Sudden 43% Drop in Traffic – Algorithm Issue?

[timeles_38]

I wanted to share my traffic report to see if others are experiencing the same thing.

As you can see from the chart (attached), my listings were getting steady impressions—both organic and promoted—then traffic suddenly fell off a cliff after Sept 1.

• Organic: 5,070 (down 40.2%)

• Promoted Listings: 7,531 (down 59.8%)

• Total Traffic: down 43% compared to the prior week

This wasn’t a gradual decline due to buyer interest—it was an overnight drop. My inventory, pricing, and promotions haven’t changed, so this seems tied to eBay’s visibility algorithm or a reporting glitch.

I’m concerned that independent sellers are being throttled while promoted traffic is heavily favored. Even with promoted listings, traffic still collapsed.

Is anyone else seeing this sudden drop in impressions? If so, this points to a systemic issue rather than individual seller performance.

[timeles_38]

Thanks for contacting me ... I've been busy on other platforms where stuff sells. eBay fell off the cliff for me in Sept its not only views or sales, even offers dried even the bad ones I used to get 2 or 3 offers a day; now I get none, and I was just rated top seller so no issues there I have 100% feedback ...no I don't have a lot up but I do sell in different categories and from low price to higher price ...I've tried all the tricks nothing works, I understand the economy isn't great but I am selling on other smaller platforms ..eBay is supposed to be the big guy on the block and nothing ..I've tried many things with eBay and have noticed I got some traffic back but not much and oddly that only came back after I promoted not one item I tested that and promoting a single item garners no views or very little impressions it was only until I promoted every single item I have that traffic started to come back and that has to be more than 3% ...I am a small seller so paying for priority (Pay per click) is not feasible at this time  or will it be ever if I can't sell on eBay ...I'm tried of trying to figure out what eBays game whatever it is, updates or throttling I don't know, I just want to sell and I will put my time into platforms that actually allow me to do that eBay is now 3rd on that list 

[tobaccocardyahoo]

You are a relatively new seller with a small number of listings in a crowded category.

Lack of organic traffic was always a likely event, whether due to your inventory being "picked over" or an algorithmic effect.

Promotion might help but the cost of a high enough level could be unacceptable.

Listing more items could help the sales of your existing items as well as give you more traffic generators.

I saw a drop off in my sales, which tied to a drop in traffic, and accelerated my listing activity. Business has been better since I did. No guarantees.

[gloryglorygifts]

I’m concerned that independent sellers are being throttled while promoted traffic is heavily favored. Even with promoted listings, traffic still collapsed.

I only have 100 of my 1,800 listings promoted (as a test) and still get organic sales mostly, so I don't think that concern is true. I had a few months with slow starts, which happens every now and again. I wouldn't worry about it. Just keep doing what you are doing as your store is really pretty and your customers love you!

Good luck.

[natocit2015]

Hello community I also have a similar problem in the last month my sales have also fallen by about 50%. Organic is not visible at all. I have 80% of the products advertised and views have decreased by 45% in the last period. The algorithms that used to work, that is, changing the ad, new ads and so on, do not work at all. It seems to me that this is connected with the new Cossini algorithms. They introduced artificial intelligence very seriously and it most likely perceives such things as unstable lots. And does not show them. What worked before, now does not work. I do not know what to do with it. I have a hundred percent result, a wonderful seller with a long history of over 10 years.
And such a problem, this is not a problem of sellers, that is, it is a problem of sellers but first of all it is a problem of eBay, because eBay should do something about this and explain to sellers why this happened.
eBay needs to change its attitude towards sellers. eBay probably understands this and is probably doing something about it. Because statistics show that there is an outflow of sellers to other platforms (eBay probably knows this).
p/s Why don't eBay representatives comment on this?

[onefootflipper]

---

@natocit2015 wrote:

Hello community I also have a similar problem in the last month my sales have also fallen by about 50%. Organic is not visible at all. I have 80% of the products advertised and views have decreased by 45% in the last period. The algorithms that used to work, that is, changing the ad, new ads and so on, do not work at all. It seems to me that this is connected with the new Cossini algorithms. They introduced artificial intelligence very seriously and it most likely perceives such things as unstable lots. And does not show them. What worked before, now does not work. I do not know what to do with it. I have a hundred percent result, a wonderful seller with a long history of over 10 years.
And such a problem, this is not a problem of sellers, that is, it is a problem of sellers but first of all it is a problem of eBay, because eBay should do something about this and explain to sellers why this happened.
eBay needs to change its attitude towards sellers. eBay probably understands this and is probably doing something about it. Because statistics show that there is an outflow of sellers to other platforms (eBay probably knows this).
p/s Why don't eBay representatives comment on this?

---

The original poster who started the thread has a 9 month sell through rate which is far better than the site average and most sellers who post in this forum have a sell through rate measured in years. I am not sure what else they can expect.

natocit2015 - For the past 30 years some sellers have been having the best months of their life, and others can seemingly not give anything away. During that entire time ebay has had the overwhelming majority majority of the "Sell anything, new or used" market. All the competition for that combined likely doesn't even add up to 10 percent of ebay's sale's volume. 

