Does buying a starter store decrease customers?
About 2 weeks ago, I subscribed to a starter store.
My partner's mother has dementia and had to be put in an assisted living residence.
[For those wondering, this place is great. At first I felt guilty for having to put her in there. But now I feel guilty that we waited so long. These places are superb and take care of her so much better than we could.]
So I needed the listings to sell her estate to make money for her costs.
Prior, I had been having decent sales and likes as long as I kept listing and active on eBay.
Now that I have the store, it seems dead.
No sales. Hardly any likes on items.
What gives?
I'm still keeping up the pace I did prior to subscribing to the store.
I'm not sure if there's something else I can be doing to draw interest.
I hate to think I'm wasting money on this store if it will hinder more than help.
Thank you for any advice you can give me to increase my sasles.
jonathanbrightlight
·10 months ago@fredgsanford712
You have discovered, from what you can see, that there may be a correlation between the time you subscribed to a Starter Store and when there was a decrease in your sales volume. That correlation is not causation: opening the store did not cause your sales to decrease. It would be wise of you to consider the other factors that likely did contribute to your sales decrease.
albertabrightalberta
·10 months ago@fredgsanford712
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
reallynicestamps
·10 months agoOkay, I'm in a good mood after a hearty Canadian Thanksgiving dinner.
Definitely the problem is opening a Store.
Close it immediately.
Put those "locations" at the top of your Descriptions.
Don't worry about superstitious or hyper -religious customers who react to "magick" numbers like 666.
Don't add stock regularly.
Do exactly what you have for years because obviously sales trends never change and there are no fashions in collectibles.
You are totally right and everyone here is completely wrong.
chapeau-noir
·10 months ago"Thank you for any advice you can give me to increase my sasles."
Okey dokey - you don't like our advice, garnered from a collective hundreds of years of selling experience...unless it somehow supports the idea that yes, opening a starter store will doom your sales?
Obvs, I have not had enough coffee yet today.
fredgsanford712
OP10 months agoNo dear.
I said the interest in my store has DECREASED since the opening of the store.
Most of you are saying the problem areas might be stuff that's been on my store for years.
My pricing
(which, BTW, has INCREASED interest in my store. When I had 'legit' pricing, I had very few sales. The current pricing wasn't a flippant thought. I been selling for years on eBay. Just within the past couple years have I did this type of pricing and my sales have skyrocketed since.)
clearly isn't the issue cuz it's something I've been doing for a couple years and, as previously mentioned, my sales were decent.
Putting the term 'water closet' must not be much of a deterrent. Cuz, as previously mentioned, my sales were decent pre-store opening.
People are pointing out things that have been on my listings for quite a while.
Why?
As mentioned, that clearly isn't the problem cuz my sales were decent.
Do I need to boost my store? Boost my listings?
Does opening a store mess with the algorithms? Is there a glitch that eBay might not know about, but the clients HAVE?
Further info: I usually get at least 15 likes per week, to which I send offers. THAT is how I typically get my sales.
I usually put my prices a bit higher than expected as it seems, IMO, people are more likely to buy after a discount of a higher price than without, even if the price is inexpensive to begin with.
I really think this stuff through.
I wouldn't mind answering why I do what I do IF people would answer my question THINKING FIRST before answering.
THEN I would answer why I do my pricing that way and IF THEY ASKED I would tell them that it seems me putting 'water closet' as a location hasn't seemed to hinder them sales.
But just pointing out 'this thing that you said has been working for you should be changed to something that might not work for you' is just a waste of my time.
And I asked a legit question.
chapeau-noir
·10 months agoOh gawd - it's obvious you have already decided what you want to hear, so I give up. Dear.
mamacassidy
·10 months ago@fredgsanford712
you said "Thank you for any advice you can give me to increase my sasles."
So that's what we have been doing, giving you advice to increase sales.
We told you very clearly that having a store does not make you lose sales.
If you don't like the suggestions, fine, but don't come here looking for advice then act like we're crazy for giving you that advice.
fredgsanford712
OP10 months agoThat's not addressing the issue of DECREASED SALES 🙄 *SINCE I OPENED THE STORE*.
I've been putting the locations on my listings ~clearly, cuz they're on ALL my listings~ for months.
THAT clearly isn't the problem.
I've noted that I had DECENT SALES since I opened the store. Now it's dead.
No likes, no sales.
I made a very small sale today. Maybe cu of this question. Maybe someone saw it and felt a desire to help my situation of raising money for my MIL.
