So lets see if I can get a peek into the future, and see what eBay will be pushing in the Boot Camp.

[timemachine777]

In no special order:

Use Seller Hub data to determine your growth potential, Shipping: 1 day handling time, Guaranteed 3 day delivery, 30-60 day free returns, Free shipping, Labels, GSP, Use eBay-branded packing mat., Expedited shipping.

Make sure the buyer is always happy. Best offer, eBay store, use eBay pricing suggestions, Use mark down manager, use eBay Promotions, Buy ad campaigns, use Cross promotions. Use social media to send people to eBay. 

Use all the characters in the titles with focus on keywords, Add a description that describes the item as if you have no photos, data, use professional photos and add 12 photos. Also use catalog stock photos.

Use Seller Hub data to monitor and revise your listings and adjust them as recommend by eBay.

Does anybody else have some insight to add.

[the_fancy_fox]

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@sockmonkeydavewrote:

@timemachine777

And dang it, stop showing me little black dresses.

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Reminds me of the time I was looking for a fridge magnet for a friend... My brother was on my account looking at something and asked "why are you looking at the backside of naked women with a fox tail hanging out of their... tush...?"  That one plagued my computer for weeks.   As does is the condoms from the time I looked at ebays lousy programming and the refurbished ones...

I would post a picture of the fox tail magnet it but I think I would be slapped for it.

[timemachine777]

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@the_fancy_foxwrote:

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@sockmonkeydavewrote:

@timemachine777

And dang it, stop showing me little black dresses.

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Reminds me of the time I was looking for a fridge magnet for a friend... My brother was on my account looking at something and asked "why are you looking at the backside of naked women with a fox tail hanging out of their... tush...?"  That one plagued my computer for weeks.   As does is the condoms from the time I looked at ebays lousy programming and the refurbished ones...

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It's too bad that eBay doesn't get that it's dumb AI program is not learning what we want to buy, It's learning garbage from what we write about or search, for a myriad of reasons that have nothing to do with wanting to buy it.

[coolections]

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@the_fancy_foxwrote:

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Reminds me of the time I was looking for a fridge magnet for a friend... My brother was on my account looking at something and asked "why are you looking at the backside of naked women with a fox tail hanging out of their... tush...?"  That one plagued my computer for weeks.   As does is the condoms from the time I looked at ebays lousy programming and the refurbished ones...

---

That is true when you view specific things. It is much more believable then the made up stories people come up with around here like seeing things from words you write on a message board.

[tunicaslot]

Seems many here don't understand growth in commerce. They also seem to forget that as most of us age - we need fewer things because we require very little.

Those of us in our 50's, 60's, 70's - are looking towards retirement or have retired. We are sellig our collectibles, clothing we've long outgrown, things the kids left behind when they moved out ect.. I will still buy books, toys for my pets and of course groceries. Gifting has become smaller as everyone has everything - it's easier to give cash or gift cards - due to this - focus has to be on what the up and coming members of society are interested in and their buying habits to make anyplace more appealable.

[mrv71]

I block all ads in my browser with AdBlockPlus. eBay's Chinese junk don't have a chance!

[coolections]

@tunicaslot

Very true. Who would want to pay for a poliroid picture of a fireman for $72. Heck I would sell it at a garage sale for $1. The older you get the more worthless that kind of stuff becomes.

[tunicaslot]

While everyone has the right to price their items as they see fit - they also must realize that they may not sell that item for a long time until that one buyer finally sees it. 

I've helped quite a few newer sellers on here and many find it hard to separate themselves from what they value something for and what people will actually pay for it - and I find that mindset exists to most all of us in some aspect. I've had a few items that I received best offers on over the years and declined them thinking I can get more for the item - fast forward 1-2 yrs and I still have those items despite lowering the price and running sales. But I try to stay competitive for the most part and am in the process of weeding out shelf sitters right now.

I have friends complain like many here that Ebay is not showing their items ect.... when the fact is the item is priced too high. I've suggested making lots and selling the item for cost and fees - but get alot of blow back from them. To me - I'd rather get rid of something and have my initial investment in hand to buy newer inventory than to waste listings and time for an item no one is interested in. Everyone has to run there business their way - but then don't go complaining and blaming someone else for your lack of sales. We control our own destiny - on here and in life - so everyone needs to do what's right for them and quit playing the blame game.

[d-k_treasures]

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@timemachine777wrote:

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@sockmonkeydavewrote:

@timemachine777

Get off my lawn, kids these days, got no respect for their elders.

ebay has no clue what age or group we are in.

I could buy a baby gift for someone in their 20's

Or Depends for my 90 year old mother in law.

Or a fishing lure for my brother in law

And dang it, stop showing me little black dresses.

But these data points mean nothing.

They are random hits on the map.

