First week in 23 years with no sales, AND - I offered free shipping.
This is not a question, but I have to get it off my chest. I started ebay 23 years ago when I was downsized from my job and did great. Then I was off for a long time because I started my own business. I've been back several years now and did great when I first started. Sold everything by auction, lots of different categories for collectibles and jewelry and crafts. Then two years ago the views went down, then the sales when down, then everything went down. Last week I tried some vintage name brand jewelry and one folk art carving. The jewelry with name brands seems to go to sellers who are re-shipping it to China, but I don't care. This week, when the shipping discount notice went into effect, I decided to just go ahead and offer free shipping on my items to see if it helped the views. I only listed 13 items. Views did not go up and I did not sell a single item. I used to sell about 20 items a week out of a listing of 30 or less. My items are low cost for the most part, so I don't pay the promotional fee. I know that hurts, and I know I'm in high activity categories. I have 72 followers and 100 positive feedback. Even the followers don't seem to find the items now. I give up. I still put in the same amount of work, purchase clean adequate packing materials when necessary, always send a 'thank you' token gift, and always leave feedback. I think I'm a good dealer. I don't think any of that matters to ebay. I'm just sad at how things have turned, along with so much other stuff in the world. Maybe I'm selling buggy whips in an automobile world. Whatever, I'm moving on. Too much work for too little return. Love the community.
anniesandbears
·2 years agoI haven't had a sale in over 2 weeks. I believe something more than the economy is going on here. I feel like all Ebay wants is more of our money with the Promote your item. I have promoted a few here and there and those items do get more watchers and the occasion sale but i think there is more going on. When I first started selling in 98 it was great. It really has gone down hill in the last couple of years. Sad they really don't care about the sellers at all.
flukeman43
·2 years agoSomething has been happening to this selling platform over the last year. Sales are practically non existent. I have been a top rated and/or power seller since 1998. My sales are only 2% so far of what I had been making compared to the last 7 years. I have not done anything different. My guess is that they keep screwing with their algorithms or software and it is hurting their sellers, not their buyers. Thankfully there are plenty of other selling platforms out there that may help offset this problem.
tobaccocardyahoo
·2 years agoJewelry sellers are among the most prolific creators of no sales/poor sales threads on this forum.
Running auctions means you will not get impulse sales. IMO the only sales low priced jewelry will get in these hard times are impulse sales. I want something to make me feel better, and I have the money to pay for it now.
Having to wait for a shipment to arrive is already a deterrent, an auction is a deal killer,
I would not have expected free shipping to help. Many buyers can and do add the cost of the item to the shipping, especially those at the low end of the income scale.
ed8108
·2 years agoThe ebay of the past is history.
If the current return on time & effort proves inadequate, your time & efforts are not being well spent.
So you do need to be acting in your self interest.
Good luck in your future endeavors
inhawaii
·2 years agoIt sounds like you were/are a very good seller.
Best of luck to you in the future.
lakefor94
·2 years agoPerhaps try a week or two with Buy It Now pricing rather than auctions.