eBay

davewearsredsox · ‎04-20-2019

We all have seen the 100's of postings on the new GTC policy and how it has effected SOME sellers. The majority who are complaining are one of a kind sellers and include markets such as Trading Cards, Comics, Music (vinyl records), used books, and collectible toys. I am unsure if other markets are experiencing the same as my focus is typically on the 5 categories listed. Some have not had any change in business and I most certainly have only seen a couple posts suggesting some have had a bump.

As sellers what we can not do is just log-in to the forum and complain unless complaining motivates you and brings positive change. When 1 door shuts one needs to find another door to walk through. All medium to large sellers should be looking at what other options are available to them that may include utilizing social media, other online market places, and networking with others that maybe experiencing the same.

In the last 45 days I have seen my brisk online store take a nose dive. My first reaction was to be **bleep** off, followed by why me, to where we are today and reacting to the change. Most do not have the luxury to sit back and see where all this is headed and all of us want to be good providers for the special people in our lives.

I have taken the following steps and wish to hear what you may be doing to combat recent trends.

1) Opened an online store with a similar market place (Rodeo) -3rd week-

2) Opened an account with the largest market place (Jungle) -1st posting went live 30 minutes ago-

3) Started posting on FB market place

4) Utilizing the List for selling as we typically only use it for purchasing.

5) Altered my buying and utilizing other site's for what I always found here.

6) Utilized this board to learn and share ideas and understand trends.

I am hoping that this message is well received and that it motivates you to make some similar changes. It literally took me 20+ days of being **bleep** off before I began to react and that did not help anybody including myself and people closest to me.

The changes made with the Spring update are extremely unpopular with many (or at least who visits here) and our complaints are being ignored. Shame on Ebay for allowing this to continue and provide no further follow up and help sellers who have built there business on this market place. Simply put - They can see the results, choose not to share them, and treat things as business as usual.

So in closing - It was never my intent to look elsewhere as I have really enjoyed selling, contributing, and buying on EBAY. I built a great business on this site and one that allows me to share my passions with others. I simply will not condone and sit back and watch as others experience the negatives I have. I can only imagine how many like myself are doing the same and in the end who really wins?

Have a Great Easter weekend and happy selling.

myjunqueyourtreasure · ‎04-20-2019

@frenchblueshutters wrote:
The Difference is MOST of One of a Kind Sellers Used 7 day listings. There was an Urgency to purchase as they didn't know if it would be there Next week. Now There are Tons of Just Watchers no Buyers. They know the Item will be there forever. What Business Anywhere Can Pay the Bills and Exist Hoping for a Few Sales in 30 Days MAYBE. GTC is the Worst Thing to Force Down Everyones Throats. I Made a Living on 7 Day Listings for Years. Now I am Wondering How Long I can Keep the Roof over My Head. Literally. This is Just Sickening. I never Used 30 day Listings Did Not Want to. I am Not Worried about Fees I pay Dearly for an Anchor Store, which seems worthless now. Most Sellers who Made their Living on Here Don't Have the Luxury of Lets See How it Pans Out.

Just because it's GTC is no guarantee to a buyer it will "be there forever". It can be sold or the seller can end it anytime.

Reality is the leading cause of stress.

davewearsredsox · ‎04-21-2019

Thank You all for your contributions - 1st and foremost Happy Easter, Passover, or Sunday for that matter to you all. I just got done with my shipping (always 1 day handling), and wanted to check in with you all and provide a follow up to yesterday's thread.

It is important to myself and others to share what is working and what is not. Like many of you, I rely on my online sales to provide for my family and have been doing so for the last 3 years exclusively. One of the biggest mistakes I feel I was making was relying on 1 platform for all of my sales. By looking at it differently, it does seem rather foolish to do so and at a minimum not exhausting all opportunities for full time sellers. We can point the finger and place blame, but for many of us this is a learning lesson and one that may make us better when the dust settles.

My wish for all of you is to remain positive with your business even if that means utilizing other resources. Have some confidence in your abilities and keep raising the bar providing a quality service. The buyers will come and seek you out regardless where you reside.

