ebay getting more expensive?

I'm a bit of an ebayer, just buying clothes mostly (though lots of them!!!)

Has anyone found that ebay just seems to be getting more and more expensive.

The initial listing prices have soared (so few 99c starting prices now), with many second hand clothes coming close to new items in cost.

And postage prices have got more extreme...with people charging $7-$10 for things that they could post for $2 or $3...I realise this is to cover 'packaging costs' but it just seems a little steep.

I'm less and less inclined to use ebay these days!

YES!! I thought I was the only one! I thinks its because of all the businesses selling there rather than the genuine from home, "found this top, might see what I can get for it on ebay" type of seller now.

More and more people are trying to get additional income now too. Yes, it has gone up but you can still find bargains!

i always start my prices at 99c no matter what it is ( i sold some itti bittis on there and started then at 99c!!)
my postage is always $5.00 unless it something big like a bag etc....

Yep! I mostly buy clothes on there too. I don't mind paying a little extra for the clothes, but some of the postage prices are ridiculous! I tend not to bid on something if I think the postage is way too much...not that it makes a difference cause someone else will probably buy it anyway.

Yep I've noticed it too. I've noticed a few items that I've been watching over a 6 mth period have risen steeply (ie regular selling price a good $5 - $15 more than usual). I wondered if it wasn't because more ppl are feeling the pinch and so more ppl are using ebay and the greater demand has lifted the prices?

;) That's why i started shopping & selling on OZtion about 2years ago cause eBay was getting ridiculous with it's fees & therefore Sellers trying to cover the fee costs :think:

... Yesterday i got an message from OZtion that their value fee is rising (but they are still way cheaper than eBay, only catch is there is less traffic).

I've only sold a couple of things, but I always start at $10 as this is what I decided that my time was worth... if they don't sell I don't care but I'd rather give something to a charity than spend time uploading, answering questions (that are usually answered in the ad already anyway:rolleyes:), and then emailing back and forth to organise pickup etc.

No way I'm doing all that for 99c....

i have only ever sold on ebay once last week and never again i put 3 bonds easysuits and a dress/bodysuits on starting at 99 cents for 10 days and they sold for 99 cents :( but by the time i paid fee's for ebay and paypal and then postage cost bit more then i qouted i made 8 cents so it was a total waste of time i should have just taken them to the op shop and saved my self time and energy

I've gone off ebay a bit too... would rather Op Shop so I can check out the item thoroughly myself before buying. it's also too stressful waiting for something to arrive in the mail... 1 item i bought took nearly 5 months!!! It was from the U.K but still.... We also sold a pram that i had hardly used... we started at $10 and that's pretty much all we got for it... i would rather have given it to a friend. if we buy anything else on ebay it will only be something that we can pickup in person... the postage often doesn't make it worth it.

I have noticed there seems to be more "Buy It Now" things rather than auctions and that really bugs me.
Youngmumof3 - Unfortunately with Ebay thats the nature of the beast. Whenever I have listed something I make sure my costs are covered. I never start bidding at 99c because it costs me more than that to do the listing iykwim. I also (with bigger items) have a start price and a buy it now price - maybe something to consider for future??

Nae x x