Is it just me?

[sactroop]

I have to admit that I haven't been doing much with the bay these days, yet I do sometimes do some searching for a variety of reasons and sometimes watch items in open auctions that I'm interested in.

Maybe it's a series of coincidence, but I'm wondering if others have noticed more completed auctions where the sold item returns for relisting in a very short time as if the bidder reneged on the auction bid.

[Airborne-Hunter]

Depends. Typically, January is the worst month for non-payers and for returns, but right now might be different. Sales are down month over month and year over year and I mean sales are way down site wide, so much so one person I know pondered if the economy is really rolling over. Returns have also ticked up the last few weeks. The site is also experiencing alot of errors right now too, but ebay doesn't want to admit it. Not sure what is up with that, but they are rampant for some sellers. From a general standpoint Etsy is killing ebay on the unique merchandise front. Amazon is killing ebay from a general merchandise front. And FB & Etsy are killing ebay from a fee standpoint. There just isn't a lot of benefits to ebay anymore. Most sellers are unhappy and ebay knows it. Between the feedback extortion, credit card fraud and a variety of other scams, they're in a bad position. There is hope that managed payments will clear the field of a lot of the payment frauds including the infamous "threading the needle" scam, but even managed payments was/is experiencing scary issues. Structurally ebay is broken and I'm not sure management is ready to deal with the fact that their fees need to go and that might mean to zero. Even then, from a GMV ebay isn't doing good and is hemoraging market. 

At least they've figured out the policy problems... i.e. dgaf until someone complains. 

[themick]

No disregarding what has been said above, I think also this trend is a reflection of sellers to list items at full price, or more, and then put a shill bid in.  When no legitimate bidder takes the bait, the seller relists it.  I've seen this with many items.  The trend of sellers listing at full price or above has really become commonplace and annoying as of late.  

 

Steve

[Steve S.]

I haven’t sold on eBay in well over a year. Had to quit selling overseas a few yrs ago. Seemed some of the more unscrupulous buyers would know items were going to be held up for sometimes 30 days in customs so would file “ item not received” get a full refund, & keep the item once it cleared customs. 
Add in the new “ payment method “ that I hear is a nightmare, plus, I just don’t feel comfortable with a company like that having unfettered access to my bank account & social security number. Just looks like a train wreck waiting to happen. 

[9th Infantry Manchu]

A couple of bayos I was interested in I saw were won, then relisted shortly after by  (who I assume was) the winning bidder with a higher buy it now and an opening bid of what they paid for it. Makes me feel like speculative buying just to flip for a profit. Thats their right, but sure does suck for us small guys and drive up costs. Jim

[Slufstuff]

8 hours ago, Steve S. said:

Add in the new “ payment method “ that I hear is a nightmare, plus, I just don’t feel comfortable with a company like that having unfettered access to my bank account & social security number. Just looks like a train wreck waiting to happen. 

The new managed payments mandate is exactly why I am not currently listing anything on ebay. I am a 22 year seller on ebay, never had any complaints with using Paypal (which ebay seems to forget was mandated by them previously). Sellers were basically told convert to managed payments, or leave. I chose to leave, but I am keeping my account open in case they ever go back to using Paypal like it was for the past 10+ years. I see many complaints about the new system, very few praising it (other than paid ebay shills on their community forums). This is a shame as ebay made over $20,000 ln fees off me in the past 22 years. They are currently getting nothing.

 

Under managed payments, ebay expects (demands) you ship your item before the payment ever posts to your account. They have broken promise after promise, it has gone from your money will be available every day, to every other day, to you'll get it when we get around to it. They are floating millions of dollars of sellers money every day which is supposed to be illegal, unless you are a multi-billion dollar company it seems.

[Steve S.]

3 minutes ago, Slufstuff said:

The new managed payments mandate is exactly why I am not currently listing anything on ebay. I am a 22 year seller on ebay, never had any complaints with using Paypal (which ebay seems to conveniently forget was mandated by them previously). sellers were basically told convert to managed payments, or leave. I chose to leave, but am keeping my account open in case they ever go back to using Paypal like it was for the past few years. I see many complaints about the new system, very few praising it (other than paid ebay shills on their community forums). This is a shame as ebay made over $20,000 off me in the past 22 years. They are currently getting nothing.

I’ve heard some complaints that ebay is holding the money for a week to 10 days, but still demanding you ship the item immediately. 

