Sept. 22, 2008 – eBay changes fee system

eBay Motors has made changes to its fee system, hoping to bring more powersports traffic to the popular Web site.
Starting Sept. 2, the company has eliminated initial listing fees for the first four vehicles a party attempts to sell online in a 12-month period. If successful, the seller will then face higher back-end payments, or “successful listing fees.”
The move, eBay Motors says, comes after extensive tests by the company showed sellers preferred this fee structure and as a result, listed more vehicles.
Fee changes also are coming to the parts and accessory side of the business. Starting Sept. 16, eBay is lowering its listing fee for all parts and accessories sold via the Fixed Price format to 35 cents, and a special rate of only 5 cents through the end of the year for “Buy It Now Fixed Price.” Final values will remain dependent on the closing price.
For vehicles, sellers will no longer pay a $30 fee to list their motorcycle or other powersports units. That fee is waived for the first four vehicles a seller lists in a 12-month period. On the fifth vehicle and every one after that, the seller must pay a $15 listing fee. However, after 12 months, the seller again gets the four free listings.
In return, sellers will pay more than last year if they succeed in selling their vehicle. Last year, sellers paid a $40 fee for selling their vehicle. This year, that “successful listing fee” will now be $100. That amount is then reduced on the fifth vehicle, when sellers begin paying listing fees. On the fifth vehicle and thereafter for the 12-month fee, the successful listing fee is $80.
The company’s reserve fee also has changed, from the former $5-10 to a flat $7 fee.
eBay Motors noted that the new fee format applies to whether the seller uses an Auction-style, Fixed Price of Best Offer format.
eBay Motors’ new fees for cars and trucks follow a similar pattern to the motorcycle and powersports vehicle changes.