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Every time you mention little black dress, eBay's dumb AI is going to flood you with them. Earlier today I mentioned "make up" and "video games" in my GenZ post and when I went to the main search search page via the above eBay logo link, I was greeted by loads of listings for them and other items related to words I used in other posts over the past few days.

Hey eBay, I'm not interested in buying any of these things that I type about in my posts, and Sock Monkey doesn't want to buy any little black dresses. 

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The sad thing is this is what gets shoved down your throat.

I always search for cast iron toys or banks. If I go into a listing, and click on sellers other items, toys and hobbies never even come up first on the sidebar, even though 90% of my searches are in that category. I always have to click to see all categories. 

[d-k_treasures]

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@coolectionswrote:

@tunicaslot

Very true. Who would want to pay for a poliroid picture of a fireman for $72. Heck I would sell it at a garage sale for $1. The older you get the more worthless that kind of stuff becomes.

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Umm - maybe a fireman or a fire station?

Do you have even a partial clue as to what people buy? Obviously you have the ebay mindset - if YOU don't think it will sell, then it won't sell.

Of course, it may sell, and probably will.

If YOU think all that should be on this site is just new junk you can get everywhere else, well, go for it. If ebay pushes in that direction, all they will do is end up making money by data mining until everyone starts blocking everything that ebay can use to mine that data. Otherwise, they sell nothing, deliver nothing, so AZ will whup them like a bad stepchild every day like they have been doing.

[d-k_treasures]

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@coolectionswrote:

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@timemachine777wrote:

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I don't remember writing that. 

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You didn't write it, I did.

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Then why imply that timemachine did? Embarassed?

[mg152]

Am I the only one that misses the Wild West days of taking a chance. There was no protection period. Sometimes you won, sometimes you lost but most people were honest.

[mg152]

“Late at night while you’re sleepin’ There’s a drill sergeant creepin’ all around.”
Reminds me of eBay & some sellers.

“This is my rifle there are many like it but this one is mine.”
“From now on I’m your Mother, your Father.....”
Just a few memories of my own. The last 2 are stuck in my head.

[d-k_treasures]

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@mg152wrote:
Am I the only one that misses the Wild West days of taking a chance. There was no protection period. Sometimes you won, sometimes you lost but most people were honest.

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Nope - I miss them too. Lots of great items back then. Now - maybe - IF you can find them.

And I'm thinking that the 'boot camp' is more akin to 'get the boot' camp.

[timemachine777]

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@coolectionswrote:

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@the_fancy_foxwrote:

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Reminds me of the time I was looking for a fridge magnet for a friend... My brother was on my account looking at something and asked "why are you looking at the backside of naked women with a fox tail hanging out of their... tush...?"  That one plagued my computer for weeks.   As does is the condoms from the time I looked at ebays lousy programming and the refurbished ones...

---

That is true when you view specific things. It is much more believable then the made up stories people come up with around here like seeing things from words you write on a message board.

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eBay's been doing that for years. It's been about a decade ago that Google launched Gmail and that was the core component of it. Google gave you a free email account and you agreed to let them scan them so that they can select ads to show you ads that were relevant to what you put/read in your emails. 

Google recently stopped doing that because it was creating issues for them around privacy. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=google+ends+scanning+gmail&rlz=1C1AOHY_enUS708US708&source=lnms&tbm=...

eBay tracks everything you do both on and off site. It's one of the biggest data collection sites in the world.

[tealt]

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@tunicaslotwrote:

Seems many here don't understand growth in commerce. They also seem to forget that as most of us age - we need fewer things because we require very little.

Those of us in our 50's, 60's, 70's - are looking towards retirement or have retired. We are sellig our collectibles, clothing we've long outgrown, things the kids left behind when they moved out ect.. I will still buy books, toys for my pets and of course groceries. Gifting has become smaller as everyone has everything - it's easier to give cash or gift cards - due to this - focus has to be on what the up and coming members of society are interested in and their buying habits to make anyplace more appealable.

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Maybe...but speaking for my 70-something self...

Of course I'm not shopping for furniture or dishes to eat off of, but...

I find as the years go by I am buying more and more online.

My 20-40 something relatives are very into creating "wish lists" on websites, and that's where I buy birthday and Christmas gifts.

There is also the matter of convenience.  

I live in the middle of Silicon Valley, where traffic is usually very congested.  Am I going to fight my way down 85 to Bascom regularly to buy packing supplies for my business.  No.  For everything except peanuts, I now buy online.  Am I going to fight the traffic to Valley Fair ( which is now and apparently for many years to come a major construction site) and struggle to find a parking place within a mile of an entrance, so that I can stand in line at the Apple Store or go searching (walking miles, literally) for certain clothing items.  No.  Sure, I have to pay shipping costs if I buy online, but the older I get the more the extra cost is worth it to me.

Some of us aged relics are doing more and more shopping online these days as our driving skills and physical stamina decrease.