Hardly Using eBay Anymore

Joe Sixpack on 01/09/2020 - 12:04
Last edited 01/09/2020 - 12:06

I've bought several thousand items on eBay since 2000. But I hardly ever use it anymore. I usually find better deals on Amazon (local and US), local retailers, online stores, Kogan, Aldi etc.

Just today I was pricing a $1500 drone, $1499 on eBay and $1480 on Amazon. Bought the Amazon one.

I have not seen a decent discount code at eBay for a year or so now. I don't like their "eBay Plus" program (not an Amazon Prime fan either though). Tried eBay Plus just to get the discount, and straight out again.

I don't like the way they are hiding which items are discounted under their eBay Plus program. It's not clear. The same goes for the few non-eBay-Plus discount codes: it's not straightforward to find the discounted items, at least not for me, a 20-year user. And they allow price jacking during their sales, which is illegal. I hate that. You need to keep items in your watch list, and make a note of the usual price as a "note". Then watch how the prices bounce during the so-called "sales". It's sickening.

I don't like the way overseas eBay sellers can sell to Aussies and not declare the GST payable. Not all of them do this, but for example I was able to go all the way to checkout and cancelled at the final screen, on a $1000+ item, still no GST or import duties payable statement anywhere. Unwary people could get a nasty surprise from Customs.

Their software feels dated and clunky. I see that their US customers have a slightly slicker interface (I have Aus and US accounts).

Anyway, I'm drifting away from them, made only 2 purchases in the last 6 months, whereas I'd usually have made 50.

Anyone else?

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Comments

  • Bid Sniper on 03/09/2020 - 14:16
    +3

    I dont like Amazon as a business, will use only if I absolutely have no choice. Their international shipping sucks and now with Trump stuffing the mailing system, be even worse.

    Find myself using webstores directly now, (eg Harley Norman, good guys etc…) for click and collect. Ebay is ok but their sellers and "sales" are a joke. To many pricejackers and dreamers, use it a lot less.

  • yamborghini on 03/09/2020 - 17:05
    +3

    There are much better deals on Amazon and the Prime Account is totally worth it. I have bought a 2L Cola delivered for $1.60 because I didn't want to carry it back from the shops.

    Most large sellers now will have their own website with items that are cheaper than ebay so its best to find what you want and then go to their actual website.

    From a sellers perspective, ebay fees have slowly crept up and up. They were taking about 12% of the the total price including shipping for every item sold. Then most sellers have to pay a GST on top of that. That's 22% of your price gone straight away by selling on ebay. At the end of the day there's not much profit margin. You can still use it to advertise your website though but you just jack the prices up and allude to the fact that its cheaper off ebay.

    For those people who get annoyed that sellers jack up the price think about it this way. If you normally sell an item for $100, then you takes back $78. You pay $7-8 shipping andyou're left with 70. If you are involved in one of their sales, eg 10%. then you go down to $90, and then 70.2 with $8 shipping. and you're left with roughly 62. That would mean to break even to participate in a sale, you need a standard 62% mark up.

    Along with a lot of Hong Kong sellers posing at Australian sellers, stupid overseas customer support, policies which is always againts sellers, its actually pretty hard to be a seller.

    • The Value on 03/09/2020 - 18:46
      +4

      I have bought a 2L Cola delivered for $1.60 because I didn't want to carry it back from the shops.

      That is just plain gross. All those resources used to get a bottle of sugar water to you because you were lazy. Wall-e right here.

      • payless69 on 04/09/2020 - 12:12
        +1

        Thanks for telling OP! I used to be against a sugar tax but now I would introduce it today!

  • Top G on 03/09/2020 - 18:34
    +2

    eBay website and interface feels outdated. Also the search is cluttered with junk items which is not useful for average consumers. On top of this fake shipping from Aus when really item was shipping from China.

    Things are only getting worse for eBay unfortunately, the competition between all the big internet markets has led to very competitive prices and deals. Amazon Australia started off slow but is going from strength to strength.

  • Nivlac on 03/09/2020 - 23:29

    Yep, same here.
    Amazon's been winning it so far.

  • pegasusx on 04/09/2020 - 14:27
    +1

    I am not sure if mentioned here about the warranty issues with online stores vs Amazon.
    But i'll just share one I've had today.

    Purchased item on the 19th June 2019. Tool broke today 4 Sep 2020.
    Manufacturer is in the US that offers a *Lifetime warranty (You pay postage)

    Instead of contacting the manufacturer, I called Amazon and they just said no need to send it back. We will refund you full amount and you can purchase. or just keep the funds.
    This is the type of service I expect from physical stores.

    Compare this to eBay /Aliexpress / Banggood / Kogan.

    • Luckyalways on 08/09/2020 - 13:20

      I have also had excellent service from Amazon in the same way for some face masks I bought which were out of date. Same response. They know how to keep their customers happy.

  • 82Degrees on 04/09/2020 - 17:35

    Eh I buy from ebay same as before. Amazon seem to have higher prices than ebay for the same products. I also heard they have higher fees than ebay for sellers so it makes sense.

  • Ronerrlaw on 04/09/2020 - 18:11

    For small items that I don't need quick up to $100 I use aliexpress, it is where alot of eBay sellers buy and resell items.

    Been going direct to sites as I can use gift cards and cashrewards for better deals, but Amazon is my go too for alot of stuff.

    EBay plus is a polished turd in JackCity…..

  • Ben Kenobi on 08/09/2020 - 06:19
    +1

    I agree. Apart from the price jacking I dislike ebay's lack of enforcement on fakes. I've bought several items via ebay and the delivered product was fake…with potential life threatening consequences if someone used them thinking they were genuine…and yet ebay does nothing to stop the practice, allowing the sellers to keep advertising fakes…greed drives humanity sadly rather than decency.

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