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Greed Bay
- Thread starter Waco CG4A
- Start date
Ours is not a cheap hobby. When you have jackets that cost $1200 to $1400 new and you want to sell them for half or less $75 to sell a $500 jacket is pretty steep. I am 77 yo and began this hobby 15 years ago. I was a member of the old forum but unless the moderators allow my posts under my old ID Pope I will have to wait until I have posted 25 times to offer these jackets to the forum. Oh well I still enjoy reading your posts. The A-2 and G-1 jackets are still a part of history that you guys or girls if the case may be are carrying on. My Dad was a Glider Mechanic and Crew Chief for the Waco CG4A Glider in the 61st Troop Carrier Group - 59th Troop Carrier Squadron which participated in the Sicily invasion and in Operation Market Garden. I had pictures of my Dad by his Gliders wearing his D-1 and his A-2 hence my fascination with these jackets and because they still have the style after all 91 years of these iconic jackets. After all these years the A-2 has influenced the mall " Bomber Jackets " so you guys who wear and collect the original A-2 and other WWII flight jackets carry on the iconic tradition. History salutes you. Hopefully the Brits and the Yanks will always have the close relationship we had in WWII and the years after.
The usual eBay selling fees are normally just under 13% (and don’t forget their are based on a final value so all post & packing costs which may be charged are also subject to 13 % ‘commission’ by eBay).
This may be fine for some, but like many others I find these fees particularly excessive , however it seems eBay does offer regular reduced fees promotions to sellers.
For example: a couple of months ago I received an offer of a maximum £1 final value fee on each item sold, since then every two weeks or so I’ve been receiving an ‘80% off final value fee’ promotional offer.
These particular deals normally apply to items listed over a specific 4 day period, normally a long weekend and reduce the final fees payable to eBay down to a more reasonable 3%.
From what I understand these deals aren’t sent to everyone at the same time and some may receive different promotions at different times. Presumably some algorithm decides who gets what promotion and when.
This may be fine for some, but like many others I find these fees particularly excessive , however it seems eBay does offer regular reduced fees promotions to sellers.
For example: a couple of months ago I received an offer of a maximum £1 final value fee on each item sold, since then every two weeks or so I’ve been receiving an ‘80% off final value fee’ promotional offer.
These particular deals normally apply to items listed over a specific 4 day period, normally a long weekend and reduce the final fees payable to eBay down to a more reasonable 3%.
From what I understand these deals aren’t sent to everyone at the same time and some may receive different promotions at different times. Presumably some algorithm decides who gets what promotion and when.
John Lever
Moderator
I buy there but never sell. Not being paid until the item is 'received ' was the final straw.
Southoftheborder
Well-Known Member
Actually in my experience they pay out now after it's sold. Usually the next day. I've never had payment held until delivery.
I’m not quite sure how eBay decides when payment is sent to your bank account.
I have had a couple of sales where payment was held for just a day or so before being sent to my account, but this was certainly before the items had been received by the purchaser.
For everything else I’ve had the funds in my account the day after the item has been paid for, and in a number of instances before it’s even been dispatched.
I have had a couple of sales where payment was held for just a day or so before being sent to my account, but this was certainly before the items had been received by the purchaser.
For everything else I’ve had the funds in my account the day after the item has been paid for, and in a number of instances before it’s even been dispatched.
Micawber
Well-Known Member
For collectors the lucrative early days of Fleabay in the late 90’s & early 2000’s are long, long gone. Aside the various policy and fee changes and increased catering more for commercial sellers and customers, the place is awash with what often appears to be deliberately poorly presented and described tat offered by lazy and perhaps deliberately clueless sellers.
IMHO of course.
IMHO of course.
Juanito
Well-Known Member
This 100%. I have been in eBay since 1998 and actually made a living on it in those golden early days. It isn't even remotely the same place or format.
Thomas Koehle
Well-Known Member
i just checked my "The Bay" history and found i'm part of the club since 2002 ...
I remember what kind of stuff i sold (Oh Lord - sometimes it was really just "stuff") and what prices i got for it in the early EBAY-days - wasn't enough for a living but there was always profit to re-invest in the hobby
oppose to today where more and more items are listed by professionals and prices drop deeper and deeper - no fun anymore
Micawber
Well-Known Member
1997 on the account I still use but I had another before that.
eBay is definitely more skewed to businesses and not the place it used to be.
