Market v eBay

[sakic92710]

Looking forward to the flea market on Sunday to make some real cash instead of hoping & praying for any decent amount of sales on eBay!   1 sale today.  Marvelous!  Pretty pathetic when a 'busy' day' is 4-5 sales.   I have been getting several $100 at the FM in just 5-6 hours.  Lucky to get that in an entire week on here.  My online items are just as good, if not better, than what is at the market.  MILLIONS potential buyers here??  LOL!  Yet - I have better sales dealing with just 15-20 people.  Good luck to us all.   🙂

[dugoldstuff]

And, on eBay, pay commission on EACH item sold, whereas at the Flea, you pay a flat fee for your lot and then the management doesn't come around and take 12.55% (or whatever it is here these days) on EACH item sold.  

[downunder-61]

Hey, Good luck for tomorrow OP

@dugoldstuff 

Buyers also can't come back in 4 months and dip their hands in the cash box and grab a refund

[coolections]

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@inhawaii wrote:

Wow 700 listings and just 1 sale?  I would be bummed too.

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I would change me ways instead of just being bummed. OP refuses to do that.

[dugoldstuff]

Right.

At the Flea, they take their merch and walk away. No holding your breath of 45 days (or whatever it is here now) and worrying if they'll get to keep your merch and their money too. You get paid IMMEDIATELY and you can actually, wonder of wonders, KEEP the money!!!!!!!!!!

Add to that:

No packing to do of each item sold

No purchasing of bubble wrap, ink, etc.

No trips to the Post Office or standing in line there

Good conversation with fun people

Good food at the snack bar

Nice fall weather, with warm sun and cool breeze, sitting in a shady tent

Opportunity to make some scores buying from other sellers

And the list goes on. . . . 

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

It's 2021. Sellers have more options---on and offline---than ever before. And there are pros and cons to every one of them. Not all are a good fit for everyone. Flea markets are fairly simple , but even there, the most successful sellers are the ones who (like here) learn to optimize the venue. Some flea markets are great for certain items and terrible for others, and so forth. 

[kasun-shop]

Millions of buyers are here. I sincerely congratulate you on your sale.

[sakic92710]

Thank you!  It was a tremendous day!   I was VERY pleased with my last 2 Sundays & this one was even better.  🙂   Today, on eBay, ZERO ZIP NADA!    lol  3 Sundays at the market gave me enough to cover bills for 1 month.  Thanks, eBay!   😛

[kensgiftshop]

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@inhawaii wrote:

I haven't been to a flea market in years.

Do they still have those people (i think there's a name for them) that swarm a seller as soon as you pull up and park?  

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I haven't been to a flea market in probably 20 years.

I used to hate those people, they'd start going through boxes even before getting them out of the vehicle.

[sakic92710]

I sold 6X more in a few hours at the market than I have on eBay over the course of  the last 3 days!

[flyingmvp]

Nice, don't forget to delete cross listed items (Ebay /Flea market)  you sold on Sunday ☝️

[simba6]

Don't forget standing in the spot that was the sheep pen for last weeks fair.

[jaq339]

Ebay does not accept Swiss Post Tracking numbers, I have to send normal letter post to US buyers, I get a Post office sending receipt that ebay does not accept either. Not doing courier as too expensive for pins and small items. Nobody would buy.

I clearly state in each advert the past 15 years "1-8 weeks delivery time depending on postal service in buyers country, customs and pandemic" 

Ebay of course gives their imaginary shipping ETA which is always way below reality. Dont know what its based on. Never right for overseas.

The last few weeks I have lost $300 by (only US!) buyers starting to claim they didnt receive items after 10 days and ebay then supporting their claim and withdrawing money from me again.

I cant provide tracking as ebay does not accept Swiss Post tracking or receipt!

Not only do I loose money through ebays hamfisted process, but now I've been degraded to Seller Level "Below average" due to exclusivly US buyers cheating me.eventhough my feedback rate is 99.3% 

The whole system is ludicrous, financially damaging and reputation assassination for sellers who are supposed to pay and fill out seller satisfaction questionnaires with ebay claim managment.

I dont want to block US buyers like a third world country and I am near to closing my ebay store after 15 years of business, because its just become a rip off.

Ebay protects US buyers with no regard to paying, longstanding sellers and is so supporting $XXX'XXX of ill gotten gains. Ebay Customer service once wrote "we have to take in to account buyers feelings"!

Why not ebay seller feelings?

For sellers ebay has just become one giant aggrevation and a business risk, instead of being a simple place to sell goods, it once was.

- Why are Swiss post tracking and postal receipts not accepted by ebay?

- Why cant the shipping time ETA during Covid be put up to 12 weeks for overseas purchases by ebay

- Why cant the claim period for overseas purchases be put up to 12 weeks for buyers during covid by ebay?

- Why are 15 years of positiv seller statistics worth nothing with ebay, when dealing with these buyers cheating goods!?