There’s been a lot of talk going on about eBay. If you’re a regular seller you already know about the fee increase that went into effect Feb. 20. Because of this a boycott has happened.

If you don’t really know what’s happing this is for you.

If you haven’t been on your eBay account for a while you need to check your inbox. You will read that they have made some changes, Reduced Listing Fees, Free Gallery, etc. but if you get to figuring you’ll find that it’s the opposite!

And here’s why…Yes they did eliminate the .35 fee for the Gallery but they raised your Final Sale Fee severely.

Here’s what you will find if you figure selling an item for $25.00.

If you sell an item for $25 then subtract the 8.75% (2.19) you get $22.81 now subtract .20 for listing fee and your total is $22.61.

This is what it was before Feb. 20, 2008.

You sell an item for $25 then subtract 5.25% (1.32) you get $23.68 then subtract .55 for your listing and gallery fee and your total is $23.13.

So look at the totals, you have LOST MONEY and that’s on just one item! But there’s more!

What about this “Free Photo?” Guess what, this has always been free; you could upload an image and add to your listing. So eBay lowered the price to .75, they’ve got you!

Next is the “Reserves Price” eBay has increased this by $1.00 so if you set a reserve on your item you want to sell you have to pay eBay $2. Guess what, if your item doesn’t sell you just gave eBay $2 for free!

What about all the store owners that list on eBay? Well first they have to pay eBay $16 a month for their store, now their closing fees just went up too! Store owners have to pay 12% more for every item they sell.

Then you can’t forget about shipping the item you just sold. You have to pay for that also, just think of the expense of packing, shipping, insurance if you choose everything that is involved; you might even have to drive to the post office, gas!

So if you add all this up, think are you really making much, NO. eBay has a way of marketing to you so that you will believe that this is a great deal.

Now back to the boycott. Yes there was a boycott and their has been boycotts before against eBay but nothing ever came of it and this is what happened this time, nothing! Nothing changed; people are still selling their merchandise, giving eBay money. The boycott basically lost some listings for one week but that’s all.

EBay shrugged off the boycott without commenting, other than to claim the action had no effect.

There are individuals that did and have abandoned their accounts and say they will not come back but what few eBay looses they will make up with new individuals.

The only way a boycott will ever effect eBay is if people put their money where their mouths are and quit for good, NEVER COME BACK!

I would like to let everyone know I was a member of eBay for several years but I just let my account die out. I saw what they were doing the last time they made these “CHANGES.” So my advice is to LEAVE but if you do choose to stay with them then PLEASE do your math before you fork over money to them! There are lots of other alternative places to sell on the Internet that are just as good as eBay if not better!