Slow Sales

[rmorrisvintageandmore]

Sales are not great this month, usually January is a good month for me. Any one else experiencing a major dip in sales recently?  I do utilize Promoted listings, I hate that I have to, but it usually makes a huge difference in sales...just not recently. Any thoughts or ideas to get the ball rolling?

[kensgiftshop]

A lot of companies are laying off workers and people don't have the extra money to spend on things they don't need.

[inhawaii]

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@rmorrisvintageandmore wrote:

Any thoughts or ideas to get the ball rolling?

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 The more in demand your items are, the better they will sell. 

[mr_lincoln]

Hi @rmorrisvintageandmore 

"Recently" ... ahhhh, try a slow steady decline over the last 2 years.

January has historically been the 3rd best selling month .... this year it dropped to 8th place out of the last 9 Januarys ... 

December and November have been my two best sales months .... in 2023 they dropped to like 4th and 5th place out of the previous 9. 

So 2023 dropped to my 5th best out of 9 selling years and 10K and 12 K lower than the two previous years respectively.  That my friend is not chump change.

Growth stopped and went in reverse.

[12345jamesstamps]

I don't promote anything cheap. I promote expensive items at 15-20 % because they are expensive and probably won't sell as quickly. This gets my good items under other seller's page item as being promoted.

A buyer just might end up looking at my items then. The object is getting a buyer looking at my items as well as the item they clicked on of other seller.

I have to admit I did sell some high end items in December and a few this month though.

I think the weather creates slow sales for some as well.

[redlinear]

My sales are typical (about the same as the last few years).
Few sales a day for the most part.
Then over the weekend it's like somebody turns a faucet on.  
    30 different vehicles, 100's of parts off of each listed...
     And on one weekend, all over the country, everybody broke their Toyota.
Next weekend it'll be about the same (except not Toyota)

[meme6253]

I am having the same experience, I also utilize PL's & don't like to, I have been going through older listings & revising them, New photos, etc, Helps a little!, Good Luck!

[rmorrisvintageandmore]

Do you plan to stick around on eBay, or do you have an eBay alternative in mind? I'm about ready to throw in the towel and get a regular job. I love selling on eBay, but it doesn't seem sustainable anymore.

[stainlessenginecovers]

You shouldn't be using Promotions as you are selling 'used' jewelry that does NOT have a 'common' 'keyword' search, which with Promotions, keyword searches show Promoted items over others. 

Besides, you are in a VERY saturated category so sales can get tough....

[tobaccocardyahoo]

I have had my usual January rebound in sales. I sell obscure collectibles.

You are selling some items I own or have owned which are likely to be dropped at Goodwill without listing on Ebay. There are fewer younger collectors than would be required to replace the older collectors who are downsizing or dying.

When I was younger and stronger, I would drag the items at that level to a flea market and take whatever I could get for them (which would not be a lot). Now I am older and the trip to Goodwill is all the effort I wan willing to expend.

I am not disagreeing with the comments on fashion jewelry. Unlike many sellers complaining about their poor jewelry sales, you have significant inventory, but supply is so much greater than demand, and increases with every hearse which carries a woman to the graveyard.

It might be a good time to take a job. Wages are increasing, demand for workers is up. McDonald's in my area is paying $20/hr for new employees and that has pushed other wages higher.

[rmorrisvintageandmore]

I appreciate you taking the time to respond.  As much as I don't want to believe it, I think you are right. Nothing good lasts forever, and boy was eBay good in the beginning! It's time to move on and put my college education to work. Thank you.

[chapeau-noir]

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@rmorrisvintageandmore wrote:

I appreciate you taking the time to respond.  As much as I don't want to believe it, I think you are right. Nothing good lasts forever, and boy was eBay good in the beginning! It's time to move on and put my college education to work. Thank you.

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@rmorrisvintageandmore  It's not either/or - you could consider a part-time W2 job and continue with your sales here. You've got great inventory and investment here and it would be a shame to let that all just go. I've worked also sorts of variations of both W2 and online sales (I sell on several different platforms) - it was good to have that regular paycheck coming in from the W2.

[tobaccocardyahoo]

Trying to support yourself with or without a family to support on Ebay has always been tough.

I am fortunate, I do not have to do that.

I sell on Ebay as an excuse to buy, and maintain contact with people I have done business with for decades..

Eventually, I will have to stop because like others of my age, I need to concentrate on making what I have bought and kept for many years go away. I am under orders from my middle-aged children not to die until I have made most of what I own go away.

I have one of my children who sells on Ebay as well as holds a decent job, and she is not willing to take on the formidable task of getting rid of my stuff. Her sister helped in getting a college to accept one of my collections.

I can tell you from the experience of friends as well as my own experience that Ebay is more fun when you do not have to rely on it for your income. And you can make more on the same merchandise selling it on Ebay if you do not need the money to pay your bills.

I complained about a good friend who "gave away" some great merchandise because he needed the money. When he qualified for a disability pension, his prices on Ebay went up, and his sales did not dry up.

[coastaltechsolution]

I think many of us have had to (at one point in time) seek W-2 work during times of economic slow downs

Nothing wrong with finding something part time (or full time) and continuing on eBay 

Do that for awhile then reevaluate  😁

[rmorrisvintageandmore]

I hear you, it would be a slow transition, I think. I still have untold amounts of unlisted inventory, it's here, I might as well try to sell it. I rely on eBay as a main source of income and I have for the past 10+ years, it is just getting too sparse and erratic. I will take another job if I need it, but I honestly don't think I could handle a job and eBay together and take care of the house and kids on top of that. Thank you for taking the time to comment, I appreciate it!