“The number of listings on Ebay and most other marketplace sites continues to increase and will increase further if the economy shows more signs of weakness. ”
The economy isn’t technically showing signs of weakness. It’s quite the opposite. The dynamics however, of the economy are forever changed, in part due to the effects of Covid. The economy is still driving inflation. The “experts “ want the Fed to force the economy into recession, to curb inflation. Which is a terrible idea. It’s large corporations backing this notion of needing a recession. This will give them a reason to permanently eliminate jobs with AI. I recently retired from this field, and can tell you this plan is well known within the industry. Just like technology was used to replace people during the Great Recession. Only this time it will be much worse, if they get their way.
Regardless, consumer habits are evolving and changing with the times. Less disposable income, will indeed mean fewer purchases of unnecessary items. We also have younger generations living largely in a virtual world, and do not desire the same things past generations did. High shipping costs make it difficult for small sellers to compete with big sellers like Amazon. All of this indeed has an impact on sales now, and in the future. We are right in the middle of a big shift in technology. No one can predict what that outcome looks like. Apps are already changing how people shop. I can load a picture and have an app find the best price. The future will undoubtedly be price focused. There will always be a market for unique, but these have always been niche markets, and why many eBay sellers are struggling. Especially as the collectors age out of buying more, and pass on. Times are changing.
