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"Transfer fee" although account push is possible? Ebay question..
- Thread starter beatz
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Charging extra "transfer fees" for something that costs you nothing is a clear breach of eBays terms, designed to extract extra money from the buyer while avoiding paying what is truely due to eBay for their commission.
eBay frowns upon it.
If you're sick of paying these fees, complain to eBay, quoting the appropriate eBay rule. Once word gets around the sellers that they're being kicked out of eBay for cheating, they'll smarten up their act.
eBay frowns upon it.
If you're sick of paying these fees, complain to eBay, quoting the appropriate eBay rule. Once word gets around the sellers that they're being kicked out of eBay for cheating, they'll smarten up their act.
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I am one of those eBay sellers that add the $15 fee also. I start my auctions at $1 plus the $15 fee = $16. My fees, registration, etc., add up to about $10 per name. I don't think a $6 minimum profit margin is excessive considering the effort involved to obtain names.
I have tried starting auctions at $16 as opposed to the fee and found that most domain buyers (on eBay) are used to the "transfer fee" and assume that if I have a $16 start that it must mean $31 since all the sellers add the fee - thus fewer bidders,lower sell prices.
It doesn't really matter to me one way or the other and has nothing to with cheating eBay or screwing the buyer, but everything to do with following common eBay domain selling practices so buyers are not confused and I can compete with other sellers on a level playing field. A low start bid with a transfer fee is just a marketing tool to get more people to view the item.
My guess is that the poster that started this thread bid on someone's $1 auction and is upset because he isn't getting a $10-$15 name for $1. It's this kind of bottom-feeder, I don't want to pay market value, mentality that forces the sellers to be more creative. If the seller had started the auction at $16 he probably wouldn't have looked at it. If he had a reserve, he would probably still complain or say the seller was shill bidding it.
Bottom line - read the auction description and terms before bidding. Email the seller and resolve any potential issues before you bid on the name.
I have tried starting auctions at $16 as opposed to the fee and found that most domain buyers (on eBay) are used to the "transfer fee" and assume that if I have a $16 start that it must mean $31 since all the sellers add the fee - thus fewer bidders,lower sell prices.
It doesn't really matter to me one way or the other and has nothing to with cheating eBay or screwing the buyer, but everything to do with following common eBay domain selling practices so buyers are not confused and I can compete with other sellers on a level playing field. A low start bid with a transfer fee is just a marketing tool to get more people to view the item.
My guess is that the poster that started this thread bid on someone's $1 auction and is upset because he isn't getting a $10-$15 name for $1. It's this kind of bottom-feeder, I don't want to pay market value, mentality that forces the sellers to be more creative. If the seller had started the auction at $16 he probably wouldn't have looked at it. If he had a reserve, he would probably still complain or say the seller was shill bidding it.
Bottom line - read the auction description and terms before bidding. Email the seller and resolve any potential issues before you bid on the name.
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>What's the problem if it's listed clearly in the description?
Becasue it's against eBay's rules, and you're doing them out of commission.
If you want at least $15 for a name make that the starting bid, not $1.
If you don't want to pay eBay their dues, don't auction your names there.
Becasue it's against eBay's rules, and you're doing them out of commission.
If you want at least $15 for a name make that the starting bid, not $1.
If you don't want to pay eBay their dues, don't auction your names there.
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Drewbert is correct that in Ebay's eyes this constitutes "fee avoidance" and is a violation of their rules. If several upset buyers complained about it, I think you would quickly find the practice stopped as Ebay starts suspending sellers. I don't sell much on Ebay myself but when I do, there are no transfer fees, so I can assure you that "all the sellers" do NOT add such a fee. In fact I have seen many others who don't add fees either. As a buyer, I never bid on an auction that has a transfer fee. As soon as I see there is one, I close the window and move on. Honestly, it leaves me with a bad impression of the seller.
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From eBay's terms:
****
Users may not use systems or techniques to circumvent eBay fees.
