eBay

jt-libra · ‎06-27-2015

This is not a complaint ... simply a few notes about a conversation I had with the Postal Outlet manager this morning.

I dropped off a couple of packages and, because it was quiet in the store, I asked him if he had received any comments from the regular eBay sellers who use that outlet. He said that, in the last few months, the number of parcels brought in has dropped dramatically. He said it wasn't unusual, after a weekend, to have as many as 100 to 150 parcels (from eBay sellers) in the Monday pick-up. He says that now, on most Mondays, there might 25 to 30. And sellers who used to bring in 10 to 20 a day... he says they only come in the store about twice a week now with a few packages. And the refrain is the same -- no sales.

I asked him if he and his friends ever shop on eBay (he's about 25 or so). He said that he had a few times in the past but, the last couple of years, he never even thinks about that site. Depending what he's shopping for, he uses Amazon, Staples, Best Buy, Costco or manufacturer's websites because they all offer free, fast and tracked shipping. He went on to say that he's amazed that eBay is even "a thing" anymore, which made me laugh.

Anyway, his comments didn't surprise me ... it just confirmed what I had been thinking. I was little surprised, however, by the overall decrease in number of packages.

So, a few thoughts from a millennial (him, not me)

reallynicestamps · ‎07-06-2015

I'll add another reason why PO clerks may be seeing a drop off in parcels.

Postboxes.

And Paypal labels.

Now I may be less paranoid than sellers of more expensive or fragile goods, but I just got back from my midnight stroll to the 9am postbox with today's sales.

Tomorrow I will take a bulky parcel to the PO, because I want to be sure I have the right postage on it.

But I probably will have a late afternoon run to the 5pm postbox with whatever sells after I get back from the PO.

Unless the seller doesn't own or know how to operate a digital scale and a metric tape measure, and unless she has been unable to work out how to print out PP labels at home, she will be paying more to buy postage at the PO counter and wasting her time travelling there,waiting in line and having the clerk decide what service is going to be used.

So an experienced seller might have moved to the postbox which is not emptied by the PO staff, but goes from the boxes (including the one outside the PO door)directly to the terminal.

Obviously, some sellers do want to have the counter scan on their prepared packages, but I have a high level of confidence in the PO.

rose-dee · ‎07-06-2015

You're right about postbox drop-off, that could certainly account for another portion of missing P.O. visits as more sellers get acquainted with Paypal labels.

"Obviously, some sellers do want to have the counter scan on their prepared packages, but I have a high level of confidence in the PO."

In my case, I send my husband off to the P.O. to ensure every parcel is scanned in by our CP lady (I had trouble with PP labels not scanning a while back), and to get her to put an "official" stamp on a duplicate of every Small/Light Packet label or lettermail address as proof at least that the parcel was dropped off. She's very good about doing so and the P.O. is a small one and fairly quiet most days.

My problem isn't with CP, they've actually never failed to deliver a parcel for me. No, I have a very low level of confidence in eBay and its decision-making with respect to sellers' efforts. CYA in other words.

maggiebvintage2010 · ‎07-06-2015

In my small village there is no home delivery, everyone must go to the Post Office to pick up their mail. I use discount postage or PayPal labels on my parcels, but I still take them in to the PO counter. The village mail box gets emptied by one of the rural route contractors, and taken in to the PO. The box outside the PO is emptied by the inside staff. Mail and parcels sent by rural residents might be picked up by their delivery contractors, or brought directly to the PO. Either way, every single parcel and piece of mail that comes in or goes out through our village PO is handled and sorted by the 2 inside staff members. This same scenario is repeated every weekday in small population centres all across Canada.

As other posters have written, the staff are very knowledgeable about the online sellers who use the postal services. They know who sells on what online venues, they are familiar with the seasonable fluctuations in parcel volume. When they say that volume is down from ebay sellers, I have no reason to doubt their observations. They knew about the drop in parcels after the security breach was announced. They also have commented that there has been a drop in the number of parcels both going out and coming in to the PO over the last 6-8 weeks, a drop that is greater than the expected summer slowdown.

canadian.tree · ‎07-06-2015

I've noticed a big up in sales but like always depending on how much I list is how much I sell , sold about 60 things last week maybe a bit more but it definitely is slower in the summer , isn't that expected. Also the Canadian dollar in toilet making new games to be 90$ with tax in my case is crazy and most of my friends are even saying to me if you get "this gen game" I will buy it for 60$ because the store prices are way to crazy.. Last year new games were 60$ with tax.

An example of out of ebay is My friend works at Costco this weekend he said sales are down 100k from last year on the same week from 250k to 150k. Not trying to argue your point that eBay sales are down but they will go back up when summer is over again : / But instead of rising to more than the year before they will stay the same or go down because they aren't doing enough to have the same spark amazon is getting.

edit in - Been reading the stats seems eBay is growing still I didn't think it was but I think if they advertised on tv cable ( eg price comparisons between other retailers , the amount of stuff they sell , etc ) they would grab a hold of the older market The people who just go on the computer and read news and get off then go buy a new laptop at best buy for 200$ more than if they got one online.

reallynicestamps · ‎07-06-2015

My friend works at Costco this weekend he said sales are down 100k from last year on the same week from 250k to 150k.

Having lunch a few Saturdays ago at a local diner and the staff were remarking they only took in $700 the Saturday before. Last Saturday they closed.

I keep meaning to record the commercials on the shows I watch, because I believe that reflects, if not who is watching, then who the advertisers think are watching.

Like all the denture adhesive and diaper ads (both kinds) on Coronation Street.

Last night I was watching Halt and Catch Fire and the ads ran to Viagra, Cialis and tequila. With some hotels.com tossed in.