drgah
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posted on September 7, 2002 09:33:18 PM new
At the end of July, I found a bunch of sailing books at a garage sale. I listed some on ebay and some on ebay motors using the Sales Manager Pro software that I downloaded from auctionwatch.
I received an invoice from Ebay tonight for $815 when It should have been around $100. I listed the books in Ebay Motors, Other Vehicles, Boats and Watercraft: Sailboats category. I was charged $40 for the initial listing fee and $40 FVF for each of the auctions. The books did not even sell for that much.
I am not sure how ebay will resolve this but I guess my gripe is that the Sales manager Pro software should prevent a fiasco like this from occuring. There was no indication that the fees would be this high for that category.
Has anyone else made a bonehead move like this and If so, how was it resolved?
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jpaulkitty
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posted on September 7, 2002 10:13:41 PM new
You listed the auctions as vehicles. Ebay charges $40.00 to list a vehicle.
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jpaulkitty
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posted on September 7, 2002 10:16:39 PM new
Sorry, I forgot to add that they also charge $40.00 additional for a successful sale. I don't know if you can get credit for it because you listed in the wrong catagory. Maybe email ebay? It's not the software.
[ edited by jpaulkitty on Sep 7, 2002 10:18 PM ]
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sparkz
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posted on September 7, 2002 10:24:47 PM new
It's not the fault of Auctionwatch or their software. It would have happened no matter how you listed it. The fees in the boat and car categories are flat rates. The closing price has nothing to do with it. Ebay's system treated your books as boats, because of the category you listed in. It would have done the same thing with anything else you list in that category, whether it be a postage stamp or a battleship. It shouldn't be too hard to get them to reverse the insertion fees for the unsold books,once you explain that you were not aware of this exception to the fee structure, but you may have a problem with the books that sold. Just hope you get a sympathetic person in billing to handle your case.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on September 8, 2002 11:48:49 AM new
Are you saying you got NO indication of what the listing fee would be as you listed each one?
Because I find that pretty hard to believe.
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cc5
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posted on September 8, 2002 11:59:34 AM new
The same thing happened to me quite a while ago when I listed auto repair manuals in the wrong category. I listed several before discovering what was happening. I emailed ebay and abjectly apologized while requesting that they adjust the fees. They did....and no hassle. I suspect it's a common occurence.
Paul
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drgah
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posted on September 8, 2002 12:37:08 PM new
Thanks for the replies.
I've been listing since early 1999 and have 1250+ feedback rating. But, as a newbie to ebay motors (no access through AW until several months ago) and never having used ebay motors before then, I can see how this mistake could easily be made. There was no indication of what the listing fees/fvf would be using this software for the category I listed in. I did not find out until the invoice was received. Check out the software if you don't believe me.
The sales manager software provided by auctionwatch didn't alert me to this and my total unfamiliarity with ebay motors led to this mislisting and sale. This is my goof up and hopefully ebay will refund part or all of the mistake.
It sure takes the wind out of my ebay sails though. don't feel like listing much right now. Rather depressed about it actually. I guess I 'll consider it one of my ongoing ebay experiences and keep plugging along.
Note to AW: Fix the software so someone else doesn't make the same mistake.
Thanks for the feedback people.
greg
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tomyou
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posted on September 8, 2002 03:01:57 PM new
If you select preview the auction after you get it ready it does indicate all the aplicable fees that will be involved. Most people do not preview because they consider it a wasted step but it sure helps mistakes like this.
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sn0bbish
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posted on September 8, 2002 03:20:41 PM new
if you list using the software it does not show you the fees for each listing.
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capotasto
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posted on September 8, 2002 03:37:43 PM new
sailing books...
"It sure takes the wind out of my ebay sails though."
Pun intended? LOL
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drgah
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posted on September 8, 2002 03:43:49 PM new
LOL
yes, the pun was intended.
BTW, I checked the acution preview using sales manager pro and it doesn't list the fees at all. It just shows you what the auction will look like.
I'm a little more calm about this now. Hopefully, Ebay will come through with a full or partial refund.
Some days are windy and rainy, some days are sunny.
