Store changes, pricing
In case you have not received the email regarding the changes that will be made on the 22nd of July, here's the link to explain what is going to happen.
https://www.hippostcard.com/p/2022-summer?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=email newsletter&utm_campaign=HipPostcard Seller Update 20220711-as5
Luree
dianealthea's Little Shop of Postcards
https://www.hippostcard.com/p/2022-summer?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=email newsletter&utm_campaign=HipPostcard Seller Update 20220711-as5
Luree
dianealthea's Little Shop of Postcards
Comments
So, what we have here is a poorly executed example of what we're all facing across the economy: Skimpflation: a process of inflation where companies skimp on what they offer consumers while, in many cases, charging the same price or more for that service.
At my current level of store subscription this hike zooms up to a 35 percent increase! We are told in the link Luree provided "These changes represent our only fee increase since January 2020 and are necessary for us to continue key programs."
Well, let me save you the time to grab the CPI increase from Jan 2020 to June 2022 - just under 15 percent. That other 20 percent HipPostcard wants - I don't want or need because I'm NOT getting it. In fact, true to skimpflation, I've lost a major functionality component of the misrepresented eBay Sync that has depreciated the value of service I get currently for $19.95 "featured" store sub. More work for me, lost sales, lack of trust in the reliability of service I was supposedly sold but hasn't been delivered.
Is it unfair of me to say that HP misrepresented the eBay Sync "feature"? Well, let's look at the HP fees page this morning July 15 2022 - which offers for current store sub:
"Can I import my listings from ebay?
Yes! If you sell on ebay, you can automatically sync your entire store to HipPostcard. Once you've synced your ebay store, any new items you add to ebay will automatically be added to HipPostcard; and best of all, if you sell an item on either platform, it’s instantly removed from the other - so you won't run into any inventory management issues."
That hasn't been delivered since at least the beginning of Oct. 21.
Come on, HipPostcard - HipCommerce -- cut your costs, raise revenues through our sales not by imposing increased fixed fees on those of us who do most of the revenue raising. Otherwise, that loss of stores on HP -- clocked in sometime in 2021 as 363 stores and today at 281 - will surely continue. (Yes, I have screenshots).
Reduce the fee hike to something reasonable like 15 percent to offset inflation for you've surely not provided us with greatly expanded service in the past two and a half years. As for the HP App, I can use that as much as I can use a stone in my shoe. A fast, accurate eBay sync is what I'm paying for and not getting.
Many on HS did that we were able to get the store limits changed back, BUT the price was raised. Got us coming and going.
Maybe it might be a good idea if we all sent them an email representing Hip Postcard. Just a thought.
And Brent, you brought up some really great thoughts.
The offer to go to a 1-Yr Plan is absurd. I would like to commit myself for a year; but why do I have to pay the entire annual fee of US$ 325 in one go? An annual subscription in itself should already make a difference in price.
The price increase is absurd for other reasons as well. First, there is no longer a reliable link to eBay. The disappearance of the categories on eBay has led to these problems. That is understandable, but it just costs us as sellers money. Second, it's a mess in the categories right now. Take, for example, the "Algeria" category in "Africa". More than half of this section has nothing to do with Algeria: Amish, Thailand, Delaware, Texas, aso. This is partly because the import from eBay is not going well, but also because there is no supervision. Finally, sales have fallen sharply in recent months.
Considering all this, I wonder if it makes sense to continue like this. A (reasonable) price increase is always allowed, but then you must first ensure that everything functions as it should. That is not the case now. I understand that Hippostcard won't lose sleep over it, but I'm now considering lowering my store registration or even closing it.
I told them fairly much the same as you have written. The mis-categorization of cards here is maddening. I've spent some time this week editing listings here because "cars" or "train" in a listing title will get the postcard dumped into "Ephemera>transportation tickets" and Georgia USA cards into Georgia the country! HP doesn't care, doesn't want to know that it frustrates buyers even more than we sellers. Cheers!