eBay turns 20: Here are 20 things you may not know

[The _Don]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolo...s-20-Here-are-20-things-you-may-not-know.html

 

[kid-jensen]

You'd think with all that money sloshing around, they'd be a bit more even-handed in disputes between sellers and buyers.....the buyers always win.

 

[Red C220]

One third of the UK's population visit eBay every month.

That's quite something.

 

[John Jones Jr]

One third of the UK's population visit eBay every month.

That's quite something.

It is indeed. There's companies or should I corporations out there that I'd imagine would kill for that sort of traffic.

I'm not surprised at the amount of monthly visits, from my perspective I buy from eBay on average 1.4 times per month and that's just for my own personal requirements. I signed up ten years ago next month and had only two disputes, both resolved but one I had to threaten the shop in Watford with a visit before I received a satisfactory outcome. So, overall I'm still very happy to use eBay.

 

[Mrhanky]

Been using Ebay since 2003 and overall very pleased with my experience. I mostly purchase on eBay now as selling on eBay can be a whole different experience.

 

[Red C220]

We have a store on eBay and Amazon. They are both high maintenance and there is a disproportionately high incident of "I haven't received my item" that everything really now needs to be sent tracked to avoid buyer fraud.

 

[bob6600]

We have a store on eBay and Amazon. They are both high maintenance and there is a disproportionately high incident of "I haven't received my item" that everything really now needs to be sent tracked to avoid buyer fraud.

I buy plenty on ebay and sell a few items too (personal stuff) but have got into a habit of only offering tracked postage as it is too easy for a buyer to say it never arrived and get it for free.

 

[Deane x]

If it was not for e bay I would of had found it very hard and expensive to restore my house , I have bought ever thing from cast iron radiators to stained-glass windows ,it has also made me many connections with trades men for striping doors , stained-glass window restorers ..it really has been great , I have also made some really good money selling on there but it can be hard work some times

 

[Red C220]

If it was not for e bay I would of had found it very hard and expensive to restore my house , I have bought ever thing from cast iron radiators to stained-glass windows ,it has also made me many connections with trades men for striping doors , stained-glass window restorers ..it really has been great , I have also made some really good money selling on there but it can be hard work some times

This is actually the main reason we have a store on eBay.

It only actually accounts for about 5% of our annual turnover, but the number of "I found you on eBay" phone calls we get (same with Amazon) makes putting up with the fraudsters and general numpties worthwhile.

In fact one of our now largest customers stumbled across us on eBay simply because of the Google presence.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Between eBay and PayPal they get 15% of the final value.

Not bad work if you can get it.

 

[Red C220]

Between eBay and PayPal they get 15% of the final value.

Not bad work if you can get it.

Same with Amazon, we build that into the pricing of items sold on both platforms.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Same with Amazon, we build that into the pricing of items sold on both platforms.

I recently had a buyer complain that the postage cost was 20% higher on the package than what I charged them and I told them the truth; I lose 15% plus 5% packaging, worked out about £1 more and they 'were in two minds whether to leave me negative feedback because of it'!!!

 

[Scott_F]

I recently had a buyer complain that the postage cost was 20% higher on the package than what I charged them and I told them the truth; I lose 15% plus 5% packaging, worked out about £1 more and they 'were in two minds whether to leave me negative feedback because of it'!!!

Ebay now charge 10% commission on the postage price. When I asked them why they told me that "we have been listening to our customers" and they were charging commission to "help keep down seller's shipping charges".

Robbing b*stards.