But clearly putting the location
(no matter what the wording. Which no one understands anyway. Just ASSumptions. But who knows where anyone stores the stuff they sell. Truly. Someone could have urinated all over it, bleached it, then put it on eBay. Soooooo . . . . .)
wasn't the problem. Cuz I had the noted DECENT SALES.
I'll just wait till you read this than delete the question.
you people are no help.
I'll never return here to ask another question.
Every time I ask, I get silly answers like the ones given.
fern*wood
·10 months agoYour question was addressed based on our own experiences. You are the only one feeling that opening a store was the reason for a recent lack of sales. That doesn’t mean that was the cause, though, but it seems you are convinced it was. It seems the only answer you feel acceptable is one telling you that was the reason, when often a slump in sales just happens.
mam98031
·10 months ago@fredgsanford712
"That's not addressing the issue of DECREASED SALES *SINCE I OPENED THE STORE*." That is because one has NOTHING to do with the other, you just don't want to hear it because you are convinced it does.
So tell all of us. How could having a Starter Store affect your sales? Since you know this to be true, help us to learn. How does that work??
bdmh-enterprises
·10 months agoAs an old school metal fan, I'd find it very amusing if the 666 pricing structure had some hidden meaning.
However as a long time seller, I gotta say those numbers are annoying to look at. Maybe it's just me but I try not to have the same number repeated in a price for visual appeal.
mtgraves7984
·10 months ago@fredgsanford712
FWIW... I see a couple of duplicate listings with very different prices. Check 'Jif' and 'Fan Fair'. 😉
mam98031
·10 months ago@fredgsanford712
LOCATION: Middle, book shelf /water closet. You say that in some of your listings. What is does it mean? For many people a water closet = the room the toilet is in. Not likely a selling point.
LOCATION: Book pile by TV stand /living room. This is in another one of your listings. What that says to me is that you don't take care of the books since you keep them in a pile.
This type of information adds nothing to your listing but potential questions and likely problems.
chapeau-noir
·10 months agoSeems obvious that that is their inventory location system. @fredgsanford712 - you need to put that in the SKU/notes section. You'll see it, the buyers won't.
mam98031
·10 months agoI get that. I still stand by what I said. There are better ways of doing that. As a buyer if I saw that a book I was going to order was stored in a bathroom [lots of moisture] or in a pile, I would not think they are being stored correctly.
Sellers can use SKU's as you suggested or a coded type entry in a Item Specific Box. There are ways to do it without doing this that may cause concern to a buyer.
powell-collectibles
·10 months agoI don’t want people to think the cats are now chasing dogs,, but I’m pretty much with you on this one. No way I’d want something that was stored in someone’s bathroom. I’m more worried about backsplash than I am about the general humidity of a bathroom. Yuck.
bdmh-enterprises
·10 months agoSince using w/c for bathroom is kinda European, I'd guess it means a large "closet" where the water heater and often electrical/heating stuff is located in homes w/o basements. Still not much better...
mam98031
·10 months agoEven if that were to be true, it is still a very bad place to store things made with paper. The extra heat from the hot water tank would be harmful. Books need a DRY place for storage.
Basements are fine as long as the are completely dry and void of moisture issues.
My hot water tank and the heating unit for the house is located in my garage. I would never store stock anywhere near them or even in my garage as it isn't properly insulated and set up for safely storing paper products.
fredgsanford712
OP10 months agoDid you READ the part about my sales DECREASING since I bought the store?
No one here seems to have noticed that part.
Nitpicking on stupid stuff like "what does 'water closet' mean?"
Instead of focusing on THE NONEXISTANT SALES SINCE I BOUGHT A STORE.
UGH! Common sense isn't so common anymore, apparently.
This 'community help' section is full of duds.
I never get any decent answers on here. Just inane stuff like all these answers.
powell-collectibles
·10 months agoLooking at your sales history, it doesn’t look out of place to have a 10 day or a two week drought in sales.
Open a store shouldn’t have a negative impact on your sales.
mam98031
·10 months agoIt isn't that we didn't notice @fredgsanford712 , it is like others told you, one has NOTHING to do with the other.
Well since it is NOT the fact you have a starter store, some of us tried to help you with what we see with your listings. You can call it "stupid stuff" if you like. I'm sure my experience over the years is pretty worthless to you as is the advice of other experienced sellers. Since you clearly feel you know more than we do, then we may not need to volunteer our time to try and assist you with what you see as current issues.
"Common sense isn't so common anymore, apparently." I could not agree more.
You did come to the wrong place if you were just looking for people that would tell you what you wanted to hear and just agree with you. No one learns from that, but I do understand that some really don't want help if it differs from their outlook on things.
