Why are my auctions "NOT" getting any views and are not selling?
For months now my auctions are not getting views and are not selling. I would say in the last 4 or 5 months I have listed over 50 auctions and maybe I have sold 5 items. I have an excellent feedback record, have been on E bay for years and never had this problem before. I always had plenty of views and many sales and now it has all come to a halt and I am wasting my time listing auction after auction with not good results. How can I find out why this is happening.
42 comments
paxilill
·8 months ago40 Year Old Virgin Jonah Hill taught us everything we need to know about buyers.
ed8108
·8 months agoToo many seller cancellations when the final item price failed to meet seller expectations could be one reason.
onefootflipper
·9 months agoI really don't know why I waste my time with this.
Like everyone else who starts these threads they change nothing. Dopey listed at on auction at TWICE the opening price of the same one as buy it now, pointed out, still EXACTLY THE SAME a week later.
Original poster didn't want any real advice.
onefootflipper
·8 months agoAnd since then Dopey relisted, still at auction, still at twice the price others have it for buy it now.
And the original poster wonders why their auctions are not selling.
For sale, dollar bill, at auction, starting price $2.
mustang707
·9 months agoSome of your doilies are probably too thick for an envelope but the thinner ones might work. Here are the PO dimensions for envelopes so you can check it yourself Plus you would probably have to put them in a thin plastic bag to protect them.
Letter
Property
Minimum
Maximum
Length
5 inches
11-1/2 inches
Height
3-1/2 inches
6-1/8 inches
Thickness
0.007 inch
1/4 inch
Large Envelope
Property
Minimum
Maximum
Length
11-1/2 inches
15 inches
Height
6-1/8 inches
12 inches
Thickness
1/4 inch
3/4 inch
jdbelt1960
·9 months agoI took a look at your items and think that you have some nice collectibles. At the starting prices you are asking they may do better at Buy It Now with best offers. I think they are priced well already. Disney sells well and you need to highlight the trademark. I also sell collectibles and frankly they are not fast sellers. Just my thoughts so don't beat me up.
femmefan1946
·9 months agoBuyers want "instant gratification". See/want/order /pay. And the seller is expected to mail immediately (or at least the next day). Boom. Done.
Auctions make the buyer wait seven days to learn whether or not they have won. Then they have to check their email to learn the status and then pay. Which can take the buyer another day or two.
So : see/want/ bid/ wait/ wait/ wait/ wait/ wait/ wait/ wait/win/pay.
Not the 21st century zeitgeist.
And it looks as if you only have a few Auctions open at a time. At the moment 26, with a sellthrough of one a month over the past three months. Earlier this year that seems to have averaged about five a month.
Although you did get multiple bids on two of those, all three ended under $20. Did all three start at $9.00?
I would suggest using Fixed Price listings, with Immediate Payment Required.
Those will stay open for 30 days, allowing more customers to find them.
Price them where you want them to be -- is the market price closer to $10 or to $25 ? Or even $50? Are you leaving money on the table by using Auctions?
If you like the thrill of auctions, you can use Best Offer, which allows you to set your price where you want it to be ($25), but allows the customer to offer less ($20?).
You can even set parameters to automatically Accept (at $20?) or Reject (at $8.99? or $19.99?).
Collectibles are probably the only category where Auctions still work. But if they have stopped working for you, change the listing type.
Or, you can list at Auction, and then relist Unsold Auctions at the Fixed Price you really want.
I'm a Buyer, and I LOVE Auctions. Even with Shipping, I pay far less....
Sellers should remember that they are NOT the buyer.
