Sales are dead, but its not just GTC that's an issue, its bad algorithms!

[gamersbaystore]

While many are angered over the latest changes regarding GTC, and many others are speculating as to why their sales are dead, I suspect there's other issues than GTC that are just as bad, if not far worse. Those issues are related to bad algorithms that ebay put into place with the intent to undercut its sellers and force them to drop their prices, or risk having no sales.

What I'm referring to is ebay's habit of advertising identical products from other sellers right inside your own listings. While I've seen ebay do this in patches since as far back as 2015, as of right now, no matter what listing a buyer clicks of mine, ebay then starts promoting the exact same identical product from other sellers. The end result is a never ending price war.

Just in the last 2 weeks I've seen the prices of the games I sell fall off a cliff as other sellers try to compete for sales of the same items.

ebay has turned its platform into a dollar store.

At this point I'm not looking for alternatives, I already found one, and I'm in the process of transitioning to an alternate platform now.

But myself, like many others, are also stuck with the dilemma that we're locked into a year long contract with ebay for our stores. Even if I leave, ebay is still going to want their $60 a month. Whether to stay or leave entirely is something I'm still debating. But either way, I'm definitely focusing on an alternative platform to operate my core business; albeit, one that's far cheaper with far less costs of doing business, and one that doesn't advertise the same identical products I sell from competitors.

Your thoughts on this?

[abfabvintage]

And wait until you sell something and the buyer has paid you, then before you can even ship it out, eBay shows the buyer either an exact same as your item or similar, then the buyer cancels their order for some bogus reason (actually, they don't have to give a reason) and you are stuck with accepting their cancellation, have to do a refund, hope to get your FVFs back (but you don't get back the 30 cent charge from PP). BUT...if you shipped post haste like you are encouraged to do, you then deal with having to intercept the item before it gets to the buyer. 

Secondly, on your actual listing, the first info that comes up are other seller items, then your information, then below more of your "competition". You are sandwiched between a rock and a hard place. 

[gamersbaystore]

Yep, the first thing ebay promotes in our listings isn't even our listings at all, its someone elses. It doesn't matter what price I put up anymore, as other sellers are going to drop theirs in order to try and get that sale. The end result is that price war.

What's the point of listing something for sale when buyers click on a listing and are shown the same item being sold from someone else.

We pay for store subscriptions with the intent to promote our own items, not someone elses. ebay is clearly abusing its sellers by doing this.

[jason_incognito]

So look at this from a buyer's point of view.

eBay has your back and gets you a good deal. If what you receive isn't right, they'll make it right.

or you can go to that other site. The one all the sellers dream of.

You're on your own. It is up to you to price compare, read all the fine print and become an expert in buying stuff.

Which site do you think the average buyer would chose? As a seller, the smartest thing you can do is go where the buyers are and play the game that site plays so that you can be favored and get the sale.

Or list the stuff "over there" where there is no price competition, where all sales are final, where the buyer can't do a return even if they get a box of rocks..... and watch your listings gather dust.

I've done physical retail the majority of my life. I can't tell you how many places I've seen fail just because they chose the wrong location, or how many poorly managed, poorly run stores I've seen thrive just because of their location.

[attabookki]

As a buyer, if I click on one listing and am shown a bunch of similar or identical products from different sellers, I am really ticked off.  I usually end up not buying anything.  If I click on a specific listing by a specific seller, it's because that's the one I was interested in.

[jason_incognito]

Then buy that one that you chose.

It is merely an ad in there, and you are the only buyer I have ever heard of being upset that they were shown a cheaper option to buy the same item.

[skatefool]

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@jason_incognito wrote:

Then buy that one that you chose.

It is merely an ad in there, and you are the only buyer I have ever heard of being upset that they were shown a cheaper option to buy the same item.

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Merely?... LOL

No doubt as a seller you've had cancellations because of the cheaper option being shown to your brand-new buyer.

[jason_incognito]

nope. Has never happened.

[skatefool]

Give it time then...

