Seller for almost two decades needs help.

[i.has.toys]

For almost two decades I've been selling professionally on eBay;  but it wasn't until a few years ago I couldn't sustain my family on eBay sales alone.  I've changed and adapted with the market and times.  I used to sell higher end comic books ($5,000-$10,000), and now my average item sold is around $10.  Even though my prices are competitive, with best offer, free shipping, top rated seller;  I'll go days selling less than $100 per day.  And then one day it will be $500, and back down to nothing.  I have had to start liquidating my inventory in various other venues while I retry to regroup, but the prices that items generally go for on eBay are the same that I would get a flea market. With free shipping, fees, materials, operational costs, I get MORE at a flea market than I do on eBay. Can anyone else relate that's in a collectible field?  I'm running out of ideas, and debt is starting to pile up.  I used to love to buy and sell on eBay, but now I buy on eBay and sell at my garage sale for a profit.  Can anyone relate?

[katzcats]

Oh, my goodness, YES!

I can certainly relate. MANY good ole sellers can relate, as well.

Many Good Ole Sellers (and responders) have left, several have stayed......Ultimately, the good ole sellers will dwindle....TY ebay for getting rid of who helped get ebays' market flourishing...

'

(I should say TY for the TRUE and HONEST sellers who still remain till ebays' HFRs, Holiday Returns and Paypals' 180 Day Returns come in to view. Gonna be some sorta picnic to watch!) I'm thinking alot of Boo Hoos, how sad, right?)....

Ebay will take what they can get, now. lol...It's so funny about the newbie sellers. Their questions already certainly show how ebays' newbie sellers have no clue.

Ebay certainly shows that they only want to screw all sellers, first and foremost...There's no more warm and comfy sales with buyers anymore. Newbie sellers come here to the AC asking when they'll get paid for an item they've already shipped to their buyer...

Does this tell anyone how bad ebay teaches their newbie sellers not to ship till payment has been received

OR are we, here in the AC are supposed to be teaching newbie sellers how to conduct their own ebay sles business?

HUH/ our responsibility?

Oh, don't start me...Nighters!

[1stglobalwholesale]

I have noticed some of the same. We deal in salvage shoes mostly. We ship truck loads overseas and take the good stuff and sell it on ebay. With this type of piece mill listing it can be quite time consuming. we have to clean each pair, take photos and then list them individually,. We are trying to find another type of inventory to be a filler. Once that does not have to be inspected for defects and listed individually. I'm hoping that diversifying our inventory will help solve the problem.

Ebay can be difficult for sellers but amazon is much worse!!!

[mrobind42]

Ebay will take what they can get, now. lol...It's so funny about the newbie sellers. Their questions already certainly show how ebays' newbie sellers have no clue.

Ebay certainly shows that they only want to screw all sellers, first and foremost...There's no more warm and comfy sales with buyers anymore. Newbie sellers come here to the AC asking when they'll get paid for an item they've already shipped to their buyer...

Does this tell anyone how bad ebay teaches their newbie sellers not to ship till payment has been received

OR are we, here in the AC are supposed to be teaching newbie sellers how to conduct their own ebay sles business?

HUH/ our responsibility?

  The Auction Doctors is described as a forum where seasoned sellers answer questions from new sellers. Since you know ebay does a poor job in training their new  sellers you should, as a "seasoned" seller and a member of the Auction Doctors, be happy to assist new sellers. As a "newbie" (I've been a seller for     almost a year) I find your post to be rude and insulting. Perhaps in the future you should limit your comments to the topic at hand. I do not recall anything in the post you replied too that had anything to do with new sellers. Now, this "newbie" will school you on a few things:

  Yes, new sellers are told not to ship until they receive payment. Paypal holds the funds from the sale for up to 21 days until the 90 day trial period is up AND you receive 25 positive feedback from buyers. You have to have both or your payment will not be released.

No, it is not YOUR responsibility to teach "newbie" sellers how to conduct their own ebay sAles business (redundant). I would not want YOU to answer a single question I would ask.

(I should say TY for the TRUE and HONEST sellers who still remain till ebays' HFRs, Holiday Returns and Paypals' 180 Day Returns come in to view. Gonna be some sorta picnic to watch!) I'm thinking alot of Boo Hoos, how sad, right?)....

I find it very sad that you find this new turn of events by ebay so amusing. Perhaps you sell as a hobby and wont mind losing money and having unsellable items returned to you. 