Again, leaving money on the table.
squinkercat59
·9 months agoI sell LOTS of doilies - in the antique mall I have space in. When I type in "crochet doily" into the Ebay search, it comes up with 27,000+ (even though that includes instructions for making them, it's still daunting). It's why I don't put them on Ebay. I sell probably between 10-20 a month at the store. I think it's sort of an impulse purchase - most of mine are under 5.00 - they would look good under the lamp the customer is buying, or would look nice with seasonal items. There seems to be a never-ending supply; I find piles of them at every estate sale we go to.
pickapaper
·8 months ago@squinkercat59 wrote: "I sell LOTS of doilies - in the antique mall I have space in. When I type in "crochet doily" into the Ebay search, it comes up with 27,000+ (even though that includes instructions for making them, it's still daunting). It's why I don't put them on Ebay. I sell probably between 10-20 a month at the store. I think it's sort of an impulse purchase - most of mine are under 5.00 - they would look good under the lamp the customer is buying, or would look nice with seasonal items. There seems to be a never-ending supply; I find piles of them at every estate sale we go to. "
Same here. I agree they are impulse buys in a mall but not something a person would look for on eBay.
A while back I went to an estate sale that had a huge amount of really nice handwork (everything was like new) but none was really selling. I asked the operator what he would take for all the doilies and crocheted potholders and he shot me a very cheap price so I bought them. My DH thought I was crazy. There was probably a couple of hundred. We put them in our antique mall space for less than $5 each, most $2 or $3, and every one sold. I probably won't do that again unless something special comes up but I do know other dealers who always look for that kind of thing, but to put in a mall, not for eBay.
fm2000
·9 months agoThose doilies can be shipped for $2-3 in a first class large envelope.
Those doilies will be a pretty tough sell, I don't know if I would bother with them myself, but at least shipping them for $2-3 will increase the chance of a sale. They are low value, unbreakable, don't need tracking (statistically, the type of person who is buying those is not going to lie and say they didn't get it), and can easily go as a flat (thin, flat and flexible.) And take 2 pictures of each one, front and back, to show they don't have stains (I'd put that in words in the condition description too, along with how bright white they appear.)
Doilies are definitely not a high demand item, but at least they are extremely easy to list, store and ship, unlike the Turkish coffee set. It will be a bubble wrap and packing time vampire and can easily go into the 1-2 cubic foot dimensional weight rate territory; if it goes for only $45, even with calculated shipping, you will spend a lot of time for little pay, if not losing money after all the bubble wrap, box(es), FVFs on shipping etc. I'd absolutely list that as a BIN with your packing materials and time factored into the price, don't risk selling it that cheap, it is not worth it for only $45.
Buy It Now with offers has a similar flexibility as auctions and is the best choice the vast majority of the time versus auctions. Rarely are auctions worth the bother (and risk), it takes a certain type of item and your items just aren't suitable. BIN is better, especially for low demand items like the doilies.
I remember OneFootFlipper made a video and said something about how auctions were bad as a seller, but if looking for items to resell they can be great. I don't do auctions, but I certainly don't mind if others who sell items like mine do!
jdbelt1960
·9 months agoYou are correct about auctions. I have found some great value items as a buyer when the start bid is low enough (especially if the auction draws few buyers competing). As a seller the deal may not be so good. I have never done an auction but consider trying it for the experience. Only for an item I feel like taking gamble.
mozartbach1971
·9 months agoI think I'm having a slightly different problem with my auctions. I've noticed they've been getting a large amount of watchers compared to previously, however the final prices overall aren't very high.
keziak
·9 months agoI also found in that approximate time frame auctions stopped working for me. I prefer auctions because when they work they are good for moving out inventory. Also it's not unheard of to get bid up, or at least that used to be the case. Right now I'm on hiatus of using the auction format.
dixiestoolsandtreasures
·9 months agoTake all of those dashes out of your titles. Just use descriptive words.
VTG does not have a period after it.
Drop the all-caps in your description, and also the inappropriate quotation marks.
You have only one photo per listing. Might be okay for doilies, but not for any other item.
Remove all the incorrect information in your description about buyer paying return shipping. If it is INR or NAD, seller pays return shipping. Also, "Buyer pays return shipping" is supplied by eBay at the top of the listing when you include the shipping details when listing. The statement about calculated shipping doesn't seem to apply to your listings, or you are using the wrong dimensions and weights.
