Questions on Seller Listing Fees: eBay, Delcampe etc.

[Catweazle]

As we all knows, eBay is a great place to buy and sell stamps.

Sure, some looney dreamers are out there but I've also been able to access some great postal history material over the years (some with rock bottom prices to boot).

But, recently I've noticed that despite the free listings, if your item does not sell (repeatedly), eBay will continue to charge listing fees when it gets re-listed three or four times. Even if it does not sell. So, each time it is re-listed, eBay get their $$

Delcampe, on the other hand, only seem to charge listing or final seller fees if your item actually sells. In comparison, this seems so much the fairer.

What do other private sellers think about these fees?

Sure, these companies are out to make a considerable profit on the side. But, have you ever noticed how much you pay in fees for listing items over the years? Have you a preferred method for selling or listing your stamps, other than here on Stampboards?

[Stewie1980]

I had a small eBay store over 10 years ago for only 1 year with mint sets and sheets. The store fee was €1,99 a month and the items €0,05 (for a <€1,00 item) or €0,10 (for a €1,00-2,00 item) a month if I remember correctly. Commission was... 8% I think?

But at one point I started to loose money on items that were listed for more than 6 months. Not long after eBay announced new rates. €9,99 a month for a small store and €0,15 a month for <€2,00 items.

I said "Up yours, eBay!", quit my store, removed all items and never came back. Also most of my favourite sellers quit eBay soon after.

I sold over 300 items, had allmost 100 items left when I quit.

In 2012 I started selling on Delcampe. I have a standard subscription, no Gold or whatever it's called. The fee for a sold item was €0,10, which was raised to €0.15 about a year later. I don't remember the commission, 5,5% I think.

Rates on Delcampe are now little over €0,26 for a sold item and little over 7% commission. Still fair in my opinion. At least there is no monthly money loosing fee!

The last 3 years on Delcampe are quite for me. I got a new full time job in medicine distribution and didn't had much time for my shop anymore. I haven't listed new items in 3 years and allomst haven't sold anything the last 2 years...

But now I work a day less a week by own choice, so I hope I will have time to list new items.

I allready have 100s of mint sets and sheets I want to list and that will be 100s more when I sorted out collections I bought in the last years.

I also have a huge amount of multiples. I am planning to make nice collections from these and sell those here on SB.

Only problem nowadays are the international postage rates. They increased so much the last years that with some larger/heavier items (like large sheets) I have to ask a high amount of postage...

Rates for registered mail are just absolutely ridiculous...

With new issues for example I can't compete with sellers from countries where postage rates are (still) low.

[towradji]

I agree with you Catweazle.

For me, % of lots sold and the ebay commission % per month are critical measures.

I now only use auctions, try to sell 55% plus first time offered and have ebay total fees per month not to exceed 12%

During the Covid period, have been achieving this. It is rare for me to exceed 12% fees. I spend time on thought on which material to buy, that to me is important.

Dont sell on Delcampe, as seems to me to be more popular in Europe and dont sell here.

[The Pom]

But, recently I've noticed that despite the free listings, if your item does not sell (repeatedly), eBay will continue to charge listing fees when it gets re-listed three or four times. Even if it does not sell. So, each time it is re-listed, eBay get their $$

In the listing details window, there is a box next to where it says "Automatically relist this item up to 8 times if it doesn't sell. Fees may apply for each relist."

Just make sure this box is unchecked. The free listings option only applies to the first "cycle", not to indefinite re-listings.

If your item doesn't sell, just wait for the next free listings offer.

[andy66]

It also depends on your being a professional or occasional seller. I have 150 free listings on ebay every month, and those are more than enough for the material that I want to give away.

Moreover ebay gives me several offers for 100 more objects to sell at just 1 € maximum selling fee.

I also have a Delcampe account, where all listings are free and automatically renewed, but more than 90% of my selling is done on ebay, maybe because on Delcampe all re-listings do not appear as 'new listings', so being much less in evidence.

[Catweazle]

Good points, thanks folks!

By the way, are sellers who allow this Delcampe Pay setup having to pay listing fees on the final price (when the item sells) PLUS the transaction fee for Delcampe Pay too?