Promoted listings standard question.

[johnson_junk_company]

Hey friends, 

I have a question about promoted listings standard. I have all my listings promoted. I started doing this last summer at 1%. Sales and traffic have nosedived the past two months. I increased my percent to 2% but no change in traffic. When I search for my items they don’t come up as “sponsored” anywhere and are always near the bottom of searches. I’m selling the same things I was last year and they got more exposure last year. What gives? Am I doing something wrong? Being punished by the eBay gods or is promoted listings plus ruining the standard version? 

[downrightspecialkids]

Ebay now wants people with the new promoted feature where you pay per click. I believe those are the ones getting views now. Based on many others' complaints, the promoted listings isn't doing anything anymore, other than taking more money if your item sells, and now you pay that promoted fee on tax and shipping too. 

[stainlessenginecovers]

Promoted listings only work if you sell 

1.) New Items

2.) Have competition with "close to the exact item"

With "1 off- used items"- there is seldom others selling the same. 

Where it shows in 'search' is random at best, as most don't know to 'look' for a "3 pc Snoopy Travel Set"

PL do one thing well for both these reasons because YOUR items will show in YOUR Listings AS WELL as the competition's listings (under 'other sponsored items') that is shown before you get to the description of an item. 

[slippinjimmy]

---

@johnson_junk_company wrote:

Hey friends, 

I have a question about promoted listings standard. I have all my listings promoted. I started doing this last summer at 1%. Sales and traffic have nosedived the past two months. I increased my percent to 2% but no change in traffic. When I search for my items they don’t come up as “sponsored” anywhere and are always near the bottom of searches. I’m selling the same things I was last year and they got more exposure last year. What gives? Am I doing something wrong? Being punished by the eBay gods or is promoted listings plus ruining the standard version? 

---

A couple of things......

When you search using your selling id eBay is not going to show you your own items, they will use that space for something that might actually sell. Same goes for your own regular listings in Best Match, they go to the bottom because there is no way YOU are going to buy them.

Changing the percentage may not help, better to end the promotion and then restart at the new rate.

Keep in mind, starting in June (?) PL fees will be based on the Item/Shipping/Tax just like regular FVF's so you will have a choice to reduce your percentage or pay higher PL fees.

[femmefan1946]

How do your sales (in value and in number) compare to the same period (April-May) in 2019 and 2018?
The pandemic surge in online buying in 2020 and 2021 make those periods awkward to use as comps, but do it if you have no other records.

There are ebbs and flows in retail.

I’m selling the same things I was last year

Which can be a problem.

I started out 20 years ago selling books. Today my sales of sewing patterns are much greater and my books take longer to find a buyer.

Some  product lines last longer than others.

At the moment, it looks as if shoes sell well for you but china doesn't.  That may be an indicator of where the market is going .

Or not, I blew my allowance at a book sale last weekend, so what do I know?