Over 80 millions buyer eBay??? Where are they??? NOT ONE sale for a month now and counting.

[timemachine777]

Hey eBay...How many of the over 80 million eBay buyers are actually buyers in the USA? It's been a month and I have not sold even one antique or collectible. Over the past couple of weeks I added a bunch of great additions, but only added hundreds of more views and loads of added watchers, but no sales. I use to have a sell through rate of over 40% on avg. Now it didn't even register at all. Not even a 1% level.

One item I just listed has over 200 views and 13 watchers in a few days time in a high buying sub category. What's up with that eBay? Do you have my listings disabled? I have had to stop buying on eBay myself due to the numerous listings that I have tried to purchase, yet the BIN, checkout, etc...buttons would be either greyed out or not functioning correctly.

Could this also be the reason why over the last two months the eBay phone lines have gone from a 1 min hold time to about 1 hour. I find that odd in itself since eBay just opened a number of call centers along the east coast, Mich, and Mo, to name a few. 

I couldn't even maintain my TRSP status, because I recently dropped below the 100 items per year mark and in the past month that number has dropped too 71. Next month it will drop even more at this rate. All I can say about that is that "Where not in Kansas anymore Toto". Something really bad is going on with my accounts and many other sellers. 

I am so glad that I don't rely on eBay for my income, or I would be on the street due to the lack of any sales this year with 4 active accounts and over 1000 listings. In the past eBay has always been mad money for me, but now it isn't even producing enough for me to buy a movie ticket to the show.

Word of mouth is the best advertising they say. Will eBay...every year you give use small sellers less an less to brag about when it comes to our success at eBay. You just give us more gasoline to throw on a bad fire. Hopefully the board of directors will one day see this as a major problem and get past being complacent, and right the ship. Us bilge rats just may make your competition the new eBay in less time than you think if we all start jumping ship in droves. BTW...Your most hated competitor is now expanding in the antique and collectibles market.

This slow squeeze that your putting on us with your seller unfriendly algorithms and policies, is going to leave you with nothing left in your hands when you finally open them up. Many of us know that you don't want us selling here as we are not large sellers, that sell new product only, but that was what eBay was founded on. You forget eBay roots and it's first sale of a BROKEN laser pointer. NOT a new one. Think about that as you count the multi-million dollar paychecks that WE made for you. Because without us there is no eBay, and no PAYCHECK. 

[emerald40]

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@timemachine777 wrote:

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@emerald40 wrote:

That OOAK item to add to my toy and puzzle keychain collections.

The possibility that it is out there, still makes me willing to hit the scroll button and stick with it.

In fact I just found something today - and with added ebay bucks - grabbed it.  And will do another search tonight to see if there are more.

OOAK and rare.  That is what brought buyers to ebay in the first place and imo what keeps us old timers still here today.

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eBay doesn't always show you what is actually listed in regards of your search query. For years they stated that in the UA under Listing Conditions, and now they doubled down by adding it to the UA

The old timers are leaving eBay, from what I hear from the ones that I know. Many of them stopped using eBay a few years back. I actually don't even know anywhere near the number of people that I use too, that still use eBay to buy or sell. 

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Many of my favorite long time sellers have moved on as well.

But can we blame ebay for -

1) More competitors and crowded categories

2) Buyers' change in taste

3) Downward spiral of  prices in many categories

4) Buyer attitude

5 )Scammers

[timemachine777]

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@emerald40 wrote:

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@timemachine777 wrote:

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@emerald40 wrote:

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@timemachine777 wrote:

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@rixstuff wrote:

Could you for just ONE WEEK try doing some of the things we recommend and just get stuff sold - whether it means different listing options (auction vs. FP), lowering prices, lotting things up, pricing not in the middle but at the bottom?  Just TRY!

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I would never do that. That's what has ruined this site. I will never engage in a race to the bottom. I'm in the business of making money, not working just to give stuff away. I'm not that generous. I'd rather spend my time deep sea fishing everyday vs working for free.

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You admit much of your stuff is long tail.  You admit that you will stick to the price you feel you should get no matter what.  And then you wonder why you are not selling anything.

You do not see the cause and effect here that your actions are dictating this, not ebay's.