Also, as buyers are automatically favoured more than the seller it can more easily be open to fraud. i.e. seller sells and dispatches expensive watch, unscrupulous buyer opens a dispute for item not as described and sends back a cheap Casio. As long as the returned cheap watch is sent back via a trackable method eBay will normally automatically process a refund when delivery has been recorded, regardless of what was actually in the returned package.
I don’t really mind poorly presented or misdescribed listings as I’ve picked up things at a much lower price than otherwise might be the case or their true value. And there’s also the benefit to us who do accurately describe and present well as we can often achieve higher prices. Just this last weekend I sold an item for 72% more than another which was identical but with minimal details
Also, as buyers are automatically favoured more than the seller it can more easily be open to fraud. i.e. seller sells and dispatches expensive watch, unscrupulous buyer opens a dispute for item not as described and sends back a cheap Casio. As long as the returned cheap watch is sent back via a trackable method eBay will normally automatically process a refund when delivery has been recorded, regardless of what was actually in the returned package.
I don’t really mind poorly presented or misdescribed listings as I’ve picked up things at a much lower price than otherwise might be the case or their true value. And there’s also the benefit to us who do accurately describe and present well as we can often achieve higher prices. Just this last weekend I sold an item for 72% more than another which was identical but with minimal details
Southoftheborder
Well-Known Member
I've also been using eBay for well over two decades and I agree with the sentiments of other users. But for all it's faults it does have a very wide reach and as long as you use the regular cheap fees offers it isn't expensive to sell there.
I don't use social media or Facebook so where else can I sell the odd jacket that I want to move on? The FL is mostly slanted toward the US and I hardly ever go there now anyway - and we can all see how long things can take to sell here unless it's practically given away.
And there are still bargains to be had on eBay on the auction listings. Stuff generally just isn't selling in the current distressed market and most of the quality leather jacket BIN listings involve magical thinking.
I don't use social media or Facebook so where else can I sell the odd jacket that I want to move on? The FL is mostly slanted toward the US and I hardly ever go there now anyway - and we can all see how long things can take to sell here unless it's practically given away.
And there are still bargains to be had on eBay on the auction listings. Stuff generally just isn't selling in the current distressed market and most of the quality leather jacket BIN listings involve magical thinking.
warguy
Well-Known Member
Boy this thread caught me on a raw day. I too have bought and sold on ebay for almost 25 years. I agree that there aren't many places out there that get you quite this much exposure as a seller. Having said that, I listed a 101st Airborne uniform last week and on day 6 (yesterday) of a seven day auction with 10 bids and 34 watchers, ebay ended my listing, for get this…..violating their policy on “selling law enforcement related uniforms, badges and equipment”. I spent nearly an hour describing this item and supplying high quality photographs and listed it under their WWII US uniform section. As a retired 34 year veteran of the law enforcement community, I can easily support their policy not to sell law enforcement badges and uniforms and some equipment, but I cant for the life of me figure out how or why they felt my WWII US paratrooper dress uniform was law enforcement related. That kind of stuff frustrates me much more than the high selling fees.
mulceber
Moderator
Honestly, this place and the Fedora Lounge are the best free places to sell that I know of. I've heard of people having success on facebook marketplace, and then there's the vintage militaria forum, but I've heard some dodgy things about that last place from (iirc) coolhandluke.
WW2 Buff
Well-Known Member
Warguy, I have an idea: Perhaps an unscrupulous cheapskate ebay member, viewed your airborne uniform and then decided to notify ebay with the fraudulent story that your airborne uniform was LE related? This is so the member could get ebay to close your auction, so he can contact you afterwards and make you an offer (outside of ebay) for considerably less money.
warguy
Well-Known Member
Well interesting you brought this up. I haven't been contacted by anyone to buy the uniform, however the day the listing was ended, I submitted a report to ebay about a buyer who cancelled their bid after winning another item. They cancelled with no explanation causing another 7 day auction to be a waste. The thought has occurred to me that this ebayer out of vindictiveness may have had something to do with my other auction being ended without cause. But if ebay just cancels listings on unsubstantiated claims, we have a problem.
Brettafett
Well-Known Member
Bought and sold a lot on Ebay. Sold a good few jackets over the years and books mostly.
Always best to try sell on the forums or to fellow enthusiasts, but thats a very small market and I've not sold much.
