GTC policy has stopped my income cold...

[dcmerc2012]

I have read all of the threads about the GTC issue and most of them are people **bleep**ing about fee renewal... which, honestly, is the least of my concerns at this point.

I am not a high volume seller but made at least a living selling various items on eBay. It covered my bills and was my main form of income. MY concern is the fact that my sales have effectively ended since the policy was implemented.  Here's the thing...

I list (or used to list) all of my items via a 3-day Buy-it-Now with Best Offer. It was simple, direct, quick and I had a very successful turn around, selling pretty much everything I listed for at least 3-5 times what I paid for it.  The fact that my sales were only going for three days meant that they were browse-friendly. In my experience, a HUGE number of buyers browse eBay by looking at the "Newly listed" or the "ending today" in their favorite category and my 3 day listings made sure that my items were seen in either category at any given time.

The moment this new policy was implemented my sales have effectively stopped.... dead. Nothing has changed in regard to what I sell or the quality of items I am offering, in fact, several of the items I am selling at the moment are ones that would have normally not lasted a day without someone grabbing it up. But now? Nothing..... 

I am showing lots of views and plenty of "watchers"... but no sales.... nothing.

I am not seeing a decline in items selling, I am seeing effectively a dead stop. 

I have converted all of my items over to the Auction format, which in my experience from the past is NOT nearly as successful but it seems that it makes little difference because as of right now I have 61 listing and only one of them at the time of this posting has a single bid for $15. 

In the 60 days previous to the GTC policy being implemented I had nearly $8,000 in sales. Since GTC started I have made about $400 or so.

The problem as I see it is the fact that via GTC items will show up as newly listed for the first day or two, then they simply vanish into the abyss of back pages, never again to be seen unless someone actually searches specifically for it. Many of the things I sell are collectibles and are not things that a person searches specifically for but instead will browse a category, checking to see what has been listed in the last couple of days or what is getting close to ending and ripe for a "best offer"... Now all of that is pretty much gone. The GTC policy has effectively ended the impulse buyer from my sales, which was pretty much all of my sales.

At this point I am considering just listing my items via GTC and then cancelling them after four days and then relisting them so at least they will always be in the "Newly Listed" browse window. I don't know what else I can do. I certainly cannot survive at my current rate of sales.  

[lambertartworks]

I am also a small seller, but I always had steady sales with short-term BIN listings. Now my sales have dropped off terribly. Having a store membership doesn't offer any more options, either, it's the same as everyone else. I have no idea what to do. I am continuing to add items, but I'm not sure if it will be worth the work and time...

[laurabeardsley]

Your theory only works if the seller is selling multiples of the same item. What about the sellers selling one of a kind antiques and collectibles. Where do you think that leaves them?

[coolections]

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@dcmerc2012 wrote:

My "inventory" doesn't need to remain visible because what I have posted today will not always appeal to the same crowd that I will sell to tomorrow. One day I am selling a vintage portrait camera and the next I am selling a parachute from 1961.

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@dcmerc2012 

As a buyer I could not care less if your item has been listed for 10 days, 30 days or 200 days. If I want your camera or your parachute and see them at a good price and in good condition I will buy it. GTC has no effect on buyers when they see something they want assuming you are not asking the price of gold but selling copper.

[dcmerc2012]

You are missing the point. How often do you think someone actually SEARCHES ebay for a parachute from 1961??? They don't, yet with the GTC that is the only way they will find it once it has been listed for more than a day or two because it whatever category I have put it in, it will now be deep into the abyss of the categories pages, not to be seen again by anyone browsing the category until it renews in a MONTH. 

You said that if you see them at a good price you would buy them? Well guess what.... you are not going to see them unless you are browsing dozens and dozens of pages into a category.

Honestly, unless you can tell me that you sell antiques, one-offs or collectibles of all kinds on ebay then I really don't see how you could actually have anything to input into this at all. 

[coolections]

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@dcmerc2012 wrote:

Honestly, unless you can tell me that you sell antiques, one-offs or collectibles of all kinds on ebay then I really don't see how you could actually have anything to input into this at all. 

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That is ALL I sell here. As a buyer I will see everything you have listed anytime of the day. GTC has NOTHING to do with me seeing your items. Almost every buyer in the world switches the best match default to lowest price first, ending soonest, or newly listed. You can relist ALL your items and have them appear as newly listed every 30 days if you choose. I also looked at your solds and nothing has changed. Great job on continuing your success here.

[slippinjimmy]

You are missing the point. How often do you think someone actually SEARCHES ebay for a parachute from 1961???

I would guess that 100% of buyers interested in buying an old parachute will search for an old parachute.

I would also guess that 99.9% of buyers NOT looking for an old parachute will not buy one just because they see a listing for one while they are searching for something else.

[kathieskorner]

I agree that eBay's management over the past decade have succeeded in stripping eBay of its uniqueness and much of its identity.   This mandatory GTC followed closely by managed payments may be the straws that break this camel's back.  

I closed both my eBay stores over a year ago and created four accounts out of two.   Despite the closing of the stores my total sales held up until March 2019 when three of my four accounts and total sales tanked to the lowest level in 19 years.  The only account that held up to anywhere near normal sales strangely enough was my bookstore, and I had even eliminated free shipping on books in January.   

