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Huge traffic spike on October 2nd and great sales that weekend, then slow ever since?

Did anyone else have a massive traffic spike on 10/2?  I went from the normal 5k to over 20k listing impressions that day, with a similar surge in sales 10/2-10/4.  I also had a lot more outside traffic (10x) on 10/3 than I have ever had.  What gives?  Did ebay mess up and give me all the sales that day?  Did they redo the algorithm?  Did I just happen to be SEOed correctly that day?  Was that my back to school weekend?  From there it has been a gradual decline for the rest of October.

 

Thoughts?  Experiences?

Message 1 of 22
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Re: Huge traffic spike on October 2nd and great sales that weekend, then slow ever since?

You only have a few items listed in an oversaturated category - your sell thru is better than most in that category. There are now more popular venues for clothing that younger people use as far as Facebook and Instagram. Ebay used to be one of the only places to shop for many items - especially used - they have compeition now.

 

If sellers don't open their eyes to see the changes that have happened all around us in society today - and continue to live in the past - I can't take your complaint seriosly. I've diversifed - sell on many venues and keep up with the latest trends - things aren't easy like they were 15 - 20 yrs ago - but I survive because I'm willing to do my research and put some work into what I'm selling - and I sell clothing too.

Message 16 of 22
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Re: Huge traffic spike on October 2nd and great sales that weekend, then slow ever since?


@rcmbullion wrote:

Did anyone else have a massive traffic spike on 10/2?  I went from the normal 5k to over 20k listing impressions that day, with a similar surge in sales 10/2-10/4.  I also had a lot more outside traffic (10x) on 10/3 than I have ever had.  What gives?  Did ebay mess up and give me all the sales that day?  Did they redo the algorithm?  Did I just happen to be SEOed correctly that day?  Was that my back to school weekend?  From there it has been a gradual decline for the rest of October.

 

Thoughts?  Experiences?

 

I had 11 sales [ I think 11 ] last weekend at the very end of Oct.   but this weekend only 1 or 2  so far . I have been getting quite a few low ball offers from resellers  offering me half my asking price  though . They seem to be quite stubborn   😞   - I don't know if e bay tweaks sales or not   . Tulips 

Message 17 of 22
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Re: Huge traffic spike on October 2nd and great sales that weekend, then slow ever since?

If sellers don't open their eyes to see the changes that have happened all around us in society today - and continue to live in the past - I can't take your complaint seriosly. I've diversifed - sell on many venues and keep up with the latest trends - things aren't easy like they were 15 - 20 yrs ago - but I survive because I'm willing to do my research and put some work into what I'm selling - and I sell clothing too. Tunics 

 

 

No truer words ever spoken.  Sellers must do research  and try and stay one step ahead  of the most popular trends  in order to be successful .  Google is a good place to start . Tulips 

Message 18 of 22
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Re: Huge traffic spike on October 2nd and great sales that weekend, then slow ever since?

I appreciate your thoughts and I’m sure you have your reasons for the rant, but your store numbers look better than that. 38 sold on 74 listings is basically a 50% sell through in 90 days. That’s actually pretty good for clothing. The whole new other/NWOT gray area might be steering customers elsewhere.

I’m looking for actual data, not just anecdotal stories about the good old days.
Message 19 of 22
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Re: Huge traffic spike on October 2nd and great sales that weekend, then slow ever since?


@rcmbullion wrote:
I appreciate your thoughts and I’m sure you have your reasons for the rant, but your store numbers look better than that. 38 sold on 74 listings is basically a 50% sell through in 90 days. That’s actually pretty good for clothing. The whole new other/NWOT gray area might be steering customers elsewhere.

I’m looking for actual data, not just anecdotal stories about the good old days.

You can't see unsold items past 30 days, so you're probably comparing 30 days of unsold items to 90 days of sold items.  So basically his sell through rate should be more like 16.67%

Message 20 of 22
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Re: Huge traffic spike on October 2nd and great sales that weekend, then slow ever since?

I see what you are saying and I agree that my time periods are mixing, but we have incomplete data. Ebay math is fun and subjective. I’m not trying to be a jerk but I can see it both ways. I’m curious if anyone can chime in as to which way is the outside world business standard?

74 items posted 90 days ago, 38 sold, 36 remain=50ish% sell-through in 90 days
Or
38/3 for 12.x sales per month, then 12.x/74=16.x% then repeat for other two periods and add to get cumulative sales.

Both ways ignore any inventory that isn’t accounted for through either sales or current listings. One looks like more of a success story.
Message 21 of 22
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Re: Huge traffic spike on October 2nd and great sales that weekend, then slow ever since?

Very well written and very true.  I have been watching the boards for some time, lightly participating, and I see the same thing happening again and again to many of the small sellers.  The only good thing about that is that it reaffirmed to me that I'm not crazy! As I said previously, the ebay of yesteryear is no more.

 

I have a pending return -- before I changed my policy to no returns. The body of the ad did say no returns but it appears that ebay changed all my listings until I changed them back.  My fault that I did not catch it sooner. 

 

The return is from a 0 feedback opportunist/scammer, of course, who used the item for a full 29 days and then put in for a return and says it does not fit. Hmmm ....you do not know if an item fits for 29 days.  Ha!  You used it for 29 days!  So, providing the item is in usable condition - of course, it is not unworn now, I will have no choice to refund it.  It is a $100 plus item and I have already made up my mind that if it is in poor condition I will not refund it and I am ready to give up my seller account over it. --- if it comes to that.


What is interesting is that I was looking at the yet another new ebay policy --- this time for the timeframe for seller refunds - 2 business days and when I read through it really hit me that we are being set up to fail from the onset.

 

One of the first things it basically says is that you can get a refund even if the seller does not accept refunds.

 

"If the item you received doesn't match the description in the original listing, or if it arrived faulty or damaged, you're covered under the eBay Money Back Guarantee. You can return it even if the seller's returns policy says they don't accept returns."

 

The customer has 5 business days to send it back but the seller does not receive the same consideration.  In my case, I use a PO box so two days is not the greatest timeframe for me.

 

Again it is the buyer receiving the preferential treatment yet I am the one paying for a store, for tweaks to the listings, for final fees, for other fees just to get any visibility, for final fees on shipping and on and on and on .... for a store and paying extra fees to gain any visibility.  Not a good balance. I can guarantee you that BHFO and other big sellers have a longer timeframe to process their refund.

 

I think that ebay should stop accepting preowned items for sale.  Seriously.

 

My turn on the 6 week or so algorithm should hit right before thankgiving so I may pick up a few more sales but it looks like I will miss the fairly "godebayadminer" who grants visiblity for black friday.


Good luck to all of you. I hope your sales pick up.

 

 

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