topic Re: not selling in Seller Central

not selling

malcolmblues — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 12:04:34 GMT

i keep listing but no one seems to look or buy any ideas what to do

Re: not selling

therenewalworkshopltd — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 12:38:22 GMT

Nobody has any money at the moment.
All you can do is list and hope. You do of course have the option of advertising as well. How much that helps is another thing entirely.

There are of course other places that you can sell as well.

Re: not selling

department28 — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 13:11:52 GMT

It is probably a combination of things. People aren't spending as much on non-essentials, and also auctions don't seem to be as popular as they used to be. Unless it is a very desirable item, lots of auction items seem to go round & round unsold, or often only get the opening bid. Perhaps switching to 'buy it now' for some items might help?

Also, it looks like you are using Simple Delivery, and if so, I'm not sure why your postage price is set at £4.06? I tried a 'sell similar' listing for one of your items, and I was getting £3.38 for an up to 2kg parcel. My postage setting are for Royal Mail only - maybe you have different couriers enabled?

Re: not selling

suelel1968 — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 13:25:42 GMT

@malcolmblues perhaps people think every Toby Jug looks like Trump like I do. I guess there are collectors but they are just unfashionable I think. My parents house is full of vintage china which I cannot imagine being able to sell on eBay ever.

Your descriptions and photos are fine. I would probably use Buy it now.

Re: not selling

jckl1957 — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 14:17:17 GMT

I think it is the items you are selling. Sorry to be harsh, but the way I see it, my generation (60 somethings) are downsizing and decluttering, and the next generation (like my own grown up children) just don't find those types of things desirable,

Re: not selling

department28 — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 14:31:53 GMT

'perhaps people think every Toby Jug looks like Trump like I do...'

😄

some of them can end up quite crazed, I believe...

Re: not selling

odyssey_60 — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:51:38 GMT

I think you need to come up with a strategy too, in my case I have been limited to only 10 listings and it's been like 6 months since the status have been changed but I try to promote the listings as well as use high resolution images of my listings and use important keywords in the description and title to reach most of the people on the site.

I got positive results and got orders too by applying a strategy and updating it timely even with limited listings.

Re: not selling

selective_distribution — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:49:00 GMT

With greatest respect, the stuff you are selling is the same stuff that Charity Shops are full of, and can`t even give away, As the older population passes away, their families are dumping this sort of stuff, as it is no longer popular, and the younger generations find it naff. Having said that, personally I quite like some of the `Character` items, but then I am quite old myself! Your pictures are good, your prices are fine, it`s just an unpopular genre. Hope you have better luck going forward.

Re: not selling

suelel1968 — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 10:11:17 GMT

@selective_distribution whilst I personally agree with you, there is a market out there. I checked sold items for Toby jugs and there are lots sold regularly. It is obviously a case of "know your market". Most are sold on buy it now and tend to be branded pottery.

Re: not selling

insidethe93 — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 11:11:24 GMT

Perhaps consider including an optional Buy It Now price in with the auction? P.S. I've just noticed message #3 by department28 suggested that; sorry, department28.

I'm one of those buyers who like that option. I choose it increasingly though still only occasionally as sometimes people don't want to wait for the auction to end - my heart sinks when it says 6 days to go; I used to be patient, less so these days! It's not always solely about price e.g. an item's desired right now as a gift or as a craft item to go into an ongoing project or simply a gift to oneself.

A BIN isn't necessarily depriving you the seller as the BIN option disappears once someone bids, and then you're back to hoping there'll be two or more bidders who'll thus raise the price. Though it does mean deciding what your minimum acceptable price is, to start an auction, and what you think is a practical price to set as the BIN, bearing in mind that until the first bid no one who see the BIN price is going to bid above it when they could just pay the BIN. (You probably realise all that already.)

If and hopefully when you get interested buyers, maybe consider sending offers when eBay says buyer(s) have shown interest? (these days - watchers or, often ridiculously, those who've just looked). Because if you do select that option, you'd need to factor it into your prices so that you don't lose out (reasonable buyers expect that). Depending on the percentage discount, it can tip mild interest into a sale.

Good luck.

Re: not selling

department28 — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 13:46:13 GMT

'If and hopefully when you get interested buyers, maybe consider sending offers when eBay says buyer(s) have shown interest?'

