eBay announced that it is launching free listings for all sellers (well, almost all sellers) this spring, along with some new fee structures. Here’s a look:
“As an eBay seller, you’re in prime position to reach the growing millions of global buyers coming now to the world’s largest marketplace—looking for just what you’re selling,” says Michael Jones, Vice President, Merchant Development at eBay. “Updates coming this spring can help you cash in, starting with new everyday fee plans that virtually eliminate the basic upfront cost of selling for all sellers.”
Sellers will no longer have to pay insertion fees for their allotted free listings per calendar month. Optional fees, including advanced listing upgrades and supplemental service fees will still apply. Some big ticket stuff like cars, real estate, heavy equipment, concession trailers and carts, imaging and aesthetics equipment and commercial printing presses are excluded.
Starting on May 1, sellers get up to 2,500 free listings per month with an eBay Stores subscription, and starting April 16, 50 free listings per month can be listed auction-style or fixed price, with one flat 10% value fee when items are sold.
This is all part of the first of two sell updates for 2013.
eBay’s move comes on the heels of a Reuters report indicating Amazon sellers are looking for alternatives as the company has implemented fee hikes over the past year. eBay has even gone so far as to post a comparison chart between the two companies’ offerings (via TechCrunch):
Along withe new fee structure, eBay is offering new seller protections by reducing the impact of unpaid items and removing buyer feedback when the case is found in the seller’s favor.
Other updates from eBay include: sellers will be automatically opted into a new way to define shipping, return and payment policies; listing pictures will be optimized for mobile; sellers will be able to specify same business day handling to highlight to buyers; and categories are getting updated.
An overview of eBay’s spring seller update can be found here.