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.

[calistas_closet33]

Only counter attack is using social media like pinterest and strategically promoting with a campaign that leads buyers to look at other products in your store..i offer discounts for multi item purchases..I rather the buyer save then pay ebay.. hence picking listings in each category and they are sacrificial lambs ...

[calistas_closet33]

I used it, offered 1 day handling and in search results I did not show up as guaranteed delivery for my listings because it would take 4 days on a Friday, stupidity..not working harder for no reason, so I started listing elsewhere instead of worrying I can fulfill immediately.. i have a lot of inventory...sometimes items hide..

[calistas_closet33]

they don’t care if they lose sellers.

[bmor3]

Looking at eBay stock on NASDAQ : ebay stock today is down roughly 19% since 2-9-19 and is trending down opposite the market as a whole.  That is a lot of money. The storm you are going to weather is just starting. Have you noticed the promoted listing option on the listing page. Mine says trending at 4.6%.  If you choose this option (and believe me if you want to sell you better choose it) it means your going to pay an additional 4.6% final value fee. That addition puts me at 13.75% for a final value fee.

Look at google search results for your items. A google search followed back to ebay now shows one item, not a list of items. You have to tic an additional button to see more, items not just scroll as it was for quite some time. You can adjust the additional final value (promoted listing fee) up or down. I don't know what the cost is to place your item as a single search item result but it is not free. This is a fee raise with out an announcement.  For me it's time to start exploring new options. I have had a good run with eBay but its usefulness is fast ending.  Interesting that they still don't see me as a customer.  

[bmor3]

Thinking back, i had a huge drop in sales a while back. Just after ebay partnered with Fed-Ex for shipping. None of my large heavy UPS shipped items were selling. Turns out eBay had a glitch where UPS shipping costs were being quoted at 175% of retail. Lots of threads on it, lots of calls to ebay. I switched shipping to Fed-Ex and boom back in business. Sales were back to normal. I really do not believe it was a glitch. Is it possible the same thing is happening with promoted listings trending at 4.6%? If you can afford it try it out and see. I am thinking everything will be fine with your new final value fee of 13.75 to 14%. Let me know.

[donneg54]

Me too...can not figure it out. In a matter of two weeks things have tanked. I have done EVERYTHING eBay has suggested.  It is very frustrating. If anybody at eBay is listening, could you please clue us in.

[trophillip1]

YA,NOW WHEN YOU LIST OR RELIST,AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT PAGE EB WANTS YOU TO CLICK ON PAY THEM MORE MONEY WHEN YOUR ITEM SELL.IF YOU CLICK

ON THAT THEY CLAIM YOUR ITEMS WILL BE SHOWN MORE.GREEDY! NOW OUR ITEMS ARE BEING HELD HOSTIGE! AS IF WE DON`T PAY ENOUGH ALREADY.MY FRIENDS AND I HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM,SO WE ARE PLANNING TO LEAVE.IT`S

NOW HAVE BECOME TO MUCH HEADACH AND THEY HAVE CAME UP WITH WAYS 

TO PROMOTE BUYERS TO RETURN GREAT ITEMS SO THEY CAN MAKE MORE MONEY BY CHARGING SELLERS SHIPPING LABELS .NOT FOR THE SELLERS AT ALL !

[mac-parts-usa]

I started selling on eBay couple of months ego and I was doing very well but all of a sudden everything went down hill. I don't know what is going on. 

I used to be a power seller years ego but I stopped selling when eBay changed search to Best Match. Now I am back and I am having same issues again. Most my items are on top of first page too. 

I don't know what is going on. 

[usaflea]

I was doing great, stopped for a while when I moved, now nothing..did I get pushed back down ? had to start all over as snowbird...ebay erases all after a couple months..help with suggestions

[taylors996]

I was in the same fix as you, I did the same. " I always use my 50 and then spend 30 cents to list over 100 more" @ $.30 a listing X 100 = $30.00.
I did the math, now I have a month to month store @ $27.95 for basic store. It has 250 listings and auction. It seem to work for me, saved a little money buy having a store. Plus I can cancel at any time

[peedenmark7]

I could not agree more. My wife laughs at me each time, when I even say the word ebay , becuase she , as many others simply no longer use the site for anything.

The niche items that were once the entire business model ,are now almost being weeded out by the seller fee structure.

My biggest complaint is that I can not ask questions to sellers without setting off some buying outside of ebay warning light. I can no longer bid and obtain a phone number to ask specific questions BEFORE I make a purchase. and with ebay basically now hiding item descriptions, they are setting the stage for non stop item returns, which is also total **bleep** and completely avoidable.

I buy specific collectibles, that for the first 10 years i was here were listed in droves, today they are seldom seen which is NOT indicitive of a changing market , it's due to the strong arm tactics and ridiculous fees on top of fees.