Seller Confused about Benefits of an eBay Starter Store

by: Marie

When you get a store of any level, the 250 you use to get when you did not have a store goes away, so you do not get those anymore.

by: Marie

You may consider reviewing this.

https://export.ebay.com/en/marketing/ebay-store/why-get-e
bay-store/

by: GetAGrip

Thats funny.

by: BobNJ

Just open additional accounts and get 250 free listings for each account.

by: toolguy

We have a basic store and signed up for the yearly plan at $22 a month, eBay gives you $25 every Quarter for shipping supplies.

You also get a discounted FVF fee with a basic store.

by: Snapped

It’s a fine question.  One should indeed weigh the ‘benefits’. In the clipped for hip language of bizglish, that’s ROI.  

It’s a fine question that encompasses many others, too.

You can start with eBay’s breathlessly enthusiastic help and ‘analysis’ pages of course.  They never seem to speak of the pesky details though, because they’re not written to expose those that apply to you, individually.  It’s a matter of too much diversity, and they trashed that part of their foundation years ago anyway.  

Sellers newly considering ‘stores’ on eBay would be entering a term contract with eBay.  Or rather, amending the one they already ‘agree’ to be strong armed by, through trying to sell something there.  Better read all the fine print. In becoming a richer fertilizer for their golden goose, eBay will assess a penalty upon you and your heirs for early withdrawal.  

Also be aware you are agreeing to pay eBay money for the sales not yet completed, which will be needed to fund any ‘benefits’ forthcoming from that ‘rent check’.  And that monthly nut will come due whether (they let) you sell or not.    
They still won’t consider you a ‘customer’ though, so banish any thoughts of THOSE ‘typical’ benefits being included in this ‘deal’.

Back when eBay first concocted this pure profit center, there were many discussions there, and here, and other boards, pertaining to what results might be needed in volume vs sale price to absorb this cost.  One way to think of that is how much profit could be ‘reasonably’ projected based on a minimum number of sales (or amount in sales), and while considering any ‘benefit’ for the FVF reduction, in order to ‘break even’ on this store cost without dipping into profits to pay for it.

If you didn’t, or couldn’t (by whatever obstruction) do that minimum, would the store make sense, fiscally?  How much does having any kind of ‘store’ increases the chances of sale - starting with visibility - anyway?  All,other item factors being ‘equal’, with eBay’s profit reach being more equal, why would eBay let listings show ‘your’ discounted FVF item above the one offered by the full price paying seller?

(Actually, nobody’s explained that one very well yet.)

Sure, you could still get a deal on colorful (but cheap quality) tape, some boxes and mailers (if you could use / needed the sizes - and they were  ‘in stock’), but there are reports of disappointing expectations that may or may not apply for you, individually.  There’s a lot of ‘benefit’ reaching into a finite pile out there.  Is this a ‘benefit’ in your case?

Free listings?  That’s like the same ‘free’ in free shipping, right?  And do you use that many listings anyway?  What are you giving away to get?

It all goes into the stew pot.  But it must be seasoned to individual taste.  And don’t be swayed by the couple of chunks of meat that float to the top, thinking the rest of the pot must be equally full.  

by: Marie

The fee to have a store has never been a "pure profit center" for Ebay.  There are benefits of having the various different levels of the stores available.  Each level has some different benefits.  It is up to each seller to decide which store level is the best fit for them, if any.

For me my store pays for itself.  Basic stores and above get a slightly lower FVF. That benefit alone is pretty darn handy.  Then there are other good benefits as well.  But I reviewed this a long time ago and found I benefited by having a store, so I continue to do so.

by: Chicago48

It would be better if Ebay offered  sellers a "trial" (for about 30-60 days) store.  Just a try-out.
I had a basic store years ago and did not continue it after penalty fees piled up.  I was paying more for the store when they added the fees and it wasn't worth it.

by: Chicago48

The OP should go to Ebay's community and ask for advice for the store.  Have the community of sellers weigh in if it's worth it to have.  I found it wasn't.

by: ADINA72

I started out with a Starter Store. The main benefit is the ability to run promotions and send coupons, which increased sales for me. I also like the idea of creating store categories and having a nice-looking landing page that I can link people to. I always had more free listings than what was described because, at that time, they were always giving you additional free listings for certain categories. After about six months, my listings were increasing so I upgraded to the Basic Store for $21.95. Keep in mind that all store subscriptions require a yearly commitment, so if you are not a serious seller, it doesn't make since to upgrade to a store.  I've never regretted it.

by: HappyPicker

To answer the OP, when you open a Starter Store, you have 250 free listing period.  This is not on top of the free listings you have as an individual seller.  In the article "Zero insertion fee listings" located here, https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/listings/listing-tips/free-listings?
id=4163#auction, they make a special point of saying,
"Top Takeaway
If you have a Basic or higher level eBay Store, you'll receive more zero insertion fee listings per month than sellers who don't have an eBay Store subscription."

I currently have a Basic Store and have wondered if I really needed the expense.  The primary reason I opened a Basic Store is no longer a reason for me and I wanted to compare the options.  What I learned may be helpful to others also.  For the sake of comparison, I only looked at the Listing Fees and the Monthly Cost for a store.

An individual gets 250 free listings per month with no monthly fee.  After the 250, they pay $0.35 per listing and they have no recurring monthly fee.

A starter Store gets 250 free listings per month with a $7.95 recurring monthly fee.  After the 250 listings, they pay $0.30 per listing.

A Basic Store gets 250 free auction listings, 1,000 free Fixed Price Listings, plus an additional 10,000 free listings in select categories.  If they exceed their free listings, they pay $0.25 per listing.  They have a $27.95 recurring monthly fee.

Based on just this information, the point where your insertion fees vs. the monthly cost of the store are close to equal is going to be a little over 380 items for an individual vs. a Starter Store.  The point for individual vs. a Basic Store is around 330 listing.

One should also remember that the FVF for an individual and a Starter Store appear to be identical, but are lower in a Basic Store.  Your fees can also be lowered for any store by paying yearly vs. monthly, but you do have a longer term contract with eBay.

In summary, there seems to be very little advantage to having a Starter Store vs selling as an individual.   However, you do get a store front where you can showcase your items and have your own categories. For myself, I'm glad I ran the numbers and I'm staying with my Basic Store.

I just read the last poster who stated all stores require a yearly commitment to which I disagree.  I pay on a monthly basis and all pages I could find on eBay list both monthly and yearly rates for stores.  

by: BargainzBabylon

A starter store is good if you have repeat buyers and/or buyers who tend to shop your store, but are too small for the Basic level. I have both criteria so will pay the $4.95/month for a starter store to have that footprint, plus the ability to run sales.  

by: Chicago48

I just read the last poster who stated all stores require a yearly commitment to which I disagree.
^^
If you close your store before the year is up (which you sign up for), it will cost you.  Another penalty they impose.

by: Marie

@Chicago48

Sellers can do a "trial period" of sorts anytime they want with any level of store they desire.  They just sign up for a month to month store and NOT a one year Subscription.  You are free to cancel that store anytime you desire.

I don't ever remember a time that penalty fees were applied to having a store.  Would you mind explaining more please.

by: toolguy

@Marie, I do believe if you sign up for the yearly plan and quit early you have to pay a penalty fee.

by: Marie

@toolguy

That is correct.