Getting REALLY SLOW around here...where is everyone?

[honestabe411]

Sales started to pickup a bit last week as sales were picking up...

until a few months ago i went YEARS without a blackout day (0 sales). I've had several in the last few months. But NEVER for 2 days in a row...until yesterday and today..

Very odd, seems dead. No questions, no sales...2 returns, that was fun. How's everyone else's mid Decemeber sales going?

1,000 listings, constant sales, and CRICKETS for 48 hours straight. Worse I've seen it in 4 years. Never, ever, have I had 2 days of full blackouts back to back! 

[honestabe411]

I'd like to blame at least some of it on how glitchy the app has been. 

All day day today I couldn't search ANYTHING...cleared cache, history, website data, restarted, etc. Nothing. Was searching for a motorcycle part and couldn't even type my text in. I would type, it would go black and then load after 10 seconds and then the search button wouldn't work. Gave up and went and bought the part at a local store! Double the price, but eBay was accessible. 

Now tonight, I can't list, upload photos or anything. 

All of this happened AFTER I updated my app and when they added this massive green was of advertisement...I think that is a big reason...it's to much software for an app or something. 

[nowthatsjustducky]

<lolcat>I M in ur eBay poaching ur customerz</lolcat>

That said, not sure why you are having a downturn in sales.  I know one of the two Abe Lincolns here does the miscellany merchant scene like I do (haven't looked at your listings lately myself).  But that said, mine have been rocking here and on Etsy for the past year (like since shortly after the Elections).  Just had a metric buttload of packages to go out today, and barely made it to the PO in time.  And for that, I had to sacrifice one package that will have to go out tomorrow.

[honestabe411]

And this is how my photos are uploading. Was actually able to get to this part after waiting 5 mins. And I selected 6 photos, not 4. So not sure why only half loaded and BLANK.  And to think I PAY to sell on here is amazing.  

[honestabe411]

Says your last sale was 4 days ago? You've only sold 4 this month? Do you mean etsy is rocking and not eBay?

[nowthatsjustducky]

This is only one of 7 selling accounts I have here (5 Basic stores, and 2 over flow accounts.  One of the stores is all micro payment items, as is one of the overflow accounts).  When one has a bit of a slowdown, the others tend to pick up the slack.

[honestabe411]

Wow. Don't mean to turn this into a conspiracy theory. But within 10 minutes of posting my lagging issues and no sales in 2 days, the lagging glitches stopped and an offer came through. 

Almost like someone on the board has an on/off switch. 

[honestabe411]

Oh nice! That's awesome. Was a bit confused when I saw that! Hay is awesome. Must be a handful with all hose stores! Awesome. :$

[nowthatsjustducky]

And for the non-micro payment store account, items get two listing cycles per store before being sent to the next for a pair of listing cycles.  On the final store account, the cycle starts over again, unless it is an item that qualifies for Etsy; then it gets a 4 month listing cycle there before coming back to the 'bay (if it doesn't sell there).

[nowthatsjustducky]

With a proper spreadsheet set up, plus still using Turbo Lister, and having all email sent to a real email client (Mozilla Thunderbird) instead of relying on a Web interface, managing so many stores plus other sites is easy peasy mac 'n cheesy.

And congrats on getting some activity.  That Sales Fairy always seems to show up when least expected.

[rustictrollop]

@honestabe411

I just wanted to say that I really LOVE your logo.  Very catchy!  It reminds me of a once famous selling emporium in my former hometown (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)......Honest Ed's.  It was a huge one of a kind ramshackle building covered with thousands running theatre lights that lit up the whole neighbourhood at night and a Toronto institution.  'Honest Ed' Mirvish was originally in the theatre business (also had a couple of famous restaurants in the city), and he knew how to sell.   Giant wooden bins filled with bargains, floor after floor crammed tight with everything imaginable.  What eBay would be if it were a B&M store personified.  Tons of junk and hidden treasures.  Think Barnum & Bailey meets retail.  At Christmas Honest Ed and his family would give away free turkeys to customers lining up around the entire city block...from the poorest to the richest folks, all lined up just to meet the legend himself and to get that turkey.  When Honest Ed died, the entire city mourned his passing.  His son and heir tried to keep the store going but he didn't have the same flair as his flamboyant father, so it eventually closed down after everything was sold at ridiculous prices to the bare walls.  (I just realized that's a bit ironic.....)

Anyway, I have fond memories of shopping there with my Dad (I liked to dive into the bins filled with cheap sweaters and play with the unusual cheap trinkets from China).  Everytime I see your logo, it makes me smile.

Hope your business picks up.  You have lovely items for sale!

[tina06457]

My ebay lights are back on after 5 days. Funny (not really) how that works. Almost dead silent for 5 days. Today my views went up, I had offers, more watchers and 2 sales. Hope it lasts.

Best of luck to you.

[swappart]

Slow isn't the word for it. I've had $123 in sales in the last 7 days. Even on a slow month, I usually average $500-700 a week. I deleted a few of my store categories last month, ending about 400 stagnant listings because I hardly ever had sales in those categories and the profit ratio was only about 5%. After that, things picked up. Now, it's like I'm being penalized for ending listings or something. Whats crazy is that 2 years ago, I was seeing between $3000 and $5000 a month, then it was as if someone flipped a switch and no one was seeing my stuff. Been going downhill ever since. I see ebay stocks are up, so whatever they are doing is making them money, but they are destroying us small sellers who built this place.

[moondogblues]

"I'd like to blame at least some of it on how glitchy the app has been. "

I was in buying mode today, and then I couldn't get any of the pics to come up except the 1st one. I almost bailed but poured another glass of wine, took a deep breath and waited. It did clear up, but frustrating.....I see why buyers just bail.

[barbsb2]

I had one sale on Saturday, and nothing for the last 3 days.  You would think this time of year you would be selling like crazy.  Sure wish it would pick up.  I could use it.