Online Workshop on changes in Mobiles & Accessories category, Feb 3, 4 PM

[sapana@ebay.com]

Dear Sellers,

As part of our continuous effort to improve user experience for our members, we are making some important changes in the Mobile & Accessories category:

1. Mobiles & Accessories category will be divided into two categories called Mobile Phones and Mobile Accessories. This will give mobile accessories increased exposure. It will also improve search experience in Mobile Phones category, which today is compromised due to presence of related accessories.

2.The Final Value Fee (FVF) for Mobile Accessories category will be 5%. The FVF for Mobile Phones will continue to be at 1%. This new FVF structure will help in better aligning the eBay pricing structure to the seller’s margin structure in Mobiles Accessories category.

These changes will apply from February 7th 2010. In the new Mobiles Accessories category, all listings that sell successfully post February 7th 2010 00:00:01 IST will be charged 5% FVF. For example – If the item was listed on 6th February, and it sells successfully on 7th February, the FVF will be charged at 5%. The successful listings in Mobile Phones category will continue to be charged at 1%. There will be no changes to the Insertion Fee or Final Value Fee for any other category.

All the current or scheduled listings of Mobile Accessories sub-category will be automatically migrated to the new category of Mobile Accessories. The listings created on or after 7th February 2010 will need to be created under the new category, Mobiles Accessories.

We understand that you will need to make some changes to your current business plan to accommodate these changes. If you wish to discuss any concerns you might have about the impact of these changes, please join the Category Managers for a Mobiles & Accessories workshop on 3rd February 2010, 4 PM on this thread. You can also contact our Customer Support Team for any help.

Regards

[sapana@ebay.com]

Hi mobilesstores,

We would like to clarify that memory cards continue to have an FvF of 1% (since they will continue to be listed in the meta: “Memory, Pen Drives & HDD”). Please note that the new FVF of 5% will be applicable only for the new Mobiles Accessories category. FVF for all other technology categories remain unchanged.

Regards

[sapana@ebay.com]

Hi snrama,

We hope that post no. 6, that gives the context will alleviate your concerns. To reiterate, the new pricing is applicable only to the new Mobiles & Accessories Meta.

Also, we will like to assure you and our Community Members that we are acommitted to our seller's sucess and we will always keep in mind their business profitability before making any changes on eBay.

Regards,
Sapana

[rhtdm.6624]

Hi

eBay is sending discount coupons to buyers. Can anybody tell me is there is any discount coupon for sellers?

Thanks
rhtdm.6624

[rajelectroniks]

Sapana the FVF should have increased at all in my view and I still maintain that the move is very irrational and does not business sense at all as you can see from the various replies received.

The impression you have about mob accessories being a high profit category is wrong as you also have to take into account the fact that there is no warranty on the product being sold and the seller has to adjust for such warranties and hence profit margin is wafer thin on these products.

If ebay really wants to improve business then the the 5% commission that we are paying for the paisapay gateway should be immediately abolished. In these days were even banks are reducing loan rates and liquidity crunch is effecting all, this move by ebay comes as total surprise.
*************************
Regards.
Raj Electroniks.

[madmahesh2009]

Agree with rajelectronics.Offline prices are getting lower and lower.Given the shipping charges and 10% extra commission the seller needs to pay,the online price is surely gonna be higher than the offline price.So how would sellers manage to keep the margins?

Increased visibility of items with higher prices when compared to offline prices are not only going to affect sales in mob accessories categories but in every category.

Lets say for example a new buyer searches in eBay a mobile accessory product and finds it a higher price than the offline price.Naturally he will think the prices of other items are also gonna be such and he never comes back to eBay.And no need to say no individual will pay extra money online when he gets a product for cheaper price.After all bargaining is the fun in shopping.Online shopping will grow only with new buyers and i think this move is going to put a check on it.

And no existing buyer will pay more since he loves eBay.

[orignalgadgets]

HELLO .

RES. EBAY ,

THE INCREASE IN MOBILE ACCESSORIES WILL ENCOURAGE SELLERS TO SELL NON - BRANDED ACCESSORIES , FOR ORIGNAL MOBILE ACCESSORIES MARGINS ARE VERY LOW , LESS THAN 5 % AND EBAY INCREASE FEES 4 % ,MOSTLY BUYERS CHECK BRANDED ITEMS PRICES ON EBAY AND COMPARE IT WITH OFFLINE PRICES , AND NOW IT GIVE MESSAGE TO BUYERS THAT GOODS ON EBAY ARE HIGH ,
SELLING ON EBAY IS VERY TUFF AND BIG HEADACHE WITH BIG RESPONSBILTIES , NOW IF FEES WILL INCREASE THAN SELLERS WILL SURELY INCREASE THEIR PRICES

[kiara.electronics-2009]

@ Sapna

As issue raised by all the sellers in different topics of the HIGH PAISAPAY service charge i think it is high time ebay should address this concern. 4.5% is too much to be charged to mobile phone sellers as for a phon of 30000 the seller has to pay 1350 on the other hand if the same percentage would have been low NO MATTER WHAT EBAY WOULD BE THE CHEAPEST PLAC TO BUY MOBILE PHONES.....whih inturn would actually boost your sales and ebay revenue at the same time.

I hope finally this concern is acknowledged by ebay team.

[rhtdm.6624]

Hi

Could you please tell me eBay is offering GC coupons to the Buyer upto 20 % So why eBay is not offering the same to sellers ?

Thanks
Vilas

[linusstudios]

I am completely out of place on this thread so do forgive me. But I have few points to add to current discussion.

1- Increased visibility is not always positive- Whats the point in having more users checking items if they are finding it overpriced. If for one item a buyer realizes that it is selling at a higher price than in open market he/she is going to make a general notion about the seller or on a larger context about eBay.

2-Shipping+E-Bay Margin- When we are competing with the open market we have an added advantage that we do not need to maintain a physical store and thus in turn low overheads. But we ebay sellers have to balance the extra shipping charges our customers have to pay.I know that this cannot be avoided as it's part of online selling. What can be worked upon is the sellers fees- Store fees, Listing Fees, FVF and PaisaPay Charges. These on an average are about 11% ,

We sellers have little in between. If I am listing something for Rs 300, I am going to get only Rs 267 If it sells after all ebay's fees. And subtract a nominal Rs 50 as courier charge what we are left with is only Rs 217. This Rs 73 difference is what lies between the online sellers and sellers selling in open market..

3-

Revenue for EBay = A X B
A- Fees
B- Volumes

Now there are two ways to increase revenue for eBay, I hope its self explanatory. Also A is inversely proportional to B.

In today's economic condition when markets have opened up margins have came down tremendously. Sellers have no option but to reduce the prices but I sincerely hope that eBay realizes this and also reciprocates by minimizing selling fees and in turn help in increasing volume.

Regards

[reliableenterprise]

Hi
mobile accessories consist of the following below
Batteries
Bluetooth, Infrared Devices
Car Kits & Chargers
Cases, Pouches
Chargers
Datacables
Enhancements
Faceplates, Body Panels
Handsfree, Headsets
ScratchGuard, Screen Protector
Stylus
More Mobile Accessories

and memory card is not include in mobile accessories category
if wrong then correct me

Regards,
Reliable Enterprise