Impressions broken again??

[swiss_expert_uk]

Can you please check if there is another problem with impressions? Another counting glitch? These stats can not be correct. Organic impressions promoted views down to under 3000 views today at time of writing. This time last week almost 73000 views. Please help.  dave@ebay kat@ebay 

[auntietootieblue]

Yes thats what I've done,tried a test at promoting all my listings and didn't get anymore sales, all it did was bring in more impressions on the promoted.  I normally promote half of my stock and half not and the funny thing is most of my sales normally are from non promoted items.  I have also done a test and not promoted any well that definitely guarantees no sales at all unless I promote something. All promoting items seems to do is bring impressions in on my chart thats it.

So I had 2 sales yesterday in the morning, no sales since this morning at the same time, 2 sales again and guess was ziltch since.  So I can pretty much guarantee that there will be no more sales for me today until tomorro are the same time. The sales are within a hour of each other then switched back off again.

If I'm lucky I was averging 7/8 a day when I have around 2500 items listed at any one time.  Now I have only got around 1800 listed and I get 2 sales so I'm guessing this is some sort of percentage on what I am allowed as to what I have listed.

[paul*tribesandvibes*]

We have just under 200 items listed these days, and prior to the July date, we seemed to be averaging about 4 sales a day. Which was rubbish, but time of year/economy / blah blah blah and we just thought it was the new 'normal' for Summer. But THIS! This is something quite different! Now we have 1 sale a day, or 1 sale in 36 hours depending on how ebay feels about us. So @auntietootieblue  I dont necessarily think its on a percentage of listings - I'm starting to think that everyone on this thread is on the naughty step and are having their sales rationed.

We promote all of our listings because nothing happens if we dont. Our PL's are going down down down and the organic promotions are going up up up! Go figure!

Switch on / switch off.

Wax on / wax off ...

Rinse, lather, repeat until Seller quits.

[swiss_expert_uk]

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@auntietootieblue wrote:

So I had 2 sales yesterday in the morning, no sales since this morning at the same time, 2 sales again and guess was ziltch since.  So I can pretty much guarantee that there will be no more sales for me today until tomorro are the same time. The sales are within a hour of each other then switched back off again.

Had this exact pattern earlier in the week for a couple of days, exactly how you have described, now they have me on the same two sales but 12 hours apart. 

I already pretty sure Promoted impressions are broken again (prehaps another *bleep*ing test) seem to be 50% down with 4 hours to go. Same as the last test. 

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[auntietootieblue]

Definitely agree 

[tothemoonresales]

Totally agree with all the above, Celebrating 2 sales today its just not viable at this point! 

Remember eBay CS says no testing has taken place and dave@ebay has given us false information. Who are we to believe? I always knew eBay controlled our destiny but never thought it would go this far whereby we literally have no idea what is going on or how the system works!

Then again I am sure all the reselling influencers on youtube are still claiming " how to make a living selling items on eBay".

[wearenowclosedthankyou]

I'm going to play devil's advocate and hope my idea is correct in thinking that like myself, this week has been school uniform purchasing so money has all gone that way nowhere else! 🤷‍ and as soon as school starts back up............. 🤞😅

[beechvale76_5]

Last August was my busiest on ebay, despite time of year and people on holidays I was selling above average.

This year my sales are down 40%. but what is strange is my impressions are up 70% and views up 36%, I am hoping it's a sign of an incoming tidal wave of sales but more likely a glitch!

[lord_and_lady_m]

i just came across some ebay uk stats. This is based on July 23

"On ebay.co.uk, visitors mainly come from Direct (57.83% of traffic), followed by paypal.com (2.92%). In most cases, after visiting ebay.co.uk, users go to google.com and paypal.com."

"Ebay.co.uk’s traffic has dropped by -6.2% month-on-month down to current organic search traffic. In addition, paid search traffic has dropped by -7.9% down to current paid search traffic."

Lets say 60% of buyers are coming to ebay direct, then arguably if you look at your traffic report and see most of your impressions are off site, and very little in the search then there lieth a problem. Recently my view seem to be mainly external. Views overall are down a lot, so if I can only be found OFFSITE, and hence why most of my views are going that way, i'm never seen by the majority of the direct traffic. (i'm assuming direct, are those on the app, bookmarked pages, and knowing to type ebay in the address bar, before searching for what they're looking for.

