eBay

tdebuys · ‎06-07-2017

It's really great when ebay sends out a promotional offer that allows me to list 500 of my antiques or collectibles at auction or in buy it now format. I almost always take successful advantage of these offers and look forward to the next one. Indeed most of my sales come from the free auctions or short term fixed price promotions. I really appreciate that eBay does this because it keeps me in business. The 50 free listings a month are ok, but they alone aren't enough to make the effort worthwhile. I'm not a big deal seller. I guess we average about 5 to 10% successful sales of whatever number of items listed. Mostly we're just selling off our collections as we down size in retirement and the sales really help ends meet.

Everything seemed to be going quite well until recently when I refused to enroll in several special promotions that involved really specialized items like tech gear, sports wear, shoes, etc. and/or 30 day listings. I don't have that kind of inventory so I had to just pass. I cannot do 30 day listings because of life issues and I don't want to sell stuff I don't know anything about. But since I started turning down the special offers it seems I'm not getting any of the offers I used to get. I guess I'm just wondering is this a coincidence or not? I'm not upset; I really appreciate the opportunities eBay has afforded me, but it seems they are getting fewer and fewer. And I"m having to ignore more and more of their really special merchandise selling offers. Anyone have any idea if I'm just imagining this change or is it the trend of the future?

mistwomandancing · ‎06-08-2017

tdebuys wrote: Anyone have any idea if I'm just imagining this change or is it the trend of the future?

Actually, I do think you're imagining this result scenario, at least as a punishment inflicted on you because you didn't participate in an offering. Sales fluctuate over the seasons, and just fluctuate PERIOD, so hard to pinpoint causes sometimes, but many of us DO and then DON'T take advantage of the various free listing offerings that come through, depending on what we are currently working on in life and on eBay, and there never seem to be any repercussions to passing on an offer.

"Ebay" knows that not all of their small sellers have any need whatsoever for some of the special offerings. I usually pass on even the offerings of free auction listings, as I don't like selling that way. So offerings just in special categories we don't deal in, or ways of selling that we don't incorporate into our business models don't put a black mark on our names here.

mr_lincoln · ‎06-08-2017

@liq1000

@liq1000 wrote:
You are imagining things, eBay sends out promotions based on their needs, they also do it to run tests, most of the free auction promotions like they are running now are worthless to sellers, but eBay runs them because auctions are dying as a selling method.

eBay runs listing promotions because they need inventory listed, they also run them because they know sellers are not going to pay them to list on a market that is slowing down big time.

IMO - they use them to increase the number of listings for a Seller - to say 400 - 500 items, then they stop the Promotions and shortly there after offer a Store with the first 3 months Free. Seller has to decide to 1) risk losing listings as the roll off the Undols list after 60 days, 2) pay additional Insertion Fees to keep listings over their monthly 50 Freebies alive or 3) consider the store.

Promos are strategically used ...

Regards,
Mr. Lincoln - Community Mentor

cal_w62 · ‎06-08-2017

LOL, you put way too much faith in the intelligence of eBay marketplace executives, their promotions are silly in most cases.

dhbookds · ‎06-08-2017

If you think about it........a store would give you the flexibility you want........ you don't have to list for more that 5/7 days....the rest of the time it could stay empty. The cost on a month to month basis is $25 or 5c a listing for 500 listings. If your items are pricey enough, sales could cover that.....

just a thought...........

the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth · ‎06-08-2017

Most are trying to suggest you not take it personally. This is a new direction for Ebay to offer fewer promotions. We have all noticed the offers are down significantly.

tdebuys · ‎06-09-2017

I guess the results from my note in general are that the bulk of you seem to indicate that eBay is offering fewer free listings and it's not something I am causing by not signing up for every promo they offer. That information puts my mind to rest. As for the suggestion we be more selective about what we sell I really don't think we can be any more specfic in our choice of items to sell. We are selling off our collections and its very hard to look at something you personally enjoy and think of it as a bulk of uninteresting stuff. I've been upset on more than one occasion as I boxed up an item to send it off to a new home because I remember the story of how we acquired the item and its like saying goodbye to a friend. Searching for our antiques has been a great joy in our life because my wife and I almost always do it together. So yes, there is some personal attachment to what we sell. The fond memories don't impact pricing but the boxing them up to ship them on to a new owner does sometimes affect the emotions a bit. As we see it, all of these wonderful people that collect antiques are stewards of our history buying, appreciating and protecting little bits of our heritage that have somehow managed to survive thru time. Knowing an item is going to another collection and that it has value to the new owner is part of what we enjoy about selling. Being on a fixed income and actually getting the benefit of some additional income each month is also a big plus. We are indeed cashing in our earlier made investment in a way that benefits the quality of our present lives.

