What "revision" does eBay want?

[friskya]

One of my items has had this notation in the active listings section for some time now: "This listing hasn't had any sales in the last XX months. Please consider revising it."

This item has been revised multiple times since that notation first appeared, but no matter what I've changed (price, shipping term, description, etc.) that message remains. I've even gone so far as to change it from BIN to auction and back again after no bids and STILL that message appears.

What type of revision are they want me to make? More importantly, why haven't any of the revisions I've made to date been sufficient to clear that message?

[reallynicestamps · Accepted solution]

Nothing special.

The eBay bots just think the listing is dead.

Take it down. Let it rest for a couple of weeks and then relist it as Sell Similar.

It's been up for 16 months without a nibble. Maybe it's a long tail product, like my books. Maybe it's an item with a limited audience, like my British Columbia postage stamps.

Or maybe it is actually unsaleable and you should cut your losses and not relist it.

[friskya]

Well to be honest, the eBay bots are probably right. It's been up for almost 3 years with lots of views. Even a few watchers from time to time.  (I never knew there were eBay bots keeping track of these things - I learned something new)

I'll try your suggestion of taking it down for a while and relisting again later. Can't hurt and since no one seems interested in doing more than looking or watching, I can't see where I would be any worse off than I am now.

[sales_sales_sales_sales]

Leave it up unless it is costing you listing fees! MANY items on ebay wait months & even years till that 1 person comes along.

[reallynicestamps]

Yeah. Most of the time we see a 16 month time on the note.

Buyers don't see that btw.

I think the longest I have had an item in stock is seven years before selling, but that is only because some of my earliest listings did not have a date code on them.

[gagodbou]

SALL IT MEANS IS FEEDBACK REVISION THAT THEY NEVER LET YOU DO.

[bimm_corp]

@friskya 

>What type of revision are they want me to make

The same thing they tell all sellers. Lower the price so the item sells quicker. eBay gets the fees and doesn't care if the seller loses profit. Wait till eBay begins dictating prices. Won't happen, you say? Remember you first heard it here.

[inhawaii]

That's a nice way of saying 

"Look, this thing hasn't sold in a long time. Do something about it for crying out load. Change the wording. Lower the price. Add some pictures. Something!   😉

[tuvo-68]

You can make a new listing, maybe you will have customer with that.

[friskya]

Yeah... I decided to take @reallynicestamps advice and have pulled it down for a while. 

It's probably just as well. When I went looking for it so I could put it aside (I pack everything for shipping as soon as I list), I couldn't find it. I should keep them all in one place, instead of scattered about the house, I suppose.

It'll turn up eventually, I'm sure, but it would have been awfully embarrassing if had happened after the sale.

[varebelrose]

You didnt mention changing the title, thats often what worked for me in this circumstance.

If you already took it down, there is no need to wait before relisting, if you immediately do a "sell similar" it will show as a brand new listing.