I just started selling but no one is looking, no one is buying. Is eBay finished?

[squinchtweedledeewee]

I've been buying on eBay for many years and just started selling, but no one is looking or buying.

After all my items have run out, I'm not going to waste my time posting any more.

What I'm reading in the site feedback is that eBay is as dead as a doornail, no business, no views, no nothing.

I'm also reading that sellers and buyers alike have pretty much had it with eBay.

I'd offer the site suggestions, but my impression is that eBay isn't interested in listening, and that that ship sailed a while ago.

[pierrelebel]

"I'm also reading that sellers and buyers alike have pretty much had it with eBay."

You may hear that from disappointed members.

However, when looking at the big picture, reality is that more and more items are sold on eBay every day.

About 10% more this year as last year and 20% more than the year before.  Buyers may not be buying your items but they are buying.

Why are they not buying your items?  Your shipping charge are way too high relative to the value your offer.

You have several items priced at $1.  They may or may not be worth a bit more, I do not know.  However, when buyers see $12 shipping for a $1 item, they hit the "back button" and look elsewhere.  It is that simple.  Those low priced items you are offering are simply not worth the shipping charge required to get them to the buyer.

Not everything is meant to be sold by mail (that is what selling on eBay is all about).

Would you really buy a $1 item and pay $12 for shipping?  Really?

To sell on eBay, you should - at first - concentrate on items you can mail cheaply (lettermail - less than 20mm thick).

[recped]

What I'm reading in the site feedback is that eBay is as dead as a doornail, no business, no views, no nothing.

Closing in on 100 BILLION Dollars in annual sales and still growing at double digits......yeah it's dead here!

[bb_cool_stuff]

Pretty slow due to my oversaturated category. Friendly Competitors have lowered their USA Shipping Rates to $6.95 for T Shirts while adding a small increase to the Item Price. Seems to be working out well for them. Any Competitive Advantage can only help. Pierre is right, lower shipping rates will hopefully result in an increase in sales.

[bb_cool_stuff]

Sorry, seems I cannot post in point form again while using IE.

Was fixed for awhile.

Back to posting using Chrome.

[mr.elmwood]

A few moths back I was getting good action on auctions and then I got away from them. lately I have been doing well with best offer. I always do well with BIN.

So, what do I do? Set up a BIN auction with a BO? That is a lot to wrap the head around.

[photosalp]

"So, what do I do? Set up a BIN auction with a BO? That is a lot to wrap the head around."

Mr E, When you figure that one out you'll have to walk me through it slowly, eh? Personally I've been busy enough that I might even take a day or two off this week. I'm putting more hours now than before I retired, earning less money, and overall a lot happier. Funny life. 

[gifts_of_elegance]

My first sale came after 13 days.  It was a $150 brand new Cashmere Sweater and I sold it for $15.  Why?  Because I wanted to start selling so customers would not hesitate to buy from me.  By the end of three months, I was a Silver Power Seller and Gold after 6.  Work hard, think about what you are doing and have a positive attitude.  

[squinchtweedledeewee]

I don't have any items priced at $1. That's utter nonsense. I do have a few items with a starting bid of 99¢, and I did that because that is what eBay itself suggests. I will not be following eBay's advice in that department in the future.

Shipping charges are what they are. I can't offer lower shipping costs because that would translate into less or no profit.

The items I'm selling are all items that were moving well just a few months ago. I put them out there based on what others were selling, and for how much, including shipping costs.

I'm far from alone in having no one looking and not being able to sell anything. Sellers I've been dealing with for years began languishing after January.

[mr.elmwood]

---

@photosalp wrote:

"So, what do I do? Set up a BIN auction with a BO? That is a lot to wrap the head around."

Mr E, When you figure that one out you'll have to walk me through it slowly, eh? Personally I've been busy enough that I might even take a day or two off this week. I'm putting more hours now than before I retired, earning less money, and overall a lot happier. Funny life. 

---

Yeah, Photo, funny life. I retired five years ago at 53. I just had enough. I just wasn't gonna work for anyone ever again.

Oddly, I retired and THEN married well.

Anywho, the Mrs had meetings in Winnipeg all week. I get to tag along for free. Hit the wrecking yards this morning to see what I could get. Have not been there for 16 months. I'm not sure, but, I know I spent $100, but, I think I got $1000+ at my retail. Gonna empty my bags and go back for more tomorrow. I should be able to get another $500 worth, easy.

My current sales budget is $500 a month. I'm picking up three months inventory in two days?

I'm hoping the Mrs gets sent down here every couple of months. They pay gas, hotel, all of her food, what ever she wants.

I had a very good day today. I am going to have a fantastic day tomorrow.

[pierrelebel]

"I don't have any items priced at $1. That's utter nonsense. '

I did not mean $1 exactly.  In fact your starting price is US$ 0.99 for many of them.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/spaldingbrassworks/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=

"Shipping charges are what they are. I can't offer lower shipping costs because that would translate into less or no profit."

