Selling generally

[retromedia2]

I've asked this before but never received a relevant explanation. Ebay continues to claim there are "millions of buyers out there."  OK, so I list the same things I was listing back in the period 2006 - 2015.  Quality Matchbox cars, vinyl singles by the Monkees, Duane Eddy, The Shadows, Adam Faith etc - once all popular guaranteed-to-sell items. Back then, it was normal to get 15-20 views within an  hour of listing most anything in these categories. I have 41 items listed currently, the majority of which have views which increase on average one (out of millions?? not possible) a day....some have been there for a couple of months with less than ten views. There are less than fifteen watchers across all 41 items, stuff that back in the day would have sold very quickly. All are promoted! Photos are excellent.....descriptions comprehensive. Most everything MINT or near MINT. Obviously the majority of those "Millions of buyers" are not seeing the listings.  What has so dramatically changed? (I don't include the one $15,000 rarity - obviously that is a niche item)

[meme6253]

You have some excellent items, Unfortunately the demand for these type of collectibles has dropped significantly over the years, especially with die cast cars, They may still be desirable collectibles but the amount of collectors looking for them is far more limited, That may explain some of your view issues.

[albertabrightalberta]

There are likely millions (or billions) of buyers, but that doesn't mean they're looking for the items you're selling. 

[caldreamer]

Things have changed with EBAY.    EBAY now shows all your competitors are shown on your listing.   Customers can easily compare prices and only purchase from vendor offering the cheapest price.

Also, if you do not pay to promote your items (they will not appear on your competitors listings).

[luckythewinner]

Ebay continues to claim there are "millions of buyers out there."

There are.

Back then, it was normal to get 15-20 views within an hour of listing most anything in these categorie

First, back then eBay counted the visits to your listings by bots from eBay, Google, etc. who were indexing your listings. They stopped counting those visits a couple years ago.

Second, today is not 20 years ago. Supply and demand changes over time, and there were not 1.5 billion listings competing with yours in 2005.

There are less than fifteen watchers across all 41 items, stuff that back in the day would have sold very quickly

That just demonstrates to me that the supply and demand for those items is not the same as it was 20 years ago.

Obviously the majority of those "Millions of buyers" are not seeing the listings

No one will see an item in search results if no one is not searching for it. And no one will view it from the search results if they are not interested in it.

As a record collector and dealer, I can tell you that 45s by Adam Faith, the Shadows, and Duane Eddy just do not have the appeal they did 20 years ago. Try listing 45s by Nirvana, The Ramones, The Misfits, GG Allin, etc. and you will see there are buyers out there.

[fern*wood]

I attribute it to competition.  Back in the day ebay was big & about the only game in town.  Not so today by any means.

[kelekt]

I beg to differ with ANYONE who says "your items are not in demand" - WRONG.

just because some of these forums people say it's not in demand remember it's pretty much the same core of commenters who sell here and have VERY DIFFERENT TASTE and interests. There is no way any of these people can know what other people want.  I don't want what they sell but that doesn't mean someone out there doesn't want it. right?

there are people who want what you (and everyone) has to offer. they exist and are looking for things you sell (& that we all sell)...the PROBLEM IS EBAY Not Showing Items at all OR Burying them so deep nobody can find even if they are actually looking.

Everything will sell (eventually...somehwhere!) because someone out there wants it... BUT ....They HAVE TO BE ABLE TO FIND IT!

+ Search on Ebay is the WORST of all sites though so good luck finding what you want even if it IS on this site.

Ebay (and Google & all the other corporate e-commerce sites) likes to push a lot of mass produced imported junk and pollutes every listing with an overwhelming mess of competitors listings = overwhelming and looks chaotic and ugly.  So even if someone manages to finally find what they want they are bombarded with a mess.

[pls-consignments]

Two things come to mind....

1) There are now more sellers (thanks to covid). Imagine physically shopping in a big box store the size of O' Hare airport where your item is buried next to a competitor's at the other end of the store.

2) Buyer demographics have changed dramatically. The generation of buyers and collectors of your items (and mine) are unfortunately leaving us at a rapid pace.  For what it's worth, 10-yrs ago I used to be able to sustain a living on 500-600 items. Now I need at least 1000-1500 items to produce the same revenue.

