Relisting at a Reduced Price

[usjlc2013]

Why is it that Ebay can only recommend a price reduction on an unsold item that is up for renewal?  I have a couple of listings that are now up for renewal and Ebay has recommended that I cut my price in HALF!!  What kind of marketing help is that?

If we all kept reducing our prices by 50%...we would soon all be out of business!!

Then how would Ebay exist?

My products are handmade, require expensive gemstones, gold and silver findings and a great deal of creativity to make.  Those are the considerations that I evaluate when setting prices.  A fast sale because you lowered your pricing takes value away from your product...and that can only lead to more price reductions until there is nothing left to invest in and grow your business.

My pricing stands.  If no one recognizes the value of my creations, then so be it. Perhaps I am just not in the right marketing arena to sell my products in the first place!  We'll be evaluating the value of Ebay in due course.

In the meantime, Ebay....try not to concentrate your recommendations solely on reduced pricing..and make some truly innovative marketing suggestions to help your sellers become successful!

[klassic*kids]

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@usjlc2013 wrote:

Why is it that Ebay can only recommend a price reduction on an unsold item that is up for renewal?  I have a couple of listings that are now up for renewal and Ebay has recommended that I cut my price in HALF!!  What kind of marketing help is that?

If we all kept reducing our prices by 50%...we would soon all be out of business!!

Then how would Ebay exist?

My products are handmade, require expensive gemstones, gold and silver findings and a great deal of creativity to make.  Those are the considerations that I evaluate when setting prices.  A fast sale because you lowered your pricing takes value away from your product...and that can only lead to more price reductions until there is nothing left to invest in and grow your business.

My pricing stands.  If no one recognizes the value of my creations, then so be it. Perhaps I am just not in the right marketing arena to sell my products in the first place!  We'll be evaluating the value of Ebay in due course.

In the meantime, Ebay....try not to concentrate your recommendations solely on reduced pricing..and make some truly innovative marketing suggestions to help your sellers become successful!

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@usjlc2013 I ignore those reccomendations.  I am a TRS and only list some of my items as TRS+.  Every single recommendation I get from eBay is to list items x-y and z as TRS+.  I just delete their emailed suggestions.  I am doing things the way I choose to do things.  As you are doing yours your way.

But in answer as to how would eBay exist -- they would exist with their Chinese sellers and big box stores.

With the handmade product you sell have you ever looked into etsy?  I wonder if that would be a better platform for you.

Good luck.

[victorjunkman55]

If it does not sell, raise the price. Good Luck to you.

[myjewelrybox21]

I'm new at this but if eBay has a certain amount of time for the seller to sale an item, then can't you just take the item down & just resale it as a new listing, maybe change a few words in the listing? Like I said I'm new I haven't listed an item yet so I'm learning from reading & researcing the questions from this Site

[oaklandmaryland]

The solution is simple - when Ebay suggests something just ignore it. Hardly ever is any suggestion good such as start everything at 99 cent auction. All the seller will wind up with is 99 cents and then have to pay fees from that HUGE amont. Laugh at all suggestions.

[klassic*kids]

@myjewelrybox21  If you list an item for a 30 day fixed priced listing and it doesn't sell after that time it will then show up in your "unsold" folder list.  From there you can simply relist it -- just hit "relist" button.  Or you can use the "sell similar" button and relist it that way and it will show up like a brand new listing.

Have you sold anything on eBay before ever?  If not, how did you get the email with their reccomendations?

[usjlc2013]

I see that at least a few people have similar concerns about Ebay. 

I have been on Ebay for awhile...and have sold vintage items in the past.  So I am not new to their site.  However, I have recently started listing my handmade jewelry and when their relisting times came up....eBay sent me their "recommendations"  to cut my prices by 50%!

When I was selling vintage items the only good price is what someone was willing to pay. In that case I could see that perhaps pricing levels  would be more of a concern. 

But when you're making a product, there is a" cost of goods" that needs to be taken into account when pricing, that is not necessarily a factor when you're selling vintage items.  That is why I made my comments.  If it costs $15 to make an item and you have priced it at $30, reducing your price by one half means you only cover your costs and now have nothing to plow back into the business! That was my point of concern with Ebay's "recommendations."  They are, of course, just recommendations and you can choose to use them or ignore them!

I ignore them and relist my products at their full price.

But it would be nice to receive more innovative recommendations from Ebay to justify their fees!

Thanks to all for your comments....letting off steam helps my frustration levels!

[usjlc2013]

thanks for your comments.  Actually I do sell on Etsy as well as Facebook, etc.  Just starting out, so am using every available avenue for sales!

