No Brainer Ebay vs Amazon

[happywalleye]

I sell 30 custom made products on Ebay, I sell the same 30 custom made products on Amazon.

In the past 6 months I have sold 3 items on Ebay. 220 on Amazon. This selling format sucks!

I don't get it! Are the people who shop on Ebay just looking for the cheap Chinese imported **bleep**?

Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong?  In the past, I have had good luck on Ebay.

[lloydsteventaylor · Accepted solution]

you asked for input so....

to fit  Ebay best practices:

1)add your shipping cost to your product price and offer free shipping

2)change your return policy to 30 days

3)change your handling time to one day

4)make some lower priced items and offer them for sale as a loss leader to increase your exposure and increase your positive feeback

[happywalleye]

Thank you for your help.I will use your advice.

[jklfindings]

As someone mentioned in one of your previous posts, you're a low feedback acount selling relatively expensive items.  You need to raise your feedback up with quick selling low dollar items, and once you have more feedback you'll see more traffic.  Also shipping time is a bit long.  Are you custom making these when they are ordered, or do you have stock built up?  If you make them when they are ordered, I would add that fact into your listing, if not I would lower the shipping/handling time.  The only other thing I would suggest would be getting rid of the 15% restocking fee.  Buyers hate restocking fees.  Beyond that you obviously have a great product and price point.  I love the firepit covers, I'll be visiting your store again in the fall to grab one!

[tina06457]

Many buyers come to ebay, see all the Chinese junk in their searches and go elsewhere. This just isn't the go to place to shop anymore. Ebay is trying but they seem to be trying all the wrong things. Many sellers complain their sales are down 50% or more. Free shipping and 30 day returns seems to work better for some. Good luck.

[happywalleye]

Thank you for your advice. I will drop the 15% restock. This was only to cover the cost of labor for re-boxing and the cost of boxes.My products require custom built box's being the products are large and heavy. Again thank you for your advise.

[jklfindings]

Don't get me wrong, I understand the restocking fees.  I hate selling something expensive and having it insured, only to have it returned.  You essentially eat the cost of that insurance.  Most sellers view it 1 of 2 ways.  Cost of doing business, or build the "restocking fee" or "insurance" or whatever your extra cost may be into the price.  But like I said before, you have very niche product, you should do fine once your account gets rolling.  

[orangehound]

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@happywalleyewrote:
I don't get it! Are the people who shop on Ebay just looking for the cheap Chinese imported **bleep**?

Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong?  In the past, I have had good luck on Ebay.

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Well ... yes.  Americans tend to like the highest quality for the cheapest price, and they really like the price when it is as close to free as possible.

Looking at your playground back-hoe, there are 10+ listings for a similar item under $60 .... your product is as much as 5 times that price.  And, even if a buyer is inclined to buy American, you have an American-built competitor selling a similar item at $199, which is 33% cheaper than your $299 price.

So, if I were in the market for such an item, I would think most buyers would not choose yours simply based on price unless I am the type of buyer who is OK with the most expensive item because I appreciate the quality of the item.  This is your customer, and so you listing needs to appeal to that kind of customer.

A few suggestions for this particular listing.

1. Commercial quality is your biggest selling point compared to the competition, and that is how you justify that high price.  So, that is what I think needs to be emphasized throughout your listing (pictures, title, text).  For example, I think it would be better if your title says "commercial quality"/"commercial grade" rather than "no maintenance".
2. The picture and text that says "Not made in China" is a big turn off and comes across as bitter.  It is better to put a symbol and text that emphasizes American-made.
3. I cannot tell how big or small this item is.   Dimensions and/or a picture with a kid sitting on it would help me gauge the size.
4. How much does it weigh?
5. would like to see higher resolution pictures.  Those look like 500x500, but you can go as high as 1600x1600.  Pictures showing a kid having fun helps me imagine.
6. I cannot tell if the arms go perpendicular to the seat or parallel to the seat or could be oriented both ways ... your fourth picture shows two different orientations.
7. The listing text, overall, looks thrown-together and haphazard ... inadvertantly, a poorly designed listing connotes to me a poorly designed product.  A well laid-out listing helps me as a buyer to appreciate that this is a quality product and well-designed.

Finally, I don't like buying from angry sellers ... now, I'm not saying you are an angry seller, but I would rather buy from happywalleye than angrywalleye.  Maybe consider a new seller name?

[happywalleye]

Regarding 10 or more similar backhoe's. Yes there is but these come from China. They are made from thin metal and will break when you look at them wrong.
My diggers are built from thick no rust stainless steel along with being built for city and school playgrounds. Your comparison is the same as saying why buy a Lincoln when there is 5 other Pinto's for sale.

[coolections]

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@happywalleyewrote:

In the past 6 months I have sold 3 items / 220 items.

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Obviously your items are not suited for here for one reason or another. Nevermind, I took a peek and you are right, the other place would fit you better. Ebay buyers will not purchase those items that can be bought at a local store for 1/2 the cost.

[orangehound]

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@happywalleyewrote:
Regarding 10 or more similar backhoe's. Yes there is but these come from China. They are made from thin metal and will break when you look at them wrong.
My diggers are built from thick no rust stainless steel along with being built for city and school playgrounds. Your comparison is the same as saying why buy a Lincoln when there is 5 other Pinto's for sale.

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I spent all that time giving you perspecteve and over a half dozen suggestions (as you requested), and all I get in return is a reply that comes across as condescension?

Good luck with your sales.

[jason_incognito]

It seems the point is being lost to some.

eBay has become the place of the old lady on social security buying stuff but doesn't have money til the first of the month.

You can list something that sells for $100 everywhere else, and it might get a starter bid of $9.99 if you list as an auction, and if you list it buy it now for $50 it will sit for weeks.

And coming soon eBay will be disrupting all of that and getting rid of the old ways, and the old buyers along with them. They'll set up a new eBay and try to attrack new buyers. Get ready for a pretty bumpy ride.  I'm just glad I don't have a ton of money tied up in inventory right now.

[*eponymous*]

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@happywalleyewrote:
Thank you for your help.I will use your advice.

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Most buyers google for what they want so including shipping in the item price wouldn't help you sell more on eBay.  Further, including shipping costs in the item price violates the FTC federal regs covering mail-order that require that vendors NOT include shipping in item price and then advertise the item as "free shipping".

That doesn't take into account returns on eBay and issuing return labels.

It's probably a venue preference - never a question of getting a refund with an A-to-Z.

I agree with a 30-day return policy.

[magicjohnsonsvariety]

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@happywalleyewrote:

I sell 30 custom made products on Ebay, I sell the same 30 custom made products on Amazon.

In the past 6 months I have sold 3 items on Ebay. 220 on Amazon. This selling format sucks!

I don't get it! Are the people who shop on Ebay just looking for the cheap Chinese imported **bleep**?

Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong?  In the past, I have had good luck on Ebay.

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You're product falls somewhere in the middle of what the majority of people on ebay are looking for. It's american made but not antique...so it won't sell to that crowd.

and your prices are not low enough....so it won't sell to the cheap, made in china loving crowd.

For now you are stuck in the middle. American made goods struggling to compete with foreign made products is not an uncommon situation. If you can survive long enough you will eventually build a reputation for quality that will help sustain your business.

As for the discrepancy between the two, I believe ebay had more active buyers in the past. Ebay continues to disrepect sellers who were also buyers, many of whom have taken their business to ebay's competiors.