[hachumi]

The cheerleaders will all tell you the same thing, it's never Ebay, it's always you.

I've sold and bought off ebay on and off since 98, I've followed these forums on and off since then also.
I've seen in the past when ebay has changed the rules and made people mad and they complained, and they left, and said ebay was going under, and the cheerleaders said Rah, Rah, Rah, and ebay kept chugging along.
This time it is different, as a seller.  I only sell my old, or parts I didn't use for my hobby Radio controlled models, I don't sell anything over $100.00 because of scams, and don't sell anything large or heavy due to shipping costs and returns.   I haven't took a payout in a couple years, and use the money I make on ebay just to buy more parts I want from Ebay.  So as much as I sell, I spend on Ebay.
Now here is what has really changed on Ebay.
As a buyer the parts I buy are now always more expensive here Then anywhere else.  I buy from a few sellers where there price is always a few bucks more, with shipping, but they are good sellers.  Ebay used to be cheaper then others, now it's flipped.  I often get parts that are drop shipped from amazon, and when I check amazon the part is always cheaper, cheap enough to take my money, order it from amazon with their prime and ship it to me, and still make some money,  but I'm stuck because I'm using my ebay money.  this has been going on for some time now.  It also used to be when something new came out ebay would have it first and at low prices, not anymore.  I wanted to upgrade some of my stuff so I thought I'd list some stuff and save up for some parts that had just came out a few months ago.  The normal vendors have them for 199.00, I saw them on ebay for 219.00, twenty bucks more to buy them on ebay, ok whatever.  Now I look and the seller that was 219.00 is gone and the cheapest on ebay is 249.00 or another seller for 319.00.  Now this is for RC parts, drones, FPV.  a section of the market that is going gang busters, and improving everyday, not a collectable that may be past it's prime.
So that's what I really see is wrong with ebay, and it isn't getting any better.  the selection and price for buyers isn't there anymore.  I will also buy other things for around the house, bought a clock last month, 56.00, came to my house from amazon, checked amazon, clock was 39.00.  

So the incentive to BUY as well as sell here is quickly going away.

[stainlessenginecovers]

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@kelekt wrote:

I beg to differ with ANYONE who says "your items are not in demand" - WRONG.

just because some of these forums people say it's not in demand remember it's pretty much the same core of commenters who sell here and have VERY DIFFERENT TASTE and interests. 

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@kelekt Actually, those stating that are 100% RIGHT!

MUCH less people 'collect'.

The 40 somethings that their parents collected this 'stuff', are throwing in large dumpsters cleaning out the house to get the house sell ready when the parents pass. These 'kids' don't want it and neither do none of their friends. Those that can get their 'hands on this stuff' are trying to sell it, to a VERY large audience that simply does NOT want to collect NEARLY as much as they 10 years ago.

The 'new ' audience of buyers want to spend MORE money on Adventure and LESS on 'stuff'. 

The 'new' audience is 20x larger than it was 10 years ago, as MANY more shop online, so the competition and places 'things' can be purchased are 10 fold what they were even 5 years ago (Covid REALLY ballooned up 'online' shopping and 'online' selling as well). 

I'm hair over 60. I know what Matchbox Cars, VHS Tapes, even DVD, CD's are. Ask my 16 yr old Grand Daughter- she would say 'what's that? I can watch whatever I want 'on demand' or 'on my phone'. 

As my 38 yr old son- Matchbox Cars?? what's that? You mean 'Hot Wheels'? 

Just ask Toy's R Us, Bed/Bath/Beyond, TGI Fridays, Kmart, Sears, HomeBase, Grossmans, Florist Shops, Sees Candy, Mom/Pop Liquor stores being mowed down in favor of 5 story Condo/Apts. 

The world is changing. 

Everything is available online.

To win- you have to 

a.) Be on the first page (if that means paying, that means PAYING- no different than a 1/2 page ad in the LA Times vs. the 1" x 3" Ad- who got the 'calls' or 'visits'??) 

b.) be the cheapest (everybody can, and will, price shop- in an instant)

c.) Know when the BetaMax, VHS, Pet Rock etc. is done and 

d.) ALWAYS be prepared to 'try something else'. 

