07-06-2017 11:28 AM
Help?? Please look at my Store and tell me if i'm doing something wrong all of sudden? Sales drop 75% last few months. Selling 10yrs I know the ups and downs, but nothing this bad. Ebay has finally broke me with all the constant site changes. After 10yrs of making a decent living on ebay. I'm about to loose everything. Appears It's my turn on Ebays TRS hit list like other sellers over the years to go from great sales to out of business. For no reason. It's seems the more I try and liquidate the worst things get with view counts dropping. I know things change and fluctuate from time to time. I'ts like all sudden Ebay Search has block my items and Store is being punished for some reason. All the Ebay Service Depts keep telling me eveything is fine with the site and my store.. I never has so many listings drop from 20-200 views, to 0-10 views. .99 - 19.99 auctions No Views and No Bids l I've always mixed it up on ebay BIN, Make Offer, Auctions 3, 5, 7, 10, 30 days. I've tried everything Auctions Markdowns. Slashed Priced.
07-06-2017 11:36 AM
First let me say you have some beautiful items.
My late mom would have wanted one of everything and had a curio cabinet full to prove it.
But that generation is fading out.
The ones now have micro apartments or rent apartments. They have small homes. They want experiences, not stuff.
So there is nothing wrong with your items. They are beautiful. It is just that what sells on ebay has changed and unfortunately collectibles fell by the way side.
07-06-2017 11:43 AM
Very nice items, though while I can't really see any indicators that would turn me personally away as a seller, the prices are good, the shipping may seem excessive but when you consider what the items are it does make sense, plus you need to have a profit margin over cost.
However, and don't take this the wrong way it's not meant to be rude or anything, it's just my opinion, the Coca-Cola can that's being used for size comparison is drawing my attention from the items themselves every time I see a picture with one in it.
That's just me, I personally feel a tape measure or ruler would be a more appropriate item to use for size comparison / indication.
I hope your sales pick up soon.
07-06-2017 11:44 AM
It's true, it's the older women stuff, that's the problem. Roses, tole items, the younger crowd isn't touching that stuff and the older crowd is getting rid of it, not buying more of it.
Do you really think that bronze gargoyle is worth over a thousand? Honestly if I was going to lose my house I would put it up on auction and let what happens happen. It might only bring a couple hundred though.
Yes, it's slow. Prying money out of buyers hands during the summer is harder. There's nothing wrong with your items except who they attract--older women who aren't buying.
Don't feel badly. I have a pile or 3 or 10 of it myself. I'll try to sell it locally. Why don't you do the same? Have a yard sale even while it is listed. Losing your home isn't worth trying to get another $20 out of something. I hope truly hope you can make some sales soon.
07-06-2017 11:45 AM
To add on what the above poster said - the political situation has made many people uneasy, they are not so quick to spend money. And it is July when a lot of them are out enjoying summer and not inside sitting in front of their computer.
And to be honest, a lot of your items are common and/or not that desirable anymore. And even marked down you have many of them priced too high. And besides the high price, many of your items are heavy/bulky and that means high cost to ship. I looked at one item that once you add in the ship cost, it is way out of my price range for the item. If you divided your asking price plus your ship cost on the item in half, that is what I paid for an item just like yours in an antique mall.
07-06-2017 12:00 PM
OP You have some very nice stuff, nicer than a lot of things in those categories here. But frankly (not to be mean, just frank) some stuff is passe. At least to the crowd that's still spending money in July.
I used to work in a ginormous thift store with three huge floors. The basement was full of collectibles and knicknacks and items rarely sold. People liked to browse but not buy much. The second and third floors mostly clothing and books where only the BEST quality or popularity items, like 1%, sold.
That place is still there but they sell 99% practical stuff: tools, useful kitchen things, toys & lotsa seasonal. Books don't even sell any more! In this environment, not what it used to be, you might need to shift or diversify. Best of luck
07-06-2017 12:01 PM
I also agree that your items look nice. I have no experience buying or selling antiques so I do not know prices, but I think the price on the Xmas ornaments is fair and the item appears to be very nice. I might buy that except that I'm in my 50s and have a more-than-child's lifetime of ornaments already. So that might be part of your problem. I also have 2 cabinents of glass I bought on ebay until I had plenty and stopped, and I don't really use it much. Do younger people these days have curio cabinets?
07-06-2017 01:22 PM - edited 07-06-2017 01:24 PM
The first answers have already given helpful advice and I do also like your items. However, If you are truly about to go homeless sell all that you can where ever and for however much you can. If your situation is that bad, you're probably going to have to take a loss. The above answers are good. Have you tried maybe splitting the shipping cost and adding it in somewhere? We know shipping can get higher with heavier items, but most customers don't understand it. Some of the shipping costs would scare me away.
Also, I noticed on your feedback you have complaints about smoke. Unfortunately in this day and age, people treat smokers like second class citizens and whine a lot about it. Since the only two feedbacks that aren't positive complain about smoke that is not good. Now every buyer that sees that will smell the item and if there is any odor at all, whether it is normal or not, they will claim it smells like smoke. Idk how a glass item or any other non pourous items could possible have smoke smell stick to them, unless it was used as an ashtray and unwashed, but that is what they are claiming. I had a customer claim one of my items smelled like smoke and she left a neg comment as a positive. I knew that it was impossible considering it came straight from the factory, out of the box, and into the envelope. Not to mention I don't smoke in my home. I simply replied that there was an electrical fire and hers shipped the same day and offered a full refund. Maybe you should wash the dishes first if they are coming from other places so no one complains about it again. It's also eBay policy that you cannot sell unwashed items. That includes dishes, clothing, ect.