I think i've understand that right. So paying to promote, and it then promotes off site or somewhere irrelevant , essentially will mean you may miss 60% of the traffic, which is likely to be the traffic that will then go on to search for something you sell. Also if i'm reading and understanding this right, there really is little point in advertising unless your spot in on page 1, as most of the traffic is not via promoted ads.

Maybe someone else can pick this apart differently. This is from a website called semrush here is a link to this info - semrush - I'm not a subscriber but maybe someone else is on here, that has more detailed info.

Just my initial observations during a busy weekend of procrastinating, because my sales are 0.

[the-nutwood-collection]

Very interesting, @lord_and_lady_m 

If the figures are right (and if I am interpreting them correctlly)  it seems that, after spending 16 minutes browsing eBay, 27% of the traffic trundles off to Google.

My own figures (based on eBay data) show that, over time, an increasing percentage of my views come from an external source.  In 2020, the percentage of page views from external sites for the three months ended July 31 was 3%. In 2021 it was 10%, 2022 was 17% and in 2023 was 20%.

The question is, why do browsers go to Google?  Is it because the sought-after item wasn't available on eBay?  Or was it was available on eBay, but the eBay search failed to present the item on the first few pages (the limit of most browsers' patience) because sponsored listings took pole position, irrespective of relevance?

The reason may have nothing to do with the despised eBay search and sponsored listings.  It may be that buyers are becoming more savvy.  They know that platform fees are very high, so they go off in search of the item on the supplier's website in the hope that it will be cheaper to buy direct.

eBay has made the MBG fundamental to its operation.  It bangs the MBG drum at every opportunity.  Times have changed.  Buyers know about the Consumer Rights Act, how to raise a Small Claim and, most importantly, they know about chargebacks.  They don't need the security blanket of the MBG any longer.  They are confident online shoppers.

eBay needs to find a new USP.      

[tothemoonresales]

Any improvement for anyone? 2 sales since Friday here, I think even commenting negatively on these forums may get you ghosted at this point lol. Seriously though would be interested to hear if anyones sales have improved or if anyone found any "trick" to get things moving again. Hope everyone is doing better than me and hope everyone is well.

[paul*tribesandvibes*]

@tothemoonresales so sorry to hear you've had only 2 sales. We had 11 since Friday, which is pretty miserable - we used to do between 6 and 10 a day this time of year, a couple of years ago. I mean, we're not high earners, never have been, but this is still dire for us.

PL impressions and organic impressions are slowly slumping downwards again since their peak on 13 August. But it's pay day for some on Thursday - so lets hope we have a bumper weekend and beyond!

Yes, I am also of the opinion that even daring to breathe on these forums puts you on the naughty step with ebay!

[pg_kicks]

My sales have improved to pre 'test' days and if anything gone slightly better, impressions are back up, page views slightly higher and sales back to good times. I have been ending old listings and selling similar without promotion and they've been doing ok, had a few sales on them too. 

Being negative or questioning the community team doesnt mean anything on here, otherwise my account would have been closed down as I have questions the weekly Q&A answers a fair few times that i couldnt even get back a few times when I have questioned why they have told untruths.

No idea if the ending old listings trick actually works or if I've just been really lucky, but touch wood it continues, is anyone going to the open day?

[sheba-knows-best]

I'm going to the London open day.

To add balance not gloat (as ever): 

At the end of last week (Sunday)

My sales were up 10% ytd y-o-y

My profits were up 7% ytd y-o-y

I have 14 years of records. Week 33 (last week) ALWAYS marks an upturn for me. The 4 weeks before that are ALWAYS the trickiest ones of the year due to school holidays. As ever last week (33) and this week (34) are doing well - although this year, I must admit, I feel a tad relieved to see buyers return given the cost of living crisis.

[auntietootieblue]

Hi

Just checking regarding this post as everyones impressions returned back to normal.  I know mine haven't so I guess this will be the new normal now as for me this as been going on since 18th July and as never recovered.  I'm lucky if I can get to reach 100,000 impressions a day now whereas before the 18th I regularly used to be over 200,000.  Just another so called improvement that is depremental to my account along with no longer getting sent out offers anymore which also happened on the same date.

