Too few sales
Summary: A discussion unfolded regarding a drop in eBay sales, especially noted by aumazza0, who experienced the slowest three months since joining. Various contributors suggested economic factors and seasonal trends as potential causes. bonanza125 recommended adjusting prices and checking demand, while fabrics24 highlighted the importance of selling seasonally appropriate items. Concerns about eBay's potential throttling of sales were mentioned by inhawaii. Some participants shared strategies for maintaining sales, like continuously listing new products and utilizing specific sales tactics, but many reported significant declines compared to previous years.
How are sales going for everyone these last few months? Personally, I have had the worst 3 months since joining eBay many years ago. Any thoughts? or why things are tough?
train_slide_central
·3 weeks agoI am waiting for September to start listing again. My sales are down for the summer, I hope it picks up.
bbcardzman
·3 weeks agoAlmost 30% down for the year. Stopped promoting in December, guess that had something to do with it.
vicspics
·3 weeks agoPossibly the higher shipping rates. I sell small items like sports cards and vintage stamps. I can barely get away with paying less that $6.00 now for good tracking. I've resorted to doing the envelope with postage stamps if possible. But with this shipping can be hit and miss and hopefully it doesn't end up owing postage once it arrives. Also I've been getting hit's on my excessive shipping. It's not me folks, it's USPS raising there rates.
authentic*vintage
·3 weeks agoDiversify.
fiftee5chevee
·3 weeks agoNo Sales at all...I have been a member selling, since 2001...I used to sell 2 to 3 paintings a week...now none for a Month....I have 1,100 for sale, currently = on 4 accts.
christworks
·3 weeks ago31 day sales are up 32%. YOY gross and net are up almost 40%, but my number of sold items is only up 5%.
In a nutshell, I am selling slightly more items than I did a year ago. More important is that I am selling better quality items. I've nearly tripled my average sales price by ditching a lot of junk, and buying better stuff to flip.
This only covers eBay. I sell on several other platforms. All are doing better than last year.
I've got no complaints. My sales go up 40% in Q4, so I am prepping for that. List, list, list.
kidzschoolfund
·3 weeks agoIt's been terrible most of this year. Seems to have started the beginning of January. It's inconsistent. We can have a good day and sell $2000. the next day we sell $500. We have been at this full time pretty much since 2020, and have never had such huge swings and lack of consistency in sales. I don't know if eBay is speeding the wealth around by trying to make sure smaller sellers get sells, but it's beginning to become worrisome for us.
kidzschoolfund
·3 weeks ago · EditedIt's been one of the worst years so far for us. For the past few years, we sell an average of $1400-$1500 a day, we are lucky now to sell $1000-$1100 a day
luckythewinner
·3 weeks ago · EditedAccording to Google AI:
2019: There were 1.1 billion eBay listings and GMV of $90 billion.
2025: There were 2.5 billion eBay listings, and GMV of $80 billion.
There are twice as many listings chasing fewer dollars in sales.
lakefor94
·3 weeks agoIf I want steady sales, I have to continually add desirable products as other products have sold.
New listings to back up the existing listings that have not sold.
The more I work, the more I get paid, @aumazza0
paperandphotocollection
·3 weeks agoNot good. This month has been awful. I don’t have extra money to spend so I don’t expect others to. I sell antique and vintage photos, completely unnecessary items unfortunately. Not sure what I’m going to do.
reallynicestamps
·3 weeks agoHow do your sales compare for Q2 (April May June) 2025? 2024? 2023?
Model trains strike me as a winter hobby, like philately.
I've noticed in 25+ years here and 40+ with a B&M shop, that the summer months are slow. Our shop switched to selling postcards to tourists in summer since our location worked well for that, and our slowest period was November to Christmas with our strongest sales from Boxing Day to Easter.
aumazza0
OP3 weeks agoI am down over 65% for Q2 2025 to Q2 2026.