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tomyou
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posted on September 8, 2002 04:58:00 PM new
sorry about that drgah. I don't use the software. I just do all mine online since I have a cable modem it makes no since to use the software so I just assumed it had the same or better features. I am sure if you e-mail support and this is the first time you did it that they will take care of it for you. lots of luck. TOM
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drgah
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posted on September 8, 2002 05:06:31 PM new
thanks Tom.
Cable Modem--my dream for next year. That is one of the reasons I use the offline software. I am still stuck with the 56K. I get the auctions already and do the upload while I sleep. It really is good software and has cut my listing time down from 20 minutes per auction back in 1999 to less that 3 minutes now. Too bad the packing and shipping takes so much time.
I will however, be a lot more careful with Ebay Motors.
Take care.
greg
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dadofstickboy
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posted on September 8, 2002 05:55:55 PM new
If I were you I'd bookmark this or print it out.
Before starting any future endevers!
http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/fees.html#insertion
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intercraft
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posted on September 9, 2002 12:28:57 AM new
drgah,
I am unsure of what it is that you want AW to do to the software? Stop anyone from listing in a listing area that is an automaticly higher charge? That doesn't make any sense, you are a business owner, or at least attempting to make money through ebay. You should know the fees and how to read email.
Everytime you list an item on ebay, they send you a listing confirmation in the email. I always check them when I start listing in a new way, or change something about how I list. It is just a good idea. That email, if you didn't delete it, will show you, at minimum, how much the insertion fee will cost.
I hope you are able to get your fees back, but AW and Ebay did nothing wrong here. You just weren't paying attention.
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sn0bbish
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posted on September 9, 2002 06:07:49 AM new
i think what drgah wants aw to do with their software is to have it show the listing fees when you preview the auction. like it does when you list thru the aw site.
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intercraft
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posted on September 9, 2002 11:32:17 AM new
Alot of people don't update their software, so if AW were to put that functionality in their downloaded program, they could be advertising old fees and having upset customers who are charged Ebay's current fees. AW has control over their website, but not over the programs in your computer, so they can't update it without your approval. It's a catch-22
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drgah
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posted on September 11, 2002 01:19:02 AM new
Happy ending and lesson learned. Thanks to all for their support and replies. This is ebay's response. My opinion of Ebay just went up several hundred notches.
*********************************************Hello,
Thank you for taking the time to bring this situation to our attention.
I can certainly understand your concern.
After reviewing your account, I found that you had listed several of
your items in the Sailboats category on eBay motors. That category is
specific to actual boats, and so your listings were charged the fees
that are normally charged for boats, which are $40 insertion fees and
$40 Final Value fees. \
As these items were books rather than boats, I have credited your
account both for incorrect charges, and then charged your account the
appropriate fees. You can review all of this on your Account Status
page, which can be found here:
(snip)
For future reference, you will want to list these items in categories
not reserved for actual boats or vehicles, to avoid being overcharged.
One example would be the parts and accessories category.
Thank you for using eBay for your online trading needs.
Regards,
Jeff P. D.
eBay Billing Supervisor
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stopwhining
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posted on September 11, 2002 06:12:14 AM new
ebay billing supervisor said ,
For future reference, you will want to list these items in categories
not reserved for actual boats or vehicles, to avoid being overcharged.
One example would be the parts and accessories category.
/////////////////////////////////////////
YES,WHY ARE YOU LISTING BOOKS UNDER ACTUAL BOATS AND VEHICLES???
intercraft is right,you are a business manager,you should know all these facts before you list and you should carefully check the fees before and after you list,especially that you have admitted you are not familiar with that category.
it is interesting we all look to blame someone,never ourselves .
now go ahead and say i work for AW and i get paid plenty to defend AW.
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capotasto
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posted on September 11, 2002 06:12:23 AM new
or list under Collectibles, Transportation, Boats, Sail powered.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on September 11, 2002 07:43:04 AM new
I've got to agree with stopwhining.
Posting auctions to inappropriate categories is a "HUGE problem" on eBay and in some categories has made them all but unbrowsable.
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Libra63
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posted on September 11, 2002 10:15:19 AM new
What I have found out is that in order for me to put some items in the right catagory I have had to browse through eBay's auctions or I would list in wrong catagories. Sometimes it takes me a while to list auctions. It is not easy. It is easy to make mistakes and I have to applaude eBay for changing your fee's. Since I don't list lots of auctions I can do that but if you list many it is hard to do.
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