We are finally fed up

[bingodot3]

NWT Items and for almost year we had three sales at some reasonable prices 50% or less than retail.  So we dropped our prices to rock bottom 75% of retail  still no sale, so then we offer 10% off of that we finally make 3 or four sales over each of the last few months but still every thing we made went to eBay.  By the time we paid our store fee and eBays 10%, the postage (which is the highest cost for us as a seller), not to mention labels and envelopes, we made nothing.  We are just not selling enough.  I think we will cut our losses and run.

Anyone interested in buying our stock. 151 items and few not listed I will let you have them at $3 each you pay shipping.

Just not worth paying eBay to give our stuff away or pay eBay to have a store that makes no sales.

[luckythewinner]

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@bingodot3 wrote:

NWT Items and for almost year we had three sales at some reasonable prices 50% or less than retail.  So we dropped our prices to rock bottom 75% of retail  still no sale, so then we offer 10% off of that we finally make 3 or four sales over each of the last few months but still every thing we made went to eBay.  By the time we paid our store fee and eBays 10%, the postage (which is the highest cost for us as a seller), not to mention labels and envelopes, we made nothing.  We are just not selling enough.  I think we will cut our losses and run.

Anyone interested in buying our stock. 151 items and few not listed I will let you have them at $3 each you pay shipping.

Just not worth paying eBay to give our stuff away or pay eBay to have a store that makes no sales.

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1) It sounds like there is not much demand for your items. For example, "Daisy Fuentes Straight Leg 10" shows only one sold item in the last 90 days - at half your price.

2) Comparing your prices to "retail" is a waste of time. No one comes to eBay to pay retail prices for clothes. You need to compare your prices to the going rate on eBay.

3) Advertising items on this board (especially when you state that you want to avoid paying eBay fees) is against policy.

[chapeau-noir]

There's nothing wrong with your listings - it's just that, unfortunately, those are tough brands to sell because most are super-saturated.  FWIW, I sell clothing and have had to re-jig my sales time and again to keep up.  I'm just a small consignment seller and it still seems like things are always changing.  

If you really want them gone, I'd do $10-15 per with free ship, final clearance.  At least get your investment back out of them.

[fashunu4eeuh]

Took a look at your listings. You have presented your items very well. That is not the issue, as others have noted. I'm afraid that labels like Apt 9, St Johns Bay, Koret, and Dress Barn et al, are just not in demand like the popular high-end designer goods. And unknown labels do not do well here because eBay is very brand-centric. Often the name recognition helps draws in customers to listings.

In addition, it is difficult to be a No Return seller when clothes are your primary items. In ecommerce, buyers do not have the ability to try on clothes before purchase or know if the sizing or colors are accurate, for example. Why would a customer take a chance and be stuck with a garment they cannot use? I can go to Old Navy and try on their mid-rise capri pant, or purchase it from their online store, at about the same price point as you are selling yours. But at the store or their online venue, I can send it back for a full refund. I might take a chance for a deeply discounted garment on eBay with a No Returns seller, but not at the same price I can get it from the source. If at all possible, having a more buyer-friendly return policy might help sales. 

Good luck and hope your sales improve.

[brettyg599]

Well I used to have free returns on all my clothing and ran under 3% return rate for about 8 years on ebay. I know offer free returns on only about half my 2000 items and my return rate is over 6% now with my return rate being over 8% for items over 40 bucks. 

So unfortunately with the profit margin being so slim as the seller stated they would do nothing but lose more money offering free returns in my opinion.

I believe there was a shift in the way the search algorithm at some point that really only put your free returns high in the search if the buyer specifically selected "free returns"  In the event a buyer specifically is looking if they can return something their return rate will be much higher than just a standard shopper who does not select "free returns"

So not sure what the fix is, to make it in clothing the inventory has to me top notch and if its top notch you can probably sell it faster on other sites for less fees. Ebay is losing its competitive edge if they haven't already lost it.

I run a store here tho and hope they can get new management to bring positive change to the marketplace. Goodluck with selling all! 🙂

[chapeau-noir]

I've never had free returns - I feel like it's a mistake for a small seller like myself without all that much margin. I offer 30 day returns, though - no hassle or fuss.

