Is there something wrong with my eBay account?

[vintageindiana]

I am starting to wonder if there is something really wrong with my eBay account.  Other sellers seem to be having really good months.  However, my sales have fallen off a cliff and have been ABYSMAL for the past few months about when all of the eBay changes started.  I am a top rated seller with 100 % feedback.  I am constantly listing the same type of items that were selling great a couple months ago, running sales, promoted listings, best offer, even trying free returns on lighter weight items, etc. None of this doesn't seem to be having any impact.  Called eBay support and they were less than helpful.  I have been giving it time (the so called summer slow down) and been hoping things will pick up but so far this has not been the case.  Should I run GTC with deep discount sales or sell similar every 30 days and only get sales every 14 days???  If anyone has any insight or if someone at eBay can look at my account to see if there is a problem please let me know ....  I am not sure what else to do at this point.  Thank you for your kind assistance with this!

[retrose1]

First off, I am not very far from you.  Hi.

I took a look at some of your stuff and you have some nice things - but your prices are high.

GTC listings are the kiss of death anymore.

You might want to take a look at your listings and check them to see if they have correct categories.  ebay has been changing categories and shfting Item Specifics and I have found a lot of my listings tecnically don't exist anywhere anymore, so they aren't included in search results.

I love what you are doing with the teddy bear, but you might want to include something that can be a size reference, I have no idea how big or small your teddy is.

Your jewelry listings pics do not show jewelry, they just show a jumble of lines.  Sometimes you can be too artsy.

Understand how to use auctions.   You will not get bids for high demand things if you have the start price higher than the competition's BIN.

Know what you have.  You need to know what color your Fiesta is.  Pics can vary the color tone and collectors want to know what they are buying.

Most of your items are luxury collector items and not the necessities people are buying now.  Now it is back to school items, fall and winter clothes and holiday prep items. 

All the things that ebay recommends to get sales don't mean a thing if no one is looking for the stuff you have OR there are only a few looking and there are hundreds listed.

You are a seller that has been on ebay for not quite a couple of years.  New sellers usually see awesome sales and then suddenly nothing.  There are tin foil hat theories about how ebay will make a new seller feel great about ebay so they get a store and all the extras and then suddenly they drop to ebay normal and will spend months trying to get sales back the way they were, not realizig that it will never happen. 

But one thing that happens is that if a seller is not getting a constant influx of new stuff, the good stuff gets picked off early and then they keep trying to sell the very hard to sell stuff that is left and wonder why they aren't getting sales like they used to.  Consistant sales require consistant merchandise.

I learned a long time ago that ebay lured buyers that want new stuff that they can find at the mall and moved my vintage elsewhere and list newer items on ebay.  I get fewer problems listing things that buyers are familiar with.

[duncanvr]

Your international shipping rates are way too high

• $29.95
• 0 bids
• +$35.66 shipping

• $49.95
• 0 bids
• +$42.72 shipping

and so forth. So not very likely someone overseas is going to look at your lots.

You only have 30 listed so you can't be listing new items daily. You don't have enough listings. A more affective store would have 200-250 listings. Low number of listings is one thing that will switch off the eBay search engine for your store. Ideally several listings a day of new stuff. If you are just relisting everyone has seen your item but is not buying. New items listed daily is a must.

Currently your just waiting for a particular buyer in GTC mode? Not editing titles on stuff with no views. Not listing enough new stuff daily. Slow and painful way of selling.

Returns: not offered, this lowers you in the search results. If buyer wants his money back he will just open a dispute on you so you might as well have 30 days returns. Besides anyone can make a claim on you via PayPal up to 180 days after sale. Its better to have the 30 day return policy.
Lot 4 Tintype Photo Photograph Vintage Antique Woman Girl Child Hat Matted Frame

This lot when opened brings 12 other seller listings up every other sellers listing is cheaper than yours. You need to see what the market is doing as your being uncercut in pricing.

You only have 7 followers not enough I currently have 314 follower. I've achieved this by encouraging every buyer to bookmark my store and this has resulted in repeat buys from regulars. You need to build an audience. And on that note your store has only had 985 views since 4th May 2015. Not enough interest! Show case on a Facebook Page, send items to Pinterest, Twitter etc

I think you need to consider selling in 3 different categories and build your store to 200-250 listings with daily new listings. End and edit then hit sell similar on ones with no views. Discount your prices they are a tad high. Offer 30 days returns policy. Check why your international shipping is so high if your using GSP this is probably why. You need to weigh up if GSP is actually helping your sales or not and if you were to ship the items yourself from the post office could you offer cheaper international postage?

[retrose1]

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@duncanvr wrote:

Your international shipping rates are way too high

• $29.95
• 0 bids
• +$35.66 shipping

• $49.95
• 0 bids
• +$42.72 shipping

and so forth. So not very likely someone overseas is going to look at your lots.

