Just thought I would reply to the actual question being asked as the thread seems to have gone off into an amateur accountants twilight world, which as amusing as it is only makes me think of the saying that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
Perhaps the best way to answer the question is to first ask those that have left what their reasons for leaving were, and having been on the platform for twenty years I have had the chance to do so. The reasons can be varied from 'it is to complex to list now', 'it is to time consuming', 'it is to expensive, the fees are to high', 'no seller support particularly from vindictive buyers', 'promoted listings have killed it', and 'the search system doesn't work properly'.
The one common factor is that these are all ebay created issues.
When I look at the sales patterns over my time on ebay there were always patterns even during the financial crisis between 2008 and 2010 and over the next five years when the austerity measures were brought in (people bought boots in winter and sandals in summer as they do now). Those patterns now are erratic, and have become so since promoted listings came into operation.
I just wonder whether the way the system handles these as induced what in known as the law of unforseen consequences and changed how ebay functions. Perhaps the quote of 'Something is rotten in the state of Denmark' might be pertinent.
Whatever the reason I know that I will be leaving over the next year as the balance of my stock goes and I can only hope that the new sellers have some success. I was told by an ebay custoner services advisor about 15 years ago that to sell on ebay you have to put up with a lot of *bleep*, how right he was!