[paul*tribesandvibes*]

PL impressions and organic impressions are nose-diving down down down. It may be because it's reporting the end of the month ... so fingers crossed for a better September. 

[fatbobfan]

PL standard on all inventory (1500ish) 20 year seller

I spent alot of time in June cleaning lisitings, pricing competitively, ebays good practices, making as best I can.  Some immediate succes, introduced a Markdown Sale with again some success for the past two months, when the 14 day sale period ends sales drop of the cliff, but they are the Ebay good practices to get best business?

Have spent the time since then, doing the other good practices, ending with poor views and amending listings accordingly

Last 31 days compared to last year, stock levels the same, imo quality improved

Quantity Sold -  down 44%

Impressions - down 45%

Clicks - down  45%

This threads been going for a whiles just wondering on others thoughts since the drop in impressions early July, anything thats working?

Interested in @pre_worn opinion if you have the time as I think you were/are the biggest seller in this thread

Thanks

FBF

[simplyessential_uk]

My impressions shot up beginning of Aug and have halved over the last month but strangely sales have been amazing, Im just closing a few "non moving" listings a day and creating new ones (sell similars) also listing more auctions (as I dont have to pay promo can be a little cheaper) just keeping it fresh and sending offers etc. Fingers crossed it continues - dead today but schools are back so lets see how the month continues

[fatbobfan]

Ive been ending and 'relisting' will give 'sell similar' a try

Have end all my PL standard promoting as well and will restart after the cooling off period (if anyone knows how long it should be left? Sorry I forget) I think its 48 hours?

I called CS since my earlier post and the CS agents says its a regular call but as always nothing is wrong.

I get the Cost of Living issue, this time last year it was the Fuel Crisis is coming issue but for so many experienced sellers of long standing business selling its cant be just the climate, another today on the weekly chat with concerning stats. 

[sheba-knows-best]

I take on board that people are hurting and that desperate concerns make people scramble for answers.

However, I never believed in the uniqueness of the July beta test. I mean, really, what exactly is a beta test? And how come everyone on these boards saw a similar hit in impressions... suggesting there was no guinea pig group? One seller - admittedly a super high volume seller - gets told 'beta test' in some zoom meeting and then everyone is praying for the 7th to arrive. I can just see ebay thinking... "hmmm, super high volume seller, let's not p$ss him/her off, let's just say 'ooh yes, very important, beta test ends on the 7th' and hopefully he'll toddle off quietly and thinks will pick up".

 To my mind, it was ebay fiddling with PL as ever (I measure PL vs organic on a weekly basis and it was just their normal fiddle) mixed with one of the usual worst sales period of the year - mid to end July/schools break up for the hols, mied with a cost of living crisis.  I'm including my 13th month impressions chart - the fall that everyone was so upset in mid july - wasn't much worse than what you can see in mid march. Perspective, I think, is everything. But I'd be fascinated to see everyone else's 13 month impressions chart to see the horrors of the mid july fall for everyone else.

So I inflated my PL % during the 'impression fall' which is what I dusually o when I see that ebay is giving PL more of a visibility spin (Im sure it is when it wants to increase its own fee income) and sales maintained their usual levels. I have since dropped my PL % to try and lower my net selling costs which have suffered this year. 

My sales growth ytd is 10% y-o-y / profit growth 7% y-o-y.

My sales growth rolling 12 months y-o-y is 2%, profit growth rolling y-o-y -3%.  yup that was a minus. But because I have these kind of figures I can attempt to solve the problem.  If i could grow sales infinitely, I wouldn't worry but I run at a constant 79k so I have to improve my margins. I'm working on it. Gradually swapping my sales offering as ever.

Good luck to all. This post is for balance and hopefully maybe to inspire a few. There is still money to be made on ebay. I previously worked as a business analyst and so recording/analysing the details of my business is a skill I have and enjoy. But I think that is the way forward  in all online retail nowadays. Gone are the days when people with no business acumen could make a living selling online, nowadays strategy is king because there is always someone looking to take your customers away from you.

[sheba-knows-best]

My 13mth impressions: