Huge reduction in traffic to listings, huge reduction in sales. Is promoted listings causing this?

[oldedale]

 I have a question regarding promoted listings. We see 40 results in a general search. If 10 are promoted listing. Does this mean 10 unpromoted items are not being seen. Is this the cause of our traffic decrease? We see traffic dropping from 6555 views in May - to 3195 in Sept. This also has resulted in a 50 percent decrease in sales. Same 2 months. Also, when did ebay start Promoted listings on all items including single qty listings?

Traffic = 6555 May - items sold = 83

Traffic = 4929 June - items sold = 62

Traffic = 4611 July - items sold = 64

Traffic = 4199 Aug. - items sold = 65

Traffic = 3195 Sept. - items sold = 46

We see over 50% less traffic which results in greater than 50% decrease in sales.

[inthepastcollectibles]

LMAO  I'm old too and old enough to love your John Lennon quote.  Yes, it's a disposable world, until you are the one being disposed of.......  Personally, I have no joy from newer things, but John Lennon always brings me joy!!  

[inthepastcollectibles]

PS:  janiemt1127 copied the link from me, I was the original poster for the link and it is definitely a multidimensional look at the problems with eBay.  It's too bad eBay doesn't read it's own press, but I did post the link to CEO's Devin Wenig's Facebook page and asked why he didn't make himself available to comment on the article.  I wonder if he removed it after my posting or if he has the gonads to let it stand.  It's all smoke and mirrors boys and girls.  I can only hope Lennon's "Instant Karma" reflects back on Mr. Wenig!! 

[vermonter53]

Your new site start with a B?

[hypertreasure]

---

@abdlmommy wrote:

LMAO  I'm old too and old enough to love your John Lennon quote.  Yes, it's a disposable world, until you are the one being disposed of.......  Personally, I have no joy from newer things, but John Lennon always brings me joy!!  

---

New isn't always bad.  Some great things happening out there.  Unfortunately they are too far and few.

Some brilliant youngsters out there, but they simply don't understand reality beyond the internet.  It's sad, but it is the way of the future.  Took me awhile to reconcile, but I now know there is nothing I can do to make it warm and fuzzy for me.  We get old, things change, we die.  It really doesn't matter once you realize it's their world now.  We had our day. It was better (according to us) but we shouldn't deny the feelings of the youngsters, because they rule the world now.  One of my least favorite sayings I have finally come to grips with:  "It is what it is".  Once I got past that I knew it was all over for me.  I am embracing it, if not happy about it.  They have to live in the world they make.  I feel sorry for them, but not too much, because they think it's ok.  Let It be.  We all shine on. 🙂 

[katie3017]

What does this mean?  I cannot find where you are saying to change something

[vermonter53]

I have done this already. If you have a lot of listings, it might take you a few minutes but this is what you do.
Go to your active listings, at the bottom of the page select number shown as 200, then go back to the top left and click the box to select all 200. Click edit and in the drop down list click either 200 or all if it is available. This opens the bulk editor which you then select the box for all, click edit fields and then click item description. Then select edit items in bulk-find and replace. In the find box, type http and then in the replace with box, type https then select save and close. When it goes back to the previous page, click submit changes.

[vermonter53]

---

@katie3017 wrote:

What does this mean?  I cannot find where you are saying to change something

---

I have done this already. If you have a lot of listings, it might take you a few minutes but this is what you do.
Go to your active listings, at the bottom of the page select number shown as 200, then go back to the top left and click the box to select all 200. Click edit and in the drop down list click either 200 or all if it is available. This opens the bulk editor which you then select the box for all, click edit fields and then click item description. Then select edit items in bulk-find and replace. In the find box, type http and then in the replace with box, type https then select save and close. When it goes back to the previous page, click submit changes.

[getzappy]

The best paragraph from that article for me was

eBay is firmly entrenched in the resale market — a sector that, according to research firm Fung Global Retail & Technology, is growing 20 times faster than retail overall, and could hit $33 billion by 2021. Industry research has also found that younger shoppers are taking to second-hand shopping faster than Gen X or Baby Boomers. Perhaps eBay’s energy would be best spent leaning into its long-held reputation and innovating in that space. Competing with Amazon on the “new” end of the retail spectrum is futile, but they could credibly fight off threats from startups like The Real Real and Poshmark. Many still believe eBay is the best option for vintage treasures, so why not own it? For now, though, the company has its sights set on pushing in the other direction, emphasizing the supposed shiny newness of what their sellers offer.

This is my view also

[hamiltons-heirlooms]

My sales dropped off in Sept too, but I blame the hurricanes.  My revenue was off by $1000 for Sept, but I made it up in October.  I blame the TV and everyone watching the news, rather than being on Ebay, plus Ebay gave 3 or 4 week delivery times during Hurricane Irama.

[Anonymous]

I have noticed a sharp drop in sales being August 20th, when eBay decided to change things again. I believe the biggest thing hurting sales is that buyers can price compare on your listings without having to do any work themselves. Its almost like eBay wants the buyer to leave your page for a big business page.

We have seen a drop in sales last year, although not as bad as this, but eventually things improved. Hopefully things get back to "normal" for the holidays.

[jeweloftheheart]

It is is the new eBay. I just hope this is temporary as this is my lively hood!

[purseconnect50]

Hi

im fairly new could you give me a couple pointers to get me started in bulk!

thanks for your consideration!

[babclassics]

Have we considered Guaranteed Delivery as a cause for sales downturns? That program started around August. If a buyer sets their search filter to ANY guaranteed delivery option, then ALL sellers who are not in the program are filtered out.  So your listing will never be seen at all.  I have been waiting for 2 months to get past the "waiting list" you get put on when trying to opt in.  I wonder if (the few?) sellers who are now using this feature are seeing a big increase in sales to the detriment of everybody else?  I called eBay today and talked to a supervisor who said there is no way to know when more people will be added and that nobody in that department takes calls or questions.  Huh???

[jeweloftheheart]

aawmiller, can you please give a more detailed description where to find the "find and replace" http? I am desperated as my sales have plummeted as well. I have been selling for about 10 years, this crash is not buyers coming and going. Thank you!

[vermonter53]

---

@jeweloftheheart wrote:
aawmiller, can you please give a more detailed description where to find the "find and replace" http? I am desperated as my sales have plummeted as well. I have been selling for about 10 years, this crash is not buyers coming and going. Thank you!

---

If you have a lot of listings, it might take you a few minutes but this is what you do. Go to your active listings, at the bottom of the page select number shown as 200, then go back to the top left and click the box to select all 200. Click edit and in the drop down list click either 200 or all if it is available. This opens the bulk editor which you then select the box for all, click edit fields and then click item description. Then select edit items in bulk-find and replace. In the find box, type http and then in the replace with box, type https then select save and close. When it goes back to the previous page, click submit changes.