eBay

honestabe411 · ‎12-19-2016

How's everyone SALES going this Holiday season?

I am down 30% less than last year. On average I sell 10-15 items a day. A low day is usually around 7, and high can be around 22 items.

Yesterday, 4 items, and today only 1 so far. Seems like a horrible holiday season for small US sellers this season. I've heard the same from a few sellers, but I am sure there are some with great SALES this season!

I genuinely hope SALES are great for everyone! But again, how are your sales this year compared to last?

My last 31 days has dwindled down slowly and slowly this December. Probably he worst month this year.

2 years ago I had 600 listings and made about double what I do now with 1,400 listings... hmmm

Maybe I'm in another blackout or something, but it does cause some anxiety as always when SALES are down. But I REALLY expected December to be booming! Maybe everyone is saving for presents?

123cabezas · ‎12-20-2016

Have had no sales for 19 Days straight..

lemarcheaupuces · ‎12-20-2016

i think you got it right.

nowadays what works;

rare, desirable, fad/flavor of the month, cheap prices, volume...

what sold last year might no sell this year.

items that i think are good don't sell or just take very long.

other times, i scratch my head (in disbelief) about what i have just sold.

it is getting worse every year not because of Ebay but because of the market;

too much supply and too little demand.

too many sellers and too few buyers.

but overall i am not too disappointed.

only thing that bothers me is that i have to carry so many listings.

i even intend to double my inventory.

i would rather carry only selected items but it is getting harder and harder finding these rarer and more desirable items.

too much competition out there. seems that every other person i bump into at thrift shops is in the business.

but listing all the junk i have gets to me.

i wonder if down the line will have to upgrade to an anchor store just to generate 4 to 5k monthly.

and you know business is the same everywhere.

my friend living in a very touristic state, emailed again.

she rents a huge booth (actually 3 of them), over well $1000 in rent (plus commission and all)... so far her sales for December; $700...

and it is the beginning of the season there.

she has been there for 12 years.

every year it is getting a little worse.

that is a shop where we used to make thousands monthly, easy...

so long... back to listing more junk...

letoulousain

allstar-comics · ‎12-20-2016

Slightly up from last year but I have a lot more inventory so probaby a wash if not down volume wise. Item count wise its down. Its really strange over each weekend I will either sell a smaller amount of more expensive items or a larger volume of cheap stuff but never both. Not going to complain My brick and mortar store continues to lose sales no matter what sales i run and advertsing I do People are strapped for cash or simply not willing to sell on frivolous no neccesities which is what I sell (collectibles mostly) Over time a lot of the stuff I sell is slowly dwindling in price from the peaks it hit during the housing bubble when people have artificial wealth that got sucked away by the wall st crash and housing market bubble bursting (no more using the home as a ATM)

Add the ever exanding online competition and you have a perfect storm. The River way up this month I think Christmas time more people think of that site far as presents go

fern*wood · ‎12-20-2016

lemarcheaupuces · ‎12-20-2016

@allstar-comics wrote:
Slightly up from last year but I have a lot more inventory so probaby a wash if not down volume wise. Item count wise its down. Its really strange over each weekend I will either sell a smaller amount of more expensive items or a larger volume of cheap stuff but never both. Not going to complain My brick and mortar store continues to lose sales no matter what sales i run and advertsing I do People are strapped for cash or simply not willing to sell on frivolous no neccesities which is what I sell (collectibles mostly) Over time a lot of the stuff I sell is slowly dwindling in price from the peaks it hit during the housing bubble when people have artificial wealth that got sucked away by the wall st crash and housing market bubble bursting (no more using the home as a ATM)

Add the ever exanding online competition and you have a perfect storm. The River way up this month I think Christmas time more people think of that site far as presents go

do you mean you have a (physical) store?

if yes, you should rent spaces to dealers/vendors.

stores here survive because of it.

owners not only pay all expenses with rents (from a case to a booth) but also make a profit.

i know people that own a Antiques Mall.

the owner collects $20000 monthly just in rent.

that does not include the 10% commissions on monthly sales and the 3% CC fee.

vendors come and go all the time.

but i can assure you, the owner never runs out of them.

every day there is 1 that wants to rent a space or a case.

every day...

i also believe that the future is into what they call an "indoor fleamarket".

it is not longer an Antiques Shop.

quite a few of them in the ABQ area.

they offer a mixture of home decor, junk, furniture and some antiques and collectibles.

well it is based on what the vendors put in their booth.

these stores are always busy.

they are my favorites.

i find better stuff there than in thrift stores.

and the prices are incredible.

the reason is that the vendors don't try to be Antiques experts like every manager in every thrift shop.

and then the owners get to buy stuff all day long.

you can be choosy.

you don't even have to go shopping any longer.

not as much fun but business is business...

letoulousain

lovemypommy · ‎12-20-2016

(This is my posting ID) I've sold about the same number of items as I did last year, but I definitely have more listings... possibly double (I'm a small seller with about 130 listings at any given time for December 2016). However, the average price of sold items is up over last year, so that's great. The majority of my products are NWT in clothing & shoes.

