07-11-2025 05:01 AM
For over 20 years, I have run a successful eBay store under the name abporta (The Marden Empire), consistently maintaining excellent standing with eBay and my customers. Historically, this store has brought in around $400 a month, with consistent views, watchers, and sales that reflected the effort I put into maintaining accurate listings and good customer service. My account has had no reported issues, restrictions, or negative status changes during this time.
However, over the last three months, my sales have effectively collapsed. I have only made around $85 in total sales in this period, which, after fees, leaves me with around $40 in profit. This is a drastic drop from previous performance, and there was no gradual slowdown to indicate a seasonal or organic decline; it feels as if a switch was flipped, and traffic simply stopped. About six months ago, I still had buyers reaching out, browsing my items, and asking questions, but now there is almost no activity on the store despite continued listing updates and consistency in the types of items I sell.
I would like to understand why an account with a proven track record and excellent status is experiencing this sudden and severe decline. My other selling channels and related platforms continue to function normally, so this issue appears isolated specifically to eBay. Has there been a change to eBay’s algorithm, search visibility practices, or account prioritization that could explain why my store has essentially disappeared from buyer searches and suggestions?
I would greatly appreciate a clear explanation or investigation into what may be causing this, as I am committed to continuing my business on eBay but need to understand why such a dramatic change has occurred despite no notification or apparent reason from my end.
07-11-2025 05:03 AM - edited 07-11-2025 05:03 AM
07-11-2025 05:07 AM
I’m having the same problem. I haven’t sold an item in 2 weeks. I’ve never gone that long without selling at least 2-3 items. I understand it’s summer and people are out having fun but late June sales just stopped! Hopefully this dry period is almost over🤞
07-11-2025 05:08 AM
When is the last time you refreshed these listings?
07-11-2025 05:16 AM
"Has there been a change to eBay’s algorithm, search visibility practices, or account prioritization that could explain why my store has essentially disappeared from buyer searches and suggestions?"
YES. Welcome to promoted listings. I recommend giving it a try. If you must, do a 5% bulk price increase with the 5% promotion. For my business it was night and day.
07-11-2025 05:22 AM
Why would this sell use promoted listings? Are these many sci-fi game terrain builders? Who would he/she promote against?
I could offer opinions on the problem, but instead will just mention to my surprise I heard ebay advertising on the radio when I was in an antique mall and they were playing music over the PA.
If your work is successfull, realize Ebay has been selling the data to Chinese sellers so they can undersell you if there is any margin of profit large enough to be worth it.
07-11-2025 06:13 AM
@deltilogical wrote:Why would this sell use promoted listings? Are these many sci-fi game terrain builders? Who would he/she promote against?
I could offer opinions on the problem, but instead will just mention to my surprise I heard ebay advertising on the radio when I was in an antique mall and they were playing music over the PA.
If your work is successfull, realize Ebay has been selling the data to Chinese sellers so they can undersell you if there is any margin of profit large enough to be worth it.
Thousands of results for War-gaming terrain. Seems worth a try. I would end and relist items to refresh them as someone else did. Maybe look at similar sold items and see if there are better search keywords to use. Load up item specifics. Maybe start selling smaller accessories to. Etc.
07-11-2025 06:17 AM
This type of situation has been brought up many times, I don't see any clear explanation for it.
07-11-2025 06:49 AM
With this New Administration in charge the Apocalypse has ended.
07-11-2025 02:45 PM
I put up listings consistently.
07-11-2025 02:48 PM
I would not be here if I have not already use promotional aspects, I also have a following of people and I have heard nothing on eBay from them either it was like a switch. I am not kidding. One day everything fine the next thing zero and since all other sites that I'm on have none of these problems, this is an eBay problem and it needs to be fixed. I've had dried spells, but at no time did I actually see a 100% drop in everything it actually says 100% drop in traffic. That's not feasible
07-11-2025 02:51 PM
Actually, what I do the Chinese sellers can't do and even if they could I would see a drop in sales know that 100% after June 7
07-11-2025 02:52 PM
@toysaver wrote:"Has there been a change to eBay’s algorithm, search visibility practices, or account prioritization that could explain why my store has essentially disappeared from buyer searches and suggestions?"
YES. Welcome to promoted listings. I recommend giving it a try. If you must, do a 5% bulk price increase with the 5% promotion. For my business it was night and day.
And it will be.......for awhile.
07-11-2025 03:00 PM
I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and not once have I experienced a situation like this where everything simply stops. This isn’t a problem with my products; this is an eBay problem.
I make niche gaming terrain that customers can’t easily find elsewhere, whether one person or a million people are producing similar items. I can see my listings on eBay, and many are still ranking quite high. Yet despite this, there are no sales coming through. As I’ve stated before, it feels like I’ve been ghosted by eBay, and I would like to understand why.
What I’m experiencing isn’t a gradual decline but an on-off switch. In the past, eBay promoted my items to over a million people at a time. Now, that number has dropped to around 300,000, and going down which should still generate some feedback or movement, but I’m getting nothing at all. I have brought up my items. I have been very generous with eBay. And the amount of money that I have for Dover to them.
I would appreciate clear information on what is happening with my account and visibility. This situation is impacting my business in a way that I have never encountered before, and I need to know what I’m dealing with so I can address it effectively.
07-11-2025 03:04 PM
I will provide two what I feel are extreme explanations for your current state. Each I apply a very low level of confidence in their accuracy.
1. Everybody who wants one and can afford one has already bought a similar product.
2. The absence of dimensions for any of your items is making people move on without making a purchase.
I find your items intriguing. Have no clue what I would do with one of more of them.