How can I get my first sale?

[thecolourfulcamel]

I sold thousands on here from 2013, became ill and got a couple bad feedbacks which killed my sales. I'm trying to get back to eBay now and really struggling to get a single sale. Appreciate any advice 

[tornari-group]

Nice items but maybe too expensive for this platform. When we joined eBay, five sales was the magic number, so just did 5 auctions at a low start, sold for whatever they did (possibly at a loss!), but our account was under way and BIN sales started off. Also, have you thought about Ets*y? Worth a look, to sell alongside eBay. Keep going; it may not happen overnight as retail is a long process sometimes. Good luck.

[ojewellery]

Your items are lovely and the price point is good.  There's a healthy market at that price point for your products.  I sell jewellery and its very good quality, the majority now designed by myself. I don't pitch myself against the sellers of mass produced items under £20.  I make a good living.  Across platforms, even in these trying times I'm finding my customers/ they're finding me.  It is currently harder work than its been historically, optimising is really critical.

eBay listings have evolved quite a bit over the last few years and there are a few important things in listing optimisation.

Lots of photos, minimum of five is considered important.   First photo with a plain background (eBay has a good background removal tool) helps your listings be considered for google shopping.

Images that show the scale and detail of an item make it more attractive.

When I look at a random listing of yours, this is a good example of a listing displayed in other similar items below your item specifics':

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/373674960979

This seller uses multiple photos, a video, uses key item specifics in the title, fills in lots of item specifics has a full detailed bullet pointed description.

The price point is similar for a smaller item but the sales pitch (the listing) far more enticing.

Your 28" square cushion, a floor cushion, has one image shown displayed as a scatter cushion rather than in a horizontal floor position.  As there are no objects or scale in the single image it could just as easily be a 12" scatter cushion.  Very few people are good at scaling or being able to visualised dimensions in their heads.  This devalues it. 

Looking forwards to selling/ marketing your offering, we as a family use floor cushions out on our undercover deck in summer.  They're popular with the teens to pull in and make a nest on the floor (or sofa for that matter) on film nights.  Customers almost need to be sold the lifestyle of what you're offering with a few props and backgrounds.

This article may be of interest with lots of pointers towards eBay tools:

https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Announcements/Useful-links-amp-selling-tools-to-support-your-success...

Also this one has links to the eBay ellevate stuff that I found really useful:

https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Announcements/Start-2024-on-the-front-foot-with-our-New-Year-Checkli...

[nigel_paul_wright7557]

Things have changed on ebay and appear to be much quieter now.

There are more competitors to ebay now.

Even the ones previously there are doing more business.

You can sell stuff for free in a few places now.

[handscartridges]

Sales have dropped a lot on here over the last few years, but in some instances the same has happened on other sites, money is tight and disposable income is not available as much as it use to be.

We have some better weeks but the last few weeks have been very slow.

Like mentioned above there are more sites available now trying to grab the market share so it is getting harder and harder ot make sales.

[thecolourfulcamel]

Wow, this is such a great response! Lots for me to look at and totally agree about my

photos! I need to think whether I'd buy my product based on one photo. Interesting re how you'd use it too as that will help me with key words. Thanks for taking the time to respond 🙂

[thecolourfulcamel]

Thank you. I've been really surprised. Whereas a few views used to be an absolute guarantee on a new listing, it can take days or even weeks for me here now. I'll keep trying though 

[thecolourfulcamel]

Thank you. The situation on another site for handmade items is pretty dire for many. Someone also mentioned the UK high street is  busy again which I'm delighted about but that too will effect sales. There is nothing quite like seeing a product in person. 

[tressygirl]

As an aside and a tip,  I scrolled down your feedback page to find those 2 negatives,  and you could have had them both removed.

Buyers musn't mention cases , refunds,  any eBay involvement, this breaks feedback rules,  and you could have contacted eBay Customer Services who would have removed those negs.  Too late to do that now you have 30 days to appeal a feedback, but worth knowing just in case another appears.

Good luck with the selling of your really lovely looking good quality items!

@thecolourfulcamel