eBay Plus

drew442 on 12/07/2018 - 12:55

I think we need to talk about how eBay Plus is going to work on here.

It may just be that it's new and they're promoting it hard but I think we'll all agree that we don't want to be party to eBay pushing everyone down the Plus path just to get a deal.

Just brain storming, but here's a few things we need to ensure

  1. There is a reasonable deal available for regular eBay members for the same item
  2. The deal has to an actual discount to the regular member compared to the rest of the market
  3. The deal title must favor the regular member pricing

Talking/Counter points to the three above

  1. The voting system will sort this out - but will it? overall price will drive votes the most, if a majority of users on here have Plus then it'll always get up
  2. This is an extension to point 1. It could be that they put up a deal for non-Plus members but it's not an actual discount on the regular or market price unless you have Plus. This needs to be taken into account somehow.
  3. The extreme on this is to only put the regular member price in the title with a [eBay Plus discount available] tag. The idea here to is to remove favor on deals that are really only favoring Plus.

I see eBay Plus as something fundamentally different to Amazon Prime. Amazon return the value of the monthly charge without needing to purchase something additional. This is done through Video/Music streaming and Twitch. Ebay plus is something we need to protect ourselves from, these types of memberships play on people signing up and not purchasing.

Discuss

Site Discussion eBay Australia Membership

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Comments

  • Diji1 on 12/07/2018 - 13:10
    +9

    I think we'll all agree

    I think only very infrequent eBay shoppers will agree because even at 50 bucks a year it will save me money.

    • nubix on 12/07/2018 - 22:24
      +2

      I was skeptical about it in the beginning, but here I am getting so much value from eBay Plus that I don't understand how it can continue to make money for eBay (at least the vendor milking the shipping fee part), maybe customer loyalty? Maybe just good for the trial to bait into continuing?

      Spend $1000 on PROXY and you've made the $50 back in this sale alone with the extra 5%. Spend $50 to save $100? Why not? Saved $200? Amazing

      The voting system will sort this out - but will it? overall price will drive votes the most, if a majority of users on here have Plus then it'll always get up

      This is what I don't understand. If the majority of users here are in favour, then what is the problem? This is not a discriminatory membership, there's literally no requirements. You can join any time, even after you've seen a favourable exclusive discount.

      I did the same thing with Club Catch. Want to buy something, join Club Catch for a month (made the month membership back in 1 purchase) then cancel. I did end up keeping it for a few months, but with Plus and Prime, I see no need to continue the Catch membership.

      This is an extension to point 1. It could be that they put up a deal for non-Plus members but it's not an actual discount on the regular or market price unless you have Plus. This needs to be taken into account somehow.

      Don't understand what you're trying to say here

      The extreme on this is to only put the regular member price in the title with a [eBay Plus discount available] tag. The idea here to is to remove favor on deals that are really only favoring Plus.

      I'm still struggling to see what you're trying to achieve. You said it yourself, people like these deals, why do we want to remove them?

      Ebay plus is something we need to protect ourselves from, these types of memberships play on people signing up and not purchasing.

      Costco, Entertainment Book, Amazon Prime all have a significant user bases. Why is this so different? To your point, I do enjoy the Twitch Prime, but I think that's still low value compared to the free shipping from US should that inventory expand - Has been great for cast iron pans though. Either way I think this is a moot point. Why join a shopping membership to not shop…

      NB: I do agree on the tags though

  • JH100 on 12/07/2018 - 14:03
    +4

    Might be a good idea to start off with what is ebay plus? And how is it different to ebay? https://www.ebay.com.au/plusau/info

    Don't think I'll be buying into it, not spending that much on ebay these days to justify it. And don't want to encourage a two tier membership which will work to the detriment of ordinary 'members', and eventually eliminate them for a paid 'service'. I think we're already paying ebay enough, 10% isn't it?

    And somewhere down the road, if not already, the cost of this 'premium' service - 'free' delivery and returns and CS and xtra bargains - will be included in the price.

    It's just another con.

    • PowerPants on 16/07/2018 - 18:03

      You comment mirrors my own thoughts on eBay Plus. I am avoiding eBay Plus sellers now, and have actually reduced my overall purchases from eBay due to this program.

    • HighAndDry on 16/07/2018 - 18:08

      I don't think you can count the 10% eBay fee just like that. Yes - it's charged to sellers so it's passed onto buyers, but in return sellers also get to save on basically all essential infrastructure both physical (rent, staff wages, (large) unused stock) and also online infrastructure (site hosting, design and maintenance, IT support, etc).

      So I'm pretty sure the net effect on buyers is still savings and not a mark-up. I sure as hell don't buy on eBay primarily because of the convenience, I do it because it's generally cheaper.

