eBay

iart · ‎11-19-2017

We have a selling account we've used for the last 17 years or so. We sell mainly books. A few thousand items. We have an anchor store with lots of good feedback and TRS.

We've recently come across a hoard of non-book collectibles. Probably 200 or so. We can probably add to this group another dozen items a month. We've tested them and sales are as good, maybe better, than with our books.

Should we open another ebay store specifically for these added collectibles?

The thing is that ebay gives sellers 2 (sub) categories to specialize in. We specialize in Books - antique/collectible and Books - nonfiction. So these other collectibles would probably be lost in our main account. But if we open a new account/store, it won't have our feedback. It won't have our TRS rating. And another store sub will cost us (though we won't do another anchor with it).

We're really unsure of what to do here.

muttlymob · ‎11-19-2017

add them to your current store. IMO potential buyers are more likely to find your items through a general search on eBay than through a search of your store. Not worth the added expense.

Though if eBay still offers a free trial month for a store you could go that route, then cancel before the subscription fee kicks in.

femmefan1946 · ‎11-19-2017

ebay gives sellers 2 (sub) categories to specialize in.

Huh?

I have over a dozen subcategories in this Store, and the same on most of my other Store accounts.

Some are Genres of Books (SF, mystery, comics & graphic novels, fantasy, history) and some are completely different (sewing patterns, DVDs, CDs, postcards,ephemera).

Do you mean listing one item in two categories? But then how could a book be both Fiction and Non-Fiction?

iart · ‎11-19-2017

As far as I know ebay's mysterious search engine (Cassini) allows sellers two main categories where it boosts their exposure.

I've read this and often experience it in our own sales here.

Example: We sell books. We get 2 categories (antique/collectible and non-fiction). When we try to sell something differnet, say a vintage toy, we don't get a lot of hits.

@femmefan1946 wrote:
ebay gives sellers 2 (sub) categories to specialize in.

Huh?
I have over a dozen subcategories in this Store, and the same on most of my other Store accounts.
Some are Genres of Books (SF, mystery, comics & graphic novels, fantasy, history) and some are completely different (sewing patterns, DVDs, CDs, postcards,ephemera).

Do you mean listing one item in two categories? But then how could a book be both Fiction and Non-Fiction?

swenson8781 · ‎11-19-2017

Do you have listings still available in your anchor store? And are the collectible items just a one time deal? If the answer is yes to both of those, personally, I'd just list them in the anchor store. IMO it's not worth it if you have monthly listings still available and the collectible items are just a one time thing.

And I can understand what you feel about the Cassini search, as it shows me my 'categories' are sweaters & jeans. Those are the specific items I sell the most of, by category. But I wonder if you start selling collectibles & books, if the system will simply use both those main categories, rather than breaking the books down by more concise categories. It could just be that since you are currently selling only books, those are the 2 top selling more specific categories.

lookng2015 · ‎11-19-2017

Is this category thing something you're shown on Seller Hub? Never seen it.

"If a product doesn't sell, raise the price" - Reese Palley
"If it sold FAST, it was priced too low" - also Reese Palley

swenson8781 · ‎11-19-2017

Yes, it's under the 'Sales' box. On the top of the box it shows how my sales (percentage wise) compared to eBay's overall sales in those categories, and how my sales compare to the same period a year ago.

Then below that it has a message that states 'Market comparison based on sales in Sweaters and Jeans. We chose these categories because you've had the most listings here in the past month.'

That doesn't necessarily mean that those are the only 2 categories that my listings show predominatly in regarding searches, just that those are the 2 categories that 'I' have the most items for sale in.

lookng2015 · ‎11-19-2017

Okay thanks. Pretty useless if that's all it goes by.

Good thing I keep my own records.

"If a product doesn't sell, raise the price" - Reese Palley
"If it sold FAST, it was priced too low" - also Reese Palley

ripcityresell · ‎11-20-2017

You're losing money on the amount of listings in your store right now. I'd put them in the same store so you can get your listings up above the break even point.

iart · ‎11-20-2017

LoL... where did you get that idea?

We always want to make more but we're well beyond the break even point. We're full-time sellers.

If only the IRS agreed with you 🙂

@ripcityresell wrote:
You're losing money on the amount of listings in your store right now. I'd put them in the same store so you can get your listings up above the break even point.

ripcityresell · ‎11-20-2017

@iart wrote:
LoL... where did you get that idea?

We always want to make more but we're well beyond the break even point. We're full-time sellers.

If only the IRS agreed with you 🙂

@ripcityresell wrote:
You're losing money on the amount of listings in your store right now. I'd put them in the same store so you can get your listings up above the break even point.

You can Lol all you want, but math doesn't lie.

Answered your PM, but to reiterate:

3400 total fixed price listings is the break even from Prem Annual to Anchor Annual.

3750 total fixed price listings is the break even from Prem Monthly to Anchor Monthly.