eBay

forester_studios · ‎11-07-2016

Just wondering if anyone else is having slower sales lately? The Summer months were really good with steady sales. Even shutting down for a few weeks in June with the possible mail strike looming sales rebounded quickly as soon as I relisted everything.

However since September sales have slowed to about half of the Summer months. November has really slowed to almost nothing when normally it is when sales pick up with holiday shopping. I'm really wondering if ebay might have changed something in their search engine again?

Anyway I will keep adding new listings and hopefully things will pick up again. If anyone has any constructive thoughts on increasing sales, I would be happy to hear them.

Thanks!

femmefan1946 · ‎11-07-2016

Nothing particularly constructive.

Every time someone posts about slowed down sales others will post that their sales are doing fine.

It seems random, although sometimes the seller is stuck in a time warp. You know the guy who says"I haven't changed anything in all my years and suddenly sales have stopped."

That guy usually gets annoyed when others try to suggest he make changes.

How do your Fall sales compare with this time in 2015? In 2014? Sometimes a particular seller can see a pattern over the years.

Or not.

Told you I wasn't very helpful.

forester_studios · ‎11-07-2016

Thanks anyway femmefan. I just wonder if it might be a change in ebays search? However I do see your point about the "time warp". I do need to get more new items listed and have been slowly doing so. I've also added "free" shipping to some items. Just trying to generate ideas about possible solutions.

Thanks for taking time to respond. I do appreciate your thoughts on the subject!

lucitabby · ‎11-07-2016

I have had one sale in the last week, so, yes it seems a bit slow. However, I do seem to go in fits and starts.

There was another thread a few days ago about, how, people are now searching for items to buy. Rather than going to ebay or other sites they just google search the brand or item and then click on maybe the first few that come up. Which is good except I have found not many items came up that were for sale on ebay.

I seldom have brand items for sale so I did a search for Alberta History Books, (which I have quite a few of) - I went through 18 google screens before giving up and did not see any book come up that was for sale on ebay. Pages of them at bookstores, museums, etc., but google was not showing anything on ebay.

I checked several other items on google search with the same result.

I am not saying this is a cause but it doesn't help. I also sell on another site and it tells me where a viewer of an item was directed from and a lot are from google.

I know, I'm not being very helpful either - sorry.

forester_studios · ‎11-07-2016

Actually I know exactly what you mean about google search. I did a search for some items yesterday that I have currently listed using google and had the same kind of results you mention. Lots of other places selling them, but no mention of ebay.

Your comments are very helpful and confirm my experience with google. Ebay items just don't seem to show up like they used to. Thanks for replying to my post.

amandabalmain · ‎11-07-2016

I have noticed very weird sales... I will go a week with zip -- then get a cluster of sales (from multiple buyers). Overall I find my sales are down (but so is my stock, by about 1000 products). To help generate interest I have added different product lines -- done listings with different variables (just to try and get a hit when people search)... as per eBay changing their search engine - I did read a post (a few months ago now) about some changes....

katlover1952 · ‎11-07-2016

I have found sales just have not picked up really good since the closure for a month or so due to the postal dispute. Some weeks I will have a few sales then the next week 1 or 2. Generally fall is a busier time. Seems very hit & miss for me. If I make enough to pay store & other fees in a month I am lucky. I do think searches may be part of the problem but not sure what to do about that. I too added "free shipping" to quite a few of my items also.

femmefan1946 · ‎11-08-2016

I will go a week with zip -- then get a cluster of sales (from multiple buyers).

It's my understanding that when we sell something the Search engine gives us little boost in Search.

Which, if true, would explain this phenomenon. And possibly why I am getting as many overseas sales this past few weeks as I have been getting US sales.

For the one who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. Matthew 25: v 24-30

ricarmic · ‎11-08-2016

@femmefan1946 wrote:
I will go a week with zip -- then get a cluster of sales (from multiple buyers).

It's my understanding that when we sell something the Search engine gives us little boost in Search.
Which, if true, would explain this phenomenon. And possibly why I am getting as many overseas sales this past few weeks as I have been getting US sales.

For the one who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. Matthew 25: v 24-30

Hi Femme, that is interesting, yesterday was also "international day" in ricarmicland..... 8 different countries (twice as many items international than US)...

kiralicious · ‎11-08-2016

I sell vintage, retro and newer toys....an area that usually picks up about now and I've definitely noticed sales are not what they have been in previous years this time of year even having more product then ever before (I've seen a definite slow down of sales since closing my store for a few weeks due to the postal dispute). I chalk it up to a couple of things...I have a side craft like business that I do craft fairs with and talking to many of the other vendors that I see every year....sales this year at these events has been dismal (many aren't breaking even this year)...customers like products...but don't want to part with their money unless absolutely necessary. Many are struggling due to higher bills and siting at the same income. Many are scared of the US election and holding money till they see how things turn out (I'm interested to see if sales go up a bit after today's election). The lack of visibility in google search seems to be an issue as well. I started using Pinterest awhile ago and pinning a lot of my own items (and some other sellers) on various boards I've created.... I've noticed by doing this ...if you search an item I have in my store on google and I have it pinned on pintrest it shows up in the first line of google images and people can click and follow through to Pinterest and then to my ebay store . I've asked many buyers how they found my item and i'm surprised at how many say they saw my item on pintrest. I'm as well tweeting new listings on twitter with links and hashtags which has gotten me some sales. Desperately trying new things to see if they work.

Only time will tell I guess....but you're not alone in wondering what is going on.

2nd-time-around-jewelry · ‎11-09-2016

There seems to be no rhyme or reason when it comes to sales. They are so sporadic. I can go from having 1 or 2 sales in a week to 5 or 6 all at once. Wish I could see a pattern but there isn't one.

femmefan1946 · ‎11-09-2016

I've asked many buyers how they found my item and I'm surprised at how many say they saw my item on pintrest.

I haven't tried using Pinterest for that, but I do have several Pinterest boards, one group for CAN-CON, the Ottawa SF convention I used to help run, and one for Nathan Fillion, because Nathan Fillion.

I've noticed that both get a lot of re-pins (mostly of Nathan Fillion, including on the SF board) nearly a dozen a day, and that the vast majority of pinners are women.

I've also noticed that while most of the women I mention Pinterest to are at least vaguely aware of the site, most men just look at me blankly.

Are your crafts female oriented?

Everyone's a hero in their own way / Everyone's got villains they must face / They're not as cool as mine / But folks you know it's fine to know your place / Everyone's a hero in their own way / In their own not-that-heroic way /-- Captain Hammer