However your problems have nothing to do with normal ebb's and flows and have everything to do with the fact that you are still trying to sell to America after our import Tariff's went into effect. American consumers have never directly paid import tariffs before and are largely refusing to order anything from outside of the US anymore. You probably want to move to the UK ebay site and start selling there.

[natocit2015]

In fact, on all my products it is indicated that I, as a seller, pay all duties and tariffs that came into effect for buyers from the United States on August 20 of this year.
And potential buyers see this in the description.
I pay these funds when sending and the status of the shipment to the USA is DDP.
But the result remains as I described.
Once again, the fact is that in Сassinі in September they integrated AI and what worked before now does not work.

Plus a failure in the system itself does not produce organic matter at all.

p/s Sorry if the post is crooked.
I created this post using a translator because unfortunately I don't speak English.

[onefootflipper]

---

@natocit2015 wrote:

In fact, on all my products it is indicated that I, as a seller, pay all duties and tariffs that came into effect for buyers from the United States on August 20 of this year.
And potential buyers see this in the description.
I pay these funds when sending and the status of the shipment to the USA is DDP.
But the result remains as I described.
Once again, the fact is that in Сassinі in September they integrated AI and what worked before now does not work.

Plus a failure in the system itself does not produce organic matter at all.

p/s Sorry if the post is crooked.
I created this post using a translator because unfortunately I don't speak English.

---

US customers not understanding the tariffs alone is enough to be making them not purchase from overseas sellers. Almost all non-US sellers are having problems selling to America now.

[gravefinds]

I've been selling on Ebay for 15 years. This has been my worst year on record. I don't think its the economy. People ARE buying, just not on Ebay. Ebay charges too much, listing is time consuming. People have moved onto other sites such as Depop and Whatnot where it's more interactive. 

I'm considering leaving Ebay altogether currently. 

[john_wade]

The algorithm they use is garbage. 

[mam98031]

---

@gravefinds wrote:

I've been selling on Ebay for 15 years. This has been my worst year on record. I don't think its the economy. People ARE buying, just not on Ebay. Ebay charges too much, listing is time consuming. People have moved onto other sites such as Depop and Whatnot where it's more interactive. 

I'm considering leaving Ebay altogether currently. 

---

@gravefinds 

Well that isn't quite accurate.  There are buyers purchasing on Ebay.  There are many sellers doing just fine with their sales and others aren't.  But Ebay released their financials for the 3rd quarter not to long ago and they are still profitable.  So while sales may not be going your direction [sincerely I'm sorry about that] but sales are happening.

Ebay doesn't charge buyers anything.  Pricing for items is determined by the sellers.

You have three items posted.  You aren't likely to get a lot of traffic with only 3 listings.  Try listing more items and maybe some that are a little less expensive.  I hope it works out for you.

[johnrj1226]

Maybe  your  collectable competitors  have  found a better mouse trap than yours - there is  only 120,000,000+ offerings on just eBay - lots of stuff like yours can be readily found at estate sales, thrift stores, yard sales, flea markets, etc.  Looks  like saturation of  item choices by a ton of peddlers.eBay never promised  a steady stream of any thing - just a venue  for sellers to do their magic of  having the  right items, at the right time, at the right price to win over buyers.  Some  how your 153  listings doesn't  seem like a lot..   You  may want to  do some  research to see what the  same or  similar items as your sold for on eBay or the 'net in general.  Collectables don't seem to be on the younger generations -  our kids (50 to mid 20s) don't want  our "vintage" stuff when offered

One bit  of advise to the road to success  don't go fishing where all the other fishermen/women have their line(s) in the water = slow results and lower  profits..  Find niche items to peddle.

One last  thing it  seems that stuff  like "food" still ain't  cheap, utilities seems to be  going up even in the deep south - our Aldi's  is booming and the big  boy grocery store seem to be hurting.

[wilsonharborsales]

Many posts over the years of people losing 30%-90% traffic overnight.  Over the course of a few months it will recover.  I don't know why it happens but it certainly pertains to the algorithm.

[inhawaii]

This thread is a month old.

The algorithm is fixed and working fine now.

[dave-n-beck]

I see it when searching, I used to be able to use specific searches and zero in on unique items. Now it seems if you get unique Ebay broadens the search for you to the point where the search is sometimes useless. For small sellers of unique items its a killer when buyers cant find you.

[onefootflipper]

Massive drops in views, traffic and total drops in sales can result from a few very simple reasons.

#1. Almost all your views were coming from one or two items. You sold those items, ended those items or you were undercut by the competition significantly enough that no one is bothering to click on your listing anymore.

#2. Complete death in sales is most often attributed to store rot. You either already sold all your good items and are not adding more, or your mistakes keep adding up until eventually you have an entire store full of mistakes. 

Lets say you are way better than your average hobby seller and 2/3rds of the listings you put in are good items at prices that will sell, and they all sell in a month or less. However you otherwise never drop prices, pull items or change anything. This will without fail lead to a store full of bad items at bad prices. If you list 100 items a month then in 1 year you will have a 462 item store that is 85 percent bad.  In 5 years you will have a 2000 item store that is 97 percent bad.