eBay

sargeantsmith · ‎12-08-2017

Hello this has been the worst Holiday Season in many years? It is like pulling teeth to get a sale. You almost have to give your jewelry away to get a sale. I am considering putting all my jewelry away and hoping things pick up after Christmas but doubt that as it is usually a slow time of the year. Anyone else having a hard time? Thank you.

jt-libra · ‎12-08-2017

Please don't list your items as 9.95 auctions .... they're far too beautiful!

You have received good advice from experienced sellers and it must seem overwhelming to think about revising your listings and taking new pictures for some of the items. But if you can manage to examine and revise 4 or 5 a day, by the New Year, your listings will look much better and your sales will likely improve. Once you revise the first half-dozen or so, the process will seem a little easier.

I only ship within Canada and to the U.S. so I can't speak to shipping rates outside of North America, but you should examine your shipping costs carefully. Understandably, you want to use caution when shipping expensive items. They need to be packed well which will necessitate a larger box and you will want to ship with delivery confirmation and perhaps signature as well and, depending on the value, added insurance. However, a $30.00 shipping charge, as "mj" points out as an example, to Winnipeg from Ontario is high and could turn off potential buyers. As suggested, try to incorporate some of the shipping cost into the price of the item.

No need to be embarrassed ....we've all needed help from other sellers. Good luck to you. We all want you to do well.

jt-libra · ‎12-08-2017

@sargeantsmith wrote:
Thank you I did not realize I was posting to everyone I thought just to one individual who had answered me. I am embarrassed but I guess it is what it is and have to cope and look at each day as having positive moments. When it comes to EBay I will continue until I sell all my items or most would be nice. Thank you for all the support and kind words today. The only thing I cannot find you again on the EBay site only here in my email how do I get back to you through eBay? Thank you again:)

At the bottom of your eBay.ca home page or My eBay page, click on Community > Discussion Boards (left-hand column) > Buying and Selling on eBay > Seller Central.

katlover1952 · ‎12-09-2017

I sell jewelry mostly also (not high end though) & my sales have been very sporadic & nowhere near what I had hoped. It has been this way most of the fall. Not sure what the problem is but it can get very discouraging.

Don't be embarrassed about the duplicates. I too have found a few just lately. Usually eBay picks that up,when you are listing but not always.

I am going to keep plugging away & hope things will pick up after Xmas. Xmas shopping is now pretty much over as not sufficient mailing time unless paying big postage costs & my item are lower priced. Good luck to you.

cumos55 · ‎12-09-2017

One should sell a wide range of inventory with a wide range of prices.

One can focus on one specific category to sell.... However,one must constantly look for inventory that complements that primary group of inventory... When my primary category is not selling those complementary categories sell.

With most prices in the high range the possibility of a sale is reduced.

People will buy the high priced items... but without a definitive time when they will buy.

This is before Christmas... and people are very focused on what they want to buy and how much they are willing to pay... especially if they have many presents to buy.

One can look back to the "Black Friday" period of sales where there was a very specific focus on what everyone wanted to buy. Just look at what the local advertisements were promoting for Black Friday.

For year round sales my approach is...

The lower priced items pay the bills... The higher priced items make the profit...

femmefan1946 · ‎12-15-2017

Shipping is definitely the hardest part of selling online.

You really should have this bookmarked:

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/far/business/findARate?execution=e1s1

And keep a close eye on the cost of Expedited and Small Parcel Air shipping-- especially to the USA.

There is a sizing differential that we are expected to remember (and I never can) but which makes our Calculated Shipping fees turn into a Contact Seller for costs.

sargeantsmith · ‎12-15-2017

Thank you I will

lady.stark · ‎12-15-2017

@sargeantsmith wrote:
Hello this has been the worst Holiday Season in many years? Anyone else having a hard time? Thank you.

I'm on the same boat. Barely sold a few items in the entire month, and only stuff at $5. This is the worst December month I have ever had since I began selling here!

sargeantsmith · ‎12-15-2017

Yes I understand, I am usually so busy now I can hardly keep up. Very frustrating. I am going to go through and lower all my shipping and see if that makes a difference. I do not understand why you are not doing better with such good prices? Hopefully things will pick up this week.

styleclash2 · ‎12-16-2017

Me too, I expected busy November and December, but surprisingly it is the worst two months for me as well, I think the main reason is how ebay is promoting, who are their target audience, and how many people they can bring to see your store.

momcqueen · ‎12-16-2017

I sell toys so Christmas is my busy time. However, that busy time can fluctuate wildly. My busiest Christmas ever was two years ago when I was continually listing new-to-market items which were very hot sellers to certain regions of the world because they hadn't been released there yet. It was so busy i was too busy and my own Christmas shopping for my young family waited until 6 pm on Dec 24. (Like the cobbler whose own children have no shoes.) With my current selection of items of which NONE are new-to-market listings it has been steady but not overwhelming this year and last. My protracted point is that you must happen to have whatever buyers are looking for at the moment. And don't we all wish we knew in October what buyers were going to be looking for in November and December?

vintagenorth · ‎12-16-2017

@mjwl2006 wrote:
I sell toys so Christmas is my busy time. However, that busy time can fluctuate wildly. My busiest Christmas ever was two years ago when I was continually listing new-to-market items which were very hot sellers to certain regions of the world because they hadn't been released there yet. It was so busy i was too busy and my own Christmas shopping for my young family waited until 6 pm on Dec 24. (Like the cobbler whose own children have no shoes.) With my current selection of items of which NONE are new-to-market listings it has been steady but not overwhelming this year and last. My protracted point is that you must happen to have whatever buyers are looking for at the moment. And don't we all wish we knew in October what buyers were going to be looking for in November and December.

Fingerlings! Still looking for one for my GD but only at regular prices. Not that desperate! Although, as an eBay seller, if I had known in advance how popular these would be......
But on second thoughts, maybe not. I’m not used to getting returns and these could be like the hatchimals, only fun for a few days.

reallynicestamps · ‎12-17-2017

I do not understand the shipping that is not me I will call EBay tomorrow they must have signed me up for their program which I have said no to many times. I looked and did not see that shipping. -- @sargeantsmith

What eBay shipping program?

You can use SnapShip (which is Canada Post and has some discounts) and Shippo (which has slightly different discounts) whcih also ships through Canada Post.

In both cases you have to sign up for a Small Business Solutions card/number.

You can do that online or at the PO.

It's free.

And as mentioned there are discounts which vary depending on service.

I think you were responding to the suggestion that you use Free Shipping.

Don't Panic.

This just means including the cost of shipping

Which you find here: https://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/far/business/findARate?execution=e1s1

in your asking prices .

Which is cheapest?

A $100 item with $25 shipping?

A $125 item with Free Shipping?