Ebay.com slashing fees on guitar gear

Heartfeltdawn

https://tamebay.com/2017/05/ebay-com-slash-fees-for-guitars-amps-and-accessories.html

I'd say that it's all down to Reverb gaining ground. 

Will we see it here? Maybe. But it'll still be the same old shitty Ebay we all know and love/tolerate/hate/your feelings here. 

Bork

I would agree - I've been keeping an eye on Reverbs progress for the last 5 years.  They started off by stealing Ebay traffic.  eBay have tended to target higher volume commercial sellers too rather than private sellers and Reverb's pulling the rug from underneath them through clever use of Ebay's API.

Fiftyshadesofjay

Makes sense. I can't speak for everyone but EBay has become the absolute last resort for selling something due to the ridiculous fees. Definitely be more likely to use it now if they roll it out here. 

I'd imagine it's also impacted sales as so much gear is now overpriced on eBay due to the seller working the fees into the prices. It also encourages people to list on eBay and sell outside to avoid fees. 

UnclePsychosis

I've never had a problem with ebay so this is good news. Although they've been doing regular cheap listings offers for ages anyway. 

Plus, they don't run puff pieces bigging up known scammers. 

TheMarlin

I've had too many bad experiences with eBay.  I'll buy, but I won't ever sell there again.  

The last straw was a fully functional/serviced valve amp that went to Italy.  Scumbag claimed it was faulty, eBay refunded him, and he kept my amp.  Zero recourse for me, the seller.  

sgosden

has this come into place already then?

Heartfeltdawn

For the USA, yes. Not in the UK. 

http://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/payments-and-fees/fees-and-features.html?clk_rvr_id=1218746142530&rmvSB=true

When you look at that, it's quite clear that it's a reaction to Reverb. 

mellowsun

TheMarlin said:

I've had too many bad experiences with eBay.  I'll buy, but I won't ever sell there again.  

The last straw was a fully functional/serviced valve amp that went to Italy.  Scumbag claimed it was faulty, eBay refunded him, and he kept my amp.  Zero recourse for me, the seller.  

That's blatant fraud. What did eBay say when you told them that the amp hadn't been returned?

Beexter

I find eBay does work well but I'll only ever sell through eBay if I get a discounted listing offer - the regular fees are just too high. 
I usually list stuff here first though - if i need to resort to eBay, I'll increase the price and will still wait for a listing offer.

i do still buy on eBay as I find it pretty easy to "browse" or search what I'm looking for compared to other sites ( with the exception of here!)

siraxeman

TheMarlin said:

I've had too many bad experiences with eBay.  I'll buy, but I won't ever sell there again.  

The last straw was a fully functional/serviced valve amp that went to Italy.  Scumbag claimed it was faulty, eBay refunded him, and he kept my amp.  Zero recourse for me, the seller.  

that's why I never sell abroad on there despite ebay keep trying to re enrol me in that international shipping thingy. I've not had it happen to me like that, once I sold an Ibanez RG to a guy in france, said he'd arrange the courier (and pay natch) so I just had to open the door and pass it on to the courier and jobs a good un. Only months later I got chased by the courier for underpaying them...I told them (in a letter) I wasn't their customer but the guy who booked and paid for it was - so chase him. Never heard anything from them again but it was enough to make me wary of the potential trouble selling abroad can be with ebay. I do still sell on ebay despite them getting far too greedy in recent years, its just the easiest way to sell. I do offer first on here but its ebay at the same time as here is very hit n miss anyway. Never used reverb to sell, only bought once with no issues and that was a Carl Martin AC TONE from Russia! Still even if I was to sell on their not sure i'd opt for selling abroad.

Bork

I gave up my career a couple of years ago to focus on selling non musical items through Ebay full time and I pull in £6000 a month. For the most part Ebay are OK to deal with although I got immensely pissed off with other sellers (our competition) abusing Ebay policy via the report button to get my listings removed. For example, claiming that we're using a copyrighted photograph when we're not.  Ebay were ZERO help when I raised the issue with support.  I also get fed up with them constantly changing the settings and not updating the help section so we know what is going on.  Or changing a business name in Novermber last year and discovering in April the name had reverted back due to a bug in the software.  

I have plans to set up independently but eBay don't like sellers doing that...

mellowsun

Bork said:

I gave up my career a couple of years ago to focus on selling non musical items through Ebay full time and I pull in £6000 a month. 

Much respect for making a success from it!

Bork

Thank you sir.  No more enduring backstabbing office politics from power cliques of bitches any more and self serving HR, just the occasional customers asking for the moon-on-a-stick for next to nothing.

roberty

Oh man it pains me to think how much money I've put into eBay's pockets through buying and selling gear on there :-S  Reverb must be shitting it now

Heartfeltdawn

I doubt it. Reverb haven't got a chequered history like eBay.