  • The 10th Doctor on 12/07/2018 - 14:37
    +9

    I'm sick of seeing the eBay Plus deals. I think they should be tagged so you can filter them out somehow, or outright banned.

    • rogerm22 on 13/07/2018 - 10:13
      +1

      I agree with having eBay Plus deals tagged. But, as an eBay Plus user, I would hate to see them banned.

      I signed up for a trial of eBay Plus, almost a month ago. So far, I have saved the cost of membership in shipping costs and for now, I'll keep my membership active (and will be charged the membership fee in a day or two), as it is worth it for me. It is pretty rare for me to buy from anywhere other than eBay.

  • blitz on 12/07/2018 - 15:10
    +1

    I agree. eBay Plus just isn't useful for the kinds of things I purchase on eBay.

  • HighAndDry on 12/07/2018 - 15:45
    +6

    This is no different than say, Costco deals, or any other (Membership required) deal. I don't see the drama.

    • drew442 on 12/07/2018 - 16:17
      +4

      There's no zero fee membership at Costco. It's paid membership only. Therefore it's not devaluing a level of membership.

      The issue is eBay Plus devaluing free membership to the point that it's not usable without Plus. Then on comes Plus2. It's a slippery slope.

      Not to mention they are already charging the vendor to list the item.

      • HighAndDry on 12/07/2018 - 16:21
        +5

        The issue is eBay Plus devaluing free membership

        Read this back to yourself.

      • doweyy on 12/07/2018 - 16:21
        +3

        Costco is not usable without a membership as well, more so than eBay. You literally can't even see their pricing unless you're a member. And Costco don't offer free trials, you only get the very rare free day.

        • wisdomtooth on 27/07/2018 - 19:26
          -1

          Costco is not usable without a membership

          Neither is eBay Plus 😉

      • ronnknee on 12/07/2018 - 21:35

        So you're saying, if they remove the free membership model then eBay Plus is no longer a issue?

        I'm not convinced.

    • The 10th Doctor on 12/07/2018 - 16:24
      +2

      Costco deals are nowhere near as prevalent, however. A quick glance of the live page shows 28 different 'deals' that need eBay Plus to work out to the price in the deal.

      • HighAndDry on 12/07/2018 - 16:28
        +1

        Maybe a filter for "additional credentials required" kind of deals then? Any deal that requires a membership is useless to people who don't have it, whether it be EBay Plus, Costco, Amazon Prime (?), etc. But it's useful to other people.

        • The 10th Doctor on 12/07/2018 - 16:30

          I'd agree with that, it would be useful - as long as it's a tickbox and you can turn on/off items (for example if you have eBay Plus but not Costco, etc etc)

  • Nukkels on 13/07/2018 - 11:30
    +1

    I came in here to say pretty much the same thing that you did - It's not just eBay Plus though, deals also get posted with 'Catch membership required', Costco membership, and now for Amazon Prime as well.

    As far as I'm concerned, having a plus/prime/other membership is an extra cost that should be factored into the bargain, just like GST, shipping, conversion fees, etc. In many cases, paying for membership just to get the one deal is actually worth it.

    For those who already have the membership, the deal might not seem as appealing, so I like the idea of adding [cheaper with eBay Plus] in the title.

  • lysp on 14/07/2018 - 19:37
    +1

    I was going to write a post and then found this one.

    I think it really needs to be a tick-box that gets added to each deal to flag them as:

    Free delivery with: "ebay Plus", "Shipster" or "Amazon Prime".

    Then delivery should always be included as a separate amount in the post (for those with membership offers):

    eg.

    New Computer $540 (plus $10 delivery). [ICO]

    Where ICO is an icon or badge showing ebay+/prime/shipster (similar to the cashback icons).

    https://i.imgur.com/BmpnFBU.png

    • Nukkels on 15/07/2018 - 09:21
      +2

      It's not just about the free delivery, most of these deals are not available at the price listed in the post unless you have the subscription.

      • lysp on 15/07/2018 - 13:12
        +2

        In that case, those need to be treated similar to the "Targeted" prefix tag on the post.

        • PowerPants on 16/07/2018 - 18:36

          I get constant emails from eBay now about great deals, but then when I check I discover it is for Plus members only, so it doesn’t fell like I am targeted but more like spammed.

  • futureminime on 15/07/2018 - 11:34
    -1

    I think the idea of any post on here is to expose people to 'deals' - a offer which might allow them to get better value then they would otherwise. For me this goes both ways. I don't want membership users to miss out on deals and I don't want non-membership users to miss out. That being said I think The solution are titles and tags that are descriptive and consistent, and I really think that's what discussion would help develop - the best formatting of new tags for memberships.

