eBay

krf654 · ‎06-06-2015

Is it just me or has anyone noticed that EBay is not what it used to be. Nothing seems to sell anymore, except the poor quality cheap merchandise from China! Too bad those large quantity sellers are allowed. Facebook auctions are the new trend. Selling is fantastic.
That's the way I am going now.

pinetreecottage · ‎06-06-2015

You're right. Nobody is even looking. I've had 5 day auction listings with between 2 - 10 people looking, and no sales. In the past my type of items would have had bids within a couple of hours and more than 100 people looking. With so many changes of late, it's hard to know what's happening. I'm sure the stamp guy who always has something to say here, is going to say, his sales are just fine. However, the rest of us can not all be wrong. At the end of the day, I have to wonder, if ebay is noticing any decrease in revenue, as we who use to sell, and pay fees, are no longer having much success. Good luck with your Facebook sales. Cheers.

4kats · ‎06-06-2015

You are right - I had to keep lowering prices but still very little sells. I made the mistake of offering cheaper shipping ( no tracking) to help sell but now I have to repay for item & shipping and all fees on 3 items as buyers claimed they did not receive and all I have is Post Office receipt to prove I sent items but Paypal always refunds to buyers. This is just another scam which I have learned the hard way. I also had to refund money on an item that was damaged but when it was returned, it was not my item. In my opinion , Ebay tends to breed scammers. At this point, I have given up on Ebay and will sell at local toy shows as it would better to give away my collection, than waste my time and money doing this ..

momcqueen · ‎06-06-2015

@4kats wrote:
You are right - I had to keep lowering prices but still very little sells. I made the mistake of offering cheaper shipping ( no tracking) to help sell but now I have to repay for item & shipping and all fees on 3 items as buyers claimed they did not receive and all I have is Post Office receipt to prove I sent items but Paypal always refunds to buyers. This is just another scam which I have learned the hard way. I also had to refund money on an item that was damaged but when it was returned, it was not my item. In my opinion , Ebay tends to breed scammers. At this point, I have given up on Ebay and will sell at local toy shows as it would better to give away my collection, than waste my time and money doing this ..

If you call ebay, you can probably appeal that neutral. I'm guessing the buyer was UK by the comment about p&p and buyers from Great Britain are ALWAYS charged high import fees by the British government. It's not your fault he didn't know that. His charge wasn't 'postage' but 'tariffs' and feedback left for sellers where the poster complains about Customs Fees or taxes is grounds for removal.

For future reference, maybe add one line to all your listings that states:

International buyers are responsible for all taxes on import; these are not included in the postage cost.

I hear that you sound discouraged but if I were you I'd try calling about it, and the others. Some less-than-honest types look for a seller with a low number next to their ID because they assume that seller will be easier to dupe. Don't go gently into that good night.

reallynicestamps · ‎06-06-2015

I made the mistake of offering cheaper shipping ( no tracking) to help sell

Thank you for accepting responsibility for your own mistake.

It is important to remember that tracking is needed for the seller's protection. If the seller is not willing to accept that risk, which varies with the category, then she should only ship with Confirmation of Delivery. If the buyer is unwilling to pay, well, some sales are not worth having.

FWIW, I increased my sales across the board by offering more items after not selling for a few months while relocating. Once I hit about 400 unique items, my sales on a given ID settle in to a stable number per week.

I have no idea how many watchers I have, since any of my items are available immediately at Fixed Price, so there is no reason for a real buyer to wait. I figure watchers are a mixture of other sellers, dreamers who don't have a credit card, and people who haven't figured out how to buy yet.

mr.elmwood · ‎06-06-2015

I have been on a run since Dec 25. I mix things up, change practices, try to offer what the customer wants. The run I am on now, is the best since late summer 2012.

Why?

Why am I doing well?

One reason is, I am trying to do well. Another is, the 30% drop in Loonie over the last three years is WOO-HOO!

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jt-libra · ‎06-06-2015

@mr.elmwood wrote:
I have been on a run since Dec 25. I mix things up, change practices, try to offer what the customer wants. The run I am on now, is the best since late summer 2012.

There was a thread not too long ago about selling periods being cyclical. Someone had analyzed selling figures and he/she said that sales can be really, really good for about 6 months or so, and then drop to a low for another cycle, then up again. I hope you're not coming to the end of your six-month cycle

There's a reason I bring this up. Last October (2014), my sales up to mid-month were terrible, on both of my selling accounts. My sales were down 80% in both number of items and dollar value, the lowest since I began to sell 9 years ago. All of sudden, in the middle of the month, like gangbusters, sales soared and they didn't stop. I had my best six-month period from mid-October to mid-April that I had ever had and my sales were 200% higher than normal. The last two months --- crickets!! LOL

The worst .... two months .... ever!

I'm sure there are sellers who can offer all sorts of reasons for this happening but a phenomenal start that lasted 6 months and then a crash to record low levels is mysterious. So I choose to believe that once sales pick up again ... look out!!

pattern-bookstar · ‎06-06-2015

This is my posting ID so no point looking to see what I sell.

