General discussion thread - keep the other threads clean

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Wasn't there a post a few pages back that said adding a surcharge to use Paypal is a violation of their TOS?

Yes, and while Paypal cannot prevent the cost being made invisible in the seller's asking price, I think it shows that Paypal at least understands the negative psychology of a "+3% for Paypal". Who wants their particular service associated with an added expense?

Wasn't there a post a few pages back that said adding a surcharge to use Paypal is a violation of their TOS?

 

Yes, and while Paypal cannot prevent the cost being made invisible in the seller's asking price, I think it shows that Paypal at least understands the negative psychology of a "+3% for Paypal". Who wants their particular service associated with an added expense?

It's the same TOS for regular credit cards in brick and mortar stores - by agreeing to the convenience of accepting credit card payments, Visa/MasterCard etc. require that you not pass that fee along to the consumers as an additional surcharge. (you can jack up your sticker prices of your goods to cover it the anticipated costs however, no one is stopping you)

Small time sellers should be grateful that such a service is even available to them at all; it levels the playing field online.

Those who don't want to lose the 3% should build it in and offer a 3% discount for payments by check or money order, or else just pocket the 3% if someone pays that way.

Wasn't there a post a few pages back that said adding a surcharge to use Paypal is a violation of their TOS?

 

Yes, and while Paypal cannot prevent the cost being made invisible in the seller's asking price, I think it shows that Paypal at least understands the negative psychology of a "+3% for Paypal". Who wants their particular service associated with an added expense?

 

It's the same TOS for regular credit cards in brick and mortar stores - by agreeing to the convenience of accepting credit card payments, Visa/MasterCard etc. require that you not pass that fee along to the consumers as an additional surcharge. (you can jack up your sticker prices of your goods to cover it the anticipated costs however, no one is stopping you)

 

Small time sellers should be grateful that such a service is even available to them at all; it levels the playing field online.

 

Those who don't want to lose the 3% should build it in and offer a 3% discount for payments by check or money order, or else just pocket the 3% if someone pays that way.

 

Depending on the store, they may ask that you spend a certain amount on credit/debit cards or else they will charge you a certain amount. These are typically mom and pop convenience stores. The one near me has a sign saying if you do not spend at least $6, they will change an additional .20.

People let their emotions get the better of them. I don't care if the price is broken down between all the bills the seller is going to use the money for. Who cares? What's the final price? Does it work for me? Yes or no. End of story.

 

Spot on.

 

But you would be 'good to go' either way as a buyer, so it makes no difference to you whether or not they tack on the premium or not. So there is no benefit/detriment when dealing with a buyer like you.

 

But it has been shown that there is a potential detriment when dealing with other potential buyers by adding the 3%, so from a seller perspective, why risk alienating those potential buyers?

 

Category A buyers - indifferent to selling method

Category B buyers - dislike 'paypal premium' method

 

Wouldn't it be preferable from a selling perspective to have both Category A and Category B buyers as a potential market? Unless one thinks the Category B buyers are so few that the difference is negligible.

 

Seems simple, and yet....

I don't disagree that some buyers are put off by it and therefore it is probably not a great idea as opposed to just baking it in to the price. I just think those buyers are completely illogical and silly.

I equate it to going to the gas station and seeing $2.05 per gallon. Then, when you're ready to fill, you see the fine print that says $2.05 is the cash price. CC price is $2.10.

People let their emotions get the better of them. I don't care if the price is broken down between all the bills the seller is going to use the money for. Who cares? What's the final price? Does it work for me? Yes or no. End of story.

 

Spot on.

 

But you would be 'good to go' either way as a buyer, so it makes no difference to you whether or not they tack on the premium or not. So there is no benefit/detriment when dealing with a buyer like you.

 

But it has been shown that there is a potential detriment when dealing with other potential buyers by adding the 3%, so from a seller perspective, why risk alienating those potential buyers?

