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.

[ronatonawanda]

I was averaging 3 items sold per week for the last 6 months.  I've sold one item in the last 14 days.  It's a small sample size, but in my case sales have slowed.

[andrew547]

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@fuzzface50 wrote:

"There may be an increase in the number of people staying home and shopping from home, from either fear or necessity."

yes, I was thinking the same thing.  

The sales at the B/M store I work at has really been slow lately. I am new there but the supervisor said the numbers are way under what they should be for entering spring and we are located in a state with only 2 confirmed cases now.

did anybody see the gas prices on the tv? prices are as cheap as $1.749 they said.  Not sure the last time I saw it under $2.   I paid $2.199 yesterday 

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My grocery store also seemed a little slow on Saturday. Weekends are usually packed but not this time. I also noticed rice was in low supply. Didn't think to check hand sanitizer but I'm curious and wish I had. I live in a highly educated city with no current cases.

Russia and UAE decided now was a good time for an oil price war. That's why prices are down and part of why the market crashed Monday.

[dippitydoo]

Hey, no fair! $2.19 for gas???  I just paid $3.65 a gallon!  But....that's California for you!  They always overcharge here on gas.

I went ahead and closed my store, because I don't want to stand in line at the P.O, and I don't want to have to go out and purchase packing supplies either.  I figured sales would fall off a cliff, so it seemed the thing to do until we have a better picture, at least, of how this all is going to pan out.  

-Dippity

[chapeau-noir]

It's $3.10 up here (north of Seattle), $3.60 in Seattle.  Everything here is expensive, though.

[clairefontaineh]

Flat line for me - zero sales since 3/3 - never happened before.

[uncseniorsportsfan]

Gas just hit $1.99/gal here in Florida.  

As for eBay sales - like anything else with an economic impact it will depend in part on what you sell.   

With all sporting events cancelled probably at least until May - I have had only one sale on this account in March.  My other three accounts aren't faring any better.  Even combining all accounts this is on track to be my worst month on eBay in 20 years by far.  

I will continue listing, but only because I received a 200 free listing promo , and our April 4 community yard sale has been postponed at least until May.  

[divwido]

Mine are way up due to my prices dropping way down. 

[divwido]

Many jobs are sending buyers to work from home and schools are closing.  That could mean more online buyers.

[laura12433]

Down to virtually nothing.  I don't do a big volume anyway, but not even getting lookers, much less buyers.

[laura12433]

That's what I was hoping for, but it isn't happening for me.

[gizzme]

Big change for me. I was rocking and rolling in February - sales up almost 100% over last February! And then they flat-lined to almost zero the past seven days, even with discounting.  This was the year I was considering closing my store anyway, so that may be the case when it comes up for renewal (or sooner if I find it's a waste of my time.)  I also think it has to do with what eBay is showing in search results.  I ship with FedEx and ship prices for dinnerware and heavier items is now about 38% cheaper than in 2019, so I can't blame ship prices.  I still refuse to offer free return shipping as my profit margin isn't that great anyway after fees, costs of shipping supplies, etc.  Free returns on heavy items would be the end of my using eBay.  I find myself paring down my inventory just donating the items because in some cases, I get more for the tax deduction than I can selling it deeply discounted. Will need to take a hard look at whether it pays to continue and put up with the packaging clutter.  

[myjunkmightbeurtreasure]

same here 🙂

[myjunkmightbeurtreasure]

Dont feel bad, same here

[collectionstudios]

What is "yumi"?

[drinkwine1204]

I saw $1.79 gallon here, wish I needed it but just noticed it when driving by. Arkansas, usually lower here than east & west coast.