[inhawaii]

Nobody wants to buy your stuff. Who are you fed up with?

[fashunu4eeuh]

Hi @brettyg599 

I offer free returns, but it is not for everyone. My returns happen about once every two years, so it is worth it to my business to offer that convenience. In the case of the OP, i wouldn't advise free returns, but perhaps a 30 day return policy with buyer paying return shipping would help sales.

[bingodot3]

Those brands have actually sold well over the last 3 years so you are wrong.   Most of those sales are in the Bible belt.  There are other styles we sell only in California and others only in NY but those two areas have slowed down.  Right Now our Florida Sales are up 75% of our sales in the last three months have been to Florida, 10% in Texas.

We have Linda Allard which are great retail sellers,  we have two skirts they sold in store for $165. these skirts have  watchers (vultures really) the skirts have been marked own from our original $29.99 to $15 these are very low prices.  it is not about what we are selling as it is about cheap A$$ People. 

Like I get such low ball offers on items that are already so low in price.  I fee like I just I want to send them a note that reads like this, "I am so glad you really like the Item I will tell you what, I will just give it to you and an BTW I will pay for the postage, the advertising, the label. and the packaging, give you my time, my gas to drive it to the post office, and tear and wear on  my car.  So that you can have it for FREE!"   Because when it comes down to it so far that is all we are doing giving things away and paying eBay to do it.

We lowered everything down to drive up sales this was eBay's suggestion and it drove up our sales so that at least the sales cover the store.  We still have not made a penny when it comes down to brass tack (tax).  We are tired of fighting people for bulked NWT Closeouts actions.  We are tired of traveling to make bids on bundles of NWT clothes, to find out the clothes in the middle of the bulked items are not equally represented by those on the surface (you are not allowed to open the bundles).  Everyone is allowed to look at the bundles and then place a bid.  We learned later some people know the people bundling the items and knew which ones to bid for always wonder why they show up never look and always bid. 

[bingodot3]

We have accepted every return whether ours or their fault unquestioned. We just did not advertise free returns because it costs us more to have it and as you say it drives the return rate up.

[angwjea]

 you should reduce your listings to 50 and under & open up another few accounts to list the others if you must   your lose money on that stuff it doesn't sell good and those store fees will eat your profits  or put you in the red & woman want to try before they buy  and most dont wear short skirts dresses  any more  or dress up anymore its  trashcan fashion now a days from walmart 

[sakic92710]

eBay is just getting worse & worse.  I've had 4 sales this week.  I list items that are very different form yours.  As far as I'm concerned, does it really matter what you list.  If buyers, who can actually find your listings in the flawed search system, are going to be cheap or tire kickers or just watchers, forget about being successful here.  Good luck to us all.     🙂

[disneyshopper]

I am a low volume seller, selling in a niche market.  I usually price my items 20% below the sticker price, and recently decided to offer 20% discount on a majority of the t-shirts I have listed.  (I selected to run the sale on my store category, but for some reason, not all of the items included the markdown.)

We are slowly approaching the midpoint of the sale (March 1 to March 31) and not one item has sold that is marked down.  Glad I didn't decide to use the Promotional offer, as many buyers don't like Sponsored listings!)

I'm retired, and paying for warehouse space, so not looking to quit anytime soon.  I looked into selling on Amazon, but I would have to retake the majority of my items as they want a white background, and no mannequins used.  Seems like too much work.

[mobley120]

People are buying mass amounts of toilet paper; it's a big wipe... A lot of sellers are having slow sales; mine got so bad, I gave up on feeBay, just gonna do a yard sale or two this year... Good luck to you, which ever way you go.

[chapeau-noir]

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@mobley120 wrote:

People are buying mass amounts of toilet paper; it's a big wipe... A lot of sellers are having slow sales; mine got so bad, I gave up on feeBay, just gonna do a yard sale or two this year... Good luck to you, which ever way you go.

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You just HAD TO, didn't you?! 😆