let it sit some where and gain interest with the millions in weekly sales would they? Called eBay they claim they will call back in 59 minutes. LOVED PayPal

Bob

 

[TTR]

Straight up question:

 

How many individuals posting complaints on this thread or millions of others before it have had a gun held against their head and forced to do their buying or selling on Ebay or similar platforms ? 
 

While I detest many modern technologies and their ever changing features, often making them difficult to keep up with for an outdated old fart like me, I do understand most their complications are due to my inability to adapt and learn as world moves forward.

I can easily see some old school grumpy curmudgeons 100+ years ago bit**ing about the complicated and difficult to manage new fangled technologies, like automobiles, electricity, telegraph/-phone, etc imposed on their lives, seemingly making it so much harder and had it been up to those types of conservative minded yahoos, we’d still be walking everywhere.

 

Edited August 28, 2020 by TTR (see edit history)

[1937hd45]

Just got off the phone with eBay, Sellers will get their money LESS all fees within TWO DAYS. Unlike PayPal that gave it to the sellers as soon as the buyer paid. SELLER RATING is an automatic hell eBay setup to monitor your shipping times and other things you have no control over. Fall below standard and they limit the total number of items you can list and the location of your stuff in a search. So now to cover things the stated shipping time needs to be extended, just changed mine from 2-3 days to TEN. I LOVED PayPal! Bob 

[auburnseeker]

1 hour ago, TTR said:

Straight up question:

 

How many individuals posting complaints on this thread or millions of others before it have had a gun held against their head and forced to do their buying or selling on Ebay or similar platforms ? 
 

While I detest many modern technologies and their ever changing features, often making them difficult to keep up with for an outdated old fart like me, I do understand most their complications are due to my inability to adapt and learn as world moves forward.

I can easily see some old school grumpy curmudgeons 100+ years ago bit**ing about the complicated and difficult to manage new fangled technologies, like automobiles, electricity, telegraph/-phone, etc imposed on their lives, seemingly making so much harder and if it was up to those types of yahoos, we’d still be walking everywhere.

 

How much do you buy and sell on ebay?  On other internet marketplaces? 

Yes no one holds a gun to your head,  but then again.  millions of people are not incredibly happy at their work place but the options aren't better for them personally for one reason or another.  So are they not allowed to complain or point out flaws if it makes them feel better or enlightens even possibly management to correct the problem?

[1937hd45]

WEDNESDAY I get my first payment!!! That is the info from my Sellers Hub, what time Wednesday remains to be seen. Bob 

[Dynaflash8]

15 hours ago, 1937hd45 said:

WEDNESDAY I get my first payment!!! That is the info from my Sellers Hub, what time Wednesday remains to be seen. Bob 

I sold an item last week, and one two weeks before.  I had the money in my paypal account immediately, and now it is in the bank.  Has something changed in the last two weeks that I don't know about.  I like buying on eBay, but I totally hate trying to sell on eBay.  I've sort of decided maybe I would just sit on the stuff  until I die.

[Lahti35]

On 8/18/2020 at 8:01 AM, Joe in Canada said:

Is E Bay worth all the trouble? As I rarely see a positive posting about them. Baled out years ago as a regular buyer and have never looked back and now only on the rare occasion. With all the extra shipping cost too expensive for me when they use a courier.    

I've been on Ebay since 1997, its a far cry from where it used to be. I used to sell alot and buy little, now it's the opposite. 

 

It's set up for the buyer these days, they hold most of the cards. I don't enjoy selling there anymore and only do small items now due to their policies. I run into the occasional scammer but most sellers I deal with are honest.

 

Their money back guarantee is a scam, they have several excuses they use to not pay out so don't count on that if you're looking for security in buying from Ebay. Mediation is difficult, other than tracking showing it arrived or not, they don't care about your issue when a problem arises. They are quick to pull money back from sellers in a dispute so that's good if you're buying.

 

These days it beats going to my local swap meet, paying to get it and wandering through rows of over priced frap to find that one good item though! 

[auburnseeker]

2 hours ago, Dynaflash8 said:

I sold an item last week, and one two weeks before.  I had the money in my paypal account immediately, and now it is in the bank.  Has something changed in the last two weeks that I don't know about.  I like buying on eBay, but I totally hate trying to sell on eBay.  I've sort of decided maybe I would just sit on the stuff  until I die.