[manayunkman]

I don’t know what you guys are talking about.

 

Ebay is the greatest way to sell.

 

We just reached a new selling threshold giving us free listings and a 2% decrease in final fees.
 

Sure you have problems but that’s life.

[US Victory Museum]

 

"I'm wondering if others have noticed more completed auctions where the sold item returns for relisting in a very

short time as if the bidder reneged on the auction bid. "

 

Yes, yes I have.   I kept seeing two items that I've had a vague interest in buying; however, I was not motivated

to toss out a bid due to other items being of more interest.   Then the same seller would relist them.  The photos

were identical.  I'd re-read the new sales ad to see whether these were additional items similar to the first, or

whether the seller would indicated their being relisted due to buyer cancellation.  Nope.  After seeing this twice,

I started using a screen capture program to image the auction close and the sale price.  They have since "sold"

two additional times. By now my spider senses were tweaked, so I began to observe the anonymous bidders.  

Each time the auction would close, the winning bidder would have a total Ebay score in the low double digits; each

would have a disproportionately high number of bids and completed sales with the same seller.   It became clear

that these were "burner" schilling accounts that the seller was using to drive up the closing price to what he/she

was willing to sell at, but at which nobody was willing to purchase at.   I make mental notes of sellers like this

and will not purchase anything from their auctions due to unethical business practices.   Either place a reserve on

the sale, or a buy-it-now price that you want, but don't engage in fraudulent behavior.  

 

-Msn

 

 

 

 

 

[sactroop]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I've got to admit my activity on eBay has been almost exclusively as a buyer.  Also when they wanted to push me towards linking a bank account to PayPal years ago I declined and would have left them if that became the only option. With what I'm reading in the responses I feel like I maybe still a bit naive to some of the stuff going on.

The auctions I was noticing appeared like normal open auctions with a bidder coming out on top.  What I've seen now several times is the original seller putting what appears by the description and pictures to be the same item within days of the previous completed auction.  This is what lead me to assume that the winning bid was in someway removed.

Now it seems like one really has to actively look behind the curtain to try and figure out just what might be going on.

[Wake1941]

To answer the OP question, I have noticed a higher rate of guys backing out after sale. Had 2 this week on expensive items. No rhyme or reason to it, actually had someone buy something then offer half the price for it. 

[P-59A]

On 3/10/2021 at 9:20 AM, manayunkman said:

I don’t know what you guys are talking about.

 

Ebay is the greatest way to sell.

 

We just reached a new selling threshold giving us free listings and a 2% decrease in final fees.
 

Sure you have problems but that’s life.

Mmmm, Not so much any more. The advent of political correctness and messed up policy's has turned me away. After 15 years of looking for WW2 items the number of nice items has as shrunk to odds and ends. Granted once in a blue moon something nice pops up, but the over seas scams and local ones have had me going back to looking at swap meets again. I find things at a much better price and I get to actually look at it before I decide to buy. Also factor in postal rates and it becomes not so much a good deal to buy or sell on that platform any more. IMHO

[manayunkman]

Thank goodness that’s not my experience.

 

Sure things have changed but that’s life.

 

After 22 years eBay has been very good to me.

 

And I sell junk that nobody wants!!

 

 

[marysdad]

It seems like the online buying opportunities for bayonets have been slim just about everywhere (eBay, gunbroker, forums, etc.). I am finding fewer good items. When something good turns up on eBay, it usually has a sky-high starting bid or goes way higher than I am willing to pay. I did make a couple of good eBay scores a couple of weeks back, but they weren't bargains. First time in quite a while (and I look daily).

[P-59A]

On 3/11/2021 at 7:27 PM, manayunkman said:

Thank goodness that’s not my experience.

 

Sure things have changed but that’s life.

 

After 22 years eBay has been very good to me.

 

And I sell junk that nobody wants!!

 

 

How are you doing with the new policy's? I have a buddy that sells. He buys pallets of new or returned stuff then sells the items. If he names the company's who made the item and a law firm hired by those company's see it they file a complaint. Then the item gets pulled and he gets a suspension with the threat of sanctions from e-bay. Also e pray is now requiring more personal information from sellers if they wish to continue on the site. At some point in time everyone will have to decide for himself / herself how much intrusion into ones life one will put up with before they decide to sell or buy on a different platform or venue.