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Then explain how I went from a 50% plus monthly sell through rate avg doing the same practice and then literary at the flip of a switch dropped to 1% and less. I have the the eBay graphs that prove the instant time line when it actually happened. It was not a slow transition. It happened immediately and I have posted those graphs in the past. People that have seen them, know that I'm not exaggerating. It's fact. Plus my marketing/selling methods were the same then as they are now. The site is rigged. eBay decides who gets the business, and who gets the BUSINESS.

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You did great business, correct.  Your buyers were very satisfied, correct.  You were a problem free seller.  Why would ebay want to mess with their cash cow?

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I said the same thing back then. I called eBay a few times back then and whenever I got a US rep, I asked for a supervisor. Over the course of several months I spoke to about 4 or 5 that had been with eBay for years and told me that my account during that past year had gotten an artificial bump in both sales an visibility. They each would state basically the same thing when I asked more questions. They all stated that eBay does this to get us to list more as that account was new back then. Then after a year eBay pulls back on that practice.  That was the reasoning back then for the accounts one year anniversary drop of the cliff sales results.

[timemachine777]

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@bohemiandreams7 wrote:

I'm a very small-time seller on here. But I have never not sold ONE ITEM in a three-week period. My view counts are like 1, 2, sometimes 0 for the month of June. I've done the research, I know about offering "special promos" and things like that, this isn't my main source of income (obviously) and is more of a hobby. My items are handmade goods and I've always done well on eBay, better than Etsy which is over saturated with handmade items. But something's changed from the end of April - now. Explain to me how it's possible to have watchers on items with ZERO VIEWS. How is that possible???? Something is definitely up. Really annoying. 

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I believe a person can just click watch on the search page and it will only record the watcher counter and not the view counter if the page is not accessed.

[timemachine777]

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@rixstuff wrote:

Sears and Kmart arent tanking because their prices are low, they are tanking because their merchandise is ugly badly made cheap junk that nobody wants to buy.  They dont even sell the stuff that made them great anymore (Craftsman is now made in China and it doesnt last).  Walmart is doing fine, Target is doing great.

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If you keep discounting your merchandise to the level that your profit margin is continually shrinking, then your not bringing in enough revenue to buy better quality merchandise. These companies have a fiduciary duty to their shareholders to grow stock value, so they get sucked into this; got to get the money from somewhere thought. One of the easiest ways to do this in the beginning is to buy cheaper items every few quarters going forward. This practice over several years results in junk inventory that nobody wants even at rock bottom prices.

Walmart in my state is not doing well and neither is target. Lowes has been shutting down stores here. The anchor stores are going the way of the dinosaur all across the country. Toy's R Us is done.

The big book stores are either gone or going. The small Mom an Pop shops are doing better because the giants are going under around here. 

[timemachine777]

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@emerald40 wrote:

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@timemachine777 wrote:

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@emerald40 wrote:

That OOAK item to add to my toy and puzzle keychain collections.

The possibility that it is out there, still makes me willing to hit the scroll button and stick with it.

In fact I just found something today - and with added ebay bucks - grabbed it.  And will do another search tonight to see if there are more.

OOAK and rare.  That is what brought buyers to ebay in the first place and imo what keeps us old timers still here today.

---

eBay doesn't always show you what is actually listed in regards of your search query. For years they stated that in the UA under Listing Conditions, and now they doubled down by adding it to the UA

The old timers are leaving eBay, from what I hear from the ones that I know. Many of them stopped using eBay a few years back. I actually don't even know anywhere near the number of people that I use too, that still use eBay to buy or sell. 

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Many of my favorite long time sellers have moved on as well.

But can we blame ebay for -

1) More competitors and crowded categories

2) Buyers' change in taste

3) Downward spiral of  prices in many categories

4) Buyer attitude

5 )Scammers

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Most of the people that I asked why they left eBay had little to do with your 5 points, accept 3. The race to the bottom when it came to the sellers. The reasons I got, to name a few.

Buyers...

Horrible search experience

All the glitches

All the ads

Can't keep up with all the changes

Sellers...

Takes way to long to list an item

Listings loaded with competition ads

Slow and low/no sales

Search issues

Always changing the site

Too controlling

ETC, etc

[rockz1101]

Did I catch an aroma of sarcasm wafting around mr. lincoln's comment?

