Coronavirus - Are your sales up, down, or no change?

[andrew547]

I'd like to understand how this virus situation is affecting ebay sales generally. I want to see what's happening, figure out what to expect, and survive this thing as a seller. Generally, are people buying on ebay more, less, or no change?

So, are your sales up, down, no change? To what do you attribute it to, if anything?

I'll start. My sales are up significantly the past week or so. I sell things that are not at all related to health or the coronavirus. However, there could be other reasons for the uptick. I got sick a year ago and didn't ship a bunch of orders, and that blew my top seller status and ebay handicapped my listings for a year. I just got top rated seller status back, and that could explain the sales increase.

[supermegabot]

Down. Usually, mid-Feb tax refund season is when things start to pick up fr me after the holidays die down. This period has consistently been good for me, but it stalls out around April 1st and drags as people who've put it off pay their taxes and everyone starts going outside more due to nicer weather.

That pattern was on track this year until Wednesday when it slowed and then two solid days of zero sales, despite new listings. That's highly unusual for me - new listings almost always generate new sales. Have sold a couple items this weekend but overall, pretty weak.

Hoping this isn't the case, but if stock market does as I expect Monday & through the week, and as more people truly grasp the potential longterm repercussions, I won't be surprised if more of my sales dry up.

[sfau]

I was up until this weekend - but I do sell my kid's outgrown clothes...

[picknparley]

I had a few sales over the past few days. Ebay must have turned the lights on at my store.

One offer I have pending is to be shipped to the UK.  I wonder, is anyone planning on shipping out GSP packages? I'm just thinking the package will never arrive on time.  

[classycandy]

Sales are all down. A few weeks ago I shipped out an item every day, now hardly any sales. I think I've sold two items since people started panicking. I'm in Washington state which I bet doesn't help, even though I'm nowhere close to Seattle.

[steveberry2011]

Definitely Down. We mostly do U.S. sales.

Understand those interested in making a purchase have to attend to more important matters and also maybe postal delivery's could be severely delayed for some time depending when the buyer and seller are located.

[andrew547]

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@steveberry2011 wrote:

Understand those interested in making a purchase have to attend to more important matters and also maybe postal delivery's could be severely delayed for some time depending when the buyer and seller are located.

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I've heard nothing to indicate USPS has delays or is expecting delays. 

In the US, the mail gets delivered. Here is a Pony Express want ad from the 1800's:

Wanted: Young, skinny, wiry fellows not over eighteen. Must be expert riders, willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred.

[jokil-5865]

My sales are way down...to nothing in the last week. I sale sports cards.

[intergalacticplastic]

Last week for me was a sharp decline from the previous.  About the same time when the panic started to settle in.

[maximumal]

Sales way down from previous weeks this year. Only sold one LP record this auction when I usually send out a dozen boxes.  I'm sure folks are spooked over this virus and the economic slow down. Glad I decided after a week of deliberation not to list anything this week.

[pquattro7]

I can’t believe how my sales have halted. I thought that with selling unique vintage items my sales would not be affected. My sales were also great in February like the previous poster and now halted. I don’t understand why antiques and books would be affected. With everyone home I would think I would have more sales. All the people I know are still being paid and either work from home or are getting paid not to go to work. I wanted to go on a diet and now I’ll lose those 5 pounds because I don’t have enough money to eat. If I don’t make money on eBay, I can’t afford to buy essentials. But the good news is that I already lost 2 pounds.

[justforfun.2010]

Sales are way down. I usually sell an item every day or every two days. Sold one item last week. Fortunately ebay is a hobby business that I do not need the income to pay bills.

[dknykrn]

Bad....hardly anything in March.

[its*in*the*bag]

Same boat. Everything stopped once the panic set in....

[twohandsmerch]

Zero sales in three days.... WHAAAAAT?!?! Thought perhaps they would rise with folks home but nada. Have more listings than ever but not translating into sales as per normal. Hope things pick back up soon.

[friedsambob]

Sales have been generally slow in 2020 but since the Virus they have fallen off significantly.  I had been thinking of dumping my store and quit adding inventory as I can't justify the Store fee. Now they want me to upgrade to a more expensive one. I will sit still until things look more stable in the economy.