10 Reasons Why eBay Sucks for Sellers

BY Nov. 20, 2009 452 Comments


Yes, I started my entrepreneurship career on eBay. My business was selling other peoples items and then taking a commission. I enjoyed making nice commissions and was even interview on television. I loved eBay then. Now I don’t. Here are 10 reasons why I think eBay sucks for sellers. I’m not the only one who hates eBay, so many people have eBay problems.


1. Illegitimate feedback

If a buyer gives you a negtive feedback for no reason, you can’t remove it. There goes your entire reputation and sometimes your entire business.

2. Annoying rules

For example in the last 12 hours of an auction you can’t change images. A potential buyer emailed me to notify me that I had put the wrong picture on the auction page.  There was no bid but because there were only 10 hours left,  I couldn’t change the picture, and what do you know, no sale.

3. Bogus buyers

No more negative feedback for bogus buyers, meaning that buyers who don’t pay for their winning bids cannot be penalized by the seller. This too destroys the entire feedback system.

4. Fees

EBay’s sale commission is a good chunk plus you have to pay for every listing detail practically. Subtitle: $.50, picture: $.25, bold title: $1, etc.

5. PayPal

If you use PayPal which is very handy for eBay selling you’re going to be ripped off. They continually take more and more commissions. Plus eBay owns PayPal so you are charged 3 times, listing, commission and PayPal!

6. Refunds

Someone can buy your item using PayPal, receive the item, and then lie and say that it was not shipped. PayPal will then refund them the entire purchase amount.

8. Shipping

Everything relies on shipping. The postal service once lost a small expensive package I sold; the buyer had not pay for insurance. So I had to wait for weeks to find out what happened, and then reimburse the item from my pocket!

9. Free alternative – Craigslist

There’s just no incentive to sell on eBay when you have Craigslist. It’s 100% free, the buying market is huge, its easy, no shipping involved, door to door. What more could you ask for?

10. Terrible customer service

If you have a problem with a sale or purchase, you have to go through bots and finally days later receive a humans actual help.

* Messy interface

Every time eBay seems to update their interface and website it gets worse. No matter how many people complain the site just becomes worse.

So even though I started a successful eBay business I have moved on. If you use eBay, let me know what you think.

Alternatives to eBay:


Feel free to share your experience with eBay below.

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  • Alexander

    Yes, eBay sucks. I just received a negative comment from a buyer who cost me 2 entire days of my life because he “forgot” BOTH pickup arragements. I complained to eBay and asked for a refund, and admittedly, called him a “useless prick” or something along the lines in my complaint. eBay appearently forwarded that email to him, and then he left negative feedback, destroying my 100% positive feedback (OVER 10 YEARS!!!).

    Apart from that though – there is really no alternative to eBay. I disagree with you in that regard. For example, that “CraigsList” thing you mentioned doesn’t have a single item listed near me.

    • ebay ripped me off!!!

      i have sold on eBay for 10 years with 100% positive feed back then this week someone in Canada asked to have an item shipped and i said no i don’t do that finally he agreed to pay all customs fees so he gets the item and demands a refund for the customs fees. i said no and got negative feed back called eBay and they said too bad even though i had his post committing feed back black mail. a few days latter a customer sent me a message admitting that he took apart an item then had the nerve to want to keep part of it and have me give him a refund for the rest of it after he destroyed it. this jerk opened a case on me i escalated the case 3 different eBay reps said i would win as he admitted to ruining the item and they found in his favor anyway. now i have a feed back destroyed after 10 years of perfect scores my money lost and destroyed item even though i have proof of both incidents. what a load of @%$#!!! and this feed back system? a buyer can say anything but a seller can’t once again what a load of @#^%!!

  • Ianly

    The latest thing Ebay and Paypal have done is: They have removed the FULL address details of sellers so if you buy something and it’s not as described you have to use Ebay or Paypal to attempt a recovery.In most cases you will have to pay the return postage on an item sold to you that was clearly not as described by the seller. in the past when the FULL address was disclosed the buyer could threaten or take out a small claim in the County Court and recover all costs including return postage .Now you can not do anything because you don’t even know the address of the person.All stacked in Ebay and Paypals favour .There needs to be some competition.

    • Alexander

      Heh. The thing is: eBay is technically a disaster, and any slightly competent web agency could build a *better* eBay clone in a matter of 2 weeks.