I wish you the best.
reallynicestamps
·10 months agoI'd also suggest that you remove the note about location from the description.
Telling the customer that the crocodile purse is being kept in the water closet (toilet) is not a Good Thing.
And the customer either does not care that your mother is in assisted living or assumes it is just another sob story . Not a selling point.
mam98031
·10 months agoIf you are going to be listing around 300+ listings a month, you need to Upgrade to a Basic Store. It will pay for itself since you won't have any listing fees for what you post over 250 listings.
https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/fees-credits-invoices/store-fees?id=4809
reallynicestamps
·10 months agoAnd if you do-- make it $9.99 .
Then add Best Offer with an automatic Reject at $6.67.
You will not see any offers that are automatically Rejected.
You can Accept any Offers that are not-- Actually you can set an automatic Accept at $6.68 and only see sales.
And those sales will be for at least $6.68, many higher.
Many of those sales will still be at $9.99.
Others will be lower but all will be higher than the $6.66 you are asking now.
broto_64
·10 months agoSome things that have helped me are listing "uniformity," like however you list one item, the rest follow the same format... So if I'm listing with 6 pictures, it's 6 pictures for every item I list... I do believe more is better when it comes to pictures.
sammiea1460
·10 months agoI think you should redo some of your pictures. A few listings show extra items that a buyer could interpret as being included in the purchase regardless of title or description.
For example:
Ellen Tracy print purse with the dog figurine.
Cat mug with 2 stuffed animals on a chair.
mamacassidy
·10 months agoNot to sound crazy, but you might consider changing your prices from 6.66 to something else.
Personally, those numbers mean nothing to me. But in all my younger years working in retail, I can tell you that the number 666 freaks a bunch of people out.
I see most of your prices are 6.66 or 11.11. I don't know if you did this because of some numerology thing or if you just thought those prices would stand out, but I have a feeling it's turning more people off than attracting them.
As far as a store goes, no, it doesn't hurt your sales.
mtgraves7984
·10 months agoBut in all my younger years working in retail, I can tell you that the number 666 freaks a bunch of people out.
@mamacassidy 👀
I was today years old when I realized that it freaks me out a little. I ticked to Watch an item, then saw the price. Glad to see OBO... 'cause I won't pay that $6.66. 😲 🤣
chapeau-noir
·10 months agoSeriously - I used to do signups at the local bike races and no one would take the bib that said "666" on it. Some would take "13" and we had guys vying for "69", but not 666. 667 was OK - I guess they didn't mind being next door to The Beast.
So yeah, change those prices!
tobaccocardyahoo
·10 months ago250 items is not enough not to see hills and valleys in your sales.
2 bad weeks is not uncommon for that number of assorted single quantity collectible items.
inhawaii
·10 months agoAnswer: No
bonanza125
·10 months agoNo! Opening up an Ebay store doesn't decrease sales. Pricing and demand decreases sales. Check your prices. Compare your prices to the exact item listed by other sellers and sold listings. A lot of people find that the price they are asking is much higher than what the item really sells for. Then check on demand. How many of that particular item has actually sold. If there are very low amount of items sold then the interest level and demand is low to none. Also factor in your return policy. You have no returns. A buyer may pick a seller which has a 30 day returns w/seller pays for shipping on items like what you are selling in compared to no returns. Opening a store helps you rack up listings to increase sales. The more you list the better chance of making sales.
jonathanbrightlight
·10 months agoI have never seen any indication that opening a store has either a positive or negative effect on your sales. Being able to run sale events and issue coupons can, but not just whether you have subscribed to the store feature.
fern*wood
·10 months agoDo you have lots more to get listed? If so, a basic store can save you lots in listing fees. What benefit were you hoping for with a starter store? Opening a store should definitely not decrease your sales, it may not help either, but it can save you money.
stainlessenginecovers
·10 months agoHas NOTHING to do with you 'opening a store'.
1st, no reason to do a 'store' unless you are planning on doing 'sales' or expect more than $2k in sales to offset Final Value Fees.
2nd- a 'store' is for those selling many items of the same genre; usually 'new' and usually 100's of these items.
3rd- you are selling 'used old' stuff and/or random 'newer' or 'new' stuff, but not 10's of these 'new items' so your listings are just like a garage sale. The 'good stuff' goes first on Friday/Saturday and by Sunday nobody buys much of anything because all the 'good' stuff is gone.
That is where you are at.
Sometimes things just languish for weeks/months until the 'right buyer wanting that item' comes around.
Something that interests 100 people vs. something that interests 2 people- see the difference?