This month and last month have been fantastic on ebay for me. So far this week I have sold 33 items since June 1. Today 4, yesterday, 3. Last year this time I would sell 10 a month.

Mind you, I have lowered my prices, offered free domestic shipping, but I still make about $7 to $10 profit on each item, not a lot for some of you that sell thousands but for me it works.

It all depends on what you sell, what you price it at? If it is what a buyer is looking for.

I haven't tried facebook yet although I do have my site registered. I also sell on a few other venues but they are relatively quiet. I also sell on Craigs List and have some success but only for very low profit. Most buyers on Craigs List in my area are looking to buy so that they can resell on ebay.

treasure.hunter.d · ‎06-07-2015

@pinetreecottage wrote:
You're right. Nobody is even looking. I've had 5 day auction listings with between 2 - 10 people looking, and no sales. In the past my type of items would have had bids within a couple of hours and more than 100 people looking. With so many changes of late, it's hard to know what's happening. I'm sure the stamp guy who always has something to say here, is going to say, his sales are just fine. However, the rest of us can not all be wrong. At the end of the day, I have to wonder, if ebay is noticing any decrease in revenue, as we who use to sell, and pay fees, are no longer having much success. Good luck with your Facebook sales. Cheers.

There is a definite relationship between traffic on Ebay being so greatly diminished and the fact that responses to searches on Google show few Ebay hits in many cases.

I have been monitoring this for some time now and just as an exercise, prior to posting this response, I did a google search for "vintage art glass vase" an item that has numerous qualifying hits on Ebay. The response to the query yielded many items satisfying the keywords from the search however not a one of them on the first page of results was from Ebay. Most of the hits retured were from image sites like Pinterest, a few R u b y lane hits and a ton from a specific auction site named auctionhelper but 0 ebay hits.

Formerly, this same search would have had the exact opposite results with the yielded return being almost 100% Ebay hits in the first few pages.

So despite the yarn that Ebay staff attempts to spin when questioned, all is not well between Ebay and Google.

I called support the other day with an unrelated question and decided that while I had someone from the US (as opposed to the Philipines) on the phone I would ask a few questions to see if I could glean any new info about just what the heck was going on. I actually felt sorry for the csr girl as the higher ups at Ebay have left these folks completely in the dark about these matters except for a few scripted platitudes that once offered I skewered with factual info. It was easy to tell that the csr was rattled. I was completely calm, polite and respectful but refuted with fact, every scripted answer that i was given and left the poor csr with nothing to say and a quite apparent feeling of panic as it seemed that she was really starting to waken from the kool-aid induced fog and see, for the first time, just how bad things are for many sellers and that Ebay itself is the root cause of it.

Anyway, your guess is as good as mine as to what Ebay has planned long term however a lot of the changes of late seem to be pointed in the direction of squeezing the "boutique" type small sellers out of the picture in favor of the giant, faceless, sellers and the garbage they peddle.

I really hope that I am wrong on this but only time will tell I guess. The really frustrating thing, for me anyway, is that Ebay is unwilling to share with some sellers any credible info about what is going on and I think that speaks volumes as to how little they value some types of sellers. A great deal of Ebay was built on the backs of smaller sellers of unique, antique, vintage and collectible items and seriously, if Ebay currently really valued these sellers or had any respect for them, wouldn't they do a better job of keeping those sellers in the loop?

Cheers,

thD

cumos55 · ‎06-07-2015

Many come to eBay with an idea of selling a specific type of inventory... sometimes in a very narrow niche

They do well and then after a period of time sales drop....Why?... They have met the needs of the buyers that really want what they sell... and then new sellers are few and far between.

A seller must be constantly innovative in what they sell, and at what price.

Sellers will drop prices.... and then what.... I have heard from some sellers that an increase in price will result in better sales.

For books there are buyers that will not buy any book priced at less than $10.00.

Some people buy based on the condition of an item, sometimes on description and then sometimes based on the character of the feedback for a seller...

I know of a seller of books who has 20,000 books in inventory.... He lists 10,000 books for 30 days... and then the next 10,000 for 30 days..... and keeps doing this.... mixing in new inventory

How many sellers study the marketplace? How many sellers observe what others sell

Adding new inventory.... that complements what one sells will stimulate sales...

How many Canadian sellers have adjusted their prices in relation to the current exchange rate....

One has to be innovative in what one does.....

Adding new inventory ... Adding new inventory that serves a new set of buyers...

Start with an idea and build on that idea.... Too many sellers start on eBay and then let it sit....

One must constantly be innovative.... make adjustments....create sales.

There will always be inventory that does not sell..... and there will always be inventory that will attract a new set of buyers.