With 1/3 of April already gone - nothing has changed from March - books are holding up - collectibles, sports/barware,  and crafts are still in the tank.    I sold no sports items during March madness, and the Masters starts tomorrow with no sports sales other than an NFL shirt this month.  

While it is too soon to measure the impact of GTC only fixed price listings - of the few items I've sold since March 18 when GTC became the default - all but one were 30 day FP, and the GTC listing that sold was a new listing that sold within 12 hours of listing.  

Beginning April 15 - I will select 25 items per month to roll over as GTC and end the rest on Day 28 or 29.   I figure by July I'll have a large enough test sample to know if GTC works at all.   The only problem is that April thru June are typically my slowest months of the year.

With such limited control - I'm not convinced that sellers like me can "make" GTC work.  

[laurabeardsley]

Well, as the smaller sellers see their sales and income tanking, they paid the Ebay CEO 18 million dollars last year to ruin the company. My dog could have done a better job!

[lizual]

I have had a very similar experience. I have around 1,000 listings, selling mostly clothing, shoes and accessories and was generally selling anywhere from $250-$450/day. Most of my days as of late have been $150ish and yesterday...$25. I resell full time and it is my main income. If things do not improve I will have to either close up shop or make some drastic changes. For now I will keep listing but I'm going to try switching more items over to 7 day auction format to see if that helps. I will see how this month plays out but if I see no improvement I will begin to transition all of my one off fashion items to other platforms where I have more control over when my items are seen. I will try testing some replenishables in my ebay store, since that seems to be what GTC is really for. If I don't have luck, I will be done with this platform. I can't keep spending time and energy on something that is not producing for me.  

[weschurch]

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@kathieskorner wrote:

I agree that eBay's management over the past decade have succeeded in stripping eBay of its uniqueness and much of its identity.   This mandatory GTC followed closely by managed payments may be the straws that break this camel's back.  

I closed both my eBay stores over a year ago and created four accounts out of two.   Despite the closing of the stores my total sales held up until March 2019 when three of my four accounts and total sales tanked to the lowest level in 19 years.  The only account that held up to anywhere near normal sales strangely enough was my bookstore, and I had even eliminated free shipping on books in January.   

With 1/3 of April already gone - nothing has changed from March - books are holding up - collectibles, sports/barware,  and crafts are still in the tank.    I sold no sports items during March madness, and the Masters starts tomorrow with no sports sales other than an NFL shirt this month.  

While it is too soon to measure the impact of GTC only fixed price listings - of the few items I've sold since March 18 when GTC became the default - all but one were 30 day FP, and the GTC listing that sold was a new listing that sold within 12 hours of listing.  

Beginning April 15 - I will select 25 items per month to roll over as GTC and end the rest on Day 28 or 29.   I figure by July I'll have a large enough test sample to know if GTC works at all.   The only problem is that April thru June are typically my slowest months of the year.

With such limited control - I'm not convinced that sellers like me can "make" GTC work.  

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Its an awful change. Ebay has again kept up its long and well known track record of running off sellers with horrible changes geared at nothing more than showing a profit. This profit isn't from increased sales but the continual bleeding of whats left of this once vibrant marketplace. As more sellers leave, more buyers will leave and Ebay will continue these money grabs from the shrinking remaining userbase in order to give the illusion they are actually still a viable player. They have no plan, no vision and ,at this point, no hope.  Years of inept management has eroded this once giant into just a small player in a big game

[fern*wood]

So what was it that ran you off back in ....was it 2013?

[castlemagicmemories]

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@dcmerc2012 wrote:

You are missing the point. How often do you think someone actually SEARCHES ebay for a parachute from 1961??? They don't, yet with the GTC that is the only way they will find it once it has been listed for more than a day or two because it whatever category I have put it in, it will now be deep into the abyss of the categories pages, not to be seen again by anyone browsing the category until it renews in a MONTH. 

You said that if you see them at a good price you would buy them? Well guess what.... you are not going to see them unless you are browsing dozens and dozens of pages into a category.

Honestly, unless you can tell me that you sell antiques, one-offs or collectibles of all kinds on ebay then I really don't see how you could actually have anything to input into this at all. 

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The boost as newly listed occurs on the initial GTC listing, but not on subsequent re listings, although the listing will in either case still show up as ending soonest.

[jfkw99us]

Well said , exactly as many
of us are experiencing! HAS EBAY RESPONDED/EXPLAINED this change to
anyone’s satisfaction! When I call most rep’s don’t even understand the effect on the seller ( especially 250 fee free PER MONTH is now 250 fee free PERIOD with SAME STORE COST TO SELLERS)😡😡

[fern*wood]

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@jfkw99us wrote:
When I call most rep’s don’t even understand the effect on the seller ( especially 250 fee free PER MONTH is now 250 fee free PERIOD with SAME STORE COST TO SELLERS)😡😡

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I don't get what you are saying here either.

[myangelandmyprincess]

You said you have plenty of views and watchers to me that indicates it’s not an issue with searching because of gtc. People are still coming across the listings just fine if you have views and watchers