It’s the economy, Stupid! Wisdom and maybe reason for slow eBay sales

[jewelbiz]

In my Manhattan neighborhood many good diverse longtime stores recently closed up shop.

To name just some within a few blocks…

Starbucks, the Gap, a stationery store, dry cleaners, Rite Aide,

Fruit stand, Pizzeria, vitamin store, picture frame shop, eye care glasses store, florist, butcher, fish monger, another dry cleaners, Verizon, Supermarket, walk in Medical Health Center, restaurant, drugstore…..Probably can think of others but think this list is enough to show that if businesses in New York City are closing up all over, it’s not just sellers on eBay having slower sales!

[toysaver]

'a stationery store'

Probably long overdue...

[hartungcards]

eBay was almost certainly throttling all of those former businesses.

[vintagepl]

I think it's the rent.

[ms.rodriguez*]

There are way too many Starbucks, actually there are alot of pizzerias in NYC.  Frame shop?  Not much demand for that when you can get a decent frame for a kid at any Target or Walmart or online. Who has money to professionally set a kid's picture in a custom frame.  Too many Verizon stores, Metro phone stores.  Many of todays buyers buy online.  Supermarkets sell flowers, fish, vitamins.   Alot of these items are purchased online. The last time I walked into a florist was in 2005 when my mom died.  As for ebay, there are other sites too for many of the items sold here.  Amazon is kicking butt for the household items and for many items like vitamins.  LIDL and Sam's Clubs have gorgeous flowers at a fraction of what a florist charges. Then you have the free places where you can find your collectibles and meet the buyer and pay less since there is no shipping.

I don't think that ebay will ever be what it was in the past.  Add to that that many of the collectors that started buying when Ebay started are now older and must give rid of their vintage items.  Then today's kids (like my 2 sons do NOT collect anything!)  I just learned that you can list new toys and other items at walmart.com too.  
There are just too many places to buy stuff besides ebay.

Personally , I love Amazon.  Hubby wanted to get an air filter for his car and got up to dress and I told him to sit down. In less than 5 minutes, I got air filters for all 4 cars in the hosue and 4 air cabin filters.  All arrived within 48 hours and they were much cheaper than going to the store.   I did not even bother checking here since Amazon was just so convenient.

Hang in there. Try to sell stuff from different categories so that at least you get a couple of sales a day. 

[ms.rodriguez*]

Definitely.    I now prefer to draw a card with my grandson than to buy a real card.  He loves doing this too.

[myfrugalboutique]

These big chains and others have closed stores in major US cities recently, raising alarm about the future of retail in some of the country’s most prominent downtowns and business districts.

Several forces are pushing chains out of some city centers: a glut of stores, people working from home, online shopping, exorbitant rents, crime and public safety concerns, and difficulty hiring workers.

this is a copy and paste from CNN and I have read this many places. It isn’t just as simple “as it’s the economy stupid”

[soh.maryl]

Some of the businesses you mention, although nice, did not actually sell items that were even close to being necessities.

Think that's the same way it is on eBay, more shoppers just buying needs, not wants.

Combined with the economy and the fact that a 90 yr old doesn't need to be bringing more stuff into the house, but taking it out, have cut back on my eBay shopping.  Doubt if I am alone.  

[dirk12955]

Near me is a shopping mall that is ready to be bulldozed.    The last anchor store is JC Penneys and they 

are running a close-out sale as you read this and will close this weekend.

That mall opened in 1972 and was the center of activity for all teenagers in this county.

Of the 5 shopping malls within 30 minutes of me 3 have disappeared and the one near me is 

 in its death spasms.   

[myfrugalboutique]

Actually most items are not necessities if you get right down to it. Probably groceries are the only item people have to buy. We find our economy in Arizona is just fine.  

[myfrugalboutique]

Pennys , Sears and many other stores have been in financial distress for years. Most of them never kept of with  what was the direction of the retail customer. Many of these businesses are dying due to their own mismanagement. There has to be a reason to make a buyer want to go in there and shop.

I will say one thing, you will not catch us in a retail store, mall, etc due to the violence we have experienced. It tells me this is a great time for online sales. 

[idealgems1]

Sales are by nature streaky.  The sample size of any individual seller is not large enough to really indicate a trend over the short term; it requires time and/or a large group of sellers to truly look at market conditions.

Our sales sucked in April and I was wallowing in self-pity.  May is our best month ever, 70% higher than our next highest month...and not created by just one or two large sales.

Keep at it.  Don't be deterred or lose faith.  Adapt as you need to but approach your business like a jack hammer.

[12345jamesstamps]

Stores are closing in my San Francisco downtown neighborhood but my sales are much better. I seem to be having items selling every day now.

[goldrushfinds]

Thats the problem with stationery stores, they have a problem with keeping things moving (sorry, a boring moring listing items and I needed comic relief). 

[johnjefprks]

That and crime and taxes.