[trickmusic]

This is the answer.  I’m ported all my vinyl to discogs. EBay just doesn’t cut it in too many to list here.  When you list on discogs, you realize some of the things that screw and will continue to screw eBay.

…….also this forum and 90% of forum replies

#1.  We don’t know what you are talking about

#2. Nobody wants YOUR stuff

#3.  We are fine, our executives make millions.

#4. I’m really good at vinyl sales and your records suck.

#5. Our search algos aren’t broken, we don’t know what you are talking about, go back to #1 now.

[jerseyboymusic]

@retromedia2 

Markets for items ALWAYS change.

Vinyl records. I was doing REALLY well at selling vintage record albums. So well that I opened this second account (now a posting account)

Vintage Beatles LPs... when I lived in Idaho, I had access to so much stuff. Imports albums, SEALED albums from the 1960s and 1970s (not just Beatles, but rare sealed LPs in multiples). Life was good.

Then things dropped. I realize now that a person can go to Wal-Mart and get a new sealed (digitally remastered) copy of Dark Side of the Moon for like $30 on vinyl. Ebay is flooded with German and Japanese pressed Beatles LPs for dirt cheap. The USA 1964 Beatles LPs are being repressed in mono.  So there goes that market segment.

I also did REALLY well on old USA made blue jeans. Levis and Wranglers, especially. That dried up too, as Ebay is flooded with those.

For the most part, I realize I have to pivot. But now I'm too tired to keep up

[fbusoni]

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@retromedia2 wrote:

I've asked this before but never received a relevant explanation. Ebay continues to claim there are "millions of buyers out there."  OK, so I list the same things I was listing back in the period 2006 - 2015.  Quality Matchbox cars, vinyl singles by the Monkees, Duane Eddy, The Shadows, Adam Faith etc - once all popular guaranteed-to-sell items. Back then, it was normal to get 15-20 views within an  hour of listing most anything in these categories. I have 41 items listed currently, the majority of which have views which increase on average one (out of millions?? not possible) a day....some have been there for a couple of months with less than ten views. There are less than fifteen watchers across all 41 items, stuff that back in the day would have sold very quickly. All are promoted! Photos are excellent.....descriptions comprehensive. Most everything MINT or near MINT. Obviously the majority of those "Millions of buyers" are not seeing the listings.  What has so dramatically changed? (I don't include the one $15,000 rarity - obviously that is a niche item)

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Lots of reasons:

There is pre-COVID eBay, and then there is post-COVID eBay.

eBay today is as much an advertising platform as it is a selling platform.

eBay is committed to "Economic Opportunity for All" -- which means that one week you might make a sale, and the next week it will be somebody else's turn.

Promoted listings are a guarantee of revenue for eBay -- NOT of a sale.

There are also many other platforms that are attracting sellers and buyers.

I sold an item the other day that I listed back in 2014.   Sometimes it takes a while.

[tobaccocardyahoo]

25 years ago antique dealers were complaining that no one wanted the depression glass which used to fly off their shelves.

Tobacco cards which I dealt with for many years bring a fraction of what they used to, if anyone wants to buy them.

There are so many items which if I were rely on my past experience in selling, I would be taking a loss on.

At a book auction I frequented for many years, some very nice Arthur Rackham illustrated books were being offered. I asked a friendly competitor "does anyone still care?" His answer, far fewer than used to. The books brought 10% of what they would have at the same auction.

On the bright side, I have purchased some items I lusted over for many years, and would not pay the price of, for a pittance.

There was a poster auction on LiveAuctioneers a few weeks back. A reputable auction house. I favorited some posters I own.  Some were passed or sold on one bid, disappointing. Others brought far more than I would have estimated.

[meme6253]

I am not a cheerleader, Never have been, I am just stating facts for this seller that the collectibles market has declined greatly, & demand is not what it use to be not by any stretch, Of course competition has increased dramatically, & ebay with their PL's has made it even more difficult for item's to be seen & with putting competition right on your listings is a major issue.