eBay

quadcitypickers · ‎05-18-2017

It seems every time I turn on the TV, I see a new "app" being advertised to sell stuff from your phone, there are dozens of them now.

Then you have dozens of local "Groups" on your popular social media platform.

Then when you add here, and several other sites you can sell stuff, on top of groups, and apps, you have literally over 50 places to sell stuff.

This has created a huge attention spectrum deffict, because now people are looking everywhere to find stuff, rather than the old "standbys".

I think in the near future this spectrum is going to cause dissaray because people don't want to look everywhere to find stuff, and people don't want to list something everywhere to gain maximum exposure.

emerald40 · ‎05-18-2017

Not good news for the seller, but buyers love it.

I went shopping with my DIL the other day and she was looking for a new toaster oven.

We went into one store, she looked at the price of one, did a search on her phone, and showed me how the same model came up in different stores with their pricing.

After being satisfied that the store we were in had the lowest price, she then bought it.

And that is why I shake my heads when some sellers say they are going to stick to their price no matter how long it takes.

Maybe when online shopping first started or if you have unique one of a kind vintage items.

But with the new stuff, unless you are extremely rich, today's younger generation, because of all their debt, is becoming more frugal and definitely searching by price.

victorjunkman55 · ‎05-18-2017

Used to be you could find anything you were looking for right here on eBay. Not anymore. There are many places or venues to sell on the Internet, one forever trying to outdo the other. eBay has lost it's Luster, many leaving for other sites, and the Flood of sellers from China taking over eBay. When I can sell more on my personal facebook page then eBay, sometimes I wonder what the hell I'm doing here. Good Luck to you.

emerald40 · ‎05-18-2017

Ebay used to have the lowest prices compared to b&m stores or items no one else had.

I am willing to pay more if ebay is the only place I can find it, but not for goods found everywhere else as well.

quadcitypickers · ‎05-18-2017

I used to sell on the local facebook group, but people didn't like the rules and made a new one, and then those people didn't like the rules and made their own.

I live in a town of about 30,000 people, we now have over SIXTY groups to sell things.

I'm not posting my wares sixty times, and I'm not gonna look in sixty places.

mistwomandancing · ‎05-18-2017

I agree with you that there are more and more places to sell and ways to handle it now that just a few years ago even. It's a madhouse, isn't it.

We see people complaining here all the time (and for years back) about how "the sales just aren't there anymore" etc. but the truth is, the sales are still there and very likely growing like crazy, but it's all being spread out among millions and millions of sellers now. None of us are getting as large a share of the pie as we originally did years ago when we were in on the ground floor.

One thing that helps me is to have several accounts here. While one account doesn't seem to be as *active* for awhile, most often another account seems to have magically sprung to life here. Hmmmmm.....

Plus, this isn't the only place or way to offer your merchandise for sale, so I'm a big fan of some of the upscale consignment shops around my town. Lots of folks box up inventory that has been overlooked long enough on eBay and hit a flea market every couple of months, etc. Lots of ways to sell stuff, and it seems smart right now to try and expand a little from just a single eBay selling account.

Hope you find what will work smartly for you!

victorjunkman55 · ‎05-18-2017

FB does have seller pages & selling groups, but you pay to join or sell. I don't, I just post pictures of my stock, Hundreds of pictures, Where others have pictures of their cute baby, I show my Glassware. Not only do my "Friends" buy from me, but because all my settings are on "Public" mode, I get questions and sales from people I don't know. (you can send money right on FB in your messages) I've had 8 sales this month on FB, but only 6 on eBay. I pay fees to sell here. I pay no fees to sell on FB. I never would put all my eggs in one basket. Good Luck.

liw48 · ‎05-18-2017

It is We, the consumer, who is killing the prices. We're the ones causing the race to the bottom.

@illinoistreasures wrote:
I used to sell on the local facebook group, but people didn't like the rules and made a new one, and then those people didn't like the rules and made their own.

I live in a town of about 30,000 people, we now have over SIXTY groups to sell things.

I'm not posting my wares sixty times, and I'm not gonna look in sixty places.

L. Wright, Chicago

southern*sweet*tea · ‎05-18-2017

@victorjunkman55 wrote:
FB does have seller pages & selling groups, but you pay to join or sell. I don't, I just post pictures of my stock, Hundreds of pictures, Where others have pictures of their cute baby, I show my Glassware. Not only do my "Friends" buy from me, but because all my settings are on "Public" mode, I get questions and sales from people I don't know. (you can send money right on FB in your messages) I've had 8 sales this month on FB, but only 6 on eBay. I pay fees to sell here. I pay no fees to sell on FB. I never would put all my eggs in one basket. Good Luck.

When you sell in these groups, are the items you sell pickup only? Or can you actually ship? I sell online because I live too far from town and with our work hours meeting up with someone, or waiting for them to show up is out of the question. Is the reach more than just local? Are there nationwide groups?

The easier you are to offend the easier you are to control.

We seem to be getting closer and closer to a situation where nobody is responsible for what they did but we are all responsible for what somebody else did. - Thomas Sowell

victorjunkman55 · ‎05-18-2017

No groups, No fees. No prices listed, No local pickups, ( I would never meet with any buyer, from any site, Including eBay) I just post pictures, nothing more, and with public view on my page, anyone can see my Items, Including you, I sell from my personal FB page, has nothing to do with eBay or it's policies of selling outside of eBay. As I tell posters on these boards when they are having trouble with Low or no sales, " Get Jiggy" with it, and I know how to dance. Good Luck.

junkintrunkvintage · ‎05-18-2017

**Are there nationwide groups?**

I would be interested to know that too. I have no interest in selling locally. On the occasion, I sell stuff of CL, it's a real PITA to coordinate pick up, meeting, etc.

The one caveat is--you do have cash in hand and no worries about returns.

sockmonkeydave · ‎05-18-2017

@quadcitypickers

Hello, from the great state of Southern Illinois.

( we tried to break off from you northern folks )

We have our own flag you know.

It is tight out here, people are only buying needs, not wants.

And as we boomers get older, we are selling off our junk.

But kids today don't collect, they don't want the baggage.

liw48 · ‎05-18-2017

I have never figured out how to sell on FB. In fact, I don't know how to navigate FB pages, which I think is the worst design. It's like looking at a huge complex maze, every FB page I go to. I'm in the process of getting my own website going. It's going to take time.

@victorjunkman55 wrote:
No groups, No fees. No prices listed, No local pickups, ( I would never meet with any buyer, from any site, Including eBay) I just post pictures, nothing more, and with public view on my page, anyone can see my Items, Including you, I sell from my personal FB page, has nothing to do with eBay or it's policies of selling outside of eBay. As I tell posters on these boards when they are having trouble with Low or no sales, " Get Jiggy" with it, and I know how to dance. Good Luck.

L. Wright, Chicago

copper.boom · ‎05-18-2017

@victorjunkman55 wrote:
No groups, No fees. No prices listed, No local pickups, ( I would never meet with any buyer, from any site, Including eBay) I just post pictures, nothing more, and with public view on my page, anyone can see my Items, Including you, I sell from my personal FB page, has nothing to do with eBay or it's policies of selling outside of eBay. As I tell posters on these boards when they are having trouble with Low or no sales, " Get Jiggy" with it, and I know how to dance. Good Luck.

@victorjunkman55 Curious what kind of traffic you get from that and whether or not you promote the FB page...

victorjunkman55 · ‎05-18-2017

I have no Idea how many people look at my FB page (open to the public) but I will say I have made more this month on FB then I have with eBay, and I owe fees here. I want no red envelopes, So I'm done here. Good Luck to you.