Originally Posted by
poorrichardstuff
Hmmm! Very Interesting!! I sell expensive items on eBay (e.g. ~£1500) because the eBay auction fees in our country, unless I'm mistaken because of the recent changes this month, are capped at $50 USD per transaction, with no listing fees, and only the obnoxious ~3% PayPal fee on the total amount exchanged. My net fees on a ~$2500 USD sale are ~5%. I've yet to locate another viable site where large value items can be sold with less fees. My net cost per sold auction on this site have exceeded 5% of the gross sales price.
My experience with eBay is that there are many scamming buyers who use a plethora of tactics to cheat the sellers since eBay implemented its' "buyer protection" policy, and eBay/PayPal employees are inundated with buyer complaining calls/messages, at great corporate expense relative to sales of manufactured products. Numismatic items, generally unlike the average relatively consistent normal manufactured items, are worn and have a subjective grading system. Buyers use the lack of objectivity to complain about what was received, and many other ploys to acquire both the commodity, and the return of their funds. I only sell top tier TPG graded items, or items where I can absorb the loss, package in the presence of a Notary Public, photographing that being packaged, and have the Notary Public deliver to the postal system, registered with signature verification. EBay provides special services/access to the preferred Power Sellers who meet their criteria for continued buyer satisfaction. The access/rewards seemingly are a considerable financial burden, which they have recently reduced, and increased fees, I believe to bolster their profit margin.
This venue seems to have avoided the expensive response system required to assure buyer/seller contract compliance and satisfaction, by relatively allowing actions not tolerated or personally investigated on eBay. Time will tell if the prevailing atmosphere here is conducive to long term growth. I will continue to learn, and hopefully be mutually rewarded for my efforts here.
Your knowledge/experience is appreciated, thanks for sharing same.