PERHAPS EBAY IS INFECTED WITH THE SAME FORM OF GREED THAT MANY OTHER AUCTIONS SEEM TO BE ATE UP WITH THESE DAYS.
I SUSPECT IT IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR A AUCTION TO CHARGE THE SELLER 20%OR MORE OF THE SALE PRICE AND PERHAPS A FEE FOR LISTING AND ACCEPTING THE ITEM NOT BEING A SELLER I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CHARGES ARE.
BUT BUYERS ARE CHARGED A 18 TO 20.5% BUYERS PREMIUM FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ALLOWED TO BUY SOMETHING FROM THE AUCTION. QUITE A PROFIT FOR VERY LITTLE WORK AS FAR AS THE BUYERS AND IF THEY TAKE A LARGER BITE FROM THE SELLER (WHO THEY DO SOME ACTUAL WORK FOR) THEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT A POSSIBLE PROFIT FOR THE AUCTION HOUSE OF 4O TO 50% PERHAPS MORE.
WHEN YOU ADD THE PACKING, SHIPPING ECT WHICH AN INCREASING NUMBER OF ONLINE AUCTIONS LEAVE ENTIRELY UP TO THE BUYER TO ARRANGE WITH NO HELP FROM THEM AS WELL AS A STORAGE CHARGE IF YOUR MERCHANDISE IS NOT PICKED UP IN A SHORT TIME.
IT WOULD APPEAR SOME AUCTIONS EXPECT THE SELLERS TO BE HAPPY WITH ABOUT THE SAME RETURN THEY WOULD GET TAKING THEIR ITEMS TO A PAWN SHOP. PENNYS ON THE DOLLAR FOR THE SELLER AND BIG PROFITS FOR THE AUCTION. A SELLER WILL SEE A HIGHER SALE PRICE ON EBAY OR SOUTHBYS OR CHRISTIES BUT IF MOST OF THE REALIZED PRICE GOES TO THE AUCTION AND YOU END UP WITH WHAT YOU WOULD GET LOCALLY WHY BOTHER WITH THE AUCTION HOUSE?
I HAVE NEVER BOUGHT OR SOLD FROM SOUTHBYS OR CHRISTIES OR SOLD ON EBAY SO DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR CHARGES ARE BUT JUDGING FROM BUYERS PREMIUMS BEING SO HIGH I EXPECT THEM TO ALSO BE HIGH.
THE NEXT THING WE KNOW EBAY WILL HAVE A BUYERS PREMIUM AS WELL AS APPROVED SHILL BIDDING.
