Consumer confidence plummeting, virtually guaranteed to explain at least some sales loss

[gurlcat]

There are so many news articles that came out today about a drastic drop in consumer confidence over the past month, I would post one but they all say the same thing.  Here's what you have to keep in mind: the metric includes everything people MIGHT buy, so that would include things they MUST buy, but it'll just be a matter of what tier they decide to go with.  If someone needs a car they'll be more likely to buy used rather than new.  If they have a headache they'll more likely buy generic acetomenophen rather than Tylenol. 

But what makes this a concern for lots of us eBay sellers is, if they DON'T need something, they'll be less likely to buy it at all, not when they're scared about whether they can afford all the things they definitely need. 

If you're still doing fine, that's awesome.  This post isn't about you. 

[cardxcraft]

Although not 1:1, directly proportional to each other, Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) and Consumer Price Index (CPI) have a postive correlation relationship.

Since CPI was sky high under last admin, a record 20% increase, 2021-2024, we're simply experiencing the culmination of bad policies. Policies that eroded consumer confidence have ended or are ending. Expect a short delay, longer than 4 weeks, before you begin to feel prosperous.

[hartungcards]

Longer than 4 weeks?  Didn't he say he'd have all this fixed on Day One?

[gurlcat]

Yeah ... no.  There is no "BUT BIDEN!" out of this. Consumer confidence was actually rising during in the weeks between election and inauguration.    The tariff stuff spooked millions of people, as did teenage goons putting their hands on Treasury computers.  If you can deny that it's only because you reallyreallyreally want to. 

And anyway the reasons are moot; my post was about why people might not be buying the kinds of things eBay offers.  Contact THE BUYERS and tell them Biden bad. 

[cardxcraft]

Expect a short delay.  It takes time for changes to propagate throughout the system.  We just need to have patience.

[inhawaii]

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@hartungcards wrote:

Longer than 4 weeks?  Didn't he say he'd have all this fixed on Day One?

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There are lots of things he said that didn't come true.

That's ok, i'm behind him all the way!

[karthok.of.daolodus]

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@hartungcards wrote:

Longer than 4 weeks?  Didn't he say he'd have all this fixed on Day One?

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"short but longer". sounds like govt propaganda doublespeak.

[12345jamesstamps]

'consumer confidence plummeting'...how is that done?

There are only so many seniors with land-line phones still.

A lot of us have cell phones and usually would never answer such calls from polls.

Wonder who answers such a poll?...easy to guess of course.

When eBay updated the UK eBay APP...we had so many people complaining here they lost the eBay APP.

Here's what happened after that to me...instead of getting maybe one buyer from UK every month I get UK buyers every day now...nothing's changed in my selling items. Wonder what really happens happened.

[kensgiftshop]

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@gurlcat wrote:

But what makes this a concern for lots of us eBay sellers is, if they DON'T need something, they'll be less likely to buy it at all

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It's been like that for a few years now hasn't it?

I know a lot of people have stopped buying the want's and just buying what they need.

[gurlcat]

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@12345jamesstamps wrote:

'consumer confidence plummeting'...how is that done?

There are only so many seniors with land-line phones still.

A lot of us have cell phones and usually would never answer such calls from polls.

Wonder who answers such a poll?...easy to guess of course.

When eBay updated the UK eBay APP...we had so many people complaining here they lost the eBay APP.

Here's what happened after that to me...instead of getting maybe one buyer from UK every month I get UK buyers every day now...nothing's changed in my selling items. Wonder what really happens happened.

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.............

[gurlcat]

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@kensgiftshop wrote:

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@gurlcat wrote:

But what makes this a concern for lots of us eBay sellers is, if they DON'T need something, they'll be less likely to buy it at all

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It's been like that for a few years now hasn't it?

I know a lot of people have stopped buying the want's and just buying what they need.

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Absolutely.  But it has worsened swiftly, recently, and dramatically.  

[chevymontecarlo88]

@gurlcat 

Wouldn't this thread be better in the Cafe rather than the Selling forum? I was under the impression that the Mods preferred political topics be posted there. 

[iamalwaysright]

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@kensgiftshop wrote:

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@gurlcat wrote:

But what makes this a concern for lots of us eBay sellers is, if they DON'T need something, they'll be less likely to buy it at all

---

It's been like that for a few years now hasn't it?

I know a lot of people have stopped buying the want's and just buying what they need.

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Sounds like me my entire life. But then again my wife is in the other end of the spectrum so I guess together we’re a wash.

There’s buyers who will go against reason and splurge on something they want to make themselves feel better temporarily. Regardless of how crappy they think their finances are. I believe a lot of my customer base right now are these types of buyers. I just hope they don’t wise up and file a return, that’s the negative side effect with these types of buyers.

[fern*wood]

Future uncertainty definitely will affect about everything. Hopefully things will calm down soon, but time will tell.  Jobs being cut & programs ended all add to the fear of what next. I’m sure buying something on ebay won’t be high on the to do list.

[adamcartwright]

@12345jamesstamps 

I always wonder who they're actually polling, because I never answer any polling calls or emails.

Everyone I know ignores those.