When it comes to eBay, change is the only constant. This year, so far,we’ve seen changes to fees, feedback, listing policies and now Shops,selling formats and fees (again) in what represents a huge shift in how the marketplace works. Of course, there’s been plenty of good news, but from the conversations we’ve been having at vzaar HQ with sellers big and small. We know a lot of eBay sellers have struggled to keep up with the avalanche of announcements. eBay sellers are busy people.
So whether you’re taking a well-earned break or already neck deep preparing for Christmas, here’s the vzaar 5 minute guide to yesterday’s announcements.
- From 24th September, Gallery is free. It’s been a penny for most of the summer but before that it was 15p. Make sure you’re getting your freebie.
- SIF is dead. If your listing strategy depends on driving traffic to your cheaper Shop (SIF) listings using auctions and Buy it Nows as signposts, then you’ll need to rethink. BINs, regardless of value and multiples, will cost a flat 40p. What do you need to do to take advantage of this?
- Monthly Shops subscriptions are going up: basic Shop £6 to £14.95, featured Shop from £30 to £49.95 and anchor Shop from £300 to £349.95. But a new Shop perk will be reductions to the flat 40p: 20p for a basic Shop, 5p for a featured shop and 1p for an anchor Shop.
- BINs will not be visible internationally from 24th September. Do you depend on BIN buyers from abroad for some of your sales? Consider switching to internationally visible auctions as a way of attracting foreign buyers.
For a full digest of the changes, check out Tamebay.

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This aeroplane made from fizzy drinks cans shows that recycling is really taking off.

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I’m not sure why a car might need a siren that makes a horse noise. But just in case, we’ve got one.

On Thursday 7th August 2008, all eBay.co.uk Insertion Fees are half price for any listing using the Auction-style, Auction-with-Buy It Now or Buy It Now Only (Fixed Price) formats in eligible categories. As always, there are a whole host of Ts & Cs which you can check out here.
Lots of sellers worry that their items get lost in the cheap listings maelstrom. More sellers list more items. Conversion rates suffer and for some it can be a bane rather than a boon. Here are some tips for getting the most out of this Thursday’s CLD:
- Try using 5, 3, and 1 day listings. Most people want to make the most out of the promotion and put their items up for 10 days, or 7. Items get the most visibility in their closing hours, so shorter durations can mean you have less competition.
- Have a clear out. Have you got stock that isn’t moving? Put it on eBay at rock bottom prices using the lower fees and try and shift it. Storing and maintaining stock costs money and some times it can make real sense to just get rid. You’ll need all that valuable space in anticipation of the christmas rush.
- Experiment. The insertion fee reduction is a good chance to experiement with less risk. Have you considered testing out some sales with Free P&P?
- Pray for rain. August is a quiet month on eBay for many sellers and if the sun’s out, it can be even quieter. So when it comes to eBay sales, the rain is a good thing.