eBay's New Fixed-Price Format

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AuctionBytes Blog
News and insight focusing on
ecommerce and the online auction industry
by Ina Steiner, Editor of AuctionBytes.com

September 16, 2008

eBay's New Fixed-Price Format

By: Ina Steiner

Tue Sept 16 2008 23:25:59

The new 35-cent, 30-day Fixed-Price format went live to eBay.com at midnight last night. There are lots of concerns about the roll-out and the changes to search exposure. We'll be covering the topic in Wednesday's AuctionBytes Newsflash - here's your chance to weigh in on what you're experiencing with the new format so far. Be sure and indicate whether your listing tool supports the new format yet.

Comments (77) | Permalink

Readers Comments

eBay's New Fixed-Price Format

by: RJ

Tue Sep 16 23:30:58 2008

Well, the Best Match issue has returned. Some items are appearing twice and some not at all, when doing a search. sigh. At least when using the old, regular search engine.

eBay's New Fixed-Price Format

by: sigh

Wed Sep 17 00:15:28 2008

sales are wayyyy down today. not normal. my biz is usually very steady.

it also doesn't help (media seller) that i have to pay 20% = (ebay listing/fvf and paypal fees) of sale now.

how much more can ebay/paypal squeeze out of a $10 item?

eBay's New Fixed-Price Format

by: sigh

Wed Sep 17 00:22:06 2008

actuallt, it's a little closer to 24% on a $10 item.
:(

eBay's New Fixed-Price Format

by: jmk

Wed Sep 17 00:30:50 2008

I looked over all the discussion on eBays forum today about all the changes. Seems like one of the biggest points of anger was the new $1.50 fee for subtitle on fixed price items at the 30 day length. Used to be fifty cents, now 1.50.

eBay's New Fixed-Price Format

by: rick

Wed Sep 17 01:06:21 2008

''it also doesn't help (media seller) that i have to pay 20% = (ebay listing/fvf and paypal fees) of sale now.

how much more can ebay/paypal squeeze out of a $10 item?''

Pretty soon you'll be paying eBay for the privilege to lose money.

eBay's New Fixed-Price Format

by: Robert

Wed Sep 17 05:14:30 2008

This scheme is just
'store to core for 30 cents more'

30 days on core is just eBay's kind gesture of giving us more time to make them money. That's eBay... always looking out for eBay.

If anyone hasn't seen this video series, I recommend it.
http://www.youtube.com/user/eBayPirate

eBay's New Fixed-Price Format

by: eBay is SCUM

Wed Sep 17 06:33:45 2008

THIS IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE WHY IT IS A WASTE OF TIME & MONEY TO COMPLAIN DIRECTLY TO eBay.
We wanted to change cataogories on a non-fiction book that ebay filled info had incorrectly as fiction.

This is the insane response we recieced. Of course it does NOT address our problem at all.

eBay is committed to reducing fraud and negative buying experiences on
our site. In order to help maintain a safe trading environment, selling
limits are occasionally placed on accounts.

After careful review of your account and history with us, we are pleased
to inform you that your selling limits have been raised. Your account
should no longer be restricted in this way.

Please note that any violations of eBay policy may cause selling
restrictions to be placed on your account once again. We encourage you
to review eBay's Help pages for more information on our listing policies
and guidelines:

Please iOffer.com GET BIGGER, faster.

eBay's New Fixed-Price Format

by: ss

Wed Sep 17 06:43:33 2008

Why would any sane person believe this is a great deal????? Some sellers on ebay get dumber everyday.

eBay's New Fixed-Price Format

by: Jim S.

Wed Sep 17 07:25:25 2008

Some of my new 30-day FP (and store) listings took up to 5 hours to be indexed into search yesterday.

eBay's New Fixed-Price Format

by: Ming the Merciless

Wed Sep 17 07:35:38 2008

@ jmk

"...the new $1.50 fee for subtitle on fixed price items at the 30 day length. Used to be fifty cents, now 1.50."

This is the kind of boneheaded move that makes ebay American's most hated corporation just like their brilliantly absurd decision to charge for listings to show on the UK site.

Penny wise and pound foolish.