[akejama]

Bah,  is why I'll never have a store...is why I only do auctions..... the Chinese or their reps win every time there is a price comparison....  This entire platform is built for Buyers and NOT SELLERS in any way shape or form.. I have NO IDEA why anyone would want a store to ADVERTISE THEIR COMPETITION'S PRODUCTS.   lol     It is a fool's errand to spend your money to defeat yourself.   I buy on eBay from people that normally give me great service... if my lawn mower belts don't fit just right they find a size that will and list them for me....may not save me money but saves me tons of time running from store to store to find what I need.  IF a merchant goes out of his way to help me I return time and again to buy from them... I just go to my purchase history and find the guy again and send them a note to load me up another *whatever* and I buy it.  I also buy from people that answer my problems for me... I need hydraulics for my log splitter and  so I as the guy that helped me before and he helps me again.  I see the other ads but I ignore them.  BUT having said that, it's not right that my merchant has to compete on a site HE PAID for to do business with me.  Nuff said, I agree with those that think the Buyer's get enough of a break on eBay without Sellers paying for someone else's ads in their own stores.  Sounds like Chinese influence and NOT helping a Buyer.. pfft if buyers REALLY shop they wouldn't buy a lot of things on eBay... sometimes the local brick and mortar store is way cheaper.

[abfabvintage]

I don't usually buy at all on eBay. But did a test mid summer 2018 to see just what happens when you are a buyer. I bought an item (actually from one of our seasoned posters here) as a test to see an ebay item as a buyer...well I bought it, great item, got it sooner than estimated, both of us left positive feed. All through the buying process, and after I also paid, and while it was being shipped, and when it was delivered...I was still sent cheaper, item ads from eBay I guess to see if I would change my mind? And let us also mention that BIG RETURN BUTTON that sat on my purchase history for 60 days when the seller's return policy stated only 30. 

Oh...sorry...another one I bought this year...same scenario as above.

[textile_rescue]

I have done the same- moved to another platform.  I have canceled all of my items in my store. I already reduced my store from premium to basic and no w starter on a month to month basis. I keep starter because I am not ready to give up my name yet ---- I will pay the 4.95 for a month or two while I decide if I will ever come back to eBay . At this point with prices being driven down to the bottom like the A company does I cannot think of any reason to return. eBay only want s to cultivate the China dollar store trade and wants all small sellers to leave their platform. That message I have gotten LOUD AND CLEAR> 

[rschissler]

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@gamersbaystore wrote:

While many are angered over the latest changes regarding GTC, and many others are speculating as to why their sales are dead, I suspect there's other issues than GTC that are just as bad, if not far worse. Those issues are related to bad algorithms that ebay put into place with the intent to undercut its sellers and force them to drop their prices, or risk having no sales.

What I'm referring to is ebay's habit of advertising identical products from other sellers right inside your own listings. While I've seen ebay do this in patches since as far back as 2015, as of right now, no matter what listing a buyer clicks of mine, ebay then starts promoting the exact same identical product from other sellers. The end result is a never ending price war.

Just in the last 2 weeks I've seen the prices of the games I sell fall off a cliff as other sellers try to compete for sales of the same items.

ebay has turned its platform into a dollar store.

At this point I'm not looking for alternatives, I already found one, and I'm in the process of transitioning to an alternate platform now.

But myself, like many others, are also stuck with the dilemma that we're locked into a year long contract with ebay for our stores. Even if I leave, ebay is still going to want their $60 a month. Whether to stay or leave entirely is something I'm still debating. But either way, I'm definitely focusing on an alternative platform to operate my core business; albeit, one that's far cheaper with far less costs of doing business, and one that doesn't advertise the same identical products I sell from competitors.

Your thoughts on this?

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If sellers can't handle competition, they will never make it trying to sell here.

[gamersbaystore]

You stated "Which site do you think the average buyer would chose?" how about the one I send them too. People find content across the web via search engines, social media, etc, and people end up on platforms like ebay because links lead them there. If you control the traffic, you control where people go.

As an example, I sent millions of people to Google+ over a 7 year period. I then sent those same people to alternate platforms like Twitter, Facebook, websites, etc. Little did these people realize I controlled a lot of what they saw and interacted with, yet they didn't even realize it.

If you go to search for something in Google search, Google controls what you see on the screen.

Likewise, doing business on the web is just like doing business in a brick and mortar store, trust drives business, not just prices. People are more likely to buy from those they know and trust.

But its the lack of control over our business here on ebay that leaves me reeling. I don't control the traffic here, and when I list something, ebay promotes other sellers identical items on our listings, rather than our own. This would be akin to JCpenney advertising products from their competitors when people visit their site, not a good thing.