Low Sales Since July & Promoted Listings

[bjhoene]

My sales completely dropped in July.  I actually went a few weeks without a sale and I usually have 3-5 a week for several years.  I sent a question into eBay about it and they told me to pay more on my promoted listings.  I understand the benefits of promoted listings so I pay a little on every item I sell.  After eBay told me that I went and looked at my traffic.  My impressions are down 62% and my page views are down 29% with my sales down 48% compared to April-Jun when everyone was still stuck at home with no jobs.  So please check out your traffic.

Pretty clear to me and by there response - they want more money.  The reason they are doing it this way is that they don't want to lose sellers.  If you count the new 12%+ fee plus cost on sales tax - it's well over 13%.  They would like 4-5% in promoted listing fees ATLEAST.  So your real fees on eBay are 17% plus if you want your items viewed.  

When I counter the buyers offers, I always do a break down in the fees on everything so they don't get mad you won't lower your price.  Break down the fees for them so they understand.  It may help you put together a few more deals - especially if they are angry about high shipping.  Let them know about the fees behind the scenes and that you aren't trying to make a profit on shipping or sales tax.  

Bobbi

[dhbookds]

I use PM and have never paid more than 3-3.5%.........Certainly impressions are down.......it's summer, people are not housebound anymore with Gov't cash in their pockets.  PM is a tool you can use or not........and pay the amount you choose...  Like a want ad in a newspaper......you can choose the 3 line minimum, take 1/4 ,1/2, or full page......it's all up to you.......

[mr_lincoln]

@bjhoene   It seems you are doing exactly what eBay wants by using Best Offer, all that does is drive prices down.  Store owners get $ 30 per quarter of Promoted Listing fee credit.  So based on a promotion rate of 5% you can sell $ 600 and get all of your fees back.  I run one Promoted Listing campaign per quarter for about 30 days and put every GTC listings on it all for the same % of promotion ... between 5% - 10%.  The intention is to drive traffic mainly and move some things that have been sitting around for a while.  I never use Best Offer, I also prefer Auctions over Fixed Price but that doesn't work in all categories.

My biggest issue is acquiring reasonably priced inventory, that has been an issue since the Pandemic from China started.

[annadryl]

I promote all of my long-term stuff (guitar parts) at only 1%. It seems to help get views but it doesn't cost much. Other than that... It's just the summer slump. Not much different from last year or any other. Good luck to you~

[pburn]

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

My biggest issue is acquiring reasonably priced inventory, that has been an issue since the Pandemic from China started.

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And exacerbated by the Pandemic Bumbling by the US Administration has allowed it to spin out of control.

[mr_lincoln]

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@pburn wrote:

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

My biggest issue is acquiring reasonably priced inventory, that has been an issue since the Pandemic from China started.

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And exacerbated by the Pandemic Bumbling by the US Administration has allowed it to spin out of control.

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The Soapbox would be a better platform for further discussions on that ...

[mam98031]

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

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@pburn wrote:

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

My biggest issue is acquiring reasonably priced inventory, that has been an issue since the Pandemic from China started.

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And exacerbated by the Pandemic Bumbling by the US Administration has allowed it to spin out of control.

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The Soapbox would be a better platform for further discussions on that ...

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I agree and BTW, it is not necessary to tell us in all your posts on every thread that the virus started in China.  It just isn't necessary.  

FYI, sourcing issues are more difficult for some and not for others.  It is a mixed bag and will depend on what a seller sells.

[fashunu4eeuh]

Hi, the market waxes and wanes this time of year. It is not all that unusual for sales to slump in summer. Take into account that the back-to-school shopping has been altered by the pandemic like everything else, perhaps lowering sales that normally would happen this time of year.

So don't be too discouraged. Sales should pick up very soon as people begin to do their holiday shopping. In the meantime, study up a bit on Search Engine Optimization. That might help increase your traffic to your listings. Or tweak your listings a bit and see if that doesn't help to encourage more sales. For example, listings with active content such as the scrolling bar in your vintage striped sweater offering can prevent search engines from picking up your listing for publishing on Google or Bing. Here is more info that might help:

https://pages.ebay.com/sell/itemdescription/bestpractices.html

[chapeau-noir]

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@mam98031 wrote:

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

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@pburn wrote:

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

My biggest issue is acquiring reasonably priced inventory, that has been an issue since the Pandemic from China started.

---

And exacerbated by the Pandemic Bumbling by the US Administration has allowed it to spin out of control.

---

The Soapbox would be a better platform for further discussions on that ...

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I agree and BTW, it is not necessary to tell us in all your posts on every thread that the virus started in China.  It just isn't necessary.  

FYI, sourcing issues are more difficult for some and not for others.  It is a mixed bag and will depend on what a seller sells.

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Thanks for that.  I'm getting heartily tired of it - it feels deliberately provoking when people do that, AND IT DOESN'T MATTER.

August is traditionally a slow month for many on eBay, and as well these are uncertain times.  On top of that, people are seeking relief in staycations and the like and that's where their money is going. The trailheads up in the 'easy' trails here are so packed that people are being turned away and the campgrounds are full.

Keep your eye on Labor Day and fall season - sales traditionally begin to kick in then.  In the meantime, use the time to look over your stock, as said above check your SEO and make sure your descriptions are keyword rich.

[grade]

My sales in April , June  even a little in July were quite good. Best in years. Then towards end of July to now , literally nothing. I promo almost everything at rate suggested and its not helping. I am not even getting low brow offers.........I think it has to do with Ebays Revolving search engine....

[chapeau-noir]

I sell on four different sites and they are all slow.  Usually even when eBay tends to be slow anymore I pick up pretty brisk sales from the other three - not right now.  And I've generally had very steady sales always, save that August is kind of bleh. I used to just close down at the end of July and open after Labor Day.

[moondogblues]

As a buyer my perspective is that most of us fearful beings that are staying home now have stocked up already.  We are now facing property tax (thousands of dollars) in 2 months, as well as the election.  And the cold of winter.  The leaves are starting to fall now.

Yes it is hot right now here, whew....three whole days of over 80.  And this is all season, not just the last few days.  I am predicting a VERY brutal cold winter mostly because we here in the Pacific Northwest have been spoiled the last few years...very very warm, but wet.  And really kind of cool in this last spring, no maters this year.  No anything in my garden besides blackberries.

My point is (after the ramble) that a lot of us are hunkering down financially too.  Who the heck knows what is ahead?

[vintagebargainsgalore]

No kidding. I am SO tired of someone turning every topic into a TDS rant across every forum on the World Wide Web.