Yes Managed payments.   They are implementing eventually for all sellers.  They started a year ago as it being optional,  then July 15th mandated it as a must or you couldn't sell for most.  My guess is small sellers that sell something once in a while and run just the occassional listing haven't been corralled yet.  It's just like a herd,  you get most through the gate,  then round up the stragglers.  

 

If you want to find out more,  go to the ebay community at the bottom of your summary page and from there you can search Managed payments,  for discussions and it will pull up many threads about it.  I highly suspect the hard core supporters are ebay employees posting as sellers,  but I could be wrong.  Seems easy to spot the elephant in the room though. 

[Dynaflash8]

I'd rather do the old swap meets (flea markets) anytime, unless it rains

[auburnseeker]

I do paper so swap meets wouldn't be alot of fun, Kudos to those guys that do sell literature there.  Too much to worry about though with wind and rain,.  plus rough handed customers,  plus I always liked being a buyer so I wouldn't have enough time to sit and sell.  I just wish there was some competition online in an auction format as I like the customers to set the price and have a high sell through rate so I constantly have fresh offerings. 

[1937hd45]

2 hours ago, Dynaflash8 said:

I sold an item last week, and one two weeks before.  I had the money in my paypal account immediately, and now it is in the bank.  Has something changed in the last two weeks that I don't know about.  I like buying on eBay, but I totally hate trying to sell on eBay.  I've sort of decided maybe I would just sit on the stuff  until I die.

That was then when PAYPAL payments went to the SELLER...... NOW with the eBay Managed Payments your PAYPAL Payment goes to eBay, they keep the funds and send it to the seller when they please. MONDAY August 17th I sold my first item under MANAGED PAYMENTS. a book on WWII Aircraft that I listed way back on August 17, 2019 as a BUY IT NOW item for $.99 plus $4.00 shipping & handling. It was in a box of books I picked up for free, not that that matters. BUYER paid on August 17th, I got two related messages and thought I'd have my money today. OH NO.....got another message today saying the funds were sent to my registered with eBay bank account, they say I should have the funds in 2-3 business days. After all the fees they take out that $4.99 book nets me $3.72. Roll of brown paper, tape, and the time to wrap it, I'll know the postage rate when I mail it. The 1990's joy of eBay when Meg Whitman ran it is in the distant past, like Brass Era cars at car shows. Bob 

[TTR]

23 hours ago, auburnseeker said:

How much do you buy and sell on ebay?  On other internet marketplaces? 

Yes no one holds a gun to your head,  but then again.  millions of people are not incredibly happy at their work place but the options aren't better for them personally for one reason or another.  So are they not allowed to complain or point out flaws if it makes them feel better or enlightens even possibly management to correct the problem?

While I don't buy/sell large volumes of anything, I've had couple of different eBay accounts (1 business, 1 private) for over a decade and periodically make purchases through some online stores operated by various suppliers I deal with, but other than handful of occasions having bought/sold something through craiglist* or webforum (like this) classifieds**, I admittedly don't do a lot of online shopping. I don't do or have time for bookfaces, tweeters or other such.

 

Most of my buying/selling business is and has always been done more on personal level. If I need something, I merely call or contact those whom I know to have such items and even though I've been buying/selling everything from smallest items, like contracting some specific sticker decals produced by a guy in El Salvador (I tried but couldn't them manufactured anybody/-anywhere in the U.S or Europe ???) to selling/shipping my special production windshields, other custom made glass and parts (just last week sold/shipped some glass to Australia, France and Florida), not to mention +/- 1000, mostly vintage vehicles bought/sold/shipped to/from every continent on this planet in past 35+ years. 

Oh, and other than few long running small ads in 2-3 different car club publications or dozen or so ongoing "Buy-It-Now" listings (with prices ranging from couple of hundred to several thousand dollars per item) on eBay, I don't advertise much. My business phone # of 30 years and now email for close to 15 have been "unlisted" on all public directories, yet somehow those interested in buying my products (or services) seem to be able to find me just fine, but it's a "system" I built and it works for me.

 

Of course everyone is entitled(?) to complain, but what really surprises me is that instead of attempting to make oneself "feel better" by crying out on social media "I'm a victim ! Life is Hard ! Woe is me ! ", like some teenage drama queen every time a life or business presents a challenge, why can't these individuals just get dressed in grown-up pants (or skirts) and contact the "management" of their nemesis directly to let them know about the grievances and changes they would like get to implement.  