Example:
* Listings with low prices but unreasonably high shipping or handling costs
****
Charging $10 or $15 NOT NEGOTIABLE for something that takes 1 minute to do (maybe less if the buyer wants to initiate a transfer and all you have to do is authorise it) is "unreasonably high" in anyone's book.
Most eBay domain sellers play the "transfer fee" game because everybody else does it, and they probably didn't realise it's against eBay's T&C.
Now you know.
****
Users may not use systems or techniques to circumvent eBay fees.
Example:
* Listings with low prices but unreasonably high shipping or handling costs
****
Charging $10 or $15 NOT NEGOTIABLE for something that takes 1 minute to do (maybe less if the buyer wants to initiate a transfer and all you have to do is authorise it) is "unreasonably high" in anyone's book.
Most eBay domain sellers play the "transfer fee" game because everybody else does it, and they probably didn't realise it's against eBay's T&C.
Now you know.
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>As soon as I see that, I close the window and move on.
Same here. And I know of many others who hold the same opinion.
Maybe if all the active sellers here made their start bid $10 and actively advertised "NO TRANSFER FEES ON THIS ACTION", a groundswell would develop and we'd see the practice die out?
Same here. And I know of many others who hold the same opinion.
Maybe if all the active sellers here made their start bid $10 and actively advertised "NO TRANSFER FEES ON THIS ACTION", a groundswell would develop and we'd see the practice die out?
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The extra fee is called an ownership push and handling fee. If you do not want the name because of this fee, do not bid on the auction.
You will find that 99% charge a fee with a $1 starting bid or higher.
Time is money, that is why they charge. Every ebay listing has a payment description section at the end. Usually these fees can be overlooked if you are not careful.
This is 100% legal and is smart sales tactics.
I equate this to NamePopper techniques within his sales threads. The capitalization and spacing grabs the eye of the readers. His sales are very good. You can tell by the posts.
You will find that 99% charge a fee with a $1 starting bid or higher.
Time is money, that is why they charge. Every ebay listing has a payment description section at the end. Usually these fees can be overlooked if you are not careful.
This is 100% legal and is smart sales tactics.
I equate this to NamePopper techniques within his sales threads. The capitalization and spacing grabs the eye of the readers. His sales are very good. You can tell by the posts.
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I agree with RJ and Drewbert on this...
A transfer fee is normally only charged when transferring registrars because an extra years registration is added to the name.
you are paying the $8.88 fee or whatever in exchange for that not for the transfer of the name itself.
and even with an extra year to charge $15 is ludicrous.
would you sell a car then tell the buyer he has to pay a premium for the keys as you want to make a profit on top of what you made from the sale? no.
I too refuse to buy from people who bump up their fees and list my names with 0.00 transfer fee if the registrar allows or else I simply start the auction $8 bucks higher and include an extra years registration with the name.
these kind of extra charges are what has turned ebay into a den of scammers and heavily damaged its reputation as a viable marketplace to buy/sell quality products.
A transfer fee is normally only charged when transferring registrars because an extra years registration is added to the name.
you are paying the $8.88 fee or whatever in exchange for that not for the transfer of the name itself.
and even with an extra year to charge $15 is ludicrous.
would you sell a car then tell the buyer he has to pay a premium for the keys as you want to make a profit on top of what you made from the sale? no.
I too refuse to buy from people who bump up their fees and list my names with 0.00 transfer fee if the registrar allows or else I simply start the auction $8 bucks higher and include an extra years registration with the name.
these kind of extra charges are what has turned ebay into a den of scammers and heavily damaged its reputation as a viable marketplace to buy/sell quality products.
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Sorry ciq, I'm on the other side of the fence as you on this issue. I don't see a problem with the transfer fees as long as the seller is upfront about it.
I even support Register.Com's right to charge $200 per ownership transfer. It's a free market afterall, and I'll pass judgement on it with my checkbook, and not buy from them if I don't like it.
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Just for the record:
- It *wasn't* a $1 auction
- My high bid was $26
- The seller did *not* include the transfer fee thing in his description but only in payment details on the right top corner.
- It wasn't called "ownership&handling fee" but "transfer fee"
- A transfer would not have occured - only a push.
