UKC

'Buy It Now' prices on a well-known online auction website have just gone weird.

All prices seem to have hiked to some random value, from the original 'round number' values; between around 4% and 9% increase.

I wonder if the vendors are aware...

I wonder if the much-advertised 'selling is free' policy has now somehow been subverted...

Anyone know what is going on?

They recently introduced selling fees that the buyer pays.

'Recently', as in today? Prices seem to have changed today.

I did find this as I recall watching the programme at the time:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/martin-lewis-ebay-hmrc-tax-...

However, I know from that auction site, when you visit Seller Central, they're a few disgruntled sellers. 

These all look like “round figure” prices. Screenshots taken 06:41 GMT Thu 13 Feb 2025 

They introduced a "buyer protection fee" on 4th Feb. 

So selling for private sellers is still free, but buying is not. 

I could post loads of listings that are different.

But, in particular, as reported in the OP, I have noticed a price hike to 'random' values in a number of items I have been watching for some time. These price hikes all occurred yesterday.

Looks like that must be it; retrospectively applied to existing listings. "Up to 4%" isn't exactly as transparent as they claim, though...

I was wondering the other day how they were hoping to make money on no-fee personal sales. It's clear they've just moved the fee onto the buyer.

Thanks.

I wasn't arguing otherwise. I just decided to have a quick look at something I had bought on Tuesday, which had had several listings from different sellers, to see if they had randomly gone up 4% - 9% since midnight.