Sales fluctuating recently

[dipmicro]

I noticed march sales fluctuate a lot, recent 2 weeks - mostly to the low side. Some people report lows, some report highs, others report same.

As I add auctions my traffic is raising and yet the sales are getting lower, I attribute it to all store listings going into core. Yesterday was the worst so far. Some people report eBay "hiding" items due to too many items in the core but most of these claims come from people with low sales who may just experience normal fluctuations. I searched my items through proxy (i.e. eBay did not know it was me looking) and they were still showing.

If anyone seen the "hiding", let us know. In my opinion if Google can index trillions of sites without problems, why should eBay have problems indexing tens of millions.

With store listings going into core, it may be good idea to spread them evenly during 30 days because Fixed Price items get Best Match boost when newest (while auctions get boost when ending). I currently have all my store listings renew in 1-2 days, which is not exactly the best for even sales.

[surplusdealdude]

Whilke I have noticed that it's feast or famine as well - I'll go a day or 2 without sales, then get a pile, I think it's more the March Break combined with nice(r) weather for me. Plus my inventory is way down as I'm waiting for a new order to come in.

The 'ebay hiding listings" is an old myth propagated by conspiracy theorists. I've noticed concentrations of orders from time to time, but it's more likely as a result of a weather event than anything else.

When I worked in BM retail, we always used to see piles of people coming into the store when it rained - they couldn't play outside, so they'd come in to shop. Likely, it's something like that instead.

[surplusdealdude]

If you are using the GTC option, it shouldn't make a difference when the items renew.

One person brought up the point that a GTC listing never got the "new listing" bump that a manually relisted item did - I could see some effect on sales if that were the case and, of course, with the automation available in the higher level stores now, you can have a 30-day listing that renews when it expires.

As it is, my stuff is all over the month anyway.

[pierrelebel]

Somehow, I have not noticed any substantial fluctuations either way.

The number of items sold on eBay in a week typically ranges from 500 to 600 and the number of hits (as reported by Omniture) is steady and compares with last month. The dollar volume remains steady.

Last year, I took the time to average each day of the week and found very little fluctuations from one day to the next on an annual average.

As far as eBay "hiding" listings, that simply does not make sense. I suspect those reports come from sellers not doing very well, whatever the reasons.

[montrealmaps]

I sell about 50% less. I listed 120 "live" auctions - such move generated usually about 40 bids. Now, I have 5.

All my listings are visible - it's confirmed by my friends in US and in Europe. Nothing wrong with the search results. I have 25% in some search results - and almost no sales.

"Conspiracy" theories make no sense. I believe that Ebay guys work hard to improve the situation ... but will it change anything?
I really think Ebay has serious problem and the traffic will be never back. It's gone, forever. I still buy some stuff on Ebay, but mainly on German, UK and French site. Almost nothing on US site anymore.

[westernstargifts]

My sales have been up and down all year. Sales will probably slow down again with the U.S. income tax due on April 15. It usually picks up after that deadline.

[dipmicro]

Pierre, I think you have been already fully in core, so you should not be affected that much.

Store listings will experience fluctuations. My friends told me his sales just spiked last two days. I checked some of his items, and he is already in the core, while mine store listings with same keywords are still hidden under "See additional items from eBay Stores".

I would expect sales to go back to normal within 1-2 weeks depending how long it takes eBay fully transfer everyone into core. Of course after the transition "normal" may be different than "normal" was before. Sellers who had lots of store listings and did not use core will get more sales - but this will take sales from others who were already active in the core.

[pierrelebel]

"how long it takes eBay fully transfer everyone into core."

Sellers make that decision.

I have started moving most (2,000 listings) from store to core soon after the chnages were announced. Fixed price listings cost me $0.10 instead of $0.02/$0.05/$0.10 in store). That will be reduced to $0.05 next week.

Sales have gone up. The last 600 or so listings (lesser priority, small values) will be automatically moved to fixed price (core) as they are scheduled to renew every 30 days.

eBay does not make the decision. Sellers do - or let the system do it for them.

[dipmicro]

"how long it takes eBay fully transfer everyone into core."

Sellers make that decision.

I have started moving most (2,000 listings) from store to core soon after the chnages were announced. Fixed price listings cost me $0.10 instead of $0.02/$0.05/$0.10 in store). That will be reduced to $0.05 next week.

