What Can eBay Explain to Me For No Sales for a Whole Week?

[ony_chine]

I am beginning to think  a lot is not well in this platform,  what can eBay explain to me for no sales for a whole week? I remember how eBay marketed her managed platform to be one  of the best things  in the whole world. It is very clear  I am  yet to experience the best of managed payment.  There is nothing best here if I am not selling or  I am picking crumps  under the table when I  got  the capacity to eat nice meal. If eBay don't   want sellers to be selling individual items, let them inform us. We can all go to China and be importing  whatever we see there. Please let no one reply that the poster is complaining, I find that very disrespectful when  I am saying facts and  an  ignorant  seller or a clout chaser is saying that I am complaining. So if something is not going right I should keep quiet and be saying "All is Well".  Any day eBay starts performing, I will be the first to say it and make it loud. 

[this*old*attic]

Exactly.

Well…. minus the glut of KW spammed Chinese junk that seems connected to some terms

I also miss the ability to do BROAD searches that we lost with Cassini - in the early 2000s I found all sorts of fun stuff typing “vintage ______”

Fill in the blank: Asian, rug, lamp…..

I found all sorts of treasures that way, like the most amazing vintage buttons - including Satsuma (I was decorating an Asian themed bedroom).

[chapeau-noir]

You're in an very over-saturated category - shoes.  You need to show more than one shoe in your gallery photo and better than "great condition" in your description.  That "nobody reads descriptions" is a fallacy.  SOME don't read descriptions (and they're the ones who cause problems).

[yuzuha]

Eh, I wouldn't even blame that one on Cassini as much as I would say that the sheer volume of items on the site now makes searches like that impossible. It was fine back in the day when there wasn't all that much listed on eBay, but today, there's just plain too much to be able to weed through.

[libersales]

Maybe the problem isn't with Ebay but with the public's realization that anything comitng from China will be held up for weeks maybe months and they are not interested in waiting.

[downunder-61]

Since the OP is in the US, I doubt shipping problems from China would be a consideration

[ony_chine]

I don't accept returns because  my quality control is thorough and I take individual pictures of my items.  Manufacturers/Official Stores of those items don't take individual pictures of their items so they can easily accept returns. If you stumble on an item which don't fit as much as you like , you can easily relist such items with our pictures. Every individual seller have their strategy. If you list quite fast and don't dig into much details, you don't have choice than to accept returns.

[ony_chine · Accepted solution]

I don't  know much about selling books but I can share some of my general knowledge and creativity in selling. Like other sellers  mentioned,  I think  one of major challenges that eBay  got is making too many swift changes to her platform.  I know that they are trying to reposition the brand to make it more viable but they don't do due diligence to understand how it affects the sellers on the platform. eBay  sellers are eBay buyers, if life on eBay is difficult for the sellers, they wont buy because they don't have the funds.

Another challenge eBay is having is that  more people had discovered the opportunities in hosting sellers online during the pandemic. So almost every Social media platform is encouraging their subscribers to start selling. So there is more competition as per hosting sellers. Physical stores have also started hosting seller e.g. Walmart.

My suggestion is for you to stick to known principles of selling, create other avenues of  selling books, sell in other platforms, sell on social media platforms. Create a book review group on Facebook and WhatsApp.  A Book review Group will be more viable than a Page.  A book review group will attract more readers of books who are also potential buyers. You wanna start by reviewing popular books from various works of life. Go to google and search trending books, those are the ones you want to be reviewing in your Book Review Group. You don't need to be selling the book you are reviewing, you just trying to add value to people while creating traffic  for your sales. Invite every member of the group to post their Book Reviews.  Hash tag all your selling platforms links  on all the posts on your Facebook  group .  For example , search your eBay store on google, copy the link and hash tag it on all posts.  Also hash tag the link to your  items on sale on Facebook market place.  I forgot to mention that a book review can be a short write up with the picture of  the book/attractive Image or a short video on the book, make sure your video is not less than 3 minutes on Facebook. If you can make videos consider having a YouTube channel and a Tiktok account. You can also pin all the reviews  on your Book Review Group on Pinterest.   I believe  your sales will rise significantly with this, I hope this helps you in any way, good luck

[ony_chine]

You were hitting the points  back to back, the most annoying recent occurrence is excessive duplicate listing and eBay  seem  not to care  

[ony_chine]

Lol your comment is quite hilarious. Its obvious eBay is trying so hard to be like Amazon without considering the difference between the Corporate image of those two entities. The best way for eBay to compete with Amazon is for eBay to run her race instead of running another entity's race. eBay has  the capacity to run neck to neck with Amazon if eBay designs programs which suits eBay Corporate Image. 

