@ms.rodriguez* wrote:
My sales are way down too. I can't believe that buyers suddenly stopped buying diecast cars. 99% of my diecast cars are mint to nearmint and all are less than 9.99. Something is definitely going on here. I am starting to look at 2 other venues to list. But I am an old dog and I do NOT like to learn new tricks. ebay needs to get rid of GTC at least in the collectibles/vintage categories.
@terriyoga wrote:
Come April everything TANKED. I truly believe it has a LOT to do with the GTC option.
I've tried to give insight on this, and would like to do it again to make sure everyone is aware.
It's partially true that it's the GTC option. But not necessarily for the reasons people think.
The thing is, since 2018, eBay has started using a drastically different algorithm based on their own SEO statistics.
Please let me explain:
Prior to 2018: The algorithm considered Sales History as the #1 most important metric, followed by Seller Level, and any metric penalties. If you had a strong sales history, building happy repeat customers, you were rewarded with better visibility. If you had a poor history, you would inadvertently be punished.
This system both had design in place for "healthy competition" with other sellers, as well as "quality control".
Jan 2018 Onward: Sales history has become one of many statistics used. From pricing, catalog comparisons, to Free Returns, Free Shipping, Guaranteed Delivery, Handling Time, Estimated Time of Delivery, Promotions, Sponsored Listings, Refurbished/New, Slash-through pricing.
The problem beginning in 2018: Many of these statistics used in the algorithm conflict with each other. It's simply not possible to have best pricing, while offering Free Returns/Shipping/Guaranteed Delivery.
This means it's no longer to score "highly" on the listing, compared to pre-2018. Let's say with a stellar sales history, you could score a perfect "100" in your eBay Ranking Score. Now, it's not possible. You can't score perfect on all these metrics. At best, you will be only a fraction of the ranking score you used to get.
This forced a change in eBay's search: For awhile you could see fluctuations. For a few weeks, "Free Returns" are on top of search. Next few weeks, "Cheapest Price" was on top of search. Either way they balance it, it's unfiar.
So now they changed how search works. Try some searches in your sales category. You will notice eBay tries to include varied listings of all the metrics I listed earlier! You will see some "cheapest price". You will see some "Free Returns", some GD, some refurbished, etc.
This introduced "randomness" in to the search, in addition to making it so you're competing for less spots than before. If your search page was 50 results, now a portion of those 50 are reserved for Sponsored ads, a portion are saved for Promotions, a portion are saved for Refurbished.
The problem got worse: Then alongside the changes to returns, no longer being able to appeal return reasons, they introduced the 4% (now 5%) FVF penalty for poor return metrics.
At this time, they also basically eliminated "quality control". If you check top sellers in many categories, you'll see feedback scores of only 70-80% positive. Feedback is no longer considered.
The return metrics are no longer considered either.
Why? Because those sellers with the 4-5% FVF penalty would "not be able to improve their metrics if they did not get sales".
The real reason why? Because giving visibility to sellers with FVF penalties improves eBay's profit.
Basically, they traded Quality Control, for profit. Which is ridiculous, as Quality Control was typically buyers biggest issue with eBay. Yet they claim to be "buyer focused"?
What does this have to do with GTC? Many sellers are under the impression that GTC was easier to find with ending soon, etc.
This is not the real reason for the issues.
I've worked with many managers, sellers health employees, etc. One consistent thing they advised is that many sellers "swear by 30 day listings" as they perform better.
Why were they performing better? Specifically in 2018? Because 30 day listings effectively ignored the eBay SEO statistics. With only 30 days at a time, they didn't build up enough information to be used by the algorithms. So they naturally had solid placement in search.
This is the true reason for the GTC change!!! This is why eBay was insistent to not revert the GTC change! It had nothing to do with the reasons they claimed. It had everything to do with the fact that not using GTC allowed sellers to get around their algorithms.
The current problem: Now everyone has to conform to GTC, which means everyone is now seeing the problems with eBay's search system and SEO metrics.
But to be clear, these issues are NOT new! Sellers who sold GTC (such as us) had experienced these issues since the beginning of 2018!
Sadly, now everyone is facing the same issues.
My only hope since the GTC changes is that this brings enough attention to the problems that they are fixed. But at this point, it's obviously going in the opposite direction.
Increasing the FVF penalty from 4% to 5% makes it clear that they are banking on the profits from the FVF penalty. Which also means they are sticking with their guns, and are not going to restore any form of quality control. As long as it benefits them for sellers to have poor metrics, they will continue on their current path.
Without any "quality control", there's no path to "healthy competition". As well as eBay is weakening themselves in the eCommerce market by bringing quality service lower, and prices on eBay higher.
Without any form of "healthy competition" where sellers can put in work to improve their placement on eBay, eBay as a marketplace is destined to fail. The "company" and "stock" may thrive from the profits. But as the stock report shown, the sales will decline. Which will eventually burst the bubble.
What was my point of writing all this? I want to make sure people understand, that GTC is not the issue. Even if they remove GTC, they will find another way for the algorithms to affect all sellers!
The problem is actually the algorithms, and the new search design! It's designed in a way that inevitably causes a decline, and the algorithms have removed "healthy competition" from the picture.
GTC changes may have exposed you to the algorithms and new design of eBay. But GTC is not the problem here, the algorithms and design are!