I am one of the TRUE and HONEST sellers...read my feedback. Yes, this "newbie" is not stupid, and I am very good at what I do. I was top rated plus when I came out of my 90 days and a powerseller by my 5th month. However, I will not be selling on ebay this holiday season. The Hassle Free Returns, which causes defects, is already here. The holiday returns are 90 days as opposed to 60 days (just in case the venom in your blood has clouded your brain too much to read between the BS line put out by ebay) and PayPal starts their 180 day returns on Nov. 18, 2014. 

My one hope is that a true "newbie" has not seen this thread. They will be facing enough problems with out some two bit, snarky, smart alec, "seasoned" seller making fun of them.

[mrobind42]

I'm thinking of moving to Amazon...why is it much worse?

[jacobswoodworking]

The control of shipping moved me away.  I could not control shipping like I wanted to or could.  I did not like it when the Amazon store decided to offer people free shipping on orders of $35 or more and when you look at my particular store. I could not be competitive with that at all.  Sometimes when I look at my product and see who else has the product and what they are wanting to sell it at, I could not even come close to competing and still be able to get what I originally invested in it.  I am still trying to learn where to buy certain items and be able to make $1 or more on those items.  That is all I can say for now but can say more later.

[mrobind42]

I'm sure you have tried some of these places but the goodwill stores sell books for a quarter, many pawn shops sell cd's for fifty cents (in my area anyway) Thrift stores sell post cards, books, and cd's for less. If you have a Safe Haven program in your area they usually have a jumble store to help with funding. Their prices are amazingling low, I donate all of our clothing and no longer needed items to them. I know my daughters Toms sell for a dollar. I hope this provides some help.

[gently4u]

   Hi Little_Useful_Delights,

       Have you considered listing your CD's, DVD's, Video Games, etc. on Half.com. Even though they were "aquired" by eBay a few years ago, they still are a much more seller friendly venue. No pictures to take, no listing limitations, the item can be out there for years and there are no fees until the item sells. The shipping is via Media Mail and is part of your payment and easily covers your cost. I've been selling on Half.com when it was independent of eBay and would recommend it to any seller who deals in the types of merchandise they cover. If you haven't already - check it out. Your seller ID from eBay along with your feedback is carried over to Half.com. No new hoops to jump through. I hope you have a great "selling season" over the coming holidays and beyond.

Have a blessed Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

      Carol

[jacobswoodworking]

I have thought about Half.com but due to the donation to the non-profit organization which I swore to when I receive the products, I am bound by that.  I am not sure if part of the money from half.com can be automatically set aside for a charitable donation.  I am strongly considering half.com for other items and I appreciate your suggestion/reminder of that avenue.  Take care everyone and good luck.

One question I would like to ask is if Ebay gives sellers an opportunity to list for example 1,000 free fixed priced listings within 2 or 3 days, do others have a stock inside of turbolister waiting to be posted when such opportunities come up.  We receive some free offers to list items once each month and I have thought about having a reserve for "free listings" for those times so we can save some money.  We usually do not reach our quota of 500 listings each month based on what we do list and that is sometimes due to other responsibilities.  Right now we have 220 items approximately but I see other people who have over 1000 items in their stores.  We are a premium store also in case anyone wondered.  

How many items do others carry if they are premium stores?

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@gently4u wrote:

   Hi Little_Useful_Delights,

       Have you considered listing your CD's, DVD's, Video Games, etc. on Half.com. Even though they were "aquired" by eBay a few years ago, they still are a much more seller friendly venue. No pictures to take, no listing limitations, the item can be out there for years and there are no fees until the item sells. The shipping is via Media Mail and is part of your payment and easily covers your cost. I've been selling on Half.com when it was independent of eBay and would recommend it to any seller who deals in the types of merchandise they cover. If you haven't already - check it out. Your seller ID from eBay along with your feedback is carried over to Half.com. No new hoops to jump through. I hope you have a great "selling season" over the coming holidays and beyond.

Have a blessed Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

      Carol

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[slocode111]

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@jacobswoodworking wrote:

One question I would like to ask is if Ebay gives sellers an opportunity to list for example 1,000 free fixed priced listings within 2 or 3 days, do others have a stock inside of turbolister waiting to be posted when such opportunities come up.

 

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I am aware of several sellers who have up to 5000 items waiting for free listing promotions.

Many of the items may be things that had been previously listed and were unsold so the descriptions already existed and didn't require a lot of unique work to create.