      Unfortunately, all such attempts have failed so far because it’s in the name…

      • CollR549

        I am going through the same thing now. I sold an apple desktop and the guy literally sent me 10-15 messages complaining about shipping. He never checked on the tracking and paid for standard, economy shipping, NOT priority, then complains that his package was not received in 4 days, shipping across country, demanding a credit. I could tell that he would be nothing but trouble. So, he gets the package in the mail and sends me pictures of “damage” (a bent box and a removable piece that was removed… yeah). Anyway, my return policy is full refund auction price within 3 days buyer pays return shippiing. He literally demands that i refund him the money plus shipping BEFORE he sends me the computer back. I offered him a partial credit if he does not ship, or full credit as long as he returns the computer. He then opens a dispute for the full amount. ( I had already given him a $20 credit after all of his bitching about shipping, so now hes demanding the full refund plus shipping which is more than he paid)!!!  And he’s is demanding this money BEFORE he ships it! and I know that he will NOT ship!  IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE? COULD EBAY REALLY SIDE WITH HIM? This is sickening! 

        • CollR549

          UPDATE…. They ruled in his favor. Im sure they didn’t even read the messages that he sent to me trying to get me to relist the item for him, with me paying seller fees. Fucking ridiculous! that was definitely the last time im using ebay. Or I can switch over to the dark side and become a buyer who does nothing but bitch and complain and get my shit for free! LOL
          That was actually my first bad experience, but considering this was on an apple desktop with a high value, I will not be selling on ebay again. 
          Does anyone know what happens if he doesn’t send it back to me? Do I get my money back? Because I honestly think that he won’t send it, he expects me to issue a refund BEFORE he send back to me, which is NOT going to happen, and what makes it worse is that he actually said this to me THROUGH EBAY MESSAGING!!! DO THESE MORONS EVEN READ THE CASE AND MESSAGES AND SHIT??? I JUST DONT GET IT! 

  • Guest

    its just that u guys r novices and know not even a jack bout selling!!!!
    u wanna know some dope stories ….here it is.
    i have been selling for almost 5 yrs now… and my feedback percentage is all great ( 99.2 %).
    e-marketing is not some kid’s show……

    and for the craiglist shit….. boy !!! u guys would seriously be stupid to join them fake-ish websites…. which will never let u have the success which u deserve….

  • Chip

    Wow. Why are you guys complaining so much?! I’ve read comments below about eBay shitting things up but why do you complain. You either sell on eBay or you don’t. Even if you make little money, its still profit and it was your decision to sell on eBay; you should have read all the information before selling.
    I am an eBay buyer and I sell junk in my room for money; easy. I am being careful with my buyers, i make sure I pictures and a short video of the product, if the buyer starts lying.
    To be honest, the fees are high and I am hoping eBay doesn’t shit up my business on eBay.

    • sortitout!

      Well I guess for you then it is just a waiting game-cos it will happen.Some shitbag will deny receiving an item. Make claim against you. Paypal will freeze your money. E bay will allow a negative (but of course you will fight) they will take money outta your bank! .and you will not be entitled to free listings, your percentage will drop, your star rating will drop etc etc. then and then you will be complaining here too! cos no one in ebay gives a flying shit as long as we keep selling! they get their fees. we keep complaining, no change. Needs big competition to bring em down.!

  • move over ebay

    YOUR ABSOLUTELY CORRECT,,,EBay has no interest in improving their process. I’ve got a handful of products I’m selling once sold I’m done with Ebay!! Bye bye Ebay hello other similiar sites who want my business

  • SAMSPICER1

    ALL GOOD BUT AS SOON AS I CLICKED ON ALTERNATIVE … CRAIGSLIST ,SEARCHED FOR AN ITEM , THERE WAS NOTHING. EBAY SUITS SOME BUT NOT FOR OTHERS. THANKS FOR INFORMATION.

  • Firemup72

    Paypal/ebay also rip you off when, as a buyer, you purchase something from a seller in another country. As a buyer you look at the daily currency exchange rate and factor that in when you buy. Paypal then advises you of their exchange rate after the sale which is always a few points lower than the official rate. Yep, they make money again and you as a buyer are worse off.

  • Jimsfarms

    I sell hatching and do not know where to go to get away from ebay for my sales

  • Bye Bye CRAPBAY

    I have a feedback rating of over 1,100 mainly buying, for around 8 years.
    I gave a seller a neg for a item of clothing that STANK.
    Ebay have suspended my account, I have to send them a fax, agreeing to terms that are unreasonable, according to UK LAW !
    I WILL NOT BOTHER.
    I am fed up buying misdescribed Crap, mainly from Chinese sellers, that claim to be in the UK.

    I HAVE HAD ENOUGH !

    The best bit is, Ebay do not care.
    To Ebay the very words “customer service” are an OXYMORON.

    RIP EBAY
    It was good in the early days, but not any more.
    It is often cheaper on the High Street.

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