Sales slow in Junuary 2024

[theglo-68]

Hello,

This is our first business year and have been good so far especially in December.

My question : is it normal to have low Sales in Junuary - February.

Please guide.

Thanks

[vintagechinashop]

It really depends on what you sell. For me January to April are usually very good months 

[ojewellery]

It'd be slightly easier to advise if you were posting from your seller ID so we could see the sort of products you sell.

My December sales are 20/25% of my annual turnover.  Around 40/50% turnover during Q4. 

Being jewellery build up to Valentine's is good as is mother's day. Then a few quieter months before things pick up in summer.

Assuming you're a business seller with shop? If you spend some time playing on terrapeek you can look at sales volumes last quarter, half year year and get a better feel for volumes of different products at different times of year.

My Jan is quieter than Dec, but quietest month probably May.

Do you benchmark yourself against a few sellers of similar items?  It's a great way of checking if sales are down because it's something you've got wrong or if you're performing at the same level or even better.

[btr.style]

In clothing it certainly is. Best sellers fly off the shelves until Christmas delivery can't be guaranteed and then there's a few sales around Christmas itself but as soon as it hits NYE, sales dry up a lot. 

January is always a who knows sort of month. Lower sales are to be expected with people being spent out after Christmas, but also with clothing, for many it feels too late to buy Autumn/Winter stuff but too early to start buying Spring/Summer. Weather can determine this too.

[bravergrace]

It really depends what you're selling and who you're selling to.

If you're selling to schools, there tends to be a flurry of activity just before term ends, and then again in March/April, as schools try to "use up their budget" - because they're afraid that if they don't spend it all, then next year they'll be told "You obviously didn't need all that money for the school library/showers/stationery, so we'll cut your budget for next year."

If you're selling baby stuff, sales may be more even through the year - some extra for Christmas presents, but it's needed all year round.  On the other hand, in summer, people may be buying second-hand at car boot sales.

If you're selling car spares, that's probably less seasonal - but pushbike parts may be used less in the winter, because leisure users don't use their bikes so much - unless they're stripping them down and overhauling them. 

Best thing to do, is wait and see.  If you find your sales are too seasonal for comfort, do what the beach sellers have always done - hedge your bets.  Sell parasols and umbrellas, sunhats and rainhats, ice-creams and hot coffee.

[simplyessential_uk]

As mentioned already hard to answer a question when we dont know what you are selling but typically most shops/sales experience quiet Januarys as everyones spent up and its a 5 wk month so all that xmas spend will be hitting the credit cards soon.  Im typically quiet but come Feb very busy (but I sell sensual massage oil so lots of sexy time coming up for people in Feb 😂)

[katjapedro2008]

Yes it is absolutly normal, the last years I had almost no sales in January, people have spent for christmas and probably almost of the January payslip is covering the overdraft already at the beginning of Februar, I know some friends have this issue. I had 2 sales.

As they say ''hope dies last''.

[cobwebcottage]

You really should ensure that you are correctly registered before offering business advice to other business members.

Business seller policy | eBay

[palison_123]

If you have no feedback and therefore no sales  ...How can it be any worse ?

[nigel_paul_wright7557]

I usually find it quiet after xmas.

People are paying off credit cards for what they spent over xmas.

[trevcald]

its normal jan & feb are usually a bit sales depressed just a bit lower this year cos quite a few ppl are feeling the pinch but depends on what your selling or baseline sales are steady just the main profit is seasonal and usually comes oct to december but 2023 was a bit odd xmas sals didnt really begin till last week of November 5 weeks later than normal so we're not hopeful for 2024 think its going to be a "challenging" year across all our selling platforms of which ebay is one

[galvanizer123]

My sales dropped off the edge of a cliff. People were starting to lowball me expecting a 25 to 35% discount which is untenable. I think people are genuinely short of money due to the recession. They want my goods but want a huge discount. Good job I cleared my inventory prior to January. Usually it's very good.