Fingers crossed for people to have Christmas cash & gift cards to spend soon...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

timemachine777 · ‎12-20-2016

@runaround1111 wrote:
So your new theory as to why you get no buyers is Ebay only lets buyers see your stuff on the 11th,12th,13th, then again on 21st,22nd,23rd ?

Do you actually read the post before commenting on them?

Those numbers are the monthly sales totals in order, from Jun to Nov. It would have continued if I didn't call eBay in Dec to report it.

fern*wood · ‎12-20-2016

@timemachine777 wrote:
@runaround1111 wrote:
So your new theory as to why you get no buyers is Ebay only lets buyers see your stuff on the 11th,12th,13th, then again on 21st,22nd,23rd ?
Do you actually read the post before commenting on them?

Those numbers are the monthly sales totals in order, from Jun to Nov. It would have continued if I didn't call eBay in Dec to report it.

I used to really like those number games back in school. So you called ebay to report that your sales number totals were ending up in sequential order in alternating months? You wanted to make sure you don't get 24 sales this month? How do you know how many sales you will get this month to know that it won't continue?

Is that how your latest theory about only getting a sale right before your fees were due came about? If so, then maybe calling to report wasn't such a good idea.

I'm really trying to understand these theories, and actually checked my sales totals for the past year. Alas, no neat patterns there. Do you think ebay only picks out certain individual sellers to manipulate?

timemachine777 · ‎12-20-2016

@fern*wood wrote:
@timemachine777 wrote:
@runaround1111 wrote:
So your new theory as to why you get no buyers is Ebay only lets buyers see your stuff on the 11th,12th,13th, then again on 21st,22nd,23rd ?
Do you actually read the post before commenting on them?

Those numbers are the monthly sales totals in order, from Jun to Nov. It would have continued if I didn't call eBay in Dec to report it.
I used to really like those number games back in school. So you called ebay to report that your sales number totals were ending up in sequential order in alternating months? You wanted to make sure you don't get 24 sales this month? How do you know how many sales you will get this month to know that it won't continue?

Is that how your latest theory about only getting a sale right before your fees were due came about? If so, then maybe calling to report wasn't such a good idea.

I'm really trying to understand these theories, and actually checked my sales totals for the past year. Alas, no neat patterns there. Do you think ebay only picks out certain individual sellers to manipulate?

Again...Don't you people read the posts before you comment on them?

Those numbers are from last year. Last years Dec sales ended right after the call to eBay about the pattern, resulting in no more sales for the last 2 weeks of Dec. Total sales for that Dec was 16. I was on track for 24 sales that month. In retrospect, I should have waited until Jan to make my call, or just waited to see how long the pattern continued. Six months was a good length of time though.

bubbleman2010 · ‎12-20-2016

.

fern*wood · ‎12-20-2016

That's really hilarious that the only thing you comment on about that post was that is was last year instead of this year. So you are sure you would have had 24 sales had you not called. Okay...even more tin foil involved than it sounded the first time. So what did you complain about when you called? Stop those sales right now! You like to divert attention away from what others say by pointing out one thing from your posts we didn't get...like any of it makes any sense.

I anxiously await next month's theory. I can't imagine the ebay reps getting to take these calls. I don't deny that ebay states up front they don't show all listings all the time but your personal "facts" are bizarre to think they take the time to single you out. That wouldn't be very cost efficient I wouldn't think.

superior-quality4less · ‎12-20-2016

Seller's Hub tells me that my sales are up 40.2% over last December, doesn't feel like it. I sell mostly clothing.

ymeagainlord · ‎12-20-2016

I don't "do" Seller Hub so I can only go by my own records (which are probably more accurate anyway)

Crusader Cat is watching

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. - L Tolstoy

"You are entitled to your own opinion, you are not however, entitled to your own facts."

rock-rollcafe · ‎12-20-2016

@timemachine777 wrote:
Those numbers are the monthly sales totals in order, from Jun to Nov. It would have continued if I didn't call eBay in Dec to report it.

@timemachine777 OK, lets try figuring this out. You say after 23 sells no one can buy your stuff ? If a buyer chose to do BIN after you got 23 sells does Ebay give them a notice saying they can no longer buy your stuff and have to wait until the following month ?

Or are you saying after 23 sells buyers can no longer see your stuff ? We can test your theory. After you get to 23 sells instead of calling Ebay, post to the boards. We can check to see if your stuff is visible.