HELLO eBay where are the BUYERS this place is a ghost town

[popeye3165]

I'm running some auctions and most of them ONLY have 3-10 views while my few remaining GTC listings are stagnant....pathetic! Where are ALL the buyers eBay? Why is this place a ghost town?

[tunicaslot]

There are sellers that are getting consistent sales - so I don't know why all of a sudden many of us are dead in the water. I've changed up my listing format  numerous times these past few weeks trying to find an algorithm that works - but so far nada.

I have lots to list and no ambition to do so - so I'm painting my kitchen cupboards and cleaning out around the house for a garage sale. I didn't go to many sales last weekend and have no plans to go this weekend as I don't need more inventory but it's sad as this has brought me a lot of joy and is my escape.

SS starts in July - so I only have 2 months that I have to worry about covering bills. Worse case scenario is mark everything dirt cheap and move even more to other venues in the hope of some sales to clean out.

[johnrj1226]

@tunicaslot 

Have  had a similar experience as you  but my time frame was different.  Started selling on eBay  on Jan. 10. 2010.  had  a decent  sales activity our rookie year (3 K), next year, double  our  sales activity ($ wise), very  next  year  double up again.  Fantastic we  said.  Then in 2013  something  happened our  sales took a  nose dive, didn't equal what we sold in our rookie  year - hmm strange things  happening - so  opted for a basic  store, increased our listing from  average  of 25 items to 100,  tried 'free shipping",  rewrote the  listing headline 3  different time to become "Cassini" compliant and as suggested by eBay ( total 300 rewrites), and  yes - sales declined again for the  second year  in a row.  Ditched  the store after one year sales are minimal now -  used to to  25 -30  shipments per month now maybe 1-2 a month.  lost my enthusiasm too - rather  cut the  grass or trim the hedges or go to a casino.

My theory as to why the sudden change is the switch over from Goggle to  Cassini as the eBay primary search engine.   It  is kinda' like  having the Detroit Lions be your best hope to win the Super Bowl Lions.   I'm a  faithful fan of the Honolulu Blue & Silver uniform but the reality is they haven't won anything since 1957 (was almost 13 then) and they never got even  a warm fuzzy  feeling  about earning the Lombardi trophy during the Super Bowl era even with this "gun slinger" QB from UGA - am not a fan of his & he is paid  very  nicely - $27 mill for 2019 - #7 highest paid.  Tom Brady  at #20 at $20 mill - go figure.

[popeye3165]

---

@tunicaslot wrote:

I've changed up my listing format  numerous times these past few weeks trying to find an algorithm that works - but so far nada.

---

I have done this as well and like many others my BIN sales have totally bottomed out therefore I'm trying to run some auctions at this time that platform looks as feeble as the BIN currently is.

I always wonder when an eCommerce platform like eBay makes "big changes" if THOSE CHANGES don't effect all the search engines and affiliate sellers links & algorithms creating a down turn in sales for a couple months after the "changes" take effect.

[popeye3165]

---

@johnrj1226 wrote:

My theory as to why the sudden change is the switch over from Goggle to  Cassini as the eBay primary search engine.

---

I just posted something similar to your theory I included the affiliate (third party) sellers to the list - I always wonder when an eCommerce platform like eBay makes "big changes" if THOSE CHANGES don't effect all the search engines and affiliate sellers links & algorithms creating a down turn in sales for a couple months after the "changes" take effect.

[laurabeardsley]

Sounds about right! The question is why Ebay would continue in a direction that is producing a downward spiral., or are the sellers the only ones seeing this? It is too bad the people running Ebay are not sellers themselves, then we might see a change. I have decided to try other sites so I am limiting my efforts here as it is too depressing. Hoping there are positive changes for the future.

[luckythewinner]

---

@tunicaslot wrote:

There are sellers that are getting consistent sales - so I don't know why all of a sudden many of us are dead in the water. I've changed up my listing format  numerous times these past few weeks trying to find an algorithm that works - but so far nada.

---

Listing format is just one of many variables in the sales equation.

Some would argue that it is also not the most important, placing it below what you sell and how much you charge.  

[tunicaslot]

---

@luckythewinner wrote:

---

@tunicaslot wrote:

There are sellers that are getting consistent sales - so I don't know why all of a sudden many of us are dead in the water. I've changed up my listing format  numerous times these past few weeks trying to find an algorithm that works - but so far nada.

---

Listing format is just one of many variables in the sales equation.

Some would argue that it is also not the most important, placing it below what you sell and how much you charge.  

---

lucky - I'm know newb to the game and you know that - I know some of the best sellers on here and follow some of the best vloggers. There is no rhyme nor reason that sales came to an abrupt halt for many of us.

As I've said - it's not only changing up the listing format - I have done it all except switching to global shipping as I'm happy doing international shipping on my own. 

I'm more than aware of what I sell - what is trending - and where best to sell it - so you are preaching to the choir.

I'm very happy other's are getting sales and in the past poo - poo'd those who said their sales came to a complete halt - but when a 20 yr veteran doesn't know what the heck is going on - there is a problem - be it search, algorithm - maybe more visibility is given to those that do more than minimum on promoted listings - who knows. Upping my promoted listing "offering" is the only thing I haven't done - but then prices will have to be adjusted to accommodate that - so who's the loser - they buyers!

