Welcome to Q4 2025---Holiday Shopping Season
Here on the East Coast we are now officially into Q4. For some sellers, this doesn't mean much business wise, because historically they haven't really gotten a bump from the Holiday Shopping period. But for many sellers (and many in the retail industry generally) this is the time of year when sales should be increasing.
Are you feeling optimistic about Q4, pessimistic, or just don't care?
Any particular changes you plan on making?
Best of luck to all of us.
17 comments
sfau
·11 months agoSo far off to a good start. I did markdown 200 items to 50% off and that has helped since I have had three sales from the markdown. Good luck everyone!
youn2240
·11 months agoI think it will be pretty good for me. I'm way up over last year at this point and my only disappointing time this this year was early/mid September but it seems back to normal again.
powell-collectibles
·11 months ago@youn2240
we haven’t seen you or read your wisdom in a couple of days. Hope all is good. And absolutely hope that you don’t feel unwelcome on these boards. You are a valued contributor. one of the best, really.
books_n_more
·11 months agoThe state of pretty much everything makes me feel pessimistic, but I also feel like eBay has a chance to entice vintage buyers now that new "made in China" type stuff is becoming increasingly unpopular and over-priced.
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
OP11 months ago@books_n_more Well, there's a definite trend, especially among the younger folks, to buy used, vintage, refurbished, etc. Some of this is tied to higher prices for new items, but much of it is tied to other factors.
But either way, there's a real, energized market for secondhand stuff.
tools*
·11 months agoLike the computer you used to type and post that comment?
meme6253
·11 months agoCautiously Optimistic!, I'm Hoping for a Great Holiday season, But then there is a side of me seeing to many statistics that I don't like at all, I'm running constant sales, Lowering some prices, Sending & offering coupons, Fingers & toes crossed, Eyes are shut!
kandf_vintage_finds
·11 months agoMy sales are currently on a steady uptick. Hoping for a record Quarter 4 on my end.
Good Luck Everyone!
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
OP11 months ago@kandf_vintage_finds Very glad to hear that! Have you been doing anything in particular that you feel is helping to increase your sales?
tobaccocardyahoo
·11 months agoI had a record September but this week is very slow.
I attribute it to the government shutdown. The past government shutdowns were also awful.
Q4 is never a great quarter for me, but if this shutdown continues it will be worse than usual.
My buyers are unlikely to be government employees, but the shutdown is always a downer with news reports telling us of the problems of poor government employees and how their children are suffering. Crying crocodile tears as they report.
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
OP11 months ago@tobaccocardyahoo The state of the economy is always a factor, and I think one of the issues we face is that the one certain thing we can say about it is that it is filled with uncertainty. ( I won't say more about that because economic discussion tends to veer into political discussion ).
Still, I remain cautiously optimistic.
We'll know whether that was misplaced or not within a few months, so ... here we go!
chapeau-noir
·11 months agoWith the inevitable wadded panties. 🙄
I'm hoping that if people are feeling the squeeze a bit (I'm not particularly sensitive to grocery prices but was gobsmacked today), they'll look to the secondary market and all we have to offer instead of fighting over overpriced import junk at Wally World.
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
OP11 months ago@chapeau-noir ", they'll look to the secondary market and all we have to offer instead of fighting over overpriced import junk at Wally World."
Which is what I've been saying ever since Tariffs became an issue. And, by happy coincidence, the younger generation in particular is buying on the secondary market, and it has become much more mainstream. This, of course, has both pros and cons: More people buying our type of stuff, but also more people competing to buy where we source.
It is one reason I remain cautiously optimistic about my sales for Q4.
thriftgnome
·11 months agoLast few weeks sales and views are down significantly but I’m cautiously optimistic.
chapeau-noir
·11 months agoI have to sell everything before I shut down the second week of December for almost five months. I'll be hustling.
krazzykats
·11 months agoRunning more combined shipping Holiday Sales! The more you buy, the better the deal!
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mam98031
·11 months agoHoping for a good Holiday season. I'm hopeful !!!!