    I think we'll all agree that we don't want to be party to eBay pushing everyone down the Plus path just to get a deal.
    I think what we actually don't want is people missing out on the deals that would be most valuable to them because they are diluted by membership deals.

    Discussion

    1. There is a reasonable deal available for regular eBay members for the same item

    I strongly disagree. I don't have any memberships, hardly ever shop from EBay but I think that is against the spirit of OzBargain. To me its like saying only post deals on fruit if there is a deal on apples and not just oranges. There will be some people who get a lot of value out of these memberships and would otherwise miss the chance to save if they couldn't be posted.

    2. The deal has to an actual discount to the regular member compared to the rest of the market

    This is an extension to point 1. It could be that they put up a deal for non-Plus members but it's not an actual discount on the regular or market price unless you have Plus. This needs to be taken into account somehow.
    This was more of an extension of 2. Another perspective is that there is a deal that has click and collect but the store has very high rates for shipping interstate. For many OZBargainers the deal wouldn't be valuable.

    3. The deal title must favor the regular member pricing

    I agree with the result but not with the reasoning. My thoughts are that The deal title must show the base price. Really what I want is to be able to compare the true cost to me of an item to the normal market price, and to other previous deals.

    Suggestion

    Tagging
    In posts a key feature should always be the cost of membership. I would like to see this titles if possible

    [NSW ONLINE ONLY] 25% off everything for OzBargain members ($1/month for the first year)/ 20% for other users

    For arguments sake say Jack and Jill are both in the market for some new buckets. Jack is a clumsy fellow and will often fall and break his bucket, so plans to buy 10 while they are on sale. Jill only wants one bucket.

    So Jack and Jill both log into their OzBargain accounts and search for buckets. They see an OzBargain plus deal 50% off for PLUS members/25% for regular users if you use the code IHASABUCKET. Buckets are $10 each!

    now is where we have a look at value for each of them
    They are both looking for the same thing - a bucket - but have different circumstances which might make one deal better than another. That said, both people might like the same deal. The key should be making it easy for people to do the calculations and work out if its GOOD FOR THEM.

    If membership is actually $1/month both Jack and Jill could sign up regardless as they will save money off current purchase. If its actually $12 and it gets you a year membership it is still an easy decision for Jack —> $50 + $12 < $75 but Jill needs to work out if she will get value for the rest of the year.

    Making things clear, giving example calculations for other users. I would want things to be clear now, but also when you review them at Christmas to see if its really worth getting.

  • Nukkels on 16/07/2018 - 13:26

    With Amazon Prime Day now adding to the mass of subscription-based bargains recently, I've come to realise the solution needs to be 2-fold:

    • A subscription tag like the targeted tag to ensure members are aware that the price in the title of the deal requires a subscription.

    • Also specifying the price for non-subscription sales (if the item is also sold to non-subscribers from the same retailer) in the description.

  • cbpeh1 on 18/07/2018 - 11:16

    anyone know how to end my account with ebay plus?
    i tried to, it just goes to a blank screen.

    • nocure on 18/07/2018 - 13:05
      +1

      Try canceling the recurring charge setup on your PayPal account.
      https://imgur.com/tV1Fy10

      • eciuj on 19/07/2018 - 13:22
        +1

        Cool. Didn't know about that. Just went and cancelled a whole bunch of pre-approved payments =|

    • eciuj on 19/07/2018 - 13:21

      I get the same, even with different browsers. I just jumped on the eBay chat and requested it there. You get an email when the subscription is cancelled, so if you didn't receive one after getting that blank white message then it's not cancelled.

      edit: I should add, the cancellation is immediate, as opposed to the end of the trial.

  • jonow83 on 18/07/2018 - 11:45
    +1

    I find some of the EBay Plus seller's items are more expensive than the non-EBay Plus sellers so it worked out to be cheaper to still buy form the normal sellers.

    also I recently got a $10 voucher from EBay for selling $100 worth of items but I can only use the voucher on EBay Plus…

  • jonow83 on 20/07/2018 - 15:19
    +4

    So I just cancelled my eBay Plus membership. found zero value in it for the type of items I usually buy.

    Most eBay Plus sellers were way more expensive than other sellers that the free postage didn't even make any difference. I can't even buy items from outside Australia.

    Take these 2 listings for example:

    item on eBay Plus going for about $23.00:
    https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TOP-LED-Desk-Table-Lamp-USB-Dimm…

    Same items from a non eBay Plus seller going for $13.00:
    https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/LED-Desk-Table-Lamp-USB-Dimmable…

    I even had a $10 voucher from eBay which could only be used on eBay plus items, and this would have been more expensive if I took into account that I'd have to pay for an eBay Plus membership.

    Note: Sorry I wanted to post screen shots but didn't know how to do it here.