I am getting quite a few store visits and "likes". I answer each interested customer with an offer to purchase. 99% either decline the offer or just let it expire. The 1% that send me an offer to buy is for such a low price that I would be loosing money if I accepted it. That's the way this last quarter has gone and going forward seems to be the same. Good luck to you!
reallynicestamps
·3 weeks agoYou can set up Best Offer when you list and at that time include an Accept /Decline price.
So if you list at $100, would sell at $90, but would not sell at $80, you can set those parameters.
Any offer at or over $90 is automatically accepted.
Any offer under $81 is automatically declined with a polite encouragement from eBay to try again.
You only see the offers between $81 and$89 and you can accept, refuse, or ignore those offers. Or counter offer.
With the focussed Best Offer, the customer can ignore, accept, decline, or counter offer.
I find it interesting that while I have Best Offer on most of my listings, when I use the focussed Best Offer, the listings sell at a higher price than my minimum Accept price.
fabrics24
·3 weeks agoMy sales actually have been doing better compared to winter. Part of it is because I was a newbie in Winter, but I think it might have to do with what I'm selling and how.
I sell outdoor fabric, mostly sunbrella. It's summer, so people are off from school and work, and have more time to craft. They also want to make things for summer like tote bags, patio cushions, awnings, and garden flags, so of course I'm getting a lot of customers. Even within that, I've found how to get more sales on higher value items. I recently learned that lot selling is far more lucrative and popular, so I've been getting a lot of those. Anything containing 3 or more yards of fabric is a hot seller.
You'll have to find what works for you; obviously seasonal stuff is great, but you have to think about what you enjoy selling and what's selling right now.
The economy is always an answer to the "why are things hard to sell" question, but you gotta be able to flex with it. Figure out what people are willing to spend money on and work with that.
jdbelt1960
·3 weeks ago · EditedYou are a new seller and have not been selling enough to recognize trends. I am also a small seller going into my second year. I have never had a month of watchers but no sales as I am experiencing now.
In my own life I pay more for house, car and health insurance. I pay more for groceries, gas and regular household items.
I also buy on eBay but my budget is squeezed. I don't think I am alone. It is the economy.
fabrics24
·3 weeks agoSo...what? We give up because it's too hard? Because the economy's bad, we shouldn't even try to work with what we've got?
I'm not minimizing the fact that the economy isn't great. I'm saying that despite that, there are sellers --me included-- who are making sales, even on non-necessities. I don't need 100+ feedback to be able to know that; ad hominem.
inhawaii
·3 weeks agoWhen my sales are slow, I can't help but think that ebay is somehow preventing customers from buying from me. It's called "throttling".
stainlessenginecovers
·3 weeks ago@inhawaii in get that 'throttling' and that thing with the faucet confused.
At which time do I call a plumber?
lakefor94
·3 weeks agoIt is you, @inhawaii and the shoe salespeople who are always throttled.
I usually blame it on myself for not having stuff people want to buy.
hartungcards
·3 weeks agoThis is due to an annual increase in system activity experienced during this period, which has caused processing delays.
jdbelt1960
·3 weeks agoIt is the economy. With across the board increases in daily expenses, people do not have the extra money to indulge in pleasures anymore.
aumazza0
OP3 weeks agoThat was my thoughts. Glad someone else agrees.
Thanks, and good luck.
dhbookds
·3 weeks agoyou have 90 listings up in the train category, it looks like......
Could be more competition in that category or simply the normal summer slowdown. As @bonanza125 suggests, take the time to review/shop your items to see if prices have declined......
bonanza125
·3 weeks agoThese are actually the slow months for some categories. One thing you can do is check your prices and demand for certain items if sales continue to drop.
aumazza0
OP3 weeks agoThanks for the suggestion. I'll check that out.
lakefor94
·3 weeks agoI agree as well. With eBay it is presentation and then price, price and price. Price will tend to be paramount.
thief_in_the_night_100_rating_seller
·3 weeks agoWelcome to the Decline and petrification of Ebay.
hartungcards
·3 weeks agoYes, I remember when this started about 25 years ago.