Delete the non-sellers... and add the new...... keep the non-sellers for they may sell at some time in the future... Or sell them to a local B & M... or donate to a Thrift store... or a charity

73rhc · ‎06-07-2015

Exactly. You hit the nail on the head. It's not a Google issue. It's not an eBay issue. It's a seller's issue. I usually have the same stuff listed. And keep rolling it over. My sales are low. But I expect that, as I am not here to earn a living. Sometimes an item will sell after being relisted over several months. But I don't believe that low sales can be blamed on anyone else. Either your price is too high. Maybe your shipping cost is too high. Maybe the market is saturated. Maybe photos and descriptions are off. Maybe, maybe, maybe...

cumos55 · ‎06-07-2015

eBay is the sum of all sellers on eBay.

Many new sellers start and then sales drop off....

They forget to be innovative in what they sell .... at what price..... and do not know how to make a profit... at auction... at fixed price....

Each new seller brings something new to eBay... and thenthings go wrong and they disappear

Successful sellers on eBay are always looking for something... New ... and new can be as real as inventory or just a thought that will change the marketplace... change it as a seller to meet the needs of a new set of buyers.

Eatons died because they were too set in their ways.... an old way of selling

Target died because they overestimated the value of the Canadian marketplace.... They could not compete with those already in Canada

Walmart is doing well.... Their most recent adjustment..... selling food .... a grocery store in the middle of everything else..., because everyone has to eat and if it is the right price buyers will return and buy more.

You are the seller... What will you do next?... There are many things that one can do... to make it happen... and be innovative.

mr.elmwood · ‎06-07-2015

@73rhc wrote:
Exactly. You hit the nail on the head. It's not a Google issue. It's not an eBay issue. It's a seller's issue. I usually have the same stuff listed. And keep rolling it over. My sales are low. But I expect that, as I am not here to earn a living. Sometimes an item will sell after being relisted over several months. But I don't believe that low sales can be blamed on anyone else. Either your price is too high. Maybe your shipping cost is too high. Maybe the market is saturated. Maybe photos and descriptions are off. Maybe, maybe, maybe...

73rhc! 100%.

My message is that we are in control of our own destiny. My sales are a direct result of the effort I put in. When I changed my prices, changed my shipping, changed my description, changed my pictures, my sales went up.

Far too many sellers point a finger at eBay, say "Your fault", cross their arms and pout.

eBay is not for everyone. Not every widget is suitable for eBay.

There are a lot of parts, I could list, that will never sell at any price. Is that eBay's fault, or mine? There are other parts I sell that I cannot get enough of.

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pierrelebel · ‎06-07-2015

Experience is simply the name we give to our mistakes!

ricarmic · ‎06-07-2015

Hey Pierre, I never realized how much "experience" I have!!!! 😉

cumos55 · ‎06-07-2015

Experience ... is knowing what NOT to do .... and understanding why it should not be done.

The understanding is critical!

ricarmic · ‎06-07-2015

Cumos that's why reading the boards can help, although one has to be careful, what does/n't work for you in the books world, won't necessarily be the same as what does/n't work for me in the stamp world.

You may have noticed a day or so ago in a different thread, even Pierre and I who are in the same "field" have different things that does/n't work for us because we sell different stuff different ways.... even though we are both stamp guys.....

cumos55 · ‎06-07-2015

That is why I try to be general about selling on eBay... and not very specific.... about books... and even what I sold before ... I sold other inventory than books only.

I do plan to sell old inventory next fall... those free auction listings... still doing some regular analysis for that inventory.

...Tread softly to establish a protocol for auctions as of today...

But that does not mean something I do cannot be adjusted for a different category.... that is when I hit adaptation mode.

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I do read a lot on the Selling discussion board on eBay.com.. compared to many years ago

I read... I file it away ... and determine if it does or ... does not... or might not fit my model for selling...

Rarely respond there because there are too many people that choose to swing baseball bats no matter what is said .... right or in error...

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My model for selling works for me..... I have several realities, and a few tricks.... and over the years I have made adjustments that some sellers have followed and they have done well.

I have created a few twists and turns.... that I use when needed... not always...

It never ceases to amaze me how many sellers do not do their research, or even think about what they are doing...their way and only their way... and then ...why they end up in trouble....

mr.elmwood · ‎06-07-2015

@cumos55 wrote:
That is why I try to be general about selling on eBay... and not very specific.... about books... and even what I sold before ... I sold other inventory than books only.

I do plan to sell old inventory next fall... those free auction listings... still doing some regular analysis for that inventory.

...Tread softly to establish a protocol for auctions as of today...

But that does not mean something I do cannot be adjusted for a different category.... that is when I hit adaptation mode.

------------------------------------------------------------------

I do read a lot on the Selling discussion board on eBay.com.. compared to many years ago

I read... I file it away ... and determine if it does or ... does not... or might not fit my model for selling...

Rarely respond there because there are too many people that choose to swing baseball bats no matter what is said .... right or in error...
------------------------------------------------------------------

My model for selling works for me..... I have several realities, and a few tricks.... and over the years I have made adjustments that some sellers have followed and they have done well.

I have created a few twists and turns.... that I use when needed... not always...

It never ceases to amaze me how many sellers do not do their research, or even think about what they are doing...their way and only their way... and then ...why they end up in trouble....