It matters not what it is.
If it gets abusive I gladly walk away.
I have been on ebay since the mid to late naughty nineties.
What started out as fun has turned into a bureaucratic nightmare.
I must admit I started off as a buyer.
It was a great place to find good top quality used hi-end hi-fi at super low prices.
Before ebay I was selling on a UK site. It is long gone now, swallowed by competition and shuttered.
My brother bought an IT company you see. He sold me the entire software library including windows 95 licenses for £100, I went on to sell c++ floppy discs and windows 95 around the globe.
It was back in the good ole days of cheques. Or checks as the Americans like to call them, remember them?
I made a killing with all that software, it was piled up to the ceiling in multiple rooms.
I digress, back to evilbay as I now call it.
Well it started as fun ebay, I did manage to live in Thailand for a decade on and off just by selling knock off or copy designer goods from there. I also sold valve amplifiers. Yaquin was the make.
At one time I had the single largest shop on ebay. Before they started charging a monthly subscription to have one that is.
Like any corporation ebay became abusive.
It went from free shops, to as I said subscription.
Then they raised the fees to 10%, then they even took that 10% fee from our postage as they say a minority were abusing no fees on postage.
But what broke the camels back? Or my back?
Well since Brexit happened they now charge my UK customers 20% VAT on all purchases. The UK was my top market.
I sell classic 2 stroke motorbike parts you see. Just for something to do.
A couple of weeks ago I sold a new old stock motorcycle fairing to a gent in France.
They charged him 20% VAT too so I called them and asked them why - As I am listed as selling from Poland and France is in the EU.
They said because my account was opened in the UK.
I then asked why they were charging my UK customers 20% VAT, they said because I am selling from Poland.
Confused? I was. This is like as we say in the UK "having your cake and eating it" You can not have it both ways. But they do.
Over the years they forced many things on us sellers.
Paypal was thrust upon us, use it or else, and give paypal a cut of your sales.
Then it was deemed that as a seller you could not say a bad word or leave a negative comment about abusive or non paying buyers.
Now you have to use the ebay payment option not paypal, they delay your payment for up to 4 days yet you and I are expected to pay to post an item you sold before even getting the postage money, let alone the money for the item.
Abusive powers know no boundaries.
The feeling of freedom from leaving ebay is amazing.
I no longer have to wait to see if some buyer has turned nasty, left me a negative knowing I can not retaliate.
I no longer have the pressure to post, no longer have to wait in for UPS to collect a package.
Yes I have a gazillion parts around me. They can stay. Ebay can go. Good riddance to the abusive partner.
Like any relationship or anything we do, there has to be a mutual understanding, a mutual respect.
Ebay just like governments have over stepped the mark.
I bid them farewell with some good memories behind me, the bitter taste they left in my mouth at the end will stay forever.
If you are in any form of abusive relationship I say end it. No matter what it is. It is no good for your health.
Have a superb week, be free as a bird. Live long and prosper. How ever you can.