Huge reduction in traffic to listings, huge reduction in sales. Is promoted listings causing this?

[oldedale]

 I have a question regarding promoted listings. We see 40 results in a general search. If 10 are promoted listing. Does this mean 10 unpromoted items are not being seen. Is this the cause of our traffic decrease? We see traffic dropping from 6555 views in May - to 3195 in Sept. This also has resulted in a 50 percent decrease in sales. Same 2 months. Also, when did ebay start Promoted listings on all items including single qty listings?

Traffic = 6555 May - items sold = 83

Traffic = 4929 June - items sold = 62

Traffic = 4611 July - items sold = 64

Traffic = 4199 Aug. - items sold = 65

Traffic = 3195 Sept. - items sold = 46

We see over 50% less traffic which results in greater than 50% decrease in sales.

[ckantiquescollectables]

You are right!!!

[ckantiquescollectables]

I agree

[art_primo]

amazon, alibaba, plus all of the smaller sites that are springing up, puts competition on ebay, not just for buyers but also for eyeballs, and ebay isn't pro-active, they seem to have put themselves in a perpetual game of catch-up, looking backward instead of forward...  they're the 3rd most visited site on the web after google and amazon, both approaching billion dollar values yet ebay is stuck at $30 billion, they are seriously lagging behind in growth as a company and that should alarm all sellers. normally a company such as this would have been gobbled up by now but nobody's making a play for ebay which is very strange since stock prices are at near record highs, there is plenty of capital around but apparetly ebay want's to remain independent, like yahoo... oh oh?!

[art_primo]

that would be TRILLION dollar values for google and amazon, NOT billion... meanwhile ebay is still fiddling around... they had at one time a near monopoly but we all know how monopolies work... eventually they don't...

[laurabeardsley]

Same here which is discouraging after all the effort I put in to get to top rated seller plus and that discount and they took it away in seconds because I would not give free returns. I will say this is not stopping people from making you pay for their  return since they just lie and call it not as described and you pay anyway. This is a sorry state that people have lowered themselves to. Where has the honesty and morals gone to in this country???

[dianelovesdogs]

I was not being offered free listings and kept waiting for them in my messages and email...then one day I was checking out the seller Hub page and there was an offer for free listings on it. I can't find it on my phone, just the computer. It is on the right hand side  of the page where it shows you how many you listed, and how many is left. I check the page almost every day now because they offer them quite often and I was missing them since they weren't coming in my email or message. As for the sales...Mine have dropped to nearly nothing no matter how low I drop the price. I lost my badge because I do not offer free returns and I don't want to pay extra for promoted listings. I noticed on the page when you list an Item you can pay extra (only if it sales) to promote your item. I haven't tried it yet. I feel it is a bit unfair.

[springs_2013]

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@gran wrote:

I understand what you are saying, but I do have expertise in most of the catagories I sell in. What I don't know I research and learn, learn, learn. Not getting view is the problem and I have tried every suggestion by every video, article, community etc etc that I can find and study.  (That's when I discovered that the sellers who are sending out a lot of solds each day or week, are those selling shirts for $5 or widgets for $6 and so forth, for the majority of their sales.  I guess I have to face the fact that you can't sell at "worth plus discount factor" anymore and to sell in auction you have to start at 99c and risk selling at 99c.

I get discouraged then I look at my inventory and think it's too good (mostly, not all) to not be successfully selling at least on a weekly basis if not daily. Yes I list some low-price items but I list quality items at reasonable but not thrift store prices.  I'm trying to stay positive but I have these moments lol

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I hear what you are saying, and I agree whole heartedly.  I think another factor to us not selling is the high shipping cost.  I sell and buy as well, but I am detered from buying items that are heavier than 1 lbs.   LOL... funny thing is, I sell items that weights 1 - 2 lbs.... so I think one of the small factor to me not selling is the shipping cost.  I think we will see more sells , in addition to the other factors everyone else has been saying, is for eBay to negotiate a cheaper shipping rate for us sellers.

[laurabeardsley]

I am happy for you that you are getting free listing promotions. I have not had one in 2 years and have no hope of getting any. Once again, if ebay is going to give these out they should be distributed fairly. I pay as much or probably more to this company and to be excluded is just not right.

[calistas_closet33]

Apparently they do think there is a problem..

[calistas_closet33]

Interesting article..only thing that stuck out as not true, is ebay being quoted “we are not trying to take on Amazon” or something to that nature. Their advertising campaign, payment processing changes, credit card, and new seller policies all are Amazon driven, just they are too far behind and have nothing unique to offer.

[calistas_closet33]

I did guaranteed delivery and if due to geography it would take 4 days, my items would not show up. So opted into 1 day handling /guaranteed delivery for nothing, so I stopped.

[calistas_closet33]

I have been doing monthly..i think after this month if nothing shapes up i’m doengr to basic store from premium and just list less here ..not worth it

[carrotdrusus]

100 free llistings per day has been changed to 100 free listings per day PLUS 35p per item sold.This automatically doubles my ebay fees every month.Killed 250 sales stone dead.I wont list anything this month so Ebay will lose and so will I. Absolutely brilliant strategy!!!

[calistas_closet33]

What, you think ebay should actually provide services to sellers that they are extorting in a passive aggressive manner now? 🤔🤬

[calistas_closet33]

diversification is essential now