No matter what I do....$2000 a month on ebay- dosen't MATTER what I do- THE SAME??

[madmax69trojan]

No matter what I do- $2000- I used to do $8500- $10K A MONTH, AND i DID THIS FOR years- IF i WORKED MORE i MADE MORE BUT THAT IS NOT THE WAY IT IS ANYMORE- for the last 2 years- LIKE CLOCKWORK- $2K.

I can list 2X what I normally do- what's my total- 2K.

I can take off 2 weeks and list for 2 weeks- same thing- 2k.

i CAN LIST 1/2 OF WHAT i NORMALLY DO- 2K.

i GUESS EBAY THINKS i AM WORTH 24K A YEAR- THIS IS BELOW MINIMUM WAGE AND IT IS AN 80% DROP IN MY BUSINESS AND IT SIMPLY is not enough EBAY.

six bucks an hour ebay- after 14 years of service!

mb

[madmax69trojan]

I am off-topic on my own topic...Okay.

Did I move to the kids table?

goodnight everybody and GOOD LUCK.

[madmax69trojan]

I appreciate that abe but new sellers come here and QUIT, and old sellers are leaving so the Chinese and their basically FREE tracked shipping puts me (us) at a distinct disadvantage- ALL sellers selling items under 15 oz are in the same position as I am- any small item- built in disadvantage to a US seller on our US site- and that exposure really only works 1-way as THE CHINESE DO NOT BUY EVER-THEY ONLY SELL.

Luckily, most folks know what they will be getting in a 99 cent tie- 

New sellers get on, don't know the rules like we do- start auctions HIGH or at .99 and take a tearing- then they leave.

They also don't like having their funds held- we see those threads everyday.

Folks can look at my threads and see I am a nice guy but all business and I am in it for ALL of us small sellers- if folks want to pull the hurt feelings game, play miss manners or correct my spelling I see all that as a diversion of a thread- and by the many kudos I am getting on this thread- many other posters agree.

[lester_li]

Hello everyone,

This thread is getting a bit heated. It would be appreciated if everyone would take a moment to read and follow the Discussion Boards Usage Policy and Community Content Policy when posting. Please remember that interpersonal disputes are not allowed here on the community. It is fine to disagree with others and to have friendly debates, but it should always remain courteous and respectful.

Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.

[bigoljim47]

Thanks for posting this. I have noted the same pattern for about 1 year now. The billing cycle ends on the 15th of each month. By the 11th of May I sold a little over $2000. I had no sales on the 12th,13 and 14. Late of the 15th I got 4 small sales. I have tried everything I can think of  to increase sales, but nothing has worked. April and May were my biggest month, averaging 4K-6K. 

[fortys-tech-n-stuff]

probably implementing a tiered system.

[gramophone-georg]

I've never been able to figure out exactly why a company that makes its bread and butter off fees from a seller selling would want to limit their sellers. Seems counterintuitive, but if it's illogical and will anger their paying customers, eBay will do it.

This is why I kicked eBay to the curb as a selling venue six years ago. Two years of Donohoeization was enough for this ex powerseller. I didn't see things getting any better, but I really had no idea exactly how much worse eBay could possibly get for eBay's paying customers... and it just keeps right on getting worse with every passing year, too.

[gramophone-georg]

---

@lester_li wrote:
Hello everyone,

This thread is getting a bit heated. It would be appreciated if everyone would take a moment to read and follow the Discussion Boards Usage Policy and Community Content Policy when posting. Please remember that interpersonal disputes are not allowed here on the community. It is fine to disagree with others and to have friendly debates, but it should always remain courteous and respectful.

Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.

---

It would really be great to get an exact line drawn in the sand as to when a "disagreement" becomes an "interpersonal dispute" here. Can you shed any light? 

[ittybitnot]

No matter what I do- $2000- I used to do $8500- $10K A MONTH, AND i DID THIS FOR years- IF i WORKED MORE i MADE MORE BUT THAT IS NOT THE WAY IT IS ANYMORE- for the last 2 years- LIKE CLOCKWORK- $2K.

What you are describing is what is called "throttling" around here. There was an ebay employee guest on one of the weekly chats many months ago  that sort of explained the concept, but his posts were removed and he was never heard from again that I can tell. 

ebay denies the process. They also deny hiding listings, rolling blackouts, etc. I think they prefer the term  be named SEARCH MANIPULATION. 

[ittybitnot]

I've never been able to figure out exactly why a company that makes its bread and butter off fees from a seller selling would want to limit their sellers. Seems counterintuitive, but if it's illogical and will anger their paying customers, eBay will do it.

I always figured it was the old Psych 101 concept of intermittent reeiforcement.   It is the same when a person refuses to put more money in a soda machine when the product is not delivered after the 1st dollar bill.  This same person may sit at slot machine, feeding it for hours with little or no return.  

Just a though.   They sort of got to let you sell something once in a while to keep you around?   

[yeoldecoinco]

"It is not "adapting" or overcoming- it is the SEARCH.

We are all about "adapting" over here- that isn't it.

(This is the Kool-aide answer- also known as the stick and no carrot answer).

Again, hit your limit fast and list elsewhere- notice how I give a solution and others just marginalize our concerns and feed us more BUNK??"

Just because this is your experience, does NOT mean it is the experience of everyone else.

Generally, the more I list, the more I sell, simple as that, PROVIDED it is priced reasonably to start with.

For me at least, that has always been the way since the year 2000 and I only ship things within my own country...

Some months are very quiet, but after having been here a long time, I know which months they are and plan accordingly.

[my_boston_baked_beans]

So true! I collect different vintage etched mirrors, tole, and other oldies most people no longer sell because they have left eBay. Now if I want some of those good ole items I have to pay more going to etsy and elsewhere. For years you could get great pieces at reasonable prices now lots of the good ole vintage is gone

What a shame...just a sign of the times I guess, or eBay scaring off small sellers..

[ittybitnot]

I have to pay more going to etsy and elsewhere.

My stuff is sold at a lower price over there.  Fees are a lot less! 

[my_boston_baked_beans]

What are your selling on etsy? Sales very much depend on what your merchandise is to begin with.

[keziak]

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@ittybitnot wrote:

I have to pay more going to etsy and elsewhere.

My stuff is sold at a lower price over there.  Fees are a lot less! 

---

I go elsewhere (Amazon) and sales have declined there. No idea why. Meanwhile I now have 1000 "free" listings on ebay and have worked to up my listings and sales are pretty good. I'm in books and some other media.

One thing I have to be careful about is auctioning lots. Sometimes I'll have a lot go unsold while similar lots have sold and that can be frustrating, but it all boils down to what  customers currently want.  Just throwing books at the site because I have them is not the road to success, they have to be desirable for one reason or another.  Or sometimes I can move the lot to my store and it sells there. 

[my_boston_baked_beans]

That is true if you are not selling the merchandise buyers what you can lower your prices all you want and they still will not buy.

I have that very situation right now on ebay, as I once had much success with vintage decor, and now dead as a door nail. I am listing my personal things in hopes of downsizing, and to keep my head above water added a popular women's clothing line which I have in limited supply. My days here are gradually coming to and end, and hopefully my inventory..