You only have 30 listed so you can't be listing new items daily. You don't have enough listings. A more affective store would have 200-250 listings. Low number of listings is one thing that will switch off the eBay search engine for your store. Ideally several listings a day of new stuff. If you are just relisting everyone has seen your item but is not buying. New items listed daily is a must.

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The OP has over 300 listings.

But I agree about the postage.  OP, you should look into the Priority padded Flat Rate Envelope - it is my go to. 

And why do you have your silver jewelry ship cost at higher than basic Priority when the pieces weight just ounces and should go first class.  Any protective upgrades in shipping should come out of the price you are charging.

[duncanvr]

and hence a problem is found why overseas buyers only see 30 listings and not 300? Your postage policies need to be checked as something is limiting 270 listings to just USA shipping. You need to reduce your shipping cost. If its not postage policy hiding 270 listings then the categories are not available on overseas eBay sites.  But you have a big problem if the rest of the world can't see most of the items. Try to get people in other countries to confirm how many listings they see in your store. I think this is limiting your sales.

[penguins_dont_fly]

@vintageindiana

Rethink your titles.

Vtg 1960's 4 Wedgwood Black Ravenstone White Moonstone Flower Vases England Gift

Titles should have the most important keywords first.

Wedgwood Ravenstone Moonstone Vases Set of 4 Black and White Vintage 1960s

Occasion: Gift

Item Specifics:

Country/Region of Manufacture: England

If I were selling those, I would split them up.

1  multi-qty listing, qty=2 on the large Ravenstones ... with Item Specifics for it like height and color.

1 listing for the small Ravenstone, ""

1 listing for the small Moonstone, ""

[retrose1]

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@duncanvr wrote:

and hence a problem is found why overseas buyers only see 30 listings and not 300? Your postage policies need to be checked as something is limiting 270 listings to just USA shipping. You need to reduce your shipping cost. If its not postage policy hiding 270 listings then the categories are not available on overseas eBay sites.  But you have a big problem if the rest of the world can't see most of the items. Try to get people in other countries to confirm how many listings they see in your store. I think this is limiting your sales.

---

The OP only ships to the US for high priced and heavy items, and has the International block correctly applied for several of her listings.  I did not look at them all.  I did not see GSP. 

And I have been informed that the prices to International buyers leveled by GSP is psycho high.

[penguins_dont_fly]

@vintageindiana

Rethink your titles.

Vtg 1960's 4 Wedgwood Black Ravenstone White Moonstone Flower Vases England Gift

Titles should have the most important keywords first.

Wedgwood Ravenstone Moonstone Vases Set of 4 Black and White Vintage 1960s

Item Specifics:

Country/Region of Manufacture: England

Occasion: Gift

If I were selling those, I would split them up.

1  multi-qty listing, qty=2 on the large Ravenstones ... with Item Specifics for it like height and color.

1 listing for the small Ravenstone, ""

1 listing for the small Moonstone, ""

[duncanvr]

High postage on international orders is one of the biggest put offs for international buyers. I see on the 30 she sells international the postage almost the price of the items! I can't see anyone paying that when other sellers have cheaper pricing and cheaper postage. She needs to come down in price and shipping. Yes GSP is crazy high to its just no longer worth it for many international buyers to fork out those amounts on postage. Maybe the op needs some cheaper lots in her store?

[retrose1]

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@duncanvr wrote:

High postage on international orders is one of the biggest put offs for international buyers. I see on the 30 she sells international the postage almost the price of the items! I can't see anyone paying that when other sellers have cheaper pricing and cheaper postage. She needs to come down in price and shipping. Yes GSP is crazy high to its just no longer worth it for many international buyers to fork out those amounts on postage. Maybe the op needs some cheaper lots in her store?

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Have you checked the costs to ship something Internationally out of the US?  China subsidizes it's ship costs and the US helps them out because it is an underprivlidged country(?) and passes that cost on to US users.

It costs me $23.50 to ship a tshirt just about anywhere out of North America.

And I often sell and ship items Internationally that I am shocked that they are willing to pay $24 to get a $5.99 item.

[emerald40]

I can only speak to the jewelry pieces

Are tou sure some of them are Native American and not simply southwestern jewelry.

Just because they were purchased at a store in Santa Fe, does not make them Native American.  They need to be marked as such, also with a mention of who the artist is.

That could get you into trouble with ebay.

Also, you have practically no description and measurements are needed to give the buyer a clue as to size.

[vintageindiana]

Thank you so much for your kind advice!  I appreciate your looking at this.

Have a good day!

[cherry*fizz]

Nothing helpful to add, but I like those Docs! 

[vintageindiana]

GSP can be crazy high for international buyers which I do think limits international sales but wouldn't want to ship international outside of GSP.

Thank you for taking time to look at my listings and your kind advice! 

[vintageindiana]

Thank you for the great advice!  I appreciate the input.  Going to go find a tin foil hat 🙂