eBay reduces seller fees

It was once the king of the resale castle but times are tough for auction site eBay – so in an effort to tempt sellers back the site has revealed a range of discounts for sellers.

In recent years eBay has lost marketshare to rivals such as Amazon marketplace, which is widely perceived as offering better value to traders and is generally more trusted by buyers.

eBay users will now be offered 50 free listings a month that will not incur any listing fee. And from July eBay will be lowering the commission it takes from every successful sale.

Sellers will be encouraged to offer free shipping on goods, with higher commissions asked of those who charge for P&P.

"We think these changes will really improve the marketplace for both buyers and sellers," VP Todd Lutwak stated. "We’re listening to our customers. We’re trying to understand their needs."