eBay

juststuffisell · ‎12-24-2018

Not asking for any sympathy, and really don't need it, but thought i would share my Christmas sales numbers. If you feel brave, you can always share yours even just the percentages for the other folks to check out.

Can't tell you how disappointed I am given this is the biggest month for Jewelry sales, to include pre-owned jewelry.

From December 1st to December 24th my Sales for the month are right about $2513.00 - I did have a 7 dollar sale (plus shippng) come in in the wee hours that was not added in.

Last year December 1st to December 24th my sales were $4700.01. I had about 40 more sales during that time period. No way I am going to hit my total month revenue either this year...lol

So my total item sales are down 43% year over year and my MTD sales are down a staggering 46% year over year. I am scared to death I might have to Fire myself given I spent more on new inventory in December than I did in gross sales on eBay so far in December...Oops...lol

Anyway, this was actually the most comparable year because I was selling pretty much the same types of inventory this time last year as this year. I ran promotions/sales to no avail.

While it is only my personal opinion, it does kind of corresspond with how ebay has really made changes that impact visibility, CTR and STR. I mean, you are punished for the old click through and sale through rate which is compounded with lower visibility. Then you are punished with "promoted" listing pushing you even further down the search results and then punished again with promoted listing advertised in your listings that result in lower STR....The holidays always bring out more competition... so you kind of throw it all in the air and say...Meh....especially when you haven't figured out how to overcome that beyond selling everything for next to nothing.

I'm not going to pay eBay more money as a pecentage of gross sales so promoted listings is out - the margins simply don't support it. I suppose I can try and tweak my copy/seo which I have been gradually working. I add new inventory every week. I dunno really how much more effort I am willing to put into this platform with any expectation that it is going to result in better anything.

Since I know there will be some people that say:

"Used stuff doesn't sell during Christmas" - I would like to point out that used stuff does sell during Christmas - every Christmas my sales are reasonably brisk and my 2017 seasonal numbers show that. Heck, I am running behind 2016 numbers when I only had a few dozen jewelry items for sale during that holidays.

"You had the wrong stuff being sold" - You might be right because as a "dealer" in used items, stock changes.... 😉 but the pre-owned jewelry items always move and they simply aren't. Makes me sad. I have had to take down more items off of ebay that sold somewhere else this month and I have moved a lot of inventory the last 3 weeks, it's just not been exclusively on eBay.

Ah well. As I said, no sympathy is needed. Just thought I would look at my numbers last night given how the cha ching has been pretty sparse the last couple of weeks and I consider this the end of my "Christmas Season". When I saw them and then looked at the year over year, I was like wow, these are bad, i am going to share them.

Time to see how the Year End Closeout Season goes - I expect just as poorly 😞

All of you have a Very Merry Christmas and a Safe & Happy New Year!

Cheers

dickiedoo14001 · ‎12-28-2018

Collectibles always used to sell no matter the time of year

moms**art**window** · ‎12-28-2018

@juststuffisell wrote:
Not asking for any sympathy, and really don't need it, but thought i would share my Christmas sales numbers. If you feel brave, you can always share yours even just the percentages for the other folks to check out.

Can't tell you how disappointed I am given this is the biggest month for Jewelry sales, to include pre-owned jewelry.

From December 1st to December 24th my Sales for the month are right about $2513.00 - I did have a 7 dollar sale (plus shippng) come in in the wee hours that was not added in.

Last year December 1st to December 24th my sales were $4700.01. I had about 40 more sales during that time period. No way I am going to hit my total month revenue either this year...lol

So my total item sales are down 43% year over year and my MTD sales are down a staggering 46% year over year. I am scared to death I might have to Fire myself given I spent more on new inventory in December than I did in gross sales on eBay so far in December...Oops...lol

Anyway, this was actually the most comparable year because I was selling pretty much the same types of inventory this time last year as this year. I ran promotions/sales to no avail.

While it is only my personal opinion, it does kind of corresspond with how ebay has really made changes that impact visibility, CTR and STR. I mean, you are punished for the old click through and sale through rate which is compounded with lower visibility. Then you are punished with "promoted" listing pushing you even further down the search results and then punished again with promoted listing advertised in your listings that result in lower STR....The holidays always bring out more competition... so you kind of throw it all in the air and say...Meh....especially when you haven't figured out how to overcome that beyond selling everything for next to nothing.

I'm not going to pay eBay more money as a pecentage of gross sales so promoted listings is out - the margins simply don't support it. I suppose I can try and tweak my copy/seo which I have been gradually working. I add new inventory every week. I dunno really how much more effort I am willing to put into this platform with any expectation that it is going to result in better anything.

