Change is in the air again on eBay with the release of the eBay Winter Seller Update 2022.
As is usually the case, the eBay Winter Seller Update is a mixed bag. You owe it to yourself to read the entire update at ebay.com/SellerUpdate. Meanwhile, here’s a rundown of the high points and caveats.
On the positive side, sellers get access to some useful functionalities from Selling Manager Pro.
eBay is (finally!) taking steps to reduce Unpaid Items. And there’s a new messaging experience in the eBay Mobile app. In addition, there are updates to how feedback is collected and displayed.
That’s all good news. What’s not such good news (but isn’t unexpected) is that fees are going up in several areas: Final Value Fees (FVFs), listing upgrade fees, and Promoted Listings (PL) fees.
First, let’s look at the Final Value Fees announced in the eBay Winter Seller Update.
For eBay store subscribers, final value fees will increase 0.3% in most categories. For eBay sellers without stores, they’ll go up 0.35%. The uptick goes into effect this Tuesday, March 1. You can view the Standard Selling Fees table at https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/seller-updates/2022-winter/fees-update.html.
Higher Final Value Fees means less money into your pocket from the sale of each item. Keep a sharp eye on your profit margins, and price your items with the higher fees in mind.
Also as of Tuesday, March 1, the optional Subtitle listing upgrade fee will go up by $0.50: to $1.50 for Auction format listings, $2 for Fixed Price. Think twice before you opt for this expensive upgrade. Most listings really don’t benefit from subtitles.
The third fee increase won’t take place until June 1, 2022.
That’s when the calculation methodology will change for Promoted Listings Standard ad fees. Specifically, the ad fee will be calculated based on the total amount of each attributed sale. The fes will include taxes and shipping, instead of just the item’s final price.
That could result in a significant increase in your Promoted Listings payouts. You’ll need to keep a firm handle on your ad budget and rates. I speak to this in my YouTube, ” Help with Higher Seller Fees Coming from eBay’s Winter Update!”
So, plan to pay close attention to your Promoted Listings dashboard. And while you’re looking at your PL dashboard, grab my free PDF guide, Winning with Promoted Listings. With the way Promoted Listings Standard fees are calculated, now more than ever its crucial to maximize your Promoted Listing sales results.
Getting back to the good news in the eBay Winter Seller Update, sellers can now automate feedback to buyers.
Seller can choose both what to say and when to say it. Furthermore, auction listings can be automatically relisted via Seller Hub. Last but far from least, Sales Reports will have new features and more detailed info.
These are all capabilities formerly available only to sellers who subscribe to Selling Manager Pro (SMP). SMP’s inventory management features will still be available exclusively to subscribers.
Even better news is that eBay is expanding its pilot program (launched in October 2021) requiring immediate payment from buyers whose Best Offers are accepted.
By midyear, this procedure will also be standard for counteroffers and offers to buyers.
You can opt out of Buyer Payment Requirements — meaning that buyers won’t have to provide a payment method before making you an offer — in your Buyer Management settings at https://www.ebay.com/bmgt/buyerrequirements.
In closing the Winter eBay Seller Update 2022 is mostly good news for sellers. Premium tools like automated feedback are now available to all sellers. On the down side is the increase in seller’s Final Value Fees. And there is a large change in the way the Promoted Listing Fee is calculated for PL Standard. The pain of the fee increases can be reduced with sellers reviewing their profit margins. Margins can be adjusted, and sell through rates increased to keep a sellers eBay business healthy.
eBay selling fees increasing in 2022!
