zW2Ig~~60_7.JPG "brandeentertainment"){kind=avatar}
You're probably not alone, if that's any consolation at all.
I think, judging from comments on these boards, many smaller sellers are probably experiencing a different sort of pattern of sales than used to be the case even 2 years ago. There seem to be more sudden bulges, longer complete dry spells, and no predictability to buying levels. At least that's been my experience since pretty much the beginning of 2013.
As has been said a lot on these boards: try to follow eBay's best practices, top-notch pictures and lots of them, good, clear descriptions and keep on top of eBay selling policies.
I've got TRS, good visibility in searches, 100% FB, and used to have a steady, reliable level of sales. However I'm currently experiencing a 3-week total dead zone, and this isn't the first one. This is after a sudden, inexplicable "burst" of activity in late October. I'm apparently doing everything right, at least according to eBay's standards, but things have changed. I'm starting to get accustomed to these "dead zones".
Sorry I couldn't offer more than a shoulder to cry on...
I "think" that eBay is rapidly moving away from the garage sale aspect to the full retail model. I "believe" this is customer driven. The days of just being here and selling are long gone. You have to make yourself found. Just a few years ago, 13 million listings was a lot. What did Pierre say a few weeks ago? There are 500 million listings?
Ya have to make your self be seen. Customers are not going to find us, we have to find them.
"much lower than expected"
The problem may not be with the marketplace but with your expectations.and underestimating of your own results.
"for the past 3 months, averaging about 3 items a day."
With less than 500 listings, and based on an overall eBay average of one sale every 14 weeks for fixed price listings, you are doing pretty good in a very competitive area.
In my opinion, after looking at a few of your listings, you could improve your sales by making two adjustments:
1) lower your shipping charge in many of your higher priced items. Your American competitors are charging less than you do (your actual costs are irrelevant to buyers. Not their problem). You may want to increase some prices to make up for lower shipping charge.
2) Change your policy to offer a full refund upon return within 14 or (preferably) 30 days. That "no return accepted" is a turn off for many potential buyers. If you do not trust the quality of your products, why should they?
Good Luck
@bb_cool_stuff wrote:Three of five friendly competitors have had zero sales today. I can't recall that ever happening to them.
One competitor has now started listing items in the auction format. The five plus years I have known him he has never listed auctions previously.
Sign of the times.
Yes, I agree. I've noticed a couple of my long-time competitors each have a dozen or so attractive items up for auction this week, with nary a bid so far. I know these items were selling like hotcakes 2 or 3 years ago, and these sellers were turning over their listings every few days. Now their auctions are getting relisted and relisted and relisted...
There are some insightful comments on this string. I too would say the high-end OOAK items in my categories are still selling, but clearly at a lower price than previously. In the categories I sell, swamping with cheap goods isn't as big a problem as in other categories, thank goodness, so I can't blame a surplus of competition on the slower sales -- it seems the pool of interested and willing buyers has dried up - a lot!
I think those of us who have hung on so far may be in for an even rougher ride come 2014, especially if eBay brings in more massive seller updates (I won't think about that now 
).