Decisions are like these are made by inexperienced, over eager young managers which is why ebay needs REAL leadership from mature, experienced executives rather than the emotional and professional babies so many of them are -- MBA or no MBA.

eBay's New Fixed-Price Format

by: rockrdude

Wed Sep 17 09:05:46 2008

Even more 'fun'. You can't use ''My eBay'' to transfer items from stores to Fixed Price.

I posted this question in the eBay forums yesterday:

HI.. I'm trying to use the bulk edit 'feature' of My eBay to send store listings over to Fixed Price to take advantage of the new 30 day listings. One problem: When I try to do this, it gives me an error message for every item. Either it says 'the item specifics have changed', or that 'bulk editing is not available for this item.' So far it has not allowed me to transfer even one item.

I would like to transfer many items from my store to Fixed Price. Can you give me an ETA on when this 'feature' will be working again as well as when Turbo Lister will be able to list 30 day Fixed Price listings?

P.S. Turbo Lister is also 'erasing' my return policy, meaning I have to reinsert it to every listing that no longer has it. Can this also be fixed?

Thanks!

Their reply:

Hi, Rockrdude.
This is Hagar from eBay, and I am not sure what category you sell in or how long the items have been in store format but I was able to learn a couple things from the seller team that may be applicable, based on the error messages you're seeing. If your items have been listed for a long time within stores, the bulk editing tool is not currently working for these items as the 'item specifics' most likely have changed for these items as we've moved to catalog-based information.
So, I don't know how many individual listings this shift you're trying to do represents, but unfortunately the fix is not in place to accommodate those in a bulk perspective, so moving from store format to fixed-price will have to be done manually. Apologies if that is not the answer you're seeking- I hope it at least provides some clarity.
-Hagar

My comment: Not one item will transfer. EVERY listing gets one error message or another. I am finding I am not alone.

A huge OH BROTHER!

eBay's New Fixed-Price Format

by: englishsoup

Wed Sep 17 09:08:08 2008

Another problem that ebay refuses to address is that the now REQUIRED return policy was also lost during the installation.

Any existing items that sellers have in their database for example long term stock items need their auction totally rewritten because, while the return policy is actually present in the turbolister system, when it is uploaded, regardless of what the return policy is, it becomes a blank policy with days set to 7 days.

The bulk revise on turbolister for online listings no longer works.

When asked about this ebay decided that saying that ebay SHOULD NOT RELEASE UNTESTED SOFTWARE UPDATES onto the public user was PROFANITY AND THREATENING and had the posting on the 8/20 announcements question and answer system removed by an Operator called Willow.

Then once the revised update came out the problems were just added to. Now on two computers we have been unable to upload listings since the 30 setting was finally installed and ebay have refused to reply to emails.

We have bent over backwards to meet ebays deadlines and now we find ourselves in a position where we have to rewrite all out listings, over 900 auctions of long term stock and any listings of items that we have written listings planning to list in the near future, about another 400 listings.

All I can say to ebay is THANK YOU EBAY THANK YOU FOR NOTHING!!

eBay's New Fixed-Price Format

by: brooklynbooks

Wed Sep 17 09:36:29 2008

I don't see why everyone's so upset about the new subtitle fee. You used to get subtitle for $.50 for auctions or 3, 5, 7 or 10-day fixed price listings and you still do. It's just $1.50 for a 30-day listing. If you were using 10-day listings before it works out about the same, if you were using 7-day listings you are now saving over 25% on subtitle. Also, the cost of upgrades for the 30-day listings has been listed since they were announced and it was explained in the webinars eBay did so it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who took the time to look at the list of fee changes.

My concern is that if so many users are unaware of the upgrade prices for 30-day fixed price listings. I expect many to take advantage of the free subtitle offer when they use the free shipping option. If they use GTC and the listing is still active after 12/31 the item will relist with the $1.50 subtitle cost hitting unaware seller who have many listings up with an unexpected jump in fees.