Sales have gone up. The last 600 or so listings (lesser priority, small values) will be automatically moved to fixed price (core) as they are scheduled to renew every 30 days.

eBay does not make the decision. Sellers do - or let the system do it for them.

eBay made the decision. All store items will not just appear in the core by flip of the switch but it will happen during certain time and apparently it's already been happening for some time.

[pierrelebel]

"All store items will not just appear in the core by flip of the switch "

Actually, they do when the seller list as fixed price.

As long as the item is listed or relisted as inventory store listing, it will not appear in core (exception made of a few tests conducted by eBay)

The point will soon be moot as sellers will no longer be allowed to list inventory listings as of next Tuesday.

[pierrelebel]

Looking at the calendar, it is safe to state all items will be available in core after April 29th! 😉

[dipmicro]

As long as the item is listed or relisted as inventory store listing, it will not appear in core (exception made of a few tests conducted by eBay).

On the contrary: http://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/news/FeeUpdate2010.html#fpf

Existing Store Inventory Format listings will automatically become regular Fixed Price listings with their original duration

If one lists Store Inventory items today, they should become Fixed Price tomorrow. With Basic store, that's savings of $170 / 1000 items. Then right before 30 days you can upgrade to Premium saving another few $$.

Btw, since store subscription is prorated, it may be interesting to find out if one can upgrade only during submitting items and then downgrade back to Basic 🙂 Some sellers have been upgrading temporarily during markdowns.

[pierrelebel]

"On the contrary"

I guess we will find out on Wednesday!

[pjcdn2005]

A quote from Kalvin on the Special Announcements Board
LINK (Post 29)

GTC SIF listings listed prior to 3/30 will be charged the original Store fees. Even though they'll be converted on 3/30, you won't be charged the new fee schedule until the items renew after 30 days at the new price rate for site Fixed Price listings.

I'm hoping that he was right.

[pierrelebel]

Kevin did not specifically state inventory store listings would appear in basic search as of March 30th, did he?

Implied maybe but unstated.

Could it be that the status of the listings would be changed from "inventory store listings" to "fixed price listings" for the purpose of fees to apply at time of relisting GTC listings with no effect on search?

We should know on Wednedsay. I am not a gambler and willingly paid higher fees ($0.10) to get my listings in core. So far it has paid off.

[pjcdn2005]

You're right, he didn't state that. But it is stated here.

LINK
Highlights
Also starting March 30, there will be one Fixed Price format on eBay. Listings in the current Stores Inventory Format will automatically become regular Fixed Price listings with the same duration and appear with all other Fixed Price listings in eBay search results.

And this further down the page...

One Fixed Price listing format
Starting March 30, eBay will offer one Fixed Price format with full search exposure. Existing Store Inventory Format listings will automatically become regular Fixed Price listings with their original duration at the new fees included with your Stores subscription package plus the regular fees for any feature upgrades.

The "new fees" mentioned in the last statement almost makes it sound as if the store inv will be switched and charged new fees right away but that can't be right since they do make mention in another area of store inventory items being renewed throughout April.

I'm not trying to prove anyone right or wrong, I just want to figure out if I can do a few last minute things to save some money. Problem is that reading through all of this "stuff" has probably wasted more time & time is worth money. How I wish ebay employed the KISS method. This should be easy to figure out.
:-)

[pierrelebel]

"to save some money"

I can understand how that may be important for some sellers.

In my case, I decided to spend a few hundred dollars in extra listing fees to get an early advantage of buyers finding my listings in core while most other sellers were still in stores and less visible.

It cost me about $250 in extra listing fees for two months. Well worth it for me (monthly sales have increased by thousands of dollars). Others may have a different experience.

[montrealmaps]

Since a few days ALL my items are in core. The bad news is, that the sale DIDN'T increase at all .... ;-( Some of categories I observe are now flooded with "junk" items.

[pjcdn2005]

In my case, I decided to spend a few hundred dollars in extra listing fees to get an early advantage of buyers finding my listings in core while most other sellers were still in stores and less visible.


I moved quite a few of my listings a while ago and business has been good although this last week has been slow.

Now I have new items to list plus a lot of listings that end in the next couple of days and have been trying to figure the best way to handle those items.

Thank you for your input. 🙂

[pierrelebel]

You guys were right - all store inventory listings (even those listed yesterday at a lower fee) appear today in the core search.