The Spiraling decline of eBay Sales... Not the Product, it's the site

[covetmodern]

I've been selling on eBay for over 15 years and have seen an overall decline in sales year after year since about 2010.  Couple this with the problems sellers face - returns, refunds, fraud, etc. I'm about to call it quits... on eBay.  I'm feeling like this "marketplace" has become the Dollar Store of online shopping in both what is being sold and the customer base that this appeals to.  Mostly gone are the days of people buying quality collectibles from us - with just an ocassional big sale, and a trickle of smaller sales.

I won't mention sites, as this isn't about promoting another place, but rather a comparison in my experience. 

In 2011, we opened an online store on another e-commerce site in hopes of increasing our sales - offering the same items, with the exception of one product line we can't sell because it is considered a mass produced finished collectible.  We list approx. 2/3 of the products there vs. eBay (right now - 61 items there vs. 87 on eBay)   That site over the last few years has netted us about  250% difference in revenue though.    Yes, that is correct - we sell 2.5 times the amount of goods there than here... and there are less restrictions, less fees, and most importantly a better overall seller/customer experience.

2017 - 28% eBay /72% other site.  

2018 - 29% eBay/71% other.  

The only "benefit" I get on eBay vs. the other site is slightly less shipping costs, but that doesn't touch the difference in fees charged.

Anyone else feeling this decline on eBay or have similar experiences selling the same products on multiple sites?

[mistwomandancing]

The Spiraling decline of eBay Sales... Not the Product, it's the site

Many don't even believe it's "the site"....   it's the MASSING of online competition now!!  

Just a very few short years ago our competition online outside of eBay was a small fraction of what we are up against now.   These days even major brick and mortar stores are scaling down their B&M efforts and expanding their online sites!   Our online competition now stretches out as far as the eye can see, so to speak.

We are in the Make or Break stage as individual online retail sellers.   And while some are growing and thriving, we are going to be seeing more and more who aren't/can't.  

It's a whole new era out there in online shopping.   Great if you're a buyer.   The WORLD is spread out before your eyes.   Tough nuggies if you're a little seller though.   Nowdays, in order to make it on eBay, most of us have to have up such a big number of listings it's sort of hard to handle.....  much like trying to run a store by only yourself.  

[ted_200]

It's absolutely the site.

Although the site has also affected the product that's here too.  Not my product, but definitely the aggregated products that my buyers see. 

[ted_200]

In 2011, we opened an online store on another e-commerce site in hopes of increasing our sales - offering the same items, with the exception of one product line we can't sell because it is considered a mass produced finished collectible.

We may be talking about the same site.  I moved one entire product line off of eBay and to another site in 2010.  Sales there are just fine.

I know of other sellers who split their one product line between the two sites, and they report results similar to yours. 

[lancelotme]

I have been with Ebay since 1990s,I agree with you,I am selling what I have in my storage,I have not replenished my inventory in recent years as it makes no sense to give them away.

Once they are gone,I will closed my Ebay store .

[lancelotme]

There are online and offline boutique auctions which you can sell your collectibles,it depends on what you have -Igavel,Aspire,Liveautioneer etc

[odditiesandantiquities1]

I upgraded my store at the end of January when they were offering a promotion. February I doubled my sales. Now I don't think it's just about upgrading. The entire month I went through my listings, took new photograph's, found issues with my descriptions and corrected them one by one. 

New photo's, accurate descriptions were, I think,  a crucial part of my success. I'm waiting to see how March plays out, but I am very pleased so far with the results.

[lancelotme]

Ebay rotates the sellers,there are just too many sellers and not enough buyers.

when you make changes to an existing listing,somehow it is given more visibility.

Also new sellers are given a honeymoon period.

As time goes by,Ebay search will lower your listings visibility if no one views it ,or few view it but not buy it.

[richard1rst]

If I may offer a counter balance to the Nattering Nabobs of Negativism, my sales are up year to year, and have been up year to year for several years.

Maybe I’ve just been lucky. Maybe it’s just the product mix.

But I am more inclined to think that it’s me.

I am constantly adding new items to my existing categories. And I am constantly adding new categories.

I keep an eye on any listing that has not had a sale for a specific amount of time. I review the pricing to be competitive (without “giving it away”), I review the text to see if it can be made more attractive or interesting, etc. Essentially the same steps that @ odditiesandantiquities1 did.

In other words, I put some effort into running it like a business. I have seen many comments on these boards complaining that eBay is not doing enough to drive customers to their sites. That is not eBay’s job. It is mine (and yours).

Stop cursing the darkness, light the candle.

[doubledz-a2z]

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@covetmodernwrote:

   I'm feeling like this "marketplace" has become the Dollar Store of online shopping in both what is being sold and the customer base that this appeals to. 

The internet as a whole is a race to the bottom.    Everyone is now a seller the lowest price wins.  I sell mainly flea market now and I see the trend towards lower price vs better quality.  Lowest price wins.  

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[mg152]

Well then, you can turn the lights out when you leave because many of us aren’t sticking around much longer. 😀

[mistwomandancing]

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@doubledz-a2zwrote:

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@covetmodernwrote:

   I'm feeling like this "marketplace" has become the Dollar Store of online shopping in both what is being sold and the customer base that this appeals to. 

The internet as a whole is a race to the bottom.    Everyone is now a seller the lowest price wins.  I sell mainly flea market now and I see the trend towards lower price vs better quality.  Lowest price wins.  

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Maybe you aren't window shopping at the right levels, because the internet as a whole spreads the whole world of offerings before me, and it is rich far beyond Dollar Store/lowest price merchandise!

On the eBay site, start shopping above the lowest priced merchandise and you'll find treasures that are worth more (than I) can afford.

Yes, the world is awash in cheap goods.   And above all of that is the very nice stuff, and above that is merchandise that I'd love to buy, but don't qualify for financially.      You can find it all here, so if you don't deal in the cheap and don't shop in the cheap, it's as though that doesn't even enter your world.   If you aren't marketing to the level that needs to buy cheap, you will make your sales.   If buyers prefer to buy cheap over what you are offering, (I'd have to ask myself) what that should be telling me as a business owner.. as in, time to move into another line of product.  

[mistwomandancing]

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@mg152wrote:
Well then, you can turn the lights out when you leave because many of us aren’t sticking around much longer. 😀

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mg, that's what we read here every spring and fall, but it seems like mostly folks are still here, listings accumulated on their selling accounts.

seems like the unhappy truth is that for every one who actually ends their selling here, ten more fresh sellers jump into that spot and expand it with their own listings.  

[covetmodern]

I have worked pretty hard on our site and items. Yes, some items sell better than others, however, I have the same items on both sites and the fact is that the other site performs 2.5 times better with fewer, but the same exact products. eBay has a far larger audience, and charges nearly double the fees. I agree that we have some responsibility for our products and our presentation, but my point is that I do the same work for both sites, less items on the other and the pay off difference is huge there vs. eBay. If it was closer to 45/55%, then I wouldn't be concerned. I'm looking at the trend over several years.

[covetmodern]

The difference is that customers are buying there far more than on eBay.  Why pay more in rent to be in mall that has few customers when you can pay less to be in a mall with plenty of customers?