Ebay Tightens Rules, Driving Casual Sellers Away
Ebay now requires Spanish ID and bank details from casual sellers, removing PayPal support. Fees can exceed 15%, prompting many to quit the platform.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Ebay Demands ID and New Panel: Casual Sellers Push Back
Selling a few unused items on Ebay has become an administrative burden. The platform overhauled its payment system—dropping PayPal for managed payouts—redesigned the sales dashboard as the "Seller Dashboard," and now mandates Spanish ID and bank accounts even for minimal annual sales. Consequently, many users who previously sold second-hand goods have stopped using the service.
Complaints are widespread. A collector selling globally notes that while buyers see no change, sellers feel overwhelmed. Another user with five annual sales under €100 refuses to undergo verification processes associated with professional traders.
What Changed for Sellers on Ebay
The most significant shift is in payments. PayPal is gone; funds flow through Ebay's managed system, which holds money and deducts fees before payout. Reports indicate the platform demands scanned IDs and Spanish IBANs, rejecting foreign accounts for non-professionals.
The new sales panel is another pain point. Formerly manageable lists are now described by daily users as chaotic dashboards with useless statistics and hard-to-find basic functions. The tool appears designed for large accounts, neglecting sporadic sellers.
Some attempt to bypass verification with incomplete data, but the platform quickly requests document confirmation and scans.
Fees: From 4% to Over 15% in a Decade
Cost is the other major issue. Experienced sellers recall fees starting below 4%, rising to 7%, then 10%. With the new payment structure, final costs may hit 15-16%. One case involved a graphics card sale where fees exceeded 20%.
At these margins, selling cheap or expensive items becomes unviable if buyers compare prices. Some sellers now close deals off-platform, offering discounts for direct PayPal payments to maintain margins, despite sanction risks.
Buyers See Little; Sellers Feel Everything
The asymmetry is stark. Buyers experience minimal change, paying and receiving goods. For sellers, each transaction is an obstacle course. Many have abandoned the platform for local or niche alternatives specializing in clothing and collectibles.
However, these alternatives lack global reach. Ebay allowed individuals to sell rare items to US or European buyers without building a store. Domestic second-hand platforms work locally but fail to attract international buyers paying in different currencies, leaving a gap previously filled by Ebay.
Why Have Some Sellers Left Ebay?
Administrative and financial costs outweigh benefits. Mandatory Spanish ID and bank details, the complex new dashboard, and fees exceeding 15% make sporadic selling unprofitable. Low sales volumes do not justify the effort, causing the platform to lose appeal among casual users without gaining traction with large sellers.
The Business Lost Along the Way
The anger runs deeper than mere inconvenience. Ebay was not just a shop; it was a global marketplace where individuals sold rare items like albums, stickers, and antiques to international buyers. One veteran seller recalls buying for €150 and selling for over €8,000—a deal requiring global reach and dispersed bidders.
This ecosystem relies on small sellers. If they leave, catalog variety shrinks, reducing buyer options. While Ebay gains payment control, it loses the network that made it unique. How long until buyers realize they can no longer find what they seek?
Selling a few unused items on Ebay has become an administrative burden. The platform overhauled its payment system—dropping PayPal for managed payouts—redesigned the sales dashboard as the "Seller Dashboard," and now mandates Spanish ID and bank accounts even for minimal annual sales. Consequently, many users who previously sold second-hand goods have stopped using the service.
Complaints are widespread. A collector selling globally notes that while buyers see no change, sellers feel overwhelmed. Another user with five annual sales under €100 refuses to undergo verification processes associated with professional traders.
What Changed for Sellers on Ebay
The most significant shift is in payments. PayPal is gone; funds flow through Ebay's managed system, which holds money and deducts fees before payout. Reports indicate the platform demands scanned IDs and Spanish IBANs, rejecting foreign accounts for non-professionals.
The new sales panel is another pain point. Formerly manageable lists are now described by daily users as chaotic dashboards with useless statistics and hard-to-find basic functions. The tool appears designed for large accounts, neglecting sporadic sellers.
Some attempt to bypass verification with incomplete data, but the platform quickly requests document confirmation and scans.
Fees: From 4% to Over 15% in a Decade
Cost is the other major issue. Experienced sellers recall fees starting below 4%, rising to 7%, then 10%. With the new payment structure, final costs may hit 15-16%. One case involved a graphics card sale where fees exceeded 20%.
At these margins, selling cheap or expensive items becomes unviable if buyers compare prices. Some sellers now close deals off-platform, offering discounts for direct PayPal payments to maintain margins, despite sanction risks.
Buyers See Little; Sellers Feel Everything
The asymmetry is stark. Buyers experience minimal change, paying and receiving goods. For sellers, each transaction is an obstacle course. Many have abandoned the platform for local or niche alternatives specializing in clothing and collectibles.
However, these alternatives lack global reach. Ebay allowed individuals to sell rare items to US or European buyers without building a store. Domestic second-hand platforms work locally but fail to attract international buyers paying in different currencies, leaving a gap previously filled by Ebay.
Why Have Some Sellers Left Ebay?
Administrative and financial costs outweigh benefits. Mandatory Spanish ID and bank details, the complex new dashboard, and fees exceeding 15% make sporadic selling unprofitable. Low sales volumes do not justify the effort, causing the platform to lose appeal among casual users without gaining traction with large sellers.
The Business Lost Along the Way
The anger runs deeper than mere inconvenience. Ebay was not just a shop; it was a global marketplace where individuals sold rare items like albums, stickers, and antiques to international buyers. One veteran seller recalls buying for €150 and selling for over €8,000—a deal requiring global reach and dispersed bidders.
This ecosystem relies on small sellers. If they leave, catalog variety shrinks, reducing buyer options. While Ebay gains payment control, it loses the network that made it unique. How long until buyers realize they can no longer find what they seek?
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (105 replies).
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