I have given this topic and platform much thought over the last 45 days and it has provided me clarity on what is best for me. It is important to remember what is best for you may not always be best for Ebay. Keep that in mind as it is important to remind yourself of your goals and what you hope to achieve.

Like Weschurch said - "Like in relationships, if you aren't giving me what I need, as scary as it may be, I deserve to find someone that does or at least be confident in myself enough that I refuse to be abused." - Remember to have confidence in yourself and that is not always an easy thing to do when the register is not turning out the sales your expected to.

Again - Thank you all as this thread and others have really helped me out. I can only hope that it did the same for some of you.

Yesterdays Online Score Card -

Ebay sales $190.00

Rodeo - $64.00

River - $0 (hell I just started)

FB - 1 Commitment $100.00

List - $0

popeye3165 · ‎04-21-2019

How GTC effected me?

I shut my eBay store down, I already had a GTC "got ya" moment when 10 listings were renewed that I was planning on cancelling, my fees this month are 1/4 of last months and I'm not buying anything on eBay.

Good luck to ALL the small sellers out there!

clu3 · ‎04-21-2019

I had no idea this was happening either. But as a buyer I was blaming ebay for showing me the same ~~**bleep**~~ stuff every week on my saved searches. I was deleting them every morning, rarely seeing anything new.

From that standpoint I can see eliminating the very short listing periods. Those people can still use auctions. Just set a higher starting price. In fact, maybe it will be good for auction prices overall. Anyone that asks me about selling on ebay, I tell them to stay away from auctions unless they want to give things away.

I primarily used GTC for things that I know will require just the right buyer and I want the listing to show up on Google searches and I'm willing to wait it out. For some small inexpensive things, like CD's or some books, I would use 30 day listings (usually when I had a promotion).

I disagree that EVERY listing should be GTC, particularly when paired with promotions, but I'm fine with getting rid of the 3, 7, 10 day fixed price listing. I'm concerned that Ebay will do something permanent with listing fees on every item if people try to manipulate. Either by ending promotions entirely or re-imposing the per-item listing fee.

I don't know much about Promoted Listings, but it strikes me that is the most harmful. If I want a true representation of search, I use picclick. The results vs ebay are astounding.

@sharingtheland wrote:
Since I've had the Twin Terrors here for the past week for spring break golf camp (unloaded them back at their home last night, finally), I've been able to only skim the posts and haven't paid much attention to ebay other than I've sold very little this week.

I know I come across to some as a "GTC supporter" but that is not the case; I simply have no idea how this new policy will affect my sales/listings. Other than those early years when every listing was an auction, I've always done 30-day FP so I have no experience with GTC.

I also had absolutely no idea how many sellers were using 3-, 5-, 7-, 10-day relists as sales tactics to get bumps in search. I should have figured that out but blithely went on my 30-day way. I guess I always associated those timeframes with auctions, not FP listings.

I've been fairly blasé about the whole thing because a) I can't do a darn thing about it and b) I am truly out of here when either my inventory is gone or I'm sucked into MP. If I planned to stay longer, I still wouldn't be drawing a line in the sand right now - I QUIT I'M LEAVING HERE'S MY NOSE - because I would need to see several months of results before making the dramatic flounce out (those on the old CAB know what that means).

I sincerely appreciate some of the tips and explanations that have been posted here. I think OP's post is outstanding; figure out how to keep going, either here or elsewhere.

During my scant midnight oil-burning work this past week (see above re Twin Terrors), I've done research in Completeds and such and I will say this: Auctions are still going unsold. Just page after page, listing after listing, with no bids, so is that tactic working for anyone? I still have to filter them out in searching and there are more now than ever.

What is affecting me the most at this time, and it's not that big of a deal but I pondered this immediately upon the GTC announcement, is the growing inability to see Sold and Unsold in Completeds. Everything is green, which looks really good for ebay, eh? I've done no new listings for well over a week. I did sell something this morning on its 30th day; one of the few listings I had left that were not GTC yet.

To paraphrase, only The Shadow knows what lurks ahead ...