Ebay's desperate Increase of Promoted listing "suggestions" for weekends. How its failing everyone

[burningrubbertoycompany]

Ever notice how much eBay increases its "suggested" aka desperate needs for Promoted listings on the weekends. Its sometimes a 5-10% increase vs the weekend. So, let's put this in perspective and how it screws the buyers and more than likely turns off customers from buying.  Promoted listings are forced upon the buyers regardless of it fitting their search criteria or not. The more the sellers spend the more likely it will be shoved down the buyer's throat.  Naturally eBay is showing the customers less of what they are looking for and more what the products sellers are willing to spend on promoted listed items that most don't add up to what the customers are asking for. So, who is this helping. 

Our sales on weekends have fallen a dramatic amount because we are unwilling to pay eBay the outrageous amounts extra to show our products. We are #2 in our product category and have been on here for 25 years and have one of the largest assortments online. So instead of making more by giving the customers what they are searching for they are pissing them off by showing the items they didn't ask for.  In fact, I did a search on my phone, and it fed me back crap for the top few (overpaid promotion's) then 90% of the items past that were mine. What point does that serve other than to pretend that eBay is showing my items to all the customer base, and we should be killing it. But again, we are not, and those results are all fake.  If I truly wanted to spend money on eBay which I no longer want to because of its childish games, I would have had to go down a few pages just to get to anyone else's products.  So, who is this all helping.  It's doing more harm than good. Customers aren't seeing what they want, sellers aren't selling enough, and eBay isn't showing a rebound in profitability.  It's all a waste of time and needs to be reverted back to the simple process it used to be.   Are you seeing a decrease in weekend sales? Are you having a hard time being feed the right search results?  

[12345jamesstamps]

I so agree with you but it's all about promoting above what eBay suggests and I do hate that.

My items sold without a promoted rate or a very low rate are usually 'repeat buyers' who make that purchase.

Listing an item..exact item lower than other sellers prices will not help...even with a 5% promoted rate...LOL

The algorithms are so strange and can't comprehend them here.

[simply-the-best-for-you]

I've been seeing a decrease in weekend sales for ages.  My biggest day now is Thursdays.  I do use PL's & at a substantial rate, but I set it & forget it.  I had not even noticed that the going rate spikes on the weekends.  I'll have to take a look for that.   Interesting if true. 

[leenor51]

I haven't noticed this. I will watch now! Thanks.

[lakefor94]

EBays going rate is illrelevant if a seller knows exactly what it takes to get into the top 3 or 5 in Best Match search. (Nothing but 2% on my listings)

If a seller has to commit an absurd amount for PL's, the chosen category/items and business plan may need to be reevaluated if the margins are not there. 

[m60driver]

It isn't failing me as I don't pay any attention to Ebay's suggested PL rate.

[pls-consignments]

Just remember that Promoted Listings is designed to provide the greatest benefit to eBay, not Sellers. It's an AI implemented insurance policy that acts to protect eBay from economic volatility. It's marketed and sold to sellers under the rouse of a premium "seller tool". Ebay knows that when discretionary spending becomes affected by a struggling economy, sellers will increase their PL rates in hopes of maintaining or growing their sales. That is why we are seeing "suggested rates" increase as sales slump. If suggested rates are calculated by the averages of our competitors, then eBay is winning the PR game. 

[dhbookds]

Not unknown for ad rates to vary off ebay during high volume.......Superbowl ads go for millions.....

[mr_lincoln]

Hi @burningrubbertoycompany 

Prior to 2022 I had great success with Promoted Listings Standard feature.  Then they fully launched Promoted Listings Advanced, changed how Views are counted and magically doubled and tripled "Suggested" PLS ad rates.

What started in early 2022 was a slow steady decline in sales covering a 2 year period and continues today.   At the end of 2023 I completely abandoned Promoted Listings.  The Suggested rates makes sales unsustainable for what I sell. 

[meme6253]

Yes weekend sales have been considerably low

[meme6253]

I use PL's because my market is saturated, But I never go over 3%

[cardxcraft]

@pls-consignment wrote:

Just remember that Promoted Listings is designed to provide the greatest benefit to eBay, not Sellers. It's an AI implemented insurance policy that acts to protect eBay from economic volatility. It's marketed and sold to sellers under the rouse of a premium "seller tool". Ebay knows that when discretionary spending becomes affected by a struggling economy, sellers will increase their PL rates in hopes of maintaining or growing their sales. That is why we are seeing "suggested rates" increase as sales slump. If suggested rates are calculated by the averages of our competitors, then eBay is winning the PR game. 

Nice.  You're the first person to put into layman's terms eBay's PL.