You can't ship a doily for $2.44. Your shipping prices are very inconsistent.
Hope this helps.
gloryglorygifts
·9 months agoI can't answer for everyone, but if I see something is an auction I keep moving on. Maybe try making your listings BIN? If I want something I don't want to bid and hope to win. I'm going to purchase it.
You have 84 followers, so make the listings buy it now, lower your shipping costs and send coupons!
Good luck!
homerunrally002
·9 months agoI would try promoted listings, I increased my percentage and have been getting more sales and views!
chapeau-noir
·9 months agoCrocheting (including doilies) has been making a comeback in up-cycling, 'slow fashion', vintage with younger generations. they are, however, budget conscious.
'Vintage' is certainly relevant as a keyword depending on the market - in C&A it has a definite stylistic impact. It will in this case, as well.
🙄
squinkercat59
·9 months agoI have done very well with auctions at times. But you have to have things that aren't common, that people can't get anywhere else.
1786davycrockett
·9 months ago@harpyx
Since December 12, 2025 you have created 3 different threads, all of which have complained about your auction items getting neither views nor sales.
One of your problems (and there are several, as pointed out by others on this thread), is that most of the items which you offering are. . .doilies.
Doilies?
Does anybody under the age of 70 years old even know about doilies in the year 2026?
tobaccocardyahoo
·9 months agoNext thing you know, someone will post that their listing for an antimacassar gets no views.
harpyx
OP9 months agoThis is the first time I have listed doilies in a long time and yes lots of people buy them because they go with lots of decorative eras and people like vintage items. I have space in a consignment store and I just sold 9 doilies the other day so there is a market for them. My problem with e bay was not the doilies auctions it was the last 50 or so auctions that got almost no views and almost no sales and if you look at my feedback you will see I sell a variety items all the time and until about 6 months ago my sales were doing great. My problem is what changed to make my auctions a waste of time to list ????
After I left that message in the community all of a sudden I started to get views again so I am at a loss to know what the problem really is with e bay and me???? Thanks for your interest.
fern*wood
·9 months agoThat's because everyone reading your post looked at your listings to see if they could help by seeing what you are selling. I agree with dropping the auction format, but you don't have to drop selling doilies. Most items have some audience, but most people don't want to mess with auctions. Just list them at the price you want and let them run.
onefootflipper
·9 months agoDid you perhaps stop doing any price research and start guessing all your prices 6 months ago?
Because I can't on any planet understand how anyone who did any price research at all would start an auction at nearly twice what the customer can simply purchase the item buy it now with zero waiting.
jbbowers12012
·9 months agoHi, Agreed with others. It seems that recently auction type listings have sorta' "fell out of favor" with most buyers. Try a few Buy It Now listings. You might just get lucky............
momtoabeautifuldaughter
·9 months ago1. Your shipping is high for such a lightweight item
2. Some of your listings don't even have shipping specified.
3. All returns are NOT paid for by buyer......only remorse returns. If they open INAD you pay for the return.
sfau
·9 months agoAdd a best offer to auctions for buyers that do not want to wait.
hotwheelsbum
·9 months agoAuction or BIN, your prices are a little high.
Shipping is here and there also. One Doiley has starting bid at $5.00, $2.44 Shipping.
Similar Doiley just 2 listings down, same starting bid of $5.00, Shipping is at $7.90.
You're way off on Shipping Costs for USPS Ground Advantage.
Plus, other Sellers are selling similar at far less prices. What has happened over the last few months? You're being undercut. Update your Comps, price accordingly, see if that boosts sales again. If not, walk away.
12345jamesstamps
·9 months agoI wouldn't use 'vintage, VTG, Large, etc. words in the titles.
Potential buyers know what they are...put those words in the descriptions.
mozartbach1971
·9 months agoI sometimes use the word vintage in the title. I assume some people might use it in a search. Do you think otherwise?
tobaccocardyahoo
·9 months agoWhen I use vintage in a title it is because I did a sell similar from some other seller's listing and the item was not worth the effort of retyping the title on that day. The word conveys no relevant information.
onefootflipper
·9 months agoYou have 8 auctions listed. Ebay stopped being about auctions 15 years ago. Listing auction format is a mistake nearly every single time.