[johnrj1226]

In my  case I'm not  going to wait for the return to "yesteryear" as  the  won't  happen as you well know that phrase "I am what I am" or modernized to 5 or more  decades "it is what it is".   I'll just plug a along and  sell a few things every once  in a while - make enough for a few tanks of  gas or a quick trip to a casino. I  enjoy selling, gives me some hing to do beats the hell out of 'potato couching' makes my wife & doctor  happy  - an  hour & 15 minutes of tv  is enough for me  unless it is  football season college & pro.  But  if selling on eBay  gets too dicey for that - it is "Adios Amigo", "it  has been a slice" and>

Then the  next  generation can do it their way.  For  certain I learned a ton when I listened to people (parents, family, co-workers, bosses,  total strangers, etc.) with some  grey, a lot of  gray or no hair at all.  Still learning stuff,  like it  is really rocket science to raise children, grand children today.   Those baby things (crib,  car seats, walkers, etc  cost  a whole lot more than they  did in the  70s & 80s  and  some have expiration  dates & max. weight limits.  Plus, no one told me that we had to buy  baby furniture twice - once when we  had children and once again when those  children made us proud Grand Parents willing to  baby sit, as in day care, children for  "free" for at  least 5 years.  Won't  trade it for the world - the young people never asked to be  brought into this world.  Mom & Dad made the  choice and they need to do teh best they can to do it right.  Kinda' got off track but that is OK.

[tunicaslot]

---

@johnrj1226 wrote:

@tunicaslot 

Have  had a similar experience as you  but my time frame was different.  Started selling on eBay  on Jan. 10. 2010.  had  a decent  sales activity our rookie year (3 K), next year, double  our  sales activity ($ wise), very  next  year  double up again.  Fantastic we  said.  Then in 2013  something  happened our  sales took a  nose dive, didn't equal what we sold in our rookie  year - hmm strange things  happening - so  opted for a basic  store, increased our listing from  average  of 25 items to 100,  tried 'free shipping",  rewrote the  listing headline 3  different time to become "Cassini" compliant and as suggested by eBay ( total 300 rewrites), and  yes - sales declined again for the  second year  in a row.  Ditched  the store after one year sales are minimal now -  used to to  25 -30  shipments per month now maybe 1-2 a month.  lost my enthusiasm too - rather  cut the  grass or trim the hedges or go to a casino.

My theory as to why the sudden change is the switch over from Goggle to  Cassini as the eBay primary search engine.   It  is kinda' like  having the Detroit Lions be your best hope to win the Super Bowl Lions.   I'm a  faithful fan of the Honolulu Blue & Silver uniform but the reality is they haven't won anything since 1957 (was almost 13 then) and they never got even  a warm fuzzy  feeling  about earning the Lombardi trophy during the Super Bowl era even with this "gun slinger" QB from UGA - am not a fan of his & he is paid  very  nicely - $27 mill for 2019 - #7 highest paid.  Tom Brady  at #20 at $20 mill - go figure.

---

John - I was going to say - I'll pick you up and we'll head to the casino - but I see you're in Georgia! 

[jason_incognito]

So many ebay staples are not bought much anymore.

At one point I made a killing on cds and dvds. Now people go to Apple and download. I was cleaning up the other day and found an old cd I wanted to play. I realized I don't even own a cd player anymore. I had to use my blu ray player...... 

If I want to watch a movie I have netflix, and I could always pay to watch it online. Why have a physical copy of a movie I will never watch again? How many movies has the average person watched 2, 3 times.....

There's always Old Navy and H & M if I want clothes. I can buy a shirt there for the shipping cost off eBay..... and eBay is last year's fashion......

I made bank on old dishes. Now they sit and sit and sit. 

I had a thought the other day using my smartphone. I realized that phone in my hand on the train was more powerful and more useful than the desktop I lived for back in the day. That screachy dial up that took an hour to get one song? 

The world has changed. People need to change with it. For everything else, there are tons of places that offer free shipping. 

Amazon has a set of 4 Spode Christmas tree salad plates for $19. Free shipping. I cannot ship the ones I have for $19...... I didn't bother to list the ones I had.

What I used to sell I either can't compete or there is no real market left for it......

[tunicaslot]

Jason - I couldn't agree more - so many things have changed as far as buying habits and what actually is trending or used in today's society. But that has nothing to do with abrupt stops in sales that people experience sometimes. If your items sold last week - they should be selling this week. 2 days here and there of a slowdown or ebb - people are of course upset but when you get 5,6,7 or more days of no sales - there is something else going on.

[aquajoe07011]

---

@tunicaslot wrote:

Jason - I couldn't agree more - so many things have changed as far as buying habits and what actually is trending or used in today's society. But that has nothing to do with abrupt stops in sales that people experience sometimes. If your items sold last week - they should be selling this week. 2 days here and there of a slowdown or ebb - people are of course upset but when you get 5,6,7 or more days of no sales - there is something else going on.

I agree completely.  Items that I sold multiples of in the last 3 months are just not selling.  Two sales in the last 18 days.  Something is definitely wrong.

---

[luckythewinner]

---

@tunicaslot wrote:
I'm very happy other's are getting sales and in the past poo - poo'd those who said their sales came to a complete halt - but when a 20 yr veteran doesn't know what the heck is going on - there is a problem - be it search, algorithm - maybe more visibility is given to those that do more than minimum on promoted listings - who knows. 

I don't "poo poo " people who said their sales came to a complete halt either.

I have no doubt it is a real problem, because it also happen to me a few years ago.

But I still maintain a healthy skepticism when people assume nothing outside eBay could possibly be the problem.

[greg5000]

---

@popeye3165 wrote:

I'm running some auctions and most of them ONLY have 3-10 views while my few remaining GTC listings are stagnant....pathetic! Where are ALL the buyers eBay? Why is this place a ghost town?

---

Many of us (Buyers) have left because of numerous issues, but mainly because .....

eBay doesn't listen to their Customers and we don't feel like they care about us.