So i still don't get why a transfer fee should apply if a transfer is not performed.
Anyway, he relisted it and i'll move on
- It *wasn't* a $1 auction
- My high bid was $26
- The seller did *not* include the transfer fee thing in his description but only in payment details on the right top corner.
- It wasn't called "ownership&handling fee" but "transfer fee"
- A transfer would not have occured - only a push.
So i still don't get why a transfer fee should apply if a transfer is not performed.
Anyway, he relisted it and i'll move on
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It does sound like he was kindy being sneaky about the transfer fees in his listing.
This is a recent eBay ad of mine www.font.ws , I think it's clear what my fee is for.
Mike
This is a recent eBay ad of mine www.font.ws , I think it's clear what my fee is for.
Mike
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Yes but I never charge extra for my : : > > S T Y L E < < : :
It's included free of charge with every purchase!
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Originally posted by -RJ-
Sorry ciq, I'm on the other side of the fence as you on this issue. I don't see a problem with the transfer fees as long as the seller is upfront about it.
I even support Register.Com's right to charge $200 per ownership transfer. It's a free market afterall, and I'll pass judgement on it with my checkbook, and not buy from them if I don't like it.
:laugh: that'll teach me to skim through a thread first thing in the morning before my coffee :laugh:
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This is a VERY sore spot with me. I absolutely LOATHE it when people add a $15 "handling fee". It is ridiculous and insane to me. Most names at eBay require a simple PUSH to another account that takes a MAX of 60 seconds to perform. Why the heck should I pay somebody $15 to do something that will take 1 minute? Doing the math, that comes out to them making $900 per hour for their time. I am sorry, but their precious time is NOT worth that much.
People try to pawn it off as a shipping charge too. WRONG! Nothing was shipped in the traditional sense that the shipping charge was designed to cover.
BOTTOM line - $15 handling fees are a SCAM and a way to cheat the bidder out of more money. Why should I pay $15 handling fee on something that costs $1? That is simply NOT RIGHT. The sellers are greedy and want to scam you out of as much money as they can. I refuse to bid on any auction that requires a $15 handling fee if the name is at a place where you can do free transfers. It boils down to the seller charging for something that is free. It is ludicrious and BS.
Also, these names are typically at a place where the registrant pays $7-$9 per year, yet they are charging DOUBLE the registration price and you get no additional time? What is wrong with this picture? S-C-A-M. I think it really boils down to the seller trying to not take a loss on the auction. If they add the unjustified $15 to the price, then they not only will they NOT take a loss, but they actually turn it into a profit. If that is their concern, then the seller should start the auction at $15 and not $1. WHen you auction something opff starting at $1, then you always take the risk of losing money. You should not have to SCAM the buyer to make up for your lack of a sales price.
I would be more open to the unjustified $15 charge if it added 2 years of registration time.
-Bob
People try to pawn it off as a shipping charge too. WRONG! Nothing was shipped in the traditional sense that the shipping charge was designed to cover.
BOTTOM line - $15 handling fees are a SCAM and a way to cheat the bidder out of more money. Why should I pay $15 handling fee on something that costs $1? That is simply NOT RIGHT. The sellers are greedy and want to scam you out of as much money as they can. I refuse to bid on any auction that requires a $15 handling fee if the name is at a place where you can do free transfers. It boils down to the seller charging for something that is free. It is ludicrious and BS.
Also, these names are typically at a place where the registrant pays $7-$9 per year, yet they are charging DOUBLE the registration price and you get no additional time? What is wrong with this picture? S-C-A-M. I think it really boils down to the seller trying to not take a loss on the auction. If they add the unjustified $15 to the price, then they not only will they NOT take a loss, but they actually turn it into a profit. If that is their concern, then the seller should start the auction at $15 and not $1. WHen you auction something opff starting at $1, then you always take the risk of losing money. You should not have to SCAM the buyer to make up for your lack of a sales price.
I would be more open to the unjustified $15 charge if it added 2 years of registration time.
-Bob
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