Slow start for August sales dollars and volume

[vintagemelrose2009]

Back to school in the past used to be great on e-bay.  Not last few years.  this august starting very slow again - guess all the competition.  we had so so day on sunday with some auctions but otherwise very slow lull - no sales two days in a row.

day is almost ending so no sales for two days now.  

I know we talked about this a couple of weeks ago.  -- was it last week.   i will take highs and lows as long as the highs make up for the lows.   best wishes to all of you.

hope the sales come in next weeks of august.  i have to say we did get an offer for an item on 20% sale --- another 60% discount -- $25 item for $8 with free shipping.  we would lose money on transaction for sure since free shipping alone is almost $4 to east coast from CA.  that is normal offers for us.  good luck and best wishes.  cheers

[goldxxxsilver]

Overall Ebay has Been Slow for Many and Most Smaller Sellers.....Started with the Dreaded GTC Program in March...Then Many more States are Collecting there Tax Rate....Of Course Summer Sales tend to be a Bit Slow.. Hopefully by Sept. things will Pick UP...Good Luck to All....😀😀

[vintagemelrose2009]

update - we sold three  items yesterday -- not much $$ but 3 units --- and bad offer which we did not take -  but monday & tuesday  - no sale.  just keeping you guys updated.  no school stuff still --- mostly the same t-shirts we sell during summer.

thanks for all your replies and best wishes.

[twk]

I, too am getting very low offers even on items that are  up for auction!

Just had one guy over me $5.00 of the original AUCTION price and wanted free shipping!  He thought it was a very fair offer.   I politely told him that the item was up for auction and I will not do free shipping.  He can't understand why. 

[richards*rock*collection]

I myself love to buy things on ebay with the money I get from selling things, its just so much fun, but it is slow.

[laurabeardsley]

Ebay becomes more pathetic as each month passes!

[orangehound]

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@twk wrote:

Just had one guy over me $5.00 of the original AUCTION price and wanted free shipping!  He thought it was a very fair offer.   I politely told him that the item was up for auction and I will not do free shipping.  He can't understand why. 

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I don't know what item you are referring to, but I've done offers for items that are priced higher than the going rate of comparable sold items ... I offer the going rate because I believe that is a fair/market price.  I'm turned down.

And, these sellers wonder why they aren't making sales.

[scottishtrades]

Dude? Why are you always like this?

[vintagemelrose2009]

i think she or he tries to help --- be objective --- I am trying everything and refused to take a loss on offers --- i think she / he said the same thing -- when priced at going rate --- offers are turned down.  some times she/he looks thru commenter's listings and offer suggestions.  that is good i think.  each person has a role to play i suppose

I just wish  that e-bay glitches does not cost us business -- today we found out that some payment process glitch lost two sales for us in the past month.  buyer makes payment on e-bay app -- ran into issue and we lost the sales.

[vintagemelrose2009]

thanks for all of your replies -- as for getting only low offers - better buyers with $$$ have moved on or are shopping somewhere else ---- some one said that with online sales tax --- maybe the brick and mortar might come back again.   who knows?  we are all in this wild ride together --- consumers and buyers are so fickle.  good luck.

[goldxxxsilver]

I Finally heard a Radio AD today on my way to Work for Ebay Promoting Sales.....Maybe they are will come back with Positive Changes for us Little Sellers....Lets Hope so !!!.....Otherwise....I Will Scrap out Gold and Silver or Donate Other Items before Giving in to their Corporate Greed....and So much Changing Updates Nonsense....They have Driven many Good Ebay Sellers Away that were here from the Beginning...So Sorry for All of You that Left.....Keep the Faith....Better days are in the Future...Happy Selling....😀😀😀

[orangehound]

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@scottishtrades wrote:

Dude? Why are you always like this?

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Balance ... simply balance.

There are tens of thousands of sellers selling well, but they don't come to these forums seeking help because ... well ... they are doing well.  The people who tend to come onto these forums are typically having problems.  As a result, these forums are overly negative and gloomy, sometimes in a hyperbolic way, and it can leave the impression that selling is hopeless*.   It is not.

So, what does everyone want?

1. Shall we all hold hands as the Legion of the Doomed on a death march ... or ....
2. Can we change by constructively learning new ideas, making adjustments, purging the old ways of selling, changing inventory, cross-listing on other sites, etc.  so that we can increase sales.

I choose to participate in #2.

(Oh, and I am a "he").

*If anything about eBay is hopeless, it is their Philippine-based customer service.  🙂

[yuzuha]

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@orangehound wrote:

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I don't know what item you are referring to, but I've done offers for items that are priced higher than the going rate of comparable sold items ... I offer the going rate because I believe that is a fair/market price.  I'm turned down.

And, these sellers wonder why they aren't making sales.

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There is one seller in one of my categories who has had the same items listed for over 3 years now, all priced at least 50% above the actual market price for those items.  I've sold more than a dozen because I price mine at the going rate; she hasn't sold a single one.  The irony is that if she would just lower her prices to the current market price, she'd have no trouble selling them.  I really don't know what she's trying to achieve-- the items aren't rare, so no one is going to pay her inflated prices for them when they have plenty to choose from at the lower prices.

[azshoppinghub]

If you are offering free shipping, you should not accept offers.  I only take offers from buyers, if I am charging them shipping.  Also, I increase my selling price amount by$ 5.00 and that $5.00 is my lowest price drop + shipping.  So, know what you want for the profit and increase by a margin you will drop down to.  Works for me. I don't usually offer free shipping, unless it is a big ticket item and shipping is not costly or it is a small item, and shipping is not costly.  Hope this helps. 

[vintagemelrose2009]

we sell t-shirts in the summer --- to be competitive we offer free shipping --- just started with offers couple of months ago --- so did not go back and add shipping -- we want to clear inventory but at break even --- loss makes no sense ---people come offering $5 and $10 on free shipping and have no thought at all --- why it would not make sense for seller to accept the offer.  i have a part in it but at least be reasonable and respect the seller when making offers --- i give it to kids --- school kids etc but i refuse to take a loss on buyers who are well to do --- you can see from their purchase history --- other sellers trying to nickle and dime me so they can sell online or at their home  store.  I refused  to take offers from those folks --- otherwise -- i am glad for the decline button :)) --- thanks for your suggestion.   

i noticed we had our best month for the year ---- with opening offers --- then it turned into just watchers -- never buy but watch.  good luck to you.  cheers