'eBay Diverts Shoppers to Competitor Listings'

[momcqueen]

http://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2015/9/1443385425.html

I'll get you started:

"Merchants work hard to get shoppers interested in their listings, which is one of the reasons marketplaces offer wish lists and watch lists so buyers can keep an eye on items they're interested in or find those items again in the future. So imagine a reader's surprise when they found eBay engages in a practice of diverting those shoppers to a competitor's listings.... eBay advised the buyer that the same item was available at a lower price from a different seller....."

Boldface is mine.

For my two cents, I can tell you that as a consumer, price is second to the place from which I am purchasing. A long time ago, when online shopping was shiny and new, it might have been my first determining factor but after far too many disappointments for various reasons among them garbage items further wrecked by poor packaging, I abandoned that tactic. It wasn't worth the stress of the contortions to get my money back. 

On the one hand, I 'get' what ebay is trying to do here but on the other, I think it has potential to backfire. In a rush to get that 'great deal', people are going to think they are buying something they are not and from someone they did not expect. 

But that's mentioned in the piece.

[amya4295]

Wow!
"The EcommerceBytes reader also noted that the seller to whom eBay redirected the shopper had poor feedback, while the seller they had added to their watch list had excellent feedback"

[vintage*finds]

I think my main concern here would be that it's my dime that brought people to my listing. Not the seller eBay is suggesting. It's unethical. I should get a cut if it converts to a sale ... LOL. But at the same time, eBay "may" be diverting people to my listings. Still, I'm an individual seller, not part of a team. Don't like this at all.

But ya know. They've been doing it for years in one form or another.

[treasure.hunter.d]

Just another example of the completely "clueless" nature of the brain (drain) trust at Ebay.

This is what it gets Ebay according to Forbes magazine.

Ecommerce numbers 2014-2018 rise a predicted 66% while Ebay's market share drops 30% over the same period. I don't care how you slice it that is horrendous, and a direct result of actions taken by the Ebay powers that be. The so-called competition that is biting into Ebay's pie is doing little to nothing to achieve that and simply riding the wave of stupid decision after stupid decision on Ebay's part.

Meanwhile those of us who rely on Ebay for income are going broke as sales dwindle to the point where shortly it won't even be worth listing..

Is that a fiddle I hear? Does anyone else smell smoke?

[cumos55]

Isn't there a way to block eBay from doing this on one's listings.

In turn your listings will not be shown on another's seller's listing.

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This practice of cross advertising started years ago..

and that is when the "block another seller's  listings" option was available.

[mr.elmwood]

I have been on a run since last Dec and I am trending up.

[jt-libra]

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@treasure.hunter.d wrote:

Is that a fiddle I hear? Does anyone else smell smoke?

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What's the difference between eBay.ca and the Titanic?

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The Titanic had an orchestra!!  (Old joke but, what the heck, it's Monday)

[topcornertoys]

as a top seller and Power seller (not even sure what that means anymore)

we are done...we listed over 70 items this summer and sold 6 (4 of those were relisted more than once) 1 sale in September

buyers are gone...no one sees my listings anymore pages views are way down.

not wasting my time  anymore and taking a  very long break.  I am an approved seller in various categories at other online venues and will continue listing there. 

that being said...times are ripe for the picking on Ebay.

sellers that have no idea how much traffic and sales are down still listing items at low starting price auctions make for good bargains with a lot less buying competition. so I can buy it here then sell it elsewhere 🙂

[sylviebee]

They've been doing the same thing forever.  Nothing new or different.

It just takes on a different form now and then.

[vintage*finds]

I think it depends on what you sell. It's not like 2003 when there was a buyer for everything, but eBay hasn't lost its punch entirely. I sell primarily vintage items and while  I may only have a 50% or so sell-through rate now, I'm still selling. I just have to work twice as hard for that 2003 income.

A lot of it has to do with CP high shipping costs. It's always been an issue, but now ... people what more bang for their shipping buck. So we just have to ... forgive me ... bang them to get the sales. I may be turning to primarily themed lots. I've done a lot of research on sales with my specialties and lots seem to be the way to go.

Also, there is always a buyer for rare, unusual or needed items regardless of  shipping fees. Successful sellers in any market put in the research time, understand their market and keep plugging away at it. Roll with the punches and be ready to make changes if one thing isn't working. 

Mytoysgottago, I had a look at your past listings and you might consider themed lots. Worth a try, I think.