Also, the issue of not being able to move items from stores to auction/fixed price once there have been item specifics changes is not new - it has been around for years. If the item has no sales you can revise the item, updating item specifics, then send to fixed price but if there have been sales you are stuck creating a new listing.

eBay's New Fixed-Price Format

by: stalkinghorses

Wed Sep 17 09:52:35 2008

Hey Pierre, I hope you read the blogs. Why do you, the man who created eBay, sit back and watch this company implode? You have the power to make change as you hold a high Board position. Why don't you make this change? Yes, we know that you will never have to work another day in your life if you choose not to, but what is going on at eBay right now is the e-commerce version of the Titanic. The current captain of the ship doesn't seem to know the difference between an iceberg and a cup of gelato.

eBay's New Fixed-Price Format

by: jocipolla

Wed Sep 17 09:53:17 2008

The problem with ebay executives and decision makers is they dont know ANYTHING about how ebay works. I suggest that they each open an account and start selling on ebay using the same tools we have at our disposal. Then maybe they would have an idea what these changes really mean. They can even have my account and my product line to sell....hell,it isnt doing me any good now!!

eBay's New Fixed-Price Format

by: jerseydevle

Wed Sep 17 09:55:10 2008

What a surprize that eBay doesn't have the software working properly on launch date. TurboLister not handling the new innovations properly? How could that be?
Seriously, when did Bay ever have their site working properly? You're nothing but a beta tester when you go on their site. EVERYTHING is a beta.
Now the normal managenment technique in this kind of situation would be to simplify things until the IT dweebs could get their act together. Not eBay, it's just layer after layer of complexity added to their pages, their procedures, everything. It hasn't let up, ever. And I have been selling there since Pierre was running it.
It is surprizing when anything works properly. And their customer service is worthless.
Once again the ''Amazon Wannabees'' shot themselves in the foot. Fiasco after fiasco, crippling the sellers. And they wonder why their corporate results are lackluster.

eBay's New Fixed-Price Format

by: Nancy

Wed Sep 17 10:13:35 2008

If you think that a 35 cent up-front listing fee is going tomake up for doubling the final value fee you are incorrect!
ALL my listings will be auctions, and one at a time now.
They will be lucky if I can AFFORD to pay the fees when they come due anyhow. Even at the old rate. Espcially since they LIE to my buyer to tel him that SATISFIED, SHIPPED QUICKLY, ACCURATE DESCRIPTION, and REASONABLE S&H = 4.0. Soon we will ALL end up NARU'd. Pretty sure that is the PLAN.....

Only if you have 100 like items is this 35 cent thing-y ANY kind of deal.
LEARN MATH, and forget this stupid new BIN stuff.

eBay's New Fixed-Price Format

by: Paul

Wed Sep 17 10:28:05 2008

My FP items often sell within an hour of expiration. They need to show time ending and be included with auctions in ending soonest searches or they won't be seen at all. I don't know why buyers wait until FP's are about to ending before buying, but they do. eBay is dead wrong by omitting time ending on FP items.

eBay's New Fixed-Price Format

by: Mark

Wed Sep 17 10:29:23 2008

From US $50 and onwards the FVF goes up from 3.5% to 6.0%. That is a more than 70% price increase. An incredible fee hike! It would be good when Auctionbytes would work out a couple of simple examples to bring clarity about how these price changes impact sellers. For example: selling a $500 item was $23.13 in listing fees + FVF. Now it is: $33.35! Almost 50% more, a $10.22 increase. eBay fools sellers by blinding them about lower listing fees and not telling the rest of the story. It is this total lack of integrity that will bring eBay down in the end.

eBay's New Fixed-Price Format

by: Tom D

Wed Sep 17 10:32:14 2008

I sell about 2000 items a year, so I am not a big seller, but all of my items are unique collectibles. I don't mind the new format at all - some of the collectibles get a single bid anyway. I will list them for 30 days.

I tried to keep the items in the eBay Store but I hated the expense with little exposure. This is a better method for me since I pay per item without a fixed monthly cost.

eBay has to move forward, the old ways are gone. Auction format is dead - people don't have the time to wait. Old eBay is ''old news'', time to move to a more convenient format, yes, Amazon bisness model. eBay still provides us with an incredible opportunity to list our inventory at the minimal cost comparing to a brick and mortar location.

For the record - I am using eBay Blackthorne to list my items and the software was ready to list 30 day listing in the late afternoon of the same day it was allowed. Not bad...

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