eBay

katlover1952 · ‎12-09-2014

Hi all - am just wondering how everyone is finding their sales this fall/Christmas season. I am not a big seller but this is usually a busier time for me also and this year I have just not had that many sales - had more through the summer which is usually slower. I lost my top rated status on Nov 20th so wondered if that had something to do with it but did have it for all of October and most of Nov.( Ironically I am supposed to get it back on my next review on Dec 20th if I am lucky enough to escape any "lost packages" or buyers who decide they don't like or want my items.)

Perhaps my items just are not of interest to anyone anymore and I know there is certainly lots of competition out there but am curious to see if it just me or if others are noticing this trend as well.

2014sportsterguy · ‎12-10-2014

Hi, I have around half your sales on two accounts, speaking only for myself sales are very slow.
Unless a seller has unique items general merchandise is hard to move for me.

I don't see much improvements with so much competition, but unique good quallity will always sell.

You need a niche marke

reallynicestamps · ‎12-10-2014

I'm rebuilding after boxing up my stock and moving across country.

The more stuff I get listed, the more sales I have, but the lull in listings (and sales) meant I don't have US TRS status at the moment.

But things are going a little better than I expected and I have some interesting new stuff going up.

pjcdn2005 · ‎12-10-2014

It was very slow for me in September and October but it has picked up now.

For many of your small items you are using small packet to the U.S. and expedited parcel in Canada. For the small less expensive items, have you considered using light packet and lettermail? Since small packet doesn't have tracking anyway, you may as well use light packet when the package is less than 2 cm in depth.

lady.stark · ‎12-10-2014

Just like PJ, my sales in September and October have been very slow. November has been a very great month! December... we'll see. So far, not many sales. At least not as much as last month.

ricarmic · ‎12-10-2014

Generally I would say that $$$ volume is lower the last many months with the odd exception. I think that my quantity of sales is even or even higher, but there are a lot more $19.99 and lower items selling than before - it seems this year anything $20.00 or higher is going a lot slower.... folks seem to have a lot less discretionary income... which means more work, for less income 😐

katlover1952 · ‎12-10-2014

Thanks for the advice on shipping PJ. I have on occasion used lettermail (for Canada) and light packet for US but most of the time by the time you wrap items well in bubble and put in a padded envelope it is still too thick to go through the letter mail slot. I usually send my jewelry items in a small jewelry box then in a padded envelope to make sure they arrive safely. I know shipping to the US from Canada is more expensive than if a US buyer gets it shipped from a US seller so this is certainly an issue. Canadians just seem to understand that our postal rates are high and a lot of US sellers are now charging a lot more as well to ship to Canada. Appreciate the thought though - perhaps can try to do a bit more that way.

My local post office in the town near by are pretty nice about giving items a gentle push to get through the slot. When I try to mail them at an outlet in the city where I work they hold it above the slot and if it doesn't free fall through (LOL) it can't ship that way!!

westernstargifts · ‎12-10-2014

I sell jewellery as well and use Light Packet or Lettermail for most of my items. For inexpensive items I do not put them in a gift box. I put them in a clear plastic bag, earrings on a card, wrap them in the packing slip and put them in a bubble envelope. I do put some padding behind post earrings which are more likely to be bent in transit. I have no problems with the jewellery arriving damaged.

I would, however, package expensive jewellery in a gift box and send it Small Packet/Expedited.

I wish Canadians were more understanding of the postal rates in Canada but that has not been my experience. When I explained to one customer that the package has to fit through a letter slot to get the lower rate he replied that he has a mailbox, not a letter slot....hmmm.....I don't think Canada Post keeps track of who has what.

I really think that lower shipping rates would help your sales but that is just my opinion.

Best of luck!

katlover1952 · ‎12-10-2014

Thanks westernstargifts. I am always worried about damage so is good to hear that you don't really have any problems in this regard. I will try to do more of the light packet and lettermail in the new year. I am just wondering though can you print lettermail off of the Paypal site and it is a standard rate for all of Canada?

pocomocomputing · ‎12-10-2014

No you cannot print Lettermail or Letterpost from PayPal.

westernstargifts · ‎12-10-2014

Lettermail is a standard rate of 1.80 for all of Canada. You can't print it from PayPal.

Some of the nice stamp sellers on eBay give some great discounts on stamps saving you $$$$. Either DH or myself fill out the Small Packet labels (also used for Light Packet). We keep a supply of them here.

My wonderful sweet clerk in the postal outlet that I use also rings them through the cash register showing that they were pre-stamped. He also enters the postal/zip code for each one so I have a record that they were shipped. He does this only for me. It does not prove that the item was delivered but it stopped one buyer from making a claim of non-receipt when I sent him a scanned copy of the receipt showing his code.

I think I will reward him with chocolate!

katlover1952 · ‎12-10-2014

Would that just be for a flat letter size - I know that I have shipped small padded envelopes via first class letter mail as they fit through the slot but I was pretty sure I paid more than $1.80 - thought it was around $3.00.

I do keep some of the forms on hand for the light packet but I am sure that I have printed those off of Paypal in the past which I like to do whenever possible.

Thanks for the info.

pierrelebel · ‎12-10-2014

"pretty sure I paid more than $1.80 - thought it was around $3.00."

It depends on the weight.

Lettermail within Canada (under 2cm thickness)

51g to 100g is $1.80 plus tax

201g to 200g is $2.95 plus tax

"but I am sure that I have printed those off of Paypal in the past"

Lettermail/letterpost have never been available through PayPal.

katlover1952 · ‎12-10-2014

Thanks for the clarification Pierre. I guess mine must have been heavier as I remember it being around the $3.00 mark. Actually I was referring to the light packet when I said I had printed off Paypal in the past so guess it is just the lettermail that cannot be printed off Paypal.