6 doilies that I wouldn't have even tried to sell in the first place, not even in a lot. While these items could theoretically sell, no one is going to wait around to bid on completely unremarkable doilies with incredibly high shipping costs when there are 35,000 of them on the website they could simply buy right now.
A Schmid dopey, on auction. Your opening bid is $5 more shipped than another seller has it for buy it now.
An Armani Dopey, once again at auction, at twice the opening bid of what other sellers have them buy it now.
Look up the prices that your competition has and do not run auctions, run buy it now, every time. Auction is an expert only choice and the choice is wrong almost every single time. I sold like 10K items last year, zero auctions. I will almost certainly run zero auctions this year.
hartungcards
·9 months ago"I am wasting my time listing auction after auction with not good results."
Yes. Yes you are. And what does that tell you?
johnrj1226
·9 months agoSome things just fade fade away
tobaccocardyahoo
·9 months agoTo further explain why you should be listing fixed price.
Your items are not uncommon enough to be worth two visits to Ebay, Ebay is no longer a major entertainment destination on the internet. Like all other ecommerce sites it is a place to buy as quickly as possible and then go stream or game or get validation from strangers on social media.
7 days is not a long enough time to lure an interested buyer to your listings. Much of what you sell is not a necessity, and only appeals to a relatively small section of the public.
Auctions are now a very small portion of what is sold on Ebay, and you need to be in the mainstream to make sales.
Relisting is a PITA and the auto-relist of BIN listings allows you to have more choices for buyers at any given time.
bonanza125
·9 months agoI would say you should consider fixed priced listings instead of auctions. The items you are selling aren't really in demand and buyers like fixed priced items with best offers because they like to get items now and not wait. You are asking retail on shipping cost. You can print out a label and get the shipping cost cheaper that way rather than retail. Keep in mind also buyers shop price. If someone is charging cheaper shipping cost the buyer will go with them over you.
kensgiftshop
·9 months agoDitch the auctions, list as a fixed price and give buyers time to find those listings.
stainlessenginecovers
·9 months agoWhy is your shipping so high? That is why nobody is viewing as nobody wants to pay $9 to ship a $5 item that is 9" round material.
14 listing; need well over 100
Auctions- yuck; I want it NOW!!
Crocheted items? Few and far between; anyone wanting this is old and already does it themselves. Anyone younger don't want such things.
harpyx
OP9 months agoI hate the current shipping rates but I went to the PO and took one of the doilies in an envelope and they said it was too thick for 1st class so I can't make them send it for less,. I do have a policy that if an item ships for less than was listed on the invoice I always refund the over charge. You can check my feedback for confirmation of that. I never got a genuine answer to my question but all of a sudden after I put in my question all of my auctions started to get views ????? I haven't sold any of them yet-they go off today so we'll see what happens.
keziak
·9 months agoAs was pointed out that uptick in views was probably people reading your post and checking you out.
I also saw a marked decline in views some months ago. Auctions used to be the backbone of my business. I still have plenty to list but space to store book and DVD lots is very restricted here. The time is coming when I'll need to abandon selling stuff in lots due to auctions no longer moving them out. That will mean 2 out of 3 of my business ventures gone (Amazon, ebay auctions and ebay fixed price).
iamalwaysright
·9 months agoBecause they are auctions. Nobody likes auctions, not even buyers.
hotwheelsbum
·9 months agoI'm a Buyer, and I LOVE Auctions. Even with Shipping, I pay far less for Hot Wheels at Auctions than I do with BIN's and Shipping. Auctions with Free Shipping are by far my favorite way to buy Hot Wheels when the right price hits.
johnrj1226
·9 months agoGlad auctions trips your trigger. How many Hot Wheels have you bought recently??