Since I know there will be some people that say:
"Used stuff doesn't sell during Christmas" - I would like to point out that used stuff does sell during Christmas - every Christmas my sales are reasonably brisk and my 2017 seasonal numbers show that. Heck, I am running behind 2016 numbers when I only had a few dozen jewelry items for sale during that holidays.
"You had the wrong stuff being sold" - You might be right because as a "dealer" in used items, stock changes.... 😉 but the pre-owned jewelry items always move and they simply aren't. Makes me sad. I have had to take down more items off of ebay that sold somewhere else this month and I have moved a lot of inventory the last 3 weeks, it's just not been exclusively on eBay.

Ah well. As I said, no sympathy is needed. Just thought I would look at my numbers last night given how the cha ching has been pretty sparse the last couple of weeks and I consider this the end of my "Christmas Season". When I saw them and then looked at the year over year, I was like wow, these are bad, i am going to share them.

Time to see how the Year End Closeout Season goes - I expect just as poorly 😞

All of you have a Very Merry Christmas and a Safe & Happy New Year!

Cheers

This year on eBay,has been tough spent a major part of year redoing listings,trying to work around what i tagged in tech discussions as "sneaky change" that hit sales hard,we had dramatically improved merchandise updated photos,descriptions,our sales were down over all,just did the math for the year 15% and shipping costs up 15% but i think had many of the changes not been made on eBays part (a few good changes but most were counter productive counter intuitive, one good one i think is BO on auction items) sales with our improvements would have been up an optimistic 170% if they would and wouldn't made the right/wrong changes the eBay stock could have done the same,part of the problem is the algorithm for best match isn't figuring in value with one of a kind items only price and popularity they need to create a handicap in the algorithm since there is no reference on one of a kind items with maybe a handicap of per $100 dollar formula so that a more diverse $ amount selection turns up in best match to many lower end items are showing in best match General search not a precise BM search (for instance the BM on eBay art is showing a bunch of prints that are MP not showing enough less looked at but more desirable higher priced quality items) this is because the lack of reference is only showing cheap popular looked at MP items because of lack of reference to value,algorithm can't determine value because there isn't a reference,many good items lose visibility that sell but at a lower conversion rate but far more lucrative to justify burying them,this also drives the price down for market value a makes it near impossible to create a market,that's where i think the money went,there just isn't enough super popular higher dollar items that work with the present algorithm on one of a kind items for buyers to see them without a precise search and causes buyers to unwittingly buy cheaper items they may not be happy with for lack of reference.if you are unaware of the changes look in tech discussions and find the tag sneaky change,this is only one of many theories including my "sneaky change"tag that shows all the crazy changes notice throughout the year including lost photos in march(no telling how many sellers they lost last year they made a bunch mad just on the photo's) but i followed this last year pretty close,pulled a lot of hair out took a toll on already failing health,this year has made me very fatigued and skittish of listing on eBay,still don't trust GTC because of lost photos,didn't relist many items trying other things to move forward,try not to be negative but honest,this last year in many ways was likened to being betrayed by a family member over and over again.got a lot i want to list/buy here but it makes me nervous i know it really does to spend money.those sellers that left were buyers eBay seems to separate the 2 but many times they are both.

adkhighker · ‎12-28-2018

I'm sorry it didn't go well for you. The two weeks preceding Christmas were 2 of the best weeks I ever had because I had zero listings, zero sales, I didn't have to put up with all the crazy buyers that come of the woodwork in December or USPS slowdowns or Christmas returns, etc etc. Most relaxing Christmas ever! 🙂

emerald40 · ‎12-28-2018

I know jewelry. Have been searching ebay for 20 years.

Your fine european diamond ring - .76 carat - poor cut, and looks much browner than I - $3,000.

I just bought a .75 VS1 F GIA graded diamond - ideal cut for $1,550.

Same for the turquoise and diamond ring.

Yes, jewelry sells and will sell for Valentine's Day if it is priced right.

Sorry, but you need to do some comparisons. The sellers I buy from sell every piece of jewelry they list.

emerald40 · ‎12-28-2018

You might want to review the listing I mentioned.

You have two different carat wights lisetd.

Refer to it as two different clarity grades

And also state two different cut grades.

redline_auto_llc · ‎12-28-2018

My sales are down almost 50 percent for December. Generally, December is one of my better months, which is surprising considering that I sell used car parts. Still, my best week in November was $6,000 in sales, this week I might hit $500. Kind of painful. Add on to that that I've had $1,500 in fraudulent returns this month, a 17% unpaid item rate, and it's looking like the beginning of the end for my business, at least on eBay. With sales this poor and fraud so high, I can't afford to replenish inventory and still cover my shop bills.

uncseniorsportsfan · ‎12-28-2018

I've been taking 7-10 days off before Christmas for the past 15 years. I also don't care to have anxious buyers or the long lines at the post office spoil my holiday.

This year because Christmas was on a Tuesday and ebay gave me 200 free listings expiring on the 23rd, I decided to begin listing after the post office closed on Sat. the 22nd. Surprise, surprise - I was at the post office on the 24th with 4 packages (no line either). I expect to do as well or better from Dec. 23-31 as I did from Dec. 1-15 as that has been the norm for me for quite a few years.