Anybody else notice this?

[pls-consignments]

I've been watching the "suggested" ad rates for Promoted Listings since it started. Perhaps, you may have noticed that they continue to rise. To me, this is not good news!  

As the economy continues to tighten, along with ongoing eBay glitches, many sellers whose livelihood depends on eBay will continue to offer-up their limbs in order to stay afloat. The question is, will PL rates ever come down? Or will they continue to rise? 

[rosszonebricks]

They are just 'suggested'.   You don't actually have to use their suggestion or use Promoted Listings at all.

I used to run a 5% sale in the Summer slow months, and now I do a 5% Promoted Listing in the same time period.  My 'suggested' PL rate is around 10-11%.   I'm getting at least a comparable boost in sales with a 5% PL vs a 5% sale.

[pls-consignments]

Well, that's all fine and dandy. However, how long do you think those rates will benefit you as more of your competitors raise their rates for visibility?

[the-hook-and-the-loop]

You are talking about eBay's baby there. I sell 300 variations of Velcro and it's funny how the suggested rates can be so different. One thing I can assure is, eBay's suggested rates, metrics, and charts are for entertainment purposes only. If you like cartoons and animations, that's all they are. For 3 years straight, everyday, I had 24-36 sales per day, promoting at 5%-15%. Now having all listings at 15% is not doing anything. I can't and won't go any higher. As a matter of fact, I have reduced all PL's to 3%-7% and whatever sales I get, eBay will get their cut. I have put my energy into other platforms where customers are nicer and there is support. Too many changes on eBay. Anyone who doesn't visit eBay daily will be lost as to the policy changes and redefining terminology and recalculating how fees are deducted. It's getting old. What a huge let down.

[hartungcards]

And what makes you think your competitors will fall for the increased suggested rates any more than you will?

[pls-consignments]

"And what makes you think your competitors will fall for the increased suggested rates any more than you will?"

When their sales continue to slide. I'm sure eBay is banking on it 😉

[gloryglorygifts]

Well, if their suggested ad rates are anything like the suggested prices for similar items when you are creating a listing, it's flawed. You do what's best for you and your ad budget.  

[frugalmarketplace]

Curious please be more specific about the “economy tightening”  

[heckofagame]

I suggest that they don't suggest.

[pls-consignments]

"Curious please be more specific about the “economy tightening”"

Perhaps I should have used the expression "wallet tightening" 😉

[caldreamer]

Supply & Demand (as more people pay for promoted listing "suggested rate" will continue to rise).

[inhawaii]

What cares what ANYONE suggests?

In the end I make my own decision.

[ed8108]

Realize that Ebay is not a charity & depends heavily upon sellers for ebay's continued profitibility

[paraquip]

I just listed some knives I have not sold in a while.......the knife market is super competitve.....suggested ad rate 12% that's on top of 15% selling fees and free freight.

Almost 35% to sell on ebay

HK

[reallyhardtofind]

The constant changes on eBay have been exhausting to say the least. Fee hikes, constant category changes  and now PL for views which is another form of a fee hike is going to push interesting sellers away. What made eBay unique was the variety of quirky items which any regular person could list here. Now those sellers are no longer here due to selling limits etc. The site has become pedestrian.