[ony_chine]

Great observation but those wont add significant changes to sales now.  Those can be addendums to a store already making great sales.  I have done those before , it doesn't make much changes .  If the parameters and principles  which will galvanize sales aren't  in place such addendum wont add much  value to sales. For instance, If you over supply a system and spend more time/money to make your items visible, less people will still demand for such item, the fact that you have spent more time/money wont make much difference. We all know the principles of demands and supply.

If you make swift changes to what people are used to,  the interest of the people will drop especially for buyers. How do you feel  when you put on your computer and notice that  the Item bar is no longer at the usual position? This is a very simple example , you are gonna be displeased. eBay makes very erratic changes which affect sellers and buyers, consistent technical and operational changes which are not in tandem with the corporate image of eBay.  These are major issues which melt down sales

[rosesbooks2017collection]

Thank You! ! I am copying your suggestion onto a document and will work with your advice open, specifically on your creative suggestions. A straight direction and point of focus. How sweet and innovative and kind of you to share your knowledge. I am not an avid user of social media, and have been struggling with the little information I do have. A  huge sigh of relief and maybe I'll sleep tonight, a true angel, thank you.  truly rose

[rosesbooks2017collection]

Hi, Something I noticed in the last several conversations with an eBay agent. I've been told to be positive...or they are going to "reset" my account [whatever that is] . My listings are not visible. I can't find them after selling here 6-7 years. The views or traffic has had a downward decline almost to zero visibility. I have a habit and continuously write everything down while in conversation, who I've talked to, the information and service provided by the agent.  I've requested several times for a copy of eBay policies from my start date to current mailed to me or emailed without success. I'm not interested in the little blurbs of content I can view; I'm interested in reading the whole contract, along with all the changes along the way. I like to be an informed customer of services provided and paid for. The main interest is the eBay competition policy. I'm interested in visibility ratings and what makes for the ultimate listing and the "pecking order".  What I need to do to gain a competitive edge. "The Rules". All the "Rules" so I can play on a level playing field. I shouldn't have to pay more to play or compete for visibility space. I don't think I can pay more money to move forward and become visible once again.  I want to use my creativity and build the skills necessary to stay visible. I was sorely disappointed to hear one or two sentences that seemed unethical in regard to eBay policy. Every agent I had the luck to talk with strongly suggested several times  I need to  "promote my listings " or "how about taking out an ad"? That will benefit you as a seller. I heard and recognized a protocol agents must have to follow. selling additional services without promise of a better stature. The promoted listings are missing the store information and is an exact duplicate of the seller's original listing. Duplicate listings are against eBay policy? People are buying copies of their original work without their store name without imagination. Another empty box taking space, my uneducated guess is if you decide to pay more than the average bear ... we'll give you another empty space, another block at the end of the line. My visibility is so poor I'm afraid I won't make a couple sales a month, making my overhead higher than the cost of a basic store. Think paid promotions and taking out additional ads might be reason of the purposeful decline in visibility? No ...  so many sellers are experiencing decline and worried about failing to sell? No ... That wouldn't be good business practice.  Paying to take out an ad or promote your listing isn’t anything special, the listing given to you is just as boring as the original …it’s a duplicate without your name! The listing doesn’t stand out or set a seller apart from the original. A promoted listing is  clearly an extra block a duplicate without the seller’s name. No magic or fanfare.  I can make physical changes. I will take the challenge and get busy and absolutely use your suggestions. I can't afford to pay more than 15% fee at this time. Thank You. Respectfully, rose 

[sakic92710]

The beginning of another pitiful & awful week?  2 days - 2 sales.   My total $ at the market yesterday, in 6 hours, matches about what it takes to get on eBay in 2 weeks (before fees)!   Market = 500 people?  eBay = MILLIONS!  LOL

[bauble-babes]

I've had 2 sales since Oct. 15. Historically, I've made $ hand over fist at this time of year and should be rolling in the dough right now. Feeling very panicky. THANKS be to The Great EBAY DEBACLE (Oct.14)  for screwing things up and sucking the Joy & Profits out of the Holiday Season. Ho Ho HOpeless!

[ony_chine]

My pleasure, I'm glad you found it helpful. We are in Social media age, the pandemic made it firm.