[loveyourimagination49]

Don't jump into everything at once.
Every site has different rules that need to be followed.
Make sure you read all the UA and updates. New to any site will make you a target for scammers. Don't start with high priced items, unless you can afford to lose them.

Best of luck to you.

edit: faux pearls and silver plated should be in the title. Not pearls and silver.

[dhbookds]

these are bots......computer programs that can't make distinctions between your items and others...........

Other sellers may well have overpriced items...........and may benefit from the advice........if it at least makes them consider the prices of competitors in comparison to their own.

Just ignore.........if it doesn't apply to you..........

[audioarchive]

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@usjlc2013 wrote:

Why is it that Ebay can only recommend a price reduction on an unsold item that is up for renewal?  I have a couple of listings that are now up for renewal and Ebay has recommended that I cut my price in HALF!!  What kind of marketing help is that?

If we all kept reducing our prices by 50%...we would soon all be out of business!!

Then how would Ebay exist?

My products are handmade, require expensive gemstones, gold and silver findings and a great deal of creativity to make.  Those are the considerations that I evaluate when setting prices.  A fast sale because you lowered your pricing takes value away from your product...and that can only lead to more price reductions until there is nothing left to invest in and grow your business.

My pricing stands.  If no one recognizes the value of my creations, then so be it. Perhaps I am just not in the right marketing arena to sell my products in the first place!  We'll be evaluating the value of Ebay in due course.

In the meantime, Ebay....try not to concentrate your recommendations solely on reduced pricing..and make some truly innovative marketing suggestions to help your sellers become successful!

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OH THE OUTRAGE! HOW DARE THEY!!

[myjewelrybox21]

Thank You, I have had some very good advice and I really appreciate it, Thanks again 🙂

[coolections]

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@usjlc2013 wrote:

Why is it that Ebay can only recommend a price reduction on an unsold item that is up for renewal?  I have a couple of listings that are now up for renewal and Ebay has recommended that I cut my price in HALF!!  What kind of marketing help is that?

If we all kept reducing our prices by 50%...we would soon all be out of business!!

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If you do not follow some of the recommendations you will get no buyers and you will be out of business anyway. If items are not selling you MUST do "something" and not just sit there and complain it is Ebay's fault.  There is another poster who daily comes here complaining but never changes a thing. Blames Ebay for all his troubles but yet never gets buyers.

[mistwomandancing]

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usjlc2013 wrote:

Why is it that Ebay can only recommend a price reduction on an unsold item that is up for renewal?  I have a couple of listings that are now up for renewal and Ebay has recommended that I cut my price in HALF!!  What kind of marketing help is that?

If we all kept reducing our prices by 50%...we would soon all be out of business!!

Then how would Ebay exist?

My products are handmade, require expensive gemstones, gold and silver findings and a great deal of creativity to make.  Those are the considerations that I evaluate when setting prices.  A fast sale because you lowered your pricing takes value away from your product...and that can only lead to more price reductions until there is nothing left to invest in and grow your business.

My pricing stands.  If no one recognizes the value of my creations, then so be it. Perhaps I am just not in the right marketing arena to sell my products in the first place!  We'll be evaluating the value of Ebay in due course.

In the meantime, Ebay....try not to concentrate your recommendations solely on reduced pricing..and make some truly innovative marketing suggestions to help your sellers become successful!

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It's just auto-bot programming, and not a real person who knows anything about your merchandise or its value.  If the advice doesn't apply, just ignore it.

I think there are some sellers who actually don't have any idea of how to price their offerings on eBay and may well overprice and start out way too high for any sales to come their way... so depending on the factors there, that advice may apply.  At least it may nudge them to do a little market study to check the true value of their items in relation to the competition here.

[usjlc2013]

I would truly be interested in "other" recommendations to making my business successful.  But, my complaint was only about an impersonal email that recommends reducing my prices by 50%.  I know better than to follow that recommendation, however, someone who is new to the business world might feel that the recommendation is a hard and fast rule for selling their items.  For all they can do....algorithms are not a great way to market a business...which is all these recommendations are. 

Pricing is one of the most difficult strategies in marketing products.  There are many considerations and what your competitors are selling for is only one of many.  Having held focus groups on my products, doing my homework in terms of achieving the lowest possible cost of goods and building in a reasonable profit, I think I have a much better handle on my business that Ebay does.  I consider all of that preliminary work doing "something." Whether sales will come along remains to be seen, but I have done my homework! Nonetheless, I appreciate your viewpoint.