07-06-2017 01:28 PM
@keziak wrote:I also agree that your items look nice. I have no experience buying or selling antiques so I do not know prices, but I think the price on the Xmas ornaments is fair and the item appears to be very nice. I might buy that except that I'm in my 50s and have a more-than-child's lifetime of ornaments already. So that might be part of your problem. I also have 2 cabinents of glass I bought on ebay until I had plenty and stopped, and I don't really use it much. Do younger people these days have curio cabinets?
____________________________________________________________
Of course there would be no way to say for sure, but growing up we had a very large home with a dining room, and eat in kitchen.
So yes, there was a curio cabinet in the dining room with all the Chatskis my mom was given for gifts or collected over the years. I still remember her dusting each and every one of them several times a week.
Houses are so much smaller now, many do not have formal dining rooms, and who has time for that anyway.
07-06-2017 01:29 PM
You have a store with 214 items listed..........so, presuming you have the inventory, you could list quite a few more.........
In July, so far, you've sold 7 items,
June 29
May 15
April 24 (3 wks)
No sales at all May 15-lst wk of June.......which is when I would have griped, unless you on vacation or something........
As said, nice items, and some have sold for nice prices, the R Wright set is really nice. Based on what I sold last year......your Xmas stuff will certainly sell near Xmas for more than you presently have them listed for.
Summer is slow.........but if I were you, I'd keep as much listed as I could, it can't sell if it isn't listed.
07-06-2017 01:33 PM - edited 07-06-2017 01:34 PM
@keziak wrote:Do younger people these days have curio cabinets?
27 here and if I could afford it I would have 10 curio cabinets.
I love to collect things like old telephone pole insulators and other little knick knacks, as well as I'm a gamer so game related figurines and collectables I have I would like to put them on display.
So some of the younger crowd (of which I consider myself a part of) do enjoy curio cabinets. Just can't afford them.
07-06-2017 01:34 PM
The main reason I thought to buy curio cabinets and glass was because I grew up with my grandparents and my grandmother had a china cabinet. Of course she was born in 1897. No idea if later generations kept up the trend, though I do know when I was collecting glass on ebay there was a lot of sniping and multiple bids on everything. Can you imagine?
In more recent years we've gone to a gem and mineral show once a year and I always buy something and now have a nice collection of colorful minerals in little boxes.
07-06-2017 01:35 PM
@nightsky4me wrote:Help?? Please look at my Store and tell me if i'm doing something wrong all of sudden? Sales drop 75% last few months. Selling 10yrs I know the ups and downs, but nothing this bad. Ebay has finally broke me with all the constant site changes. After 10yrs of making a decent living on ebay. I'm about to loose everything. Appears It's my turn on Ebays TRS hit list like other sellers over the years to go from great sales to out of business. For no reason. It's seems the more I try and liquidate the worst things get with view counts dropping. I know things change and fluctuate from time to time. I'ts like all sudden Ebay Search has block my items and Store is being punished for some reason. All the Ebay Service Depts keep telling me eveything is fine with the site and my store.. I never has so many listings drop from 20-200 views, to 0-10 views. .99 - 19.99 auctions No Views and No Bids l I've always mixed it up on ebay BIN, Make Offer, Auctions 3, 5, 7, 10, 30 days. I've tried everything Auctions Markdowns. Slashed Priced.
I know this might sound strange, but maybe some of your prices are too low. For example, the Ercolano Box. Many on eBay are selling in the hundred's of dollars. Take a look at how they are advertising their listings. You should be getting so much more for that box than what you are asking. I also wouldn't mention cigar....just not so in favor these days.
Just a thought.
Ann
07-06-2017 01:44 PM
@nightsky4me wrote:Help?? Please look at my Store and tell me if i'm doing something wrong all of sudden? Sales drop 75% last few months. Selling 10yrs I know the ups and downs, but nothing this bad. Ebay has finally broke me with all the constant site changes. After 10yrs of making a decent living on ebay. I'm about to loose everything. Appears It's my turn on Ebays TRS hit list like other sellers over the years to go from great sales to out of business. For no reason. It's seems the more I try and liquidate the worst things get with view counts dropping. I know things change and fluctuate from time to time. I'ts like all sudden Ebay Search has block my items and Store is being punished for some reason. All the Ebay Service Depts keep telling me eveything is fine with the site and my store.. I never has so many listings drop from 20-200 views, to 0-10 views. .99 - 19.99 auctions No Views and No Bids l I've always mixed it up on ebay BIN, Make Offer, Auctions 3, 5, 7, 10, 30 days. I've tried everything Auctions Markdowns. Slashed Priced.
With all the roadblocks that eBay has in place now, it's hard for small sellers to make a living on this site alone. With that said...At least your getting sales about everyday. Many sellers are getting only a few a month with triple your inventory and selling the same stuff. BTW...Your Copper and Brass pumpkin was made in Turkey. I sold the same one not to long ago for 22.00 plus 10.00 shipping.
07-06-2017 03:11 PM