Changes at eBay since 1997 when I first started listing

[childhood_dolls]

I am so angry right now at the way eBay has changed the categories for "dolls" right now I can't even think straight. If anyone else here sells dolls or used to sell dolls, please post on this thread or reply so I can vent my anger for what the prices are currently at. I have seen dolls that are way less mint than mine bring absolutely nothing. I refuse to sell dolls on eBay on this forum any more. I am going to switch to selling jewelry or anything other than dolls.

[soh.maryl]

Feel free to vent here if you wish.  Feel free to switch to selling whatever you want.  It's okay with us.

[wrong66]

There were numerous posts last year when eBay destroyed the Doll category, among others.

[candd205]

How did they destroy the Dolls category?

[m60driver]

I too found that Ebay's changes to their old categories in favor of their "item specifics" was yet another bad decision by people who neither buy nor sell on the platform nor understand those who do.  But I am not sure how that poor decision relates to prices.  And those changes certainly did not only impact doll sales.  If you are finding that sales in your category have slowed, well just pick a number and wait in line with the rest of us, few of whom sell dolls.  And jewelry (?!?), well that is one of the most saturated categories on Ebay.

[gkn29]

Did you really not expect changes since 1997? That is unreasonable to say the least.

[ellawrini]

I got tired of all the changes to supposedly 'optimize the buyers and sellers experience' all the time, also when the pandemic started it appears all the people with nothing to do and free money from the government discovered ebay.  A lot of scammers, a lot of people claiming items not received when tracking showed delivery, people claiming the item was not as described requesting a refund but unwilling to return the item even when I offer free returns.  Also with the new promoted listing feature my sales went down to the point that in the month of June I made only one sale.  After a few months I lost my Top Rated Seller status.  I tried the promoted listing on a few items and one item which was sold for $20.00, after all the usual fees and promoted listing  fees my payment was $13.57.. very disappointing.  The shipping costs have become ridiculous and continue to increase.    

[denisevanpattendolls]

You totally have my sympathy, and feel free to vent to me.  

But first one possible solution--you seem to be running all auctions instead of any fixed priced doll listings. Having your listing buried in the giant "dolls" category can really affect your prices when running auctions (in a smaller category, easier to browse for "ending soonest."  You can certainly browse that way using keywords, but lots of our older collectors have had trouble adjusting.   I am currently running almost all fixed price listings because of this.

Now back to venting and sympathy part!!  I tilted at windmills when the changes to the doll categories were made.  It takes away the joy and serendipity  of browsing a category and finding items similar to, but not exactly what you were looking for.  Plus the "item specifics" were evidently put together by AI and are so meaningless and random  to most collectors, and ridiculously time consuming when you list dolls, with very little positive sales resulting from the extra time spent.

Plus what the HECK is a doll PLAYSET --seriously that should not be the main category for dolls-- Dolls & Playsets when most collectors and doll consumers do not use that term.

Please vent away; it won't change anything, but it does make one feel better to have others listen. I was at a doll convention recently and everyone was abuzz with how much they hate the new changes and how it is affecting their buying and selling habits here on eBay.

[hartungcards]

You're probably going to want to change your seller name in that case.  Well, maybe after you finish selling the half dozen dolls you still have for sale, although that may be a little tricky since you refuse to sell them here anymore.

[lakefor94]

You have been around a long time and will get it figured out.

[josie46d]

@denisevanpattendolls 

Exactly, what is a playset? I listed doll quilts and tried to understand the idea of a playset. It would be great if categories were tested with actual sellers/buyers.