Did Some Sales Research. Grim Results

[myfrugalboutique]

Many on this board have been discussing sales. This morning I decided to do some research and this tells me something. . For the year 2022- same period Jan 1-June 11 sales were down in 2023  26%. The most dramatic drop this year is between May and June to date. My sales are always steady. So far in June my sales are down 75% for the exact period last month.  1-11. 

Impressions Down 30.5%

Page views down 29.1

Conversion rate was up 1.9

Now are my listings being throttled, some say ebay doesn’t do that, others disagree. This is not an economy issue, because those who think so ,didn't just decide that  on June 1. Additionally other people are seeing the same strange drop. I normally have quite a few orders over the weekend, and my husband takes them in a big bag on Monday to the post office. I have absolutely not one order. 

THE ONE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK WAS ON JUNE 2. 

[dirk12955]

The Covid crisis brought many home bound shoppers to the net.    Some of them got 

on ebay and spent some money.    I sell stamps and stamp collectors found a way to 

fight the boredom by updating their collection and that sent my sales for 2020-21-22 

into unheard of levels.

Now the Covid virus is a non issue.   We're back to normal.   

My sales are within 3%  of 2019 levels,  Pre-Covid.

For 2023 (Post Covid)  for the first 5 months I'm down 34%  from 2020-2021-2023 levels

[hartungcards]

This tells me your sales aren't always steady.

[myfrugalboutique]

If you read what I said, they have always been about the same every month for quite sometime. Are being a wise guy or didn’t you read?

[hartungcards]

Apparently not, according to what you said.

[myfrugalboutique]

Most of my major selling was on another platform during covid, and business was great for obvious reasons. I am talking about the last 18 months. I could go back further , but am trying to focus on the here and now. 

We  normally shop online, and have for years, covid or not. It is convenience.  We even did major shopping online at roomandboard 5 years ago, and had everything delivered to us in Arizona. So store shopping is not something we do.  also purchased our previous home online. 

[powell-memorabilia]

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@myfrugalboutique wrote:

Most of my major selling was on another platform during covid, and business was great for obvious reasons. I am talking about the last 18 months. I could go back further , but am trying to focus on the here and now. 

We  normally shop online, and have for years, covid or not. It is convenience.  We even did major shopping online at  https://www.roomandboard.com 5 years ago, and had everything delivered to us in Arizona. So store shopping is not something we do.  also purchased our previous home online. 

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I feel like Ralphie in a Christmas Story.  A stinking ad?

[myfrugalboutique]

You are welcome to skip on by. 

[marnotom!]

Backing up a bit and following up on @dirk12955’s post, how do your sales on this platform for Jan 1-June 11 2019 compare to this year’s sales thus far?

[hartungcards]

The OP said they are "trying to focus on the here and now."

[myfrugalboutique]

I can only go back to June 21. That period June 21-end of December 21 was within a percent of what it has always been. Steady, consistent, what ever word works.  As I posted before there never were any large fluctuations. 

[inhawaii · Accepted solution]

You've clearly done the research.

You used to have <this much> and now you only have <this much>.

I would have to agree with you.

Irrefutable evidence that there's some throttling going on.

[myfrugalboutique]

You got the “golden buzzer” . The facts don’t lie. I appreciate your thoughtful comments. Thanks again. 

[dirk12955]

I can only use my experience when comparing today to yesterday.

Simply put,    I averaged a certain amount of sales per day in 2019.    By the middle of 2020 my sales had 

increased about 50-55% and stayed at that level till about the middle of 2022 when my sales 

levels began to slide downward at a slow but steady pace.    

For the first 5 months of 2023 my sales levels have returned to Late 2019 or early 2020 amounts.

I'm convinced that in my case,  as an online stamp seller,   That sells nearly 50% of my items 

to International buyers,   That Covid drove my sales UP,  And the lack of covid is pushing them 

back down.   People are no longer confined to their homes.    Mandatory home schooling is over.

  People have returned to their away from home workplaces.

We see a steady stream of sellers coming here with the same complaints.   Compare the first 5 months 

'of 2023 to the first five months of 2019       Not 2021 or 2022

Many Others believe it's the economy.

As always your mileage may vary.   

[myfrugalboutique]

I respect was you are saying, and I do agree. Basically I am referring to the first 11 days of this month.