They Broke eBay - How Sad

[allthings-collectible]

Although I realize that titles like this will inevitably draw out those who feel that it's their duty to not only defend eBay, but even blame sellers for doing something wrong, then so be it. We know who you are due to your condescending consistency. 

Yet, this year is shaping up to be the beginning of the end for eBay. What caused them to try to change so many aspects of eBay's front-end and back-end systems? Greed perhaps. Or maybe desperation, in an attempt to stop the bleeding of lost year-over-year market share. Their motivation to add PL coupled with a revised definition of impressions shows that they no longer care about sustainable sellers, let alone the overall effect on fair market values of resold goods.

This current system has only one outcome, which is to drive sales by price competition. This includes parading identical items with lower prices in front of buyers AFTER they made their purchase. It's no wonder why cancelations are up and sales are down. All of this ocurring during a time when eBay is losing over a million sellers each year since 2018, all the while it's competitors are gaining sellers and market share. The writing is on the wall.

[onthescrews]

Where is it stated cross listing is against eBay policy? 

[calculus314]

Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

[inhawaii]

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@onthescrews wrote:

Where is it stated cross listing is against eBay policy? 

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I don't think it does.

You can cross list on as may platforms as you want ... as long as you can fulfil your ebay obligations if it sells on ebay.

[mam98031]

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@onthescrews wrote:

Where is it stated cross listing is against eBay policy? 

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That is an excellent question.  I'll try to find it.

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

@mam98031 

"Cross posting is so dangerous, not to mention against the selling rules on Ebay."

Can you point to the rule that says it is against ebay rules? ebay's griff recently interviewed one of the founders of List Perfectly, which is a site designed to help sellers cross post. I think he would have mentioned that rule if there was such a rule. As far as I know, cross posting is NOT any sort of rule violation---being out of stock can get you in trouble, but many cross posters have learned how to prevent that.

And, of course, the reason many sellers would practice this is the same reason many sellers are now multi channel (whether they cross post or not): As Meg always said, sellers go where the buyers are....and these days, for many types of items, the buyers are found on many different sites, not just ebay.

[mam98031]

As I said above.  I will try to locate it.  Ebay does change policies without notice.  It use to be there, I will try to find out if it still is.  That is the best I can do.

I sell multi channel and have for years.  I do not cross post for the reason it is a dangerous practice.  It can cause you real problems.  There is nothing to stop it from selling on both sites.  Then if it the seller has the need to cancel the Ebay sale, that is a cancellation for OOS and as you know that is a defect.  

If the policy doesn't still exist, it may be because Ebay feels cancellations will take care of that.  IDK, I will try to find the policy.

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

@mam98031  recent reports from the Asheford Institute of Antiques have emphasized how younger dealers and collectors are reinvigorating the business, and how some are seeing an increase in market demand for stuff like Victorian furniture and artwork, etc. (which, until recently, was largely perceived as out of fashion) So, yes, things do go in and out of fashion, but a major problem for ebay sellers is the buyer base has been shifting to other venues, some in the Brick and Mortar world and some online. And, outside of a few Focus Categories that can be considered collectibles, ebay has done very little to attract that base to ebay. 

Sellers, like me, of old stuff, do need to be aware of shifting market demands, which is a constant, but the real problem is, if you have items that are in demand, the buyers aren't only looking for it here. You can stay here and deal with a declining buyer base, or extend your reach to include other platforms and venues, in an attempt to do what resellers have always done: go to where the buyers are.

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

@mam98031 IDK, I will try to find the policy.

That's all I'm asking you to do, so thanks.

[windycityart4u]

For sure. Everything you are saying is true and it is very wise to follow trends but eBay is the elephant in the room. They are bleeding out customers who are moving to other platforms. They keep raising fees and trying to have a complete pay for play market with promoted listings. You can tell things are bad when they keep suggesting the promoted listings going higher and higher. The company itself needs to take some responsibility. This is the first year I had to branch out locally and things are fine in other places. They just decided one day to copy Amazon and throw their original sellers in the trash. 

[slippinjimmy]

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@mam98031 wrote:

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Not sure why any seller would practice this.  Cross posting is so dangerous, not to mention against the selling rules on Ebay.

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Why? I'll tell you why.....for the same reason Coke sells to almost all grocery stores, the reason most larger merchants sell on multiple channels (yes the same items at the same time).

Omni-channel sellers are everywhere, they employ what is now fairly cheap software to monitor and allocate their inventory to avoid out of stock situations. This is not even restricted to large merchants, it's very common for merchants of a modest size to list (same) goods on eBay. etsy, Amazon, their own website and others.

eBay does not have any rule that prohibits multi-channel selling, Amazon does (or used to) have a policy that if you cross list to another site the price must be equal or more than your Amazon price, eBay doesn't have even that policy.

[traditonalproducts]

BAM!! U hit it on the head!!

[traditonalproducts]

u r correct on the Ama&on front.

[chapeau-noir]

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@mam98031 wrote:

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@cardxcraft wrote:

Inadvertently, you hit the nail on the head.  You mentioned 4 platforms but there are many more emerging.  So, you don't go to one platform, but as many as possible.  Good for sellers, bad for the platforms.  

One important piece of technology is missing and stopping widespread cross-listing:  there's a lack of programs that can affordably manage cross posting: more importantly, when an item sells on one platform its removed on the other sites.  There's one program that exists thst can perform this task, but it's not economical.

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Not sure why any seller would practice this.  Cross posting is so dangerous, not to mention against the selling rules on Ebay.

The only site that I'm aware of that you can do this cleanly and without risk of sanctions by Ebay is Bonanza.  

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Cross posting is not against the selling rules on eBay - double posting is, though.

[yuzuha]

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@windycityart4u wrote:

I think this is the million dollar question. eBay was a place to sell antiques/ collectables.

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Antiques/collectibles are a category that is quite literally dying out. The older buyers who collected those things are dying/downsizing and younger buyers aren't interested in them. That has nothing to do with eBay, that is just the natural evolution of things.

[theteamsetguy]

@allthings-collectible ,

Because the barriers to entry is next to nothing to become a eBay seller. You are correct that Ebay has gotten very competitive and more so over time with or without PL. Also, when ebay did away with listing fees by giving an allotment of free listings depending on a sellers store level. The number of things listed skyrocketed  in most categories especially clothing and antique collectibles. 

Sellers have to learn to adjust. In the beginning virtually anything you listed via auction on eBay would sell because there were a lot fewer sellers and items listed on eBay. Those were the days every seller wishes still existed. With the advent of fixed price listings the auction sales went way down. Most buyers today don't want to wait 7 days to see if they win. I went from all auctions to virtually no auctions today. I have also changed what items I sell over time. 

Like I and others have said many times on these boards, you make your money buying and not selling. You have to buy your inventory right which is not easy for most sellers.