Where are all the customers?

[movieman630]

Did somebody forget to put out the "open" sign?  Are we closed?  I can't support a family on this!  I've been working hard to keep my site updated.  I add new listings constantly.  I use promotions above the "suggested rate". 

Where are the customers?  They were just here not to long ago. 

Or is it just me?

Sincerely,

A man with 3 children to feed...  Including one that's only 6 months old. 

P.S.  Please fix whatever is broken.

[krazzykats]

If my children were still of school age, I imagine I'd be busy shopping for school clothes and supplies. I suspect Dollar Tree is doing quite well with their school supplies sales at the moment.🤣

[taffgiraffe]

is there a big-huge market for patches?

[yuzuha]

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@taffgiraffe wrote:

is there a big-huge market for patches?

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This was my first thought. It looks like OP sells very niche items, meaning that any fluctuations in that niche can cause overall sales to tank. This is, unfortunately, one of the risks of putting all of your eggs into one basket when it comes to inventory.

[safan80]

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People don't have to buy goods off ebay especially when amazon sells cheap junk. If you need sales how about facebook marketplace?

The guy is Total Recall had 5 kids.... Eddie Murphy has 10 kids I'm aware of... Might be up to ~22.

@movieman630 wrote:

Did somebody forget to put out the "open" sign?  Are we closed?  I can't support a family on this!  I've been working hard to keep my site updated.  I add new listings constantly.  I use promotions above the "suggested rate". 

Where are the customers?  They were just here not to long ago. 

Or is it just me?

Sincerely,

A man with 3 children to feed...  Including one that's only 6 months old. 

P.S.  Please fix whatever is broken.

---

[herway]

I find it ridiculous that people blame kids going back to school and the same families vacationing as the reason for slow sales.

That would mean that the demographic of buyers are mostly people 25-50 with children. There are many people in the world with grown children or no children and fat bank accounts. Many people don’t vacation. 
Oh and the high heat used as a reason, if it’s hot outside people stay inside and would have more time to shop online.

Historically July and August have been the best months of the year for me but sales tanked big time this year.

I agree with other posters, it is the algorithm. What is wrong with it? I have no idea.

[sakic92710]

This deserves 'best answer' recognition!   🙂

[herway]

ah sucks ☺️

[chubbycatcollectibles]

Yep it is "Slower than Owl Poop" as my Father used to say.  The only direction to go is up from here.  

[bgt_masters_of_tiki_d]

The search feature has been horrible and has been getting worse every time I look. I can do a search where over hundreds of items are pulled up but only a handful are of the actual item being searched. That can't be helping with sales. 

In my category I've been having bad days/week followed but great ones but the remorse returns are what's killing me lately. I had $2000 in returns in about 2.5 weeks. Often they are returned haphazardly just tossed into bubble mailers (when they will obviously get damaged doing so) or large empty boxes with no other protection and get damaged on the way back. I keep chugging along but it certainly has me second guessing relying on ebay as a main income source.  The effort and return is just not balancing out anymore, that much in returns followed by a bad sales week is hard to bounce back from. And they normally correlate.

[simba6]

You need to broaden your product line.  Your selling into a very limited market.

[fashunu4eeuh]

 “Where are the customers?  They were just here not to long ago. 

Or is it just me?…”

After looking at your replies to  buyer criticism in feedback comments, i wouldn't be surprised that customers have gone.  Maybe they went to other sellers who are not angry, insulting, or sarcastic when an issue arises.

[richard1rst]

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@stainlessenginecovers wrote:

It's nothing but the typical eb/flo of selling. Selling is cyclical and NOT necessarily the same as LY.

My last 10 July's have looked like this: (can you explain why?)

2014 $10941

2015 $10845

2016 $12995

2017 $7046

2018 $11088

2019 $5673

2020 $7236

2021 $9395

2022 $12754

2023 $10109

2024 $12910

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Why? Because a Butterfly flapped its wings.

Why? Because the Invisible Hand twitched.

Why? Because Murphy’s Law always applies.

Why? Because the sun was in their eyes.

Why? Because there is a hole in their paddle.

Why? Because there are more reasons on earth than are dreamt of in your philosophies.

--

Take your pick.

[inhawaii]

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@powell-collectibles wrote:

I can guarantee you that every single business decision you’ve made over the past 15 years regarding your eBay business is based on what it would do for you. I can’t imagine that you would ever be faced with a decision on inventory to buy, and ask yourself how much eBay would get out of the transaction, and make that the deciding factor and what you do. You are out for yourself and your family – that is the way it should be. eBay is out for itself – that is the way it should be. You don’t care about eBay, eBay doesn’t care about you. eBay doesn’t have the capacity to care about you – it is a corporation. The sole focus is to make money for shareholders.  Your family does not come into the picture when eBay is making decisions. 

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<applause>

[inhawaii]

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@herway wrote:

I find it ridiculous that people blame kids going back to school and the same families vacationing as the reason for slow sales.

That would mean that the demographic of buyers are mostly people 25-50 with children. There are many people in the world with grown children or no children and fat bank accounts. Many people don’t vacation. 
Oh and the high heat used as a reason, if it’s hot outside people stay inside and would have more time to shop online.

Historically July and August have been the best months of the year for me but sales tanked big time this year.

I agree with other posters, it is the algorithm. What is wrong with it? I have no idea.

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So you think people want to buy what the op is selling but ebay is somehow preventing them from doing so?

[reallynicestamps]

You had 11 sales today.

And 703 sales in the past three months.

Is the problem a lack of sales or that the prices you get are unprofitably low?

Your ten negatives and seven neutrals in the past year may also be part of the problem.

Not to mention your Responses.

It's my experience that customers who post negatives are those who cannot figure out how to open a Claim and act as a shield over many more customers who did make and win Claims.

Do you have a lot of Defects for lost Claims?