Does EBAY charge a fee even if you dont get to sell your stuff?

Posted by: Juliussss on 28 October 2006

Some time ago I tried to sell some equipment on e-bay, I did not have time to read the legal conditions but I thought this could be a good way to sell my stuff. 3 weeks went by and despite some potential buyers, none of the equipment was sold. I Thougth "never mind", I will find other means.

To my surprise, a month ago I started to get e-mails by EBAY every two days stating that I owned them 52 Euros. This has been for a month. Yesterday I got a letter from their lawyers threatening me to pay or they would take me to court.

Is this right? Do I have to pay a fee even if nothing was sold? If this is so, I will never use EBAY again in my life. It really annoyed me.

Help will be very appreciated.

Posted on: 28 October 2006 by Malky

Yes, you pay a 'listing fee' regardless of whether the item sells or not.

Posted on: 28 October 2006 by Don Atkinson

More or less the same arrangement as for an ad placed in a hifi magazine or Auto-Trader etc.

You are paying for the advert.

Doesn't seem at all unreasonable to me.

Cheers

Don

Posted on: 28 October 2006 by BigH47

Try reading the form you fill in to sell something. Before you list the item it tells you how much it will cost. Does your local newsagent do free for cards in their window? I think not.

Posted on: 29 October 2006 by Juliussss

Ok, Thanks all for your repply.

I still think it is unreasonable, but that's just me.

Posted on: 29 October 2006 by garyi

Juliessss you used the services of a company.

Why do you thinks its unreasonable they charged you for that?

Posted on: 29 October 2006 by JonR

quote:
Originally posted by Juliussss:
I did not have time to read the legal conditions but I thought this could be a good way to sell my stuff.

Oh well.... * sigh *

Posted on: 29 October 2006 by andy c

I dont think it unfair to place and ad and pay for it...

Posted on: 29 October 2006 by Steve S1

quote:
I still think it is unreasonable, but that's just me.

Care to say why you think anyone should advertise your stuff for nothing to a huge potential market?