I/We just were trying to learn if WE were doing something to diminish the great selling opportunities eBay provides us with their free listings. I'm glad I posted the note because I think many of you have confirmed that we haven't caused what we see as a problem and you've tried to give us really great suggestions as to how to cope. Thats what I love about many of the people here. You do bother to help others find solutions or to redefine problems so solutions can be made. I'm not sure of exactly what to do and I'm conflicted about even considering a store. I just don't think we'd sell enough to bother. 30 day listings have never been productive for us. The 7 day auction has been the real deal, but the percentages of sales to profitability really don't make a cost investment in paid listings work very well. IF we knew WHAT TO LIST that would be sure to sell then of course it would make sense to pay to list, but unfortunately in the world of Antiques there may only be one buyer out there and if he/she isn't looking, the item doesn't sell.

OK, so let me sum this up by THANKING all of you that contributed to this thread of mine. YOU have given me things to consider, answers that might work, and most importantly the peace of mind that I haven't done something wrong to cost me the free listings. God Bless and Godspeed to all of you.

pinkrose442savings2018 · ‎06-09-2017

@tdebuys wrote:
@slippinjimmy wrote:
The generalized promos for 500, 1000 listings are not being done as often anymore.

eBay has obviously decided that sheer quantities of listings are not something they need and have moved to much more targeted promos.

The old style promos haven't ended completely but the way it worked from 2012 to 2016 (two or more per months) isd finished at least for now.

You need to get selective about what you list so that paying to list still makes sense, the old days of just tossing up hundreds of items because they are free are mostly over.

Really? So all the ads from eBay stating you need to clean out your closets and garages and bring your treasures to eBay is just so much hogwash? Strange. And I am selective I am selling items that we spent years collecting. We are very proud of our collection and the items we sell "are not junk." I really didn't appreciate the tone you take with me. I've sold up to $10K items so I think I'm hardly selling junk. It's just that ebay has lost ground since I no longer sell 15 to 20% of my offerings. I can't afford to pay to list items that don't produce better than 5% sales. Well thanks for your reply but it hasn't been well recieved.

Don't believe there was any insults toward your items or you...it's a new swing in selling on eBay...it's just a heads UP that's ALL!!! It's not you...

mr_lincoln · ‎06-09-2017

@cal_w62

@cal_w62 wrote:
LOL, you put way too much faith in the intelligence of eBay marketplace executives, their promotions are silly in most cases.

Yes, you may be right there ... my fault is being the eternal optimist ... but the situation I described is exactly what played out on one non-store ID here. The Store ID gets very few but very specific Promos. The non-store gets the 500 Auction or Fixed priced Promos ... had that happen a couple months in a row, built up the total listings to over 500 then ... then no promos most of the way through the following month BUT did get an offer to open a store with the first 3 months free.

Regards,
Mr. Lincoln - Community Mentor

love*glitter* · ‎06-10-2017

I received a promotion for 500 for .05 per listing on Friday. It was for just this account.

Listed one item today as a test. It was taken from my 50 monthly alotment.

I'm not going to use 50 free listings to be able to list for 4 days then none for the rest of the month...and pay $25.00 for the previlege. That's just me.

List 500 items for only five cents each.
Huge savings on insertion fees, pay only $0.05 per listing, for up to 500 listings. Learn More
Start: 06/09/17 07:44:03 PDT
End: 06/13/17 23:59:59 PDT

mikesells80 · ‎06-14-2017

Same thing has happened to me. Non-store gets the promotions and the opportunity to open a store for $5.00/month for three months. So when you open a store, that account no longer gets any promotions, too.

cal_w62 · ‎06-14-2017

Every time eBay sends out an auctions only promotion, millions of sellers turn them down, I know I do, every time they send them out, they are virtually worthless.