  • PlasticSpaceman on 23/07/2018 - 17:49
    +1

    Cancelled my membership as well - one day before it was due to be charged. Might join up later if it looks like it's worth it ongoing.

  • paulaus on 24/07/2018 - 23:48
    -1

    I got charged $29 for 12 months WTF it was supposed to be $4.99 a month for first few months billed monthly.

    • nubix on 25/07/2018 - 08:14

      Are you thinking about Amazon Prime on the 4.99/mth? Haven't heard of that for eBay Plus

    • rogerm22 on 25/07/2018 - 11:41

      No, the discounted price for early adopters was a single charge of $29. There is no monthly charge.

  • AustriaBargain on 25/07/2018 - 14:01

    Anyone have a clue how to cancel? I go through the steps but it just loads up a blank dialogue box after choosing cancelation reason. I’ve tried multiple devices. I don’t want to close down my whole ebay account just to stop eBay plus from billing me.

    • nocure on 25/07/2018 - 14:14

      https://imgur.com/xWCHQM0

      • AustriaBargain on 25/07/2018 - 14:27

        I’ve done that like 20 times, it just comes up blank. I tried on my Mac, my PC, and iPhone. I ended up just cancelling all payments for eBay in PayPal. Suppose I’ll have to set that back up again after eBay plus finally cancels.

        I don’t even see the option to pay $29 for a year even if I wanted to.

    • eciuj on 26/07/2018 - 11:56

      read my earlier comment

  • neonlight on 26/07/2018 - 07:15

    $29 is surely worth it as soon as another 25% off comes you can save that much already

    Eventually there will be no bargains for normal eBay users . It will happen

    Everybody who canceled will regret

    It’s cheaper than amazon prime

    • AustriaBargain on 26/07/2018 - 15:59

      It must be bugged for me because I don’t see a $29 option or a cancellation option. I had to pull the cord on PayPal just to stop it from billing $5 a month or whatever.

      • rogerm22 on 27/07/2018 - 09:23

        You pay yearly, not monthly. It is $29 a year at the moment, but at some point, the price will increase to $49.

  • mmd on 28/07/2018 - 11:11
    Merged from eBay Plus Account. Is It Worth It?

    I signed up to the 30 day free trial but forgot to cancel my account. I was charged $29 for the year, and the terms and conditions states that there is no way I can get my $29 dollars back.

    As the title states, has eBay plus been worth it for you?

    From what I can see, the answer is no.
    eBay plus items are more expensive for 'free' postage

    • Savas on 28/07/2018 - 11:26
      +4

      why don't people just cancel things immediately? it is always easy to rejoin

      • mmd on 28/07/2018 - 12:36
        +1

        Stupidity - should hand in my ozbargain licence :(
        just forgot, Was on my list of things to do.

      • sssx on 28/07/2018 - 17:29

        sometimes cancelling immediately removes the benefits (unlike spotify), so you have to set a reminder to cancel it just before the end

  • TriggerHappy on 08/08/2018 - 16:49

    Looks like they are now charging $49 but offering a free google home mini, "worth" a non-OzBargined $70 odd, provided you stay for the 30 days, get charged the $49, and have your delivery address listed in your account.

    I actually wanted an item so siging up saved me $15 postage on that item. Just have to save another $34 in the next 12 months + 30 days and that google home mini will be free! (if it ever arrives …)

    So I think it may be worth it … do I need a google home mini? No of course not but this is OzBargain!

  • Gav on 14/08/2018 - 13:17

    Surprised admins here still haven't sorted it out.

    • eBay Plus and Amazon Prime are PAID MEMBERSHIPS. They may have a one-time trial, but they are not free

    • As a result, any deals that are exclusive to memberships (i.e. must have a membership in order to purchase) should be preceded with the membership program in the title … or a tag if implemented (e.g. eBay Plus) and mention as such in the description.

    • Any deals that are NOT exclusive to memberships should only be valid if listed with the "for public"/non-membership pricing/details. Any advantages to be had from being in a membership, can be mentioned in the description, but cannot be the basis of the deal (unlisted if so).

    Simples.

    • scotty on 15/08/2018 - 15:47

      There is already quite a bit of discussions amongst moderators and power users. It's not as simple as you have presented. Unlike other membership-exclusive deals (Costco for example), for eBay Plus and Amazon Prime, they are usually available to public at exactly the same price, with free shipping for members. Therefore from the discussions, these are the current guidelines

      • Member-exclusive deals — prefix the title with [Amazon Prime] or [eBay Plus]
      • Member-free shipping deals — without the title prefix, but add description about the shipping. For example (Free Shipping w/ Prime or $49 Min Spend) or (Free Shipping w/ eBay Plus or $7.95).
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