Onward...
I'm going to look for the discussion thread about the NEW improved HUGE view of the Seller's store Active page, where now for convenience, you get to scroll and scroll and scroll and scroll down and up to see all your active listings.
There's now even a slider bar for the header tabs on that page because they are so huge and take up so much space can't see them all in one easy view. (facepalm emoji)

[rockz1101]

With all the serious eBay site/platform/ operation changes/glitches, now and coming, ending the use of GTC is a very interesting suggestion. Worth a try in terms of search engine results.

[my_boston_baked_beans]

Well,..well for years you took the opposing view with many defensive replies??

Life does come true fold; you are only stating the obvious without solution:)

Welcome to the NEW eBay club!  After years of demeaning remarks to your fellow sellers I , personally, can't feel any remorse 🙂 

[citabriapiper]

Me too, no sales for 31 days

[n2knowledge]

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@citabriapiper wrote:
Me too, no sales for 31 days

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Ditto - and yes, I can take a hint.

[ifyouloveit]

Same here, I never clean or fix. Buyers want it the way it is. Many won't buy it if it has been cleaned, oiled, polished, or fixed. I recently had a vintage Chinese item and "I" broke the catch on it while moving it around to film it. I was so mad at myself, thought I just ruined it.

Decided to put it up, with the broken catch displayed prominently, and my description noted that I had left fixing to the buyer. It sold, for the price I wanted. Had I tried a repair on it, I suspect I would still have it. Sold on the first listing too, no re-list, love that! Buyer loved it, great feedback, glad I left it as is.

[ifyouloveit]

That sounds like a smart way to do it. How many accounts can a seller keep here, does eBay care? Anyone know? Free accounts vs store subscriptions. If the accounts are above standard and making sales, can you have multiple non stores?

[rixstuff]

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@timemachine777 wrote:

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@rixstuff wrote:

Sears and Kmart arent tanking because their prices are low, they are tanking because their merchandise is ugly badly made cheap junk that nobody wants to buy.  They dont even sell the stuff that made them great anymore (Craftsman is now made in China and it doesnt last).  Walmart is doing fine, Target is doing great.

---

If you keep discounting your merchandise to the level that your profit margin is continually shrinking, then your not bringing in enough revenue to buy better quality merchandise. These companies have a fiduciary duty to their shareholders to grow stock value, so they get sucked into this; got to get the money from somewhere thought. One of the easiest ways to do this in the beginning is to buy cheaper items every few quarters going forward. This practice over several years results in junk inventory that nobody wants even at rock bottom prices.

Walmart in my state is not doing well and neither is target. Lowes has been shutting down stores here. The anchor stores are going the way of the dinosaur all across the country. Toy's R Us is done.

The big book stores are either gone or going. The small Mom an Pop shops are doing better because the giants are going under around here. 

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They have been gouging us with 300-500% markup since about the 60s.  We should not cry for them.  Maybe Walmart doesnt do well in Maine but they are booming everywhere else.  The money is made (or lost) when you acquire your merchandise.  Get desireable items at realistic prices (low enough to offer and pass on the savings to buyers) and it works pretty well for you.  OR like Ikea and Target, find items buyers didnt even know they wanted and MAKE them the desireable.  Most folks I know tell me they go to Target for socks and come home with two carts of stuff - cool enough to get attention and cheap enough to actually buy.

[irinahat]

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@ifyouloveit wrote:
That sounds like a smart way to do it. How many accounts can a seller keep here, does eBay care? Anyone know? Free accounts vs store subscriptions. If the accounts are above standard and making sales, can you have multiple non stores?

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Keep in mind that if you have multiple accounts and if ONE account gets suspended due to any number of reasons, ALL the accounts often end up suspended along with the suspended one. So if you were to create four accounts, for example, you'd have to hope your performance / defects / feedback, and all the other factors that play into it are on point on all four accounts or else you risk losing all at once. It's happened many times to sellers, I've seen it before.

[ads.ink]

probably some seller selling your item for 2.00 with free shipping. dimwits is what they are, market price won't go down unless these idiots pull it down. buyers want it, they will pay market rate. these dipwads sell for nothing and ruin the market for the rest of us. If i can sell it for 14.99, why are you selling for 4.00 with free shipping? swear to god there are a bunch of morons on ebay in the last couple of years.