The trouble with sending an offer these days, is that the offer price will have the Buyer Protection Fee stuck on top of it... so, the seller has to be aware of this, and either lower the offer price to allow for the BPF - or just hope the price they would like to offer, plus BPF, won't be too off-putting to the potential buyer...

I do think the BPF has made a right pig's ear of offers... and auctions, for that matter. 🙄

Re: not selling

selective_distribution — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 08:17:24 GMT

You have obviously done your research, and as you say `Know your market`. With particular reference to Toby Jugs, I do know that some are collectable (Politicians, Historical figures), and again as you say `Branded` collectables will sell, but I go to local auctions and see a lot of `Toby Jugs` on offer, those few that do sell go for very low prices. Please take this as comment, not criticism. All the best.

Re: not selling

tommystrezures — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 08:51:31 GMT

I would also avoid using AI for your descriptions, which on the few jugs i clicked on you have used.

You have to remember with these Jugs, they are not in vogue, there are collectors out there but not for the modern material you have they will want the earlier 18th/19th century jugs eg Ralph Wood, Wedgwood etc. There is low demand for the modern items you have as the markets would have been saturated. I really don't mean to be harsh but at our local auction house we struggle to give the modern stuff away. They are not mainstream any more.

Re: not selling

tressygirl — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 09:01:33 GMT

For the ones that others have mentioned are not in the ' valuable rare' bracket, that even Charity shops are awash with, why not try and sell say 4 together, see if that works better for you.

For anyone wishing to start a collection this may be seen as a good starter pack.

@malcolmblues

Re: not selling

insidethe93 — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 10:39:44 GMT

Some of those posting know about collectibles (and I know nothing).

My ha'porth is that what isn't fashionable and highly desirable now might be in future, but you don't know how long that'd take. I learned this on clearing relatives' houses.

Not everyone who'd look at your items is a long-term collector. I know a few collecting friends & acquaintances who every few years change (or have to change) what they collect, with the attic crammed with past collections (we've all done it?).

I can also see why someone'd be tempted by your items individually as they're appealing. (That's how many collectors start?) And not everyone scours charity shops or car boot sales: as I get older and more crotchety the more I prefer the comfort of online shopping.

Re: not selling

kath3735_wxmjn — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 12:19:26 GMT

Not sure that your first sentence is strictly accurate, i certainly have been getting sales (not on here though) and plenty of interest. More depends on what you are asking for the items, so many want something for nothing! I could have sold loads more if i accepted all the offers (some ridiculous i may add) that are made. Then again most of my things are clothing whereas the OPs are ceramics (which i have a few of and they are not selling either). So maybe just the type of item rather than other reasons. Car boots will be starting soon so i will clear a lot of that stuff there with impulse buyers.

Re: not selling

kath3735_wxmjn — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 12:21:32 GMT

Agree with you, my sister and i are both in our 70s now and are really starting to declutter because none of the younger generation are interested in these type of items and we have both stopped adding to our various 'collections'.

Re: not selling

therenewalworkshopltd — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 12:31:26 GMT

No, it's not strictly accurate, of course not.

There are always the haves and have nots.

It's just that at this time of year, everybody spent up with Christmas, a very long January for pay packets and we are just getting to payday for the second month of the year.

So yes, an awful lot of people simply do not have spare cash to spend on stuff that is not essential.

And do you not think that cutting things to the bone when selling something is just another indicator of the fact that people don't have spare cash?

Re: not selling

kyanyama — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 23:37:00 GMT

I had a look at some of your items. The Ringtons storage jar title is all in capitals which I believe is not great for the way eBay shows things. Put the title in lower case with the first letter in caps. Also I won't buy from sellers who use AI descriptions cos a computer doesn't know what the item is actually like - more like what you can do with it.

Everyone is paying off their credit cards after Christmas and it's still cold so more money is going into energy instead of buying. Just have to be patient.

And ensure that all your photos are sharp - several I noticed are blurry. I think if you were buying your things you would want to see sharp images. It shows you have taken care. I know it's a pain - I end up taking more photos if the first lot aren't good quality but it really helps. Take the time to ensure the listing is the best you make it.

You might try putting your postage at £3.95? It really does look a lot less than £4.06 although only 11 p cheaper. Try it and see.

Every day is a school day! Good luck!