More on eBay and Etsy Selling Costs

After I published my post on Friday, I powered through and listed around 60 books on eBay.  As expected, some books sold as soon as I listed them.

After waffling back and forth, I listed some of my extra original text green APC Nancy Drew books at $49.99 each.  I went with $25 each for French Nancy Drew books. 

The prices might be too high for the current market, but they might also be just fine.  I need to try to earn back some of my fees on books that are scarcer and more desirable. 

I feel that it's important to continue to offer low-cost reading copies.  I mainly offer those on Etsy, and they sell quite well.  They have a narrow profit margin.  I also must take losses on books purchased 20 years ago that I no longer want and that have decreased in value and demand.

I must try to get more for books that are currently in demand to offset the losses and low profits on other books.

I listed two books signed by Harriet Adams.  I recall reading a comment on Facebook about the value of books and items signed by Harriet Adams.  I can't find it, since Facebook's search is atrocious.  I recall the statement being that Harriet autographs aren't worth much, maybe no more than $50.

I disagree.  I feel, based on my personal opinion with nothing to back it up, that Harriet's autograph should be worth over $100.  Mildred Wirt Benson also signed many books, and signed non-first printing books by her have sometimes sold in the low hundreds.  Even though people have a more sentimental view of Mildred, I see no reason why Harriet's signature shouldn't be worth a similar amount. 

Like her or not, Harriet Adams contributed more to the enduring legacy of series books than any other person aside from her father.

It is true that Harriet's signature can be found for a relatively low price if one is patient and searches consistently.  However, that's true for just about everything.

I had two books signed by Harriet to list on Friday.  I wanted to go with $125 each just based on what I think with no data other than the knowledge that I sold one in an eBay auction last July for $86.00.  

I searched eBay's Terapeak before going with $125.  I found that a Moss-Covered Mansion picture cover signed by Harriet sold for $160 in 2023, and a Nancy Drew Cookbook signed by Harriet sold for $132.50 in 2024.  As soon as I saw those prices, I immediately listed both books at $149.99 each.  One of them sold within a few minutes, and the other one sold 24 hours later.  I wasn't wrong about books signed by Harriet being worth more than $100.

I struggle with my desire to price fairly while also being fair to myself.  I feel confident that in pricing the Harriet-signed books at $149.99 each that I was fair to both myself and the buyers.

The last time I mentioned fees, it was a reference to what my fees were in 2022:

My Etsy selling costs including postage were 27.1% while my eBay selling costs including postage were 29.8%.  The difference is not enough to matter.

I wrote on Friday that my Etsy selling costs are slightly lower than my eBay selling costs, recalling what I had noted in the past.  Not anymore.  I looked at what my eBay and Etsy selling costs were in 2024.  My eBay selling costs including postage were 32.2%.  My Etsy selling costs including postage were 32.9%.  Etsy is now becoming more expensive.  Interesting.

The slightly higher cost on Etsy might be in part due to the lower free shipping threshold.  In order for sellers to participate in Etsy's free shipping guarantee, they must agree to ship orders of $35 or more for free.  I have to use a complicated method in order to offer a free shipping guarantee at a higher threshold, and even if I do all that, then I miss out on the promotional benefits of Etsy's program.  

Etsy says to build the prices into our items.  Buyers can see through that.  I did it a number of years ago, and my sales dropped.  Buyers don't want their cheap reading copies to be priced at $14.99 each with no possibility of a discount.  A few buyers even sent messages about it, because they were annoyed.

The only option is to continue to sell reading copies cheap but to price other books higher.  

The main reason why my fees are so high on Etsy is that I am forced to participate in Etsy's off-site ads program.  During one calendar year, my Etsy sales topped $10,000.  I'm not sure whether I have been above that threshold during any other year, but it doesn't matter.  On Etsy, if a seller crosses that threshold one time, they are permanently opted into the off-site ads.

Any items I sell through Etsy's off-site ads cost me an additional 12% in fees on top of Etsy's regular fees, which I believe is currently 9.5%.  This means that I am assessed fees of 21.5% on Etsy sales that come through the off-site ads.  Fortunately, most of my transactions are not through the off-site ads, or I'd have to quit offering the cheap reading copies.

I will say that Etsy's off-site ads program is much cheaper than eBay's.  I've heard varying reports of the true cost for eBay's program, but it's apparently something like $5 per day.  That would be $150 per 30 days, which is appalling.  

Even though my fees are now slightly higher on Etsy, I feel that it's worth it.  My eBay items all get lost in the search.  Scarce items are noticed, but common items like the average Nancy Drew book are completely lost and are slow to sell.  I feel like with Etsy's off-site ads that I do have a chance on Etsy.  In fact, certain books will always be listed on Etsy because of the off-site ads.

Books like matte copies of Nancy Drew #55 and #56 fly out of my Etsy store, and they almost always sell through the off-site ads.  I find that I can price them on the high side, and they still fly out.  I sold a copy of #56 for $74.99 through off-site ads.  That's amazing, and it helps with the high fees.