[manayunkman]

Any problems I’ve had with eBay are my own fault.

 

You need to understand the rules.

 

You can always take an eBay course to make sure you know what you are doing.

 

I was forced to take several myself.

[P-59A]

I have been on that site 20 years. Rules change.

[sactroop]

Just ran across another auction that I've only started seeing very occasionally in the last couple of years.

The item is less than an hour from completion there are a total of 5 bidders with many bids.

All five bidders are anonymous.  I can't help but feel that something is contrived when I run across one of these auctions.

I wonder if this might be related to what Steve brought up in post 3.

[cgutierrez]

Has anyone tried the overseas retailers?  On Ebay I have been primarily a buyer but I have also sold a fair number of items and find that the fees and costs are almost too burdensome to justify doing anymore selling on Ebay plus now that my funds can't go directly into PayPal anymore has me really frustrated.  In the last year have contacted three U..S. militaria retailers but found they really will only give you a fraction of what your knife (or helmet or whatever) is worth.  I really don't mind taking a hit on some items, but a 2/3rds hit is way too much.  Wondering if the overseas retailers would do better.

 

Thank you,

CG

[Nbound]

Was much easier when everything went through PayPal.  New method makes managing my checkbook a pain in the rear having to log every shipping fee and payout

[dcollector]

I have absolutely stopped selling internationally: 

1. Shipping is cost prohibitive and foreign buyers don't understand why. The US is three times as expensive as most of Europe. So they default.  

2. Scammers: "...bayonets didn't arrive...", no international tracking from the US. Paypal refunds them instantly and charges you.

Twice this happened to me, the last of my K98 bayonets, and they were nice ones.

I paid twice for them, gave them away for free, and then paid for the shipping, too.

 

[doyler]

1 hour ago, dcollector said:

I have absolutely stopped selling internationally: 

1. Shipping is cost prohibitive and foreign buyers don't understand why. The US is three times as expensive as most of Europe. So they default.  

2. Scammers: "...bayonets didn't arrive...", no international tracking from the US. Paypal refunds them instantly and charges you.

Twice this happened to me, the last of my K98 bayonets, and they were nice ones.

I paid twice for them, gave them away for free, and then paid for the shipping, too.

 

 

yep..not worth the headache.... If they dont have a US address then No Bueno. Saw a guy the other day who asked about shipping a WW2 mermite can to Belgium. I had to laugh/ The seller said he would charge $35 shipping and cover the rest so a guy chimes in and asks if he would ship to Belgium. Im guessing it would be $200 plus to ship to Belgium so he might as well give the can away here than ship it. Plus I get tired of the people telling me Im making money on shipping when I actually often take a hit if I estimate it and use a regional box or I just round down the flat rate. 

 

Last item I shipped was to Canada. What normally use to be around $20 was now almost $50 as there is no standard shipping for items over 4 pounds 10 oz. its all considered Priority International now. The options went up quickly to almost a $100 depending on what I chose for express etc for a 4 pound 15 oz box.

[rd12]

Agreed, I only sell a few things a month on eBay, but shipping international is not worth it at all.  
 

I’ve not been moved to managed payments. 
The perfect website would be one you run yourself I suppose, but I can’t really complain about eBay.  
I recently tried the antique mall route by renting a case. I’m about 6 weeks in and selling enough to pay the rent is stressful.
I’m about to give my notice and go back to eBay only. I’ve had some luck selling here as well, but it’s hit or miss.  
It’s just a hobby for me though, I can see how somebody really trying to earn on eBay could get frustrated. 
 

it’s been mentioned above, but I’ve found some good stuff on Etsy. 

[The Rooster]

I had a buyer recently purchase a lot of 3 items. Buyer had a feedback score of 1. Based in Europe.

Buyer won the auction and after a day of not paying, I wrote and asked the buyer if they were going to pay or did they want

to cancel the order. The next day the buyer wrote back and asked to cancel the order. No explanation.

So I relisted it with a buy it now and it sold right away. Then the original winner who backed out writes back and says he changed his mind.

No kidding. Too late. That kind of thing boggles my mind. Either you want it or you dont. Ebay is not like a store where you can pick it up and put it down.

I cant figure those people out???

[manayunkman]

The fun part about life is that we don’t have to figure out those people.

 

Rooster you played that one perfectly.