Then you have the answer to your original question.  Your "stuff" does not sell because the shipping charge is way too high in relation to the value of the item.

"Sellers I've been dealing with for years began languishing after January."

That is not really relevant to your original question, is it?

[pjcdn2005]

Is this just the first week that you've listed most of your items? Unless you have an item that is in high demand, its unrealistic to expect an item to sell the first time that you list it. For example, you have a Partylite candle....if you search on .com there are 10,000 partylite candles for sale so it could take time to find the person who wants to buy the one that you have for sale.

You could help to increase your sales and get better listing placement by having shipping prices showing for the U.S. and other countries that you are shipping to. You may have tried setting them up but the majority of your listings do not show them so they might not be set up correctly.  The one listing that does show a shipping cost to the UK is showing a cost of $60 for a $4 -$8 item.I would suggest that you use small packet air for overseas shipping and small packet air USA for shipping to the U.S. unless you are sending something expensive.

[squinchtweedledeewee]

Well, I have read all your advice and your criticism and taken it all to heart, and while I haven't sold anything yet, thanks to the experience, criticism and advice offered here, people are now looking, and today alone 3 watchers have popped up.

So . . . fingers crossed, but it seems that things are looking up! Thanx so much to everyone who replied!

[reallynicestamps]

Errrrr-- some of those watchers may be posters who want to see how you do in future. Don't get too excited.

I do have a few items with a starting bid of 99¢, and I did that because that is what eBay itself suggests. I will not be following eBay's advice in that department in the future.

See? You're learning already. Your starting price in any auction should be what you would accept without tears. Preferably it should cover your procurement cost plus your fees plus your time (at 17 cents a minute -- Ontario's minimum wage).

Shipping charges are what they are. I can't offer lower shipping costs because that would translate into less or no profit.

Nope.

You're wrong on that.

Which is cheapest?

A $1 item with $12 shipping?

A $12 item with $1 shipping?

A $13 item with Free Shipping?

See how it's done?

Which is most likely to attract complaints of gouging on shipping/

Which is most likely to attract the grouchy bottom feeder customer from heck?

And are you aware that if you offer 'Free' shipping as you first Domestic Rate, you not only pay no shipping FVF on that item but you pay no Shipping FVF on any other shipping fee, even a SuperSonicFullyTrackedZowie Wowie service to Kazhakistan with a shipping charge of $213.57?

[ricarmic]

To add to really's comment, I would add that 99c auctions may serve a place as "attractant" to bring people to your store, ie you plan to potentially/actually lose money on that particular item in an effort to bring people to look at other stuff you are selling. I think of 99c auctions as "advertising" cost on the assumption I lose money on a given item.

[canadian.tree]

What items are you selling maby you are not selling what people want?

personally what I've sold i used bidding and I get 30-60 views in a 1 day auction , as well as bid wars between the most I got which was 7 people. Look into the product you're selling find the market you are going after [see if it is profitable or already smashed into the ground by the Chinese] r. Add a decent description which goes after you're market (niche) if you're selling yarn briefly talk up you're product such as my yarn is high quality and better that the stuff at Walmart and stuff like that and is 100% premium. Big words attract attention and are important to SEO . (search engine optimization) [if you want yarn are you going to look up "yarn" or "high quality" yarn?  [Yarn is not a good market imo the market is so saturated unless you're getting it for better prices then the Chinese make it for after paying there slaves .10$ an hour].

Anyway those are my suggestions and another one is not to give up and instead of repeating the same thing or giving up try something new like how I explained and other people these forums are very helpful and can help you out of the tough spots on eBay. If you're new to selling on eBay , I suggest doing auction items at first just auction them for the price you're selling them for and see how goes. 

[squinchtweedledeewee]

I'm selling what people want. I do keep track of what's moving and what isn't, and how people are selling.

As a matter of fact, I finally received my first bid, and it was on an item I was originally going to sell individually, but grouped together because of the advice here (the selling price should be higher than the cost of shipping).

I'm selling mainly brass musical instruments, and they're getting a fair bit of traffic, plus lots of watchers. Seems I should have started out with them, instead of holding them back to see how cheaper items would do.

[reallynicestamps]

Good. 

Now let's work on your titles.

'candlestick brass" is not very searchable or attractive. You have 80 keystrokes free gratis fornothing to attract and sell your item.

This is not 'candlestick' it is 'candlesticks'

Neither in the title nor in the description do you say how many there are nor how many are pairs or sets. 

Might they sell as scrap metal? If so the total weight should be there too. 

I understand why you took pictures on a picnic table- flat. large, light- but the lady who buys these is thinking glamourous dining.  Even a white sheet over the table would help with that. 

And check your shipping. Will $15 take this heavy/bulky parcel to Belgium even with some of the shipping cost included in the asking price?  Remember you can't raise the S&H after the sale.