Often dont even receive replies/ queries.
Other places like Etsy, Gumtree etc have been useless.
Edit: Obviously depends what you're selling... Originals on Ebay? No. AVIs, 5 Stars, ELCs, GWs, G-1s etc... Yes.
Yes, Ebay takes their cut, but stuff sells, eventually. Depending on what you're trying to take home.
If you want top dollar for your stuff, you may have to wait or sell elsewhere, but if you want to move it on and are prepared to negotiate a bit, you'll likely sell it.
Pay out takes a few days, is easy and Ive never had any issues.
Im always very careful and clear with jackets on Ebay, lots of detailed pics, so if there's any come-back, you have a leg to stand on and this came in handy once.
Always best to try sell on the forums or to fellow enthusiasts, but thats a very small market and I've not sold much.
Often dont even receive replies/ queries.
Other places like Etsy, Gumtree etc have been useless.
Edit: Obviously depends what you're selling... Originals on Ebay? No. AVIs, 5 Stars, ELCs, GWs, G-1s etc... Yes.
Yes, Ebay takes their cut, but stuff sells, eventually. Depending on what you're trying to take home.
If you want top dollar for your stuff, you may have to wait or sell elsewhere, but if you want to move it on and are prepared to negotiate a bit, you'll likely sell it.
Pay out takes a few days, is easy and Ive never had any issues.
Im always very careful and clear with jackets on Ebay, lots of detailed pics, so if there's any come-back, you have a leg to stand on and this came in handy once.
Pilot
Well-Known Member
Sorry if I chime in a bit rudelyI
UPFRONT: I DONT SELL AND NEVER DID AND WILL NEVER DO VIA EBAY, BUT:
1)Nobody works for free.. Ebay does not work for free…
2) during years.. a lot are complaining about better scam protection sellers ID control..better traceable deals etc. Ebay did and does.. remember the earlier days .. PP or bank wire only only etc or Western Union …only requests … Ebay banned all those… but again not for free ( sellers asked for it on millions of forums).
3) even here a lot of writing about „ no give bank account N#, no PP for F&F..etc..
4) Ebay does not provide all those services for free…. as seen am… and requested by many sellers/buyers..
…
Agree …for private honest sellers its a burden or nightmare… but most here are happy ( with all that ) buyers… and still buy via Ebay.. so do I… but lets stay fair and realistic… Happy to have all protection and this costs yes… but happy…
So don’t expect it for free if you are also ( surely all if you are a great and honest ) a seller.
5) None can have, the butter , the cow, the milk and the milking Lady and all for free.
Selling without Greedbay?
Yes! possible with networking, contacts, ex( new) customers… or auction houses….other platforms…
Now the real salesman/woman time consuming job starts and gets its importance…skills and know-how are needed… also maybe invest a bit more in fees ( well known auction houses )but it pays off!
My daily concern
Edit::: agree… the good times are history…also for bad people at crapbay…the good ones are suffering about it for sure..
UPFRONT: I DONT SELL AND NEVER DID AND WILL NEVER DO VIA EBAY, BUT:
1)Nobody works for free.. Ebay does not work for free…
2) during years.. a lot are complaining about better scam protection sellers ID control..better traceable deals etc. Ebay did and does.. remember the earlier days .. PP or bank wire only only etc or Western Union …only requests … Ebay banned all those… but again not for free ( sellers asked for it on millions of forums).
3) even here a lot of writing about „ no give bank account N#, no PP for F&F..etc..
4) Ebay does not provide all those services for free…. as seen am… and requested by many sellers/buyers..
…
Agree …for private honest sellers its a burden or nightmare… but most here are happy ( with all that ) buyers… and still buy via Ebay.. so do I… but lets stay fair and realistic… Happy to have all protection and this costs yes… but happy…
So don’t expect it for free if you are also ( surely all if you are a great and honest ) a seller.
5) None can have, the butter , the cow, the milk and the milking Lady and all for free.
Selling without Greedbay?
Yes! possible with networking, contacts, ex( new) customers… or auction houses….other platforms…
Now the real salesman/woman time consuming job starts and gets its importance…skills and know-how are needed… also maybe invest a bit more in fees ( well known auction houses )but it pays off!
My daily concern
Edit::: agree… the good times are history…also for bad people at crapbay…the good ones are suffering about it for sure..
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