 

Category A buyers - indifferent to selling method

Category B buyers - dislike 'paypal premium' method

 

Wouldn't it be preferable from a selling perspective to have both Category A and Category B buyers as a potential market? Unless one thinks the Category B buyers are so few that the difference is negligible.

 

Seems simple, and yet....

 

I don't disagree that some buyers are put off by it and therefore it is probably not a great idea as opposed to just baking it in to the price. I just think those buyers are completely illogical and silly.

I don't disagree. It doesn't strike me as entirely rational either, and I'm one of the people in the category of 'pass' over 'premium'. But it's just as irrational to knowingly exclude some of your potential customer base over something that requires little to no additional effort or cost.

Marketing and advertising and pricing are all about exploiting the little nuances and idiosyncrasies of buyer psychology and behavior. It makes a difference, and while its easy to see why some sellers might not think about it until its pointed out, its harder to understand why they'd ignore it once its pointed out, assuming costs and effort are the same.

48 new posts but the majority focusing on the 3% increase in some sales threads

:doh:

48 new posts but the majority focusing on the 3% increase in some sales threads

 

:doh:

it was either that, or variant print runs.

We could talk about media mail instead.

48 new posts but the majority focusing on the 3% increase in some sales threads

 

:doh:

Feel like you're missing out on something??

Wasn't there a post a few pages back that said adding a surcharge to use Paypal is a violation of their TOS?

 

Yes, and while Paypal cannot prevent the cost being made invisible in the seller's asking price, I think it shows that Paypal at least understands the negative psychology of a "+3% for Paypal". Who wants their particular service associated with an added expense?

 

It's the same TOS for regular credit cards in brick and mortar stores - by agreeing to the convenience of accepting credit card payments, Visa/MasterCard etc. require that you not pass that fee along to the consumers as an additional surcharge. (you can jack up your sticker prices of your goods to cover it the anticipated costs however, no one is stopping you)

 

Small time sellers should be grateful that such a service is even available to them at all; it levels the playing field online.

 

Those who don't want to lose the 3% should build it in and offer a 3% discount for payments by check or money order, or else just pocket the 3% if someone pays that way.

 

 

 

 

 

That was changed last year. Starting in January, retailers can pass on a credit card fee of up to 4% to Visa and MasterCard users. Now there is no reason that they should, as they've already baked the cost of doing business into their fees, but if Amazon etc. keep eating into their profit margin, then maybe you will start to see more of these charges (or moves like Walmart to incentivize their customers to use a house account rather than a "foreign" card.) http://www.reuters.com/article/us-visa-mastercard-settlement-idUSKCN0RS2DH20150928

Revat nails it I think. Billions of dollars are spent on psychologists and studies to figure out the best way to sell things. It doesnt matter if the price is 1030 or 1000 + a 30 dollar fee as far as the dollar amount. What matters is that if it turns off a large amount of buyers than it is not a good sales tactic.

Here's the bottom line no matter what on selling here

If the price is good people don't care whether you charge the 3% or not

half of the sales here only happen if you've discounted the 10 percent from GPA to begin with

I can't tell you how many times I've been told that

I don't mind, just the facts are when it comes to selling here people will try and discount as much as possible from the opening price

Hence why all my prices are always negotiable

Then again my sales threads are intended to have sales. Half of the sale threads I see have prices that will never sell with or without that 3 percent caveat

Don't do pre sales

Don't add 3 percent line, add it into your asking price

Provide pics

Provide grades and undergrade if possible

Do have a realistic price and under price if possible

Where is CAK when you need him.

Where is CAK when you need him.

Dagobah?

There was a seller whose fees were included

His shipping and 3 percent not excluded

He was asked why

And made this reply

Because the math would be too convoluted

My first and most likely only attempt at a limerick.

There was a seller whose fees were included

His shipping and 3 percent not excluded

He was asked why

And made this reply

Because the math would be too convoluted

 

My first and most likely only attempt at a limerick.