Promoted Listings

[jimw1776]

I have used promoted listings since it started...not much, not the recommended percentage, just 2-3%.

Now I see eBay is changing the rules and payment and cost of promoted listings. What I read about the new rules, I don't like. It seems we as sellers, will be paying more for the "privilege" of promoting our listings. So, I've stopped promoting listings as of a couple weeks ago.  I've left my old listings the same.

Has anyone stopped using promoted listings? Am I reading the new rules wrong?  Please help.

TIA

[caldreamer]

I have stopped promoting my items because of the new rules.   I don't like the idea that EBAY will charge "promotion fee" (if anyone in the world clicked on your item).  

Used to be you only paid "promote fee" if your customer clicked on item before purchase.

[frugalmarketplace]

@caldreamer    Sellers need to unite.If everyone stopped promoting the problem would to solved. IMHO 

[12345jamesstamps]

I stopped in December promoting and then  re-listed 30 items a week ago.

I see no change after promoting 30 items at 20%...yes...at 20 % and they are only items at 10 bucks each with free world-wide shipping.

Thankfully I have repeat buyers....so I still have business.

[stainlessenginecovers]

I've always just figured the 2% (the Minimum, which I use) will be added to all sales since out of the 18000 items sold since 2016 (when promotions started) 17,800 of those items were charged. 

No way to prove if buyer 'clicked' on a sponsored ad or not.

Best to just figure the 2% min (or whatever you are using) on ALL items sold and if some are not charged, it's 'bonus' money. 

[luckythewinner]

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@frugalmarketplace wrote:

@caldreamer    Sellers need to unite.If everyone stopped promoting the problem would to solved. IMHO 

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Some of us have never promoted a listing. 

[hartungcards]

"If everyone stopped promoting the problem would to solved."

Yeah.  If everyone stopped promoting, everyone's FVFs would go up.  Problem solved?

[simply-the-best-for-you]

I haven't stopped yet, but am considering it. 

[frugalmarketplace]

@hartungcards 

 Prove it ..  That would be better 

[frugalmarketplace]

@simply-the-best-for-you 

 I just un-promoted…now..no one is buying..just looking. 

[simply-the-best-for-you]

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@frugalmarketplace wrote:

@hartungcards 

 Prove it ..  That would be better 

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I heard it direct from an eBay employee at a local public meeting.  I'm not going to name them, but it was stated in no uncertain terms & there's absolutely 0 doubt about why they did this.  It also wasn't some low level CSR or something, this was live & in person. 

[simply-the-best-for-you]

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@frugalmarketplace wrote:

@simply-the-best-for-you 

 I just un-promoted…now..no one is buying..just looking. 

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@frugalmarketplace  Well, I'm still promoting & no one is buying.  I've been getting 1-2 sales a WEEK for weeks now!  I promote at a high rate too, none of this 2% **bleep**.  Also @hartungcards  is absolutely correct as to why it was done.  Heard it directly from a high level eBay employee at an in person meeting. 

[frugalmarketplace]

@simply-the-best-for-you   Yup..no one is buying. usually a weekend is good, this was dismal.  

[simply-the-best-for-you]

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@frugalmarketplace wrote:

@simply-the-best-for-you   Yup..no one is buying. usually a weekend is good, this was dismal.  

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I'm glad yours are usually good, my weekends have been terrible since football season started.  I usually do really well on Thursdays for some reason.  But not lately.

[gurlcat]

Right now about half my listings are still promoted and half not, becuase honestly I don't know what to do.  I usually find decision-making very easy once I have the facts, but the insidious nature of this new model is crippling my normal resolute nature.   

Thing is, even if someone figures out exactly how much (or no) promotion they need, or when to turn it on or turn it off .... that wisdom is not going to apply to the next seller.  No matter how much we might want to help one another, this isn't something like photo tips or pricing strategies, things that work for all sellers, this is much more category-dependent and even item-dependent.  

In that sense we're all alone, and maybe this is melodramatic but I think eBay probably likes that.  Aloneness causes despair, despair causes rash behavior, behavior like whatever it might take to get out of a sales slump, including promoting even if you feel it's bullsh.