Comments on: Selling on Amazon vs. eBay: An In-Depth Comparison 2024

By: Arvin

Arvin — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 10:33:16 +0000

I have been both a buyer and a seller on both Amazon and Ebay, and as a buyer I can tell you Amazon is way better than Ebay. If you have any problem with your purchase, Amazon will happily step in to assist. Returning an item is so easy and without any fuss on Amazon. While on ebay, the agents are not very helpful. Most of the time to cut things short they tell you it is at the seller’s discretion. For example I once bought 8 units of an item, and 2 days later the seller got in touch to say they can only deliver 5. So I asked to cancel the order and make a refund. The seller still went ahead and posted the 5 units. When I asked for a refund on the balance, there was no response. What the vendor replied was it has been posted already, if you are not happy with the product, give it to a friend or a family as gift! So I opened a case for a return and called Ebay. The agent said it is at the vendor’s discretion if they want to accept the return or not! And if I am not happy, I have to raise it with MY BANK for a refund! Basically Ebay is not intersted to get involved if you have any issue, you either have to reach out to Paypal or your Bank, or be at the mercy of the vendor.

By: robertw

robertw — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 03:30:02 +0000

Ebay backs sellers more especially when you have Top rated or very good customer service. Amazon offshore reps treat you with top service the same way as crummy sellers with 60% feedback. They could care less. Although I did beat a few customers on return fraud on Amazon. Ebay customers return less. By a long shot. Usually, if something doesn’t fit they will return. Amazon customers. overbuy and return massive amounts of goods. I don’t have all my numbers yet for 2021 but Amazon customers definitely return more.
Also, the eBay customer is easier to deal with. You can get a nasty customer anywhere, but you are far more likely to get that bitter difficult customer on Amazon. An Amazon customer can get a refund, a product for free and then they will go out to leave a bad product review or seller review. They are a bitter nasty bunch. The worst Amazon buyers are the ones who buy the most, and the ones who buy only on Christmas (the least) The ones who buy the most will tell you how only your transaction has gone bad in some way. Only an Amazon customer would buy a 10.00 item and 5 years later update a review to state the item she bought 5 years ago broke. That right. It should last 20-30 years of constant use at $10.00. I say this with top ratings on both platforms and we do plenty of MFN on Amazon as well as FBA. Ebay customers can be repeat buyers. The downside is that platform is not growing. But this Christmas I was surprised to move many items merely sitting in my warehouse and not selling. Ebay ppc ads are much better because they only charge you when the item ends up being sold. Far better than Amazon clickers.

By: Helena Fernandez Morano

Helena Fernandez Morano — Tue, 24 Aug 2021 07:38:44 +0000

In reply to NHAT ANH. Glad to hear you enjoy the blog!

By: NHAT ANH

NHAT ANH — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 10:52:30 +0000

Thank you for sharing this valuable information. Your blog content is amazing.

By: yunus hassan

yunus hassan — Sun, 11 Oct 2020 20:07:18 +0000

hi Dave
thanks for the information.
i am based in South Africa. how would i go about selling on Amazon from South Africa ?
would i need to send stock to Amazon ?
thanks Dave

By: M Ramo

M Ramo — Sat, 18 Jul 2020 19:13:58 +0000

I gotta say im not sure about the more ruthless of the two, id say they are even or maybe eBay being a little more cutthroat. I sold on both platforms starting in 2018 when i officially started my business in TX. I had much more experience on ebay since i started selling there almost from when they started but just a few items a year. when i started moving items is when i noticed the bad side, ebay has made me eat losses even when fraud is clear and proof is provided, they don’t look at evidence and don’t care, they say its part of business. i sold a 50in and about an hour after delivery i am notified they want to return it, red flag, I already knew i was screwed. I had the tv sent to me instead of the supplier who sent it, sure enough, i received a different tv, different upc different everything. it was close but nope, upc and serial numbers don’t lie. sent ebay the proof and was told too bad, part of doing business. If you ever met a seller who seems like a hardass, this is why.

No Amazon, i got everything in order to do things right, started my business and went smoothly they do and will suspend sellers, or so i hear but the strange thing is i never was, i got sick in the early part of 2019 so i sent them an email asking to suspend my account and stop charging me the monthly fee. i dont remember what it did but i know fees were less by opting in this program. they stopped the fees but left my lisings up, and too this day they are still up i think. But for over a year people would buy stuff from me, wait for item, never received item, have their money refunded. i would get they email is how i knew, and they never suspended the account. I would laugh but never tried to correct it since i had proof that sent them an email suspending my account. i may go back someday to ecommerce so its good to know my account is already to go if i do.

By: David

David — Tue, 09 Jun 2020 11:13:26 +0000

Thank you. Very well written.

Ive been buying and selling on Ebay for years but have never used Amazon at all. Every time I was looking for something Amazon was always a lot more expensive and I couldnt understand why anyone would buy there. I still dont. Not once was something cheaper on Amazon. I dont get why they are so popular. I guess people are just stupid.

I have recently started selling on Ebay again and was thinking of trying Amazon but you convinced me not to.

It sounds like the same difference between selling on Craigslist compared to selling on Facebook. Morals and integrity compared to a complete lack of them.

I sell a lot of stuff locally on Craigslist but rarely use Facebook even though there are a lot more customers on Facebook. Because the Craigslist customers are way less annoying. Facebook customers have no problem with wasting all day asking 20 questions, getting directions and your address, telling you they want it and will be there to buy it- then never show up or talk to you again and when you ask if they are coming you get a rude “Im no longer interested”. ( I dont care that I wasted your whole day and that you told other buyers it was pending sold and they bought from someone else).
Common on Facebook, rare on Craigslist. It takes about 3-5 days longer to sell on Craigslist but it’s worth it.

Sounds like Amazon, like Facebook, you get a younger crowd that has little to no empathy for the seller or other people in general. I have worked with several Milinnials and they were nice but had the worst character. They thought everything should be free and thought nothing of buying something they needed, using it then returning it for a refund when they no longer needed it. They didnt understand at all why I said they were stealing.
You said Amazon has a much higher rate of returns..Ive NEVER had any of my 1005 sales returned on Ebay and have 100% customer satisfaction. I had ONE guy who complained on Ebay that I overcharged him $2 for shipping. I sent him $2 and he bought from me again! I imagine it wouldnt have been so easy on Amazon.
Ill stick with Ebay. Thank you for saving me the time and frustration of trying Amazon blindly.

By: Dave Bryant

Dave Bryant — Fri, 22 May 2020 23:18:42 +0000

In reply to Abu Waleed. Thanks!

By: Abu Waleed

Abu Waleed — Fri, 22 May 2020 19:51:53 +0000

Good write up, very informative. Keep it up.

By: Dave Bryant

Dave Bryant — Sun, 15 Mar 2020 06:16:48 +0000

In reply to Shon. Thanks.