Ahhh... eBay, eBay, eBay. From it's beginnings as a car boot sale/thrift store/resale store, etc., idea, it's - quite frankly - become a bit too big for its boots now...
Consequently, we now have to have
a new eBay shop opening!
Our Explanation:
In This Blog: We're offering the explanation into our eBay shop business and why we're migrating our main CD Album charity fundraising sales to a different, brand-new, eBay store.
Our usual eBay Store is where we sell physical CD Albums that raise money for Children's Charities. However, it's looking like eBay has made it unviable to keep our main sales there anymore.
This started when eBay "offered" an upgrade to a "business" account. Subsequently, it went downhill from there.
The "@eirianlys" eBay Shop has been around since 2009. There's currently 1,397 Reviews, 2.1K Sales, 100% Positive [feedback] attached to it.
It's been raising money for our long-term chosen Children's Charity, HOPE HOUSE/TŶ GOBAITH HOSPICES, for a Long Time. We've raised a respectable amount for it, too, over the years, and we have been immensely proud to have been able to generate any funds for this incredible charity.
But Now, it's Looking Like We Might Be Looking At Being Forced Into Saying Goodbye To It Entirely. This would be because eBay's Business Model is constantly changing, and because those changes are always for the worst (for Sellers) and only the "best" for them. Just Them.
The Reason:
When the original Eirianlys account was given the option (they present it as an "Opportunity", rather than a serious decision to be made that was permanent) to be transferred into a "Business" account, it seemed like a good idea, so why not?
Well. Turns out there are quite a few reasons Why Not...
What the don't tell you [upfront & clearly] is... You can't go back. A business account "cannot" be changed back; they have built this model with the idea they outrightly refuse to give you the ability to return to your original state completely. Not only do they do this, they then go ahead and charge you a Lot for Everything. So, the multitude of Albums on there, with the little-niggly, small-print type of underhanded charges they've decided to add and put onto Business Sellers, has all put a big dent into costs we don't have, which is, basically devastating.
Speculatively, it seems like they're attempting to compete more with obvious contenders like Etsy, Vinted, Amazon & Amazon "Used", and even Amazon Handmade, and so on. But, instead of wanting people to use eBay and get more customers in with positive niche offers or policies, they are seemingly milking the customers they already have (then presumably complain they don't have enough) with silly ideas and lots of hidden costs. Subsequently, it becomes very expensive to trade on eBay with a Business Account, unless you have a lot of money coming in that makes it somehow "worth it".
The fact they don't let you go back to a normal seller is so very telling. Zero downgrading, to be honest, just shows how disingenuous and unscrupulous a business eBay seemingly is. They've locked the shop into a choice of pay them a lot of money, or close the store. It's Between A Rock And A Hard Place - a situation and decision that will have Significant Consequences, either way. Feels like a personal and professional Kobayashi Maru.
Subsequently, that the @eirianlys shop - with nearly 1400 Review; 100% Positive - is now threatened with closure. The fact it really might have to close is gut-wrenching, as you may well imagine. Losing this part of the business would be/is going to be a real kick in the teeth. Other platforms are good and all, but they not great at giving the same charity fundraising options as eBay is.
There are plenty of places and ways to sell physical CD Albums, but without the charity fundraising part, it all seems rather hollow - especially after all this time, and all the money raised. We're very proud of what we have achieved in being able to offer extra funding to the Hospice Charity, and plan on raising more... but with this situation going on, that's going to be very difficult, and they've left us in a dark predicament.
Our current solution has been to create an alternative shop, and that at least allows us to redirect customers to a place they can still access and purchase our Collection.
We Welcome You To Join Us There!
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