Purchasing on ebay still equals getting a big bargain in most people's minds, and that is how buyers behave. They seem to completely forget that sellers have to actually purchase the goods they sell unless the sellers either stole the goods or were fortunate enough to be given loads of stuff for free to sell...who am I kidding?!
So, if you buy, like in my case, a tri short for $10, brandnew, with tags and all, how much do you think the seller makes after having bought the item, paid insertion fees , final value fees , paypal fees , possible ebay store fees, storage fees, supplies and gas - and income tax? Not to mention the time put in to photograph and list the item? Mind you that same item, if bought in a retail store, will cost you between $50 and $65 which means the store bought it from the manufacturer for $25 to $32.50 - yes, exactly half, and it costs the manufacturer at least $12 to $15 to produce that short. That means our ebay seller has to pay at least that, or, if lucky, a few bucks less if they buy overstock or closeouts. And that means, he makes nothing, nada, zilch, zero or maybe a buck!
You might say, well, that is his own fault if he can't do the math but really, the buyers are not willing to even pay production costs of an item in a lot of cases. They want a new item with tags, an impeccable description, several photos, 24-hour customer service, the possibility to pay with a credit card (which costs the seller additional fees), free shipping, full tracking of shipment and delivery within 2 days. All for $10 or less!
That makes me not only sad but roll around on the floor giggling with insanity wanting to throw in the towel.
Please think about that next time you buy something on ebay, and do your research about costs before you complain, accuse and hand out negative feedback.