And if nothing changes/happens, they could simply just quit supporting such business or platform and move on. Maybe even create their own platform (or "system") to better accommodate their expectations ?

 

I mean, were people complaining as much or exposing/revealing their own incompetence(?) so easily before the interweb/social media forums were created or was I just lucky not having had heard/seen so much of it ?

 

* I've sold some shop equipment and my previous enclosed car trailer by listing them on local craigslist. All sold at or very close to asking prices to first persons to call/show up within a day or two after listing them. 

Heck, I even sold the trailer for more than I had paid for it 10 years earlier, though had done some meaningful improvements, kept it maintained, serviced and indoors when not in usea, So after 10 years of using it few times per year, mostly on clients cars (i.e. got paid for hauling them) I guess in the end, didn't loose any money for owning it. 

 

** Other than buying/selling some few thousand dollar components or parts, I've managed find buyers for couple of high value collectable cars of my clients by replying to "wanted" ads on car forums I frequent and have been contracted via same to third party consultation on few other transactions. 

 

Edited August 19, 2020 by TTR (see edit history)

[auburnseeker]

We complain to others,  because the management doesn't want to hear complaints or even suggestions on how to make a more pleasurable buying and selling experience.  (I have filled out many of the how do you like the change or tell us ways top improve the page and never heard back or saw the change instituted.  Why would you want to listen to a power seller or for that matter someone who buys items 3-7 days a week off your site,  what would they know?)  When we bring our concerns up they have the smoke and mirrors always set up to show us how much better the new way is going to be.  I can clearly point to several things that have not been an improvement and we aren't even talking the fees.  I'm talking search engines finding what you are looking for, selling pages they change that are more complicated or set up to make buying easier for a small number of buyers.  Simple things like totals that used to be on the bottom of selling pages for items bought by individual buyers are now gone,  so I have to manually tally up 50 items,  then check them again to make sure I didn't screw up as there were several 1.99 and 2.99 sales so easy to skip or accidentally add one twice. 

As many mentioned the fits crap.  

Yes eventually you learn to work with the change but it doesn't ever seem to make the experience better.  The only positive change OI saw was an easier link to find to block a bidder,  which used to be more complicated to find.  Though I block so few,  it would be alot better to have the other useful functions back.  I can always google how to block a bidder and come up with it in short order.  

[JFranklin]

I really think that extending the bid process by a minute after the last bid would help curb some problems, and maybe help increase final bids.

[auburnseeker]

Very possible.  I have always said it's really more of a Poker game than an auction with the hard end the way it is.

In fact that may be the way another company could seize the lead.  You have to find something the other guy doesn't offer and go with it.

Edited August 19, 2020 by auburnseeker (see edit history)

[39BuickEight]

1 hour ago, JFranklin said:

I really think that extending the bid process by a minute after the last bid would help curb some problems, and maybe help increase final bids.

That’s how the local online auctions houses do it.  I imagine a lot are like that.  They probably use the same software.

[broker-len]

What I really want to know,,,can I set up something with credit card company of other to have a buyer put in money that I can check separate from Ebay --------------

[auburnseeker]

You can pay with a credit card,  but to receive funds they are going to eventually require all sellers to link a checking (not savings) account they have full access to.  Most of us have set up a separate account just for this purpose.  That's where your money will go to automatically I guess when they deem it's available.  The problem is you will also need to keep a cushion in this account for sold items,  incase a customer files a complaint as they will then reach in and take the money back until the complaint is satisfied.  If the balance  in the account is less than the claim then your bank will hit you with an overdraft charge.   That is where things get messy. 

[edinmass]

Last month we sold a tail light for a grand, and sent it to their Global Shipping Address in Kentucky. They lost the package..........and couldn’t care less. We had tracking and photos of the package, and it’s packing..........we told them we will provided it all to them......and they said, no problem, we will refund the buyers money.......which they did right away. We had our money, and a rare and irreplaceable light is gone forever.......and the buyer is now looking again.....it took I’m years to fine the one he bought from us.

[1937hd45]

They say the money for that book I sold Monday will be in my checking account tomorrow Thursday , using the new improved Managed Payment System. I think they  could have mailed a Money Order in the old days and I'd have it by now.