Sales Completly Died **September 2024**

[theglo-68]

We have over 100 listings however sales are dead for over three months now.

Wondering if this is about time to take our business away to other platforms as we really cannot afford high Promoted Listings fees but still no sales.

NO SALES NO BUSINESS

[exponential_developments]

That's true, i once had a rev counter out of a Jensen interceptor, had it in my car when i was seventeen, kept it for years then sold it on here.....Happy Days.

[pg_kicks]

Guess its different as I have an account just for eBay so its basically the same as PayPal, just I get the £1.50 a month interest which Im sure PayPal are upset about losing as it would soon add up for them.

[leadhills_scot]

For me when I had money in paypal I would check ebay first for what I wanted. Now the money goes into the bank I shop at other online stores.

[theelench]

For me sales didn't stop in September, they stopped almost dead in April.  

On ebay 3 sales in total since 1/1/24, the last one in May.

On the other site 26 in total,  the last in July but 25 between 1st Jan. and 22nd April/May.

I'm only guessing but think many of my buyers are possibly pensioners who feared the worst with an election coming.  With the constant media fear-mongering about the Triple Lock being removed from pensions they simply stopped spending.  Since then we've had the Winter Fuel Allowance stopped for most, more fear as rumours abound of all kinds of ways the new govt. is planning to hit pensioners.

We're now having "a painful budget" trailed every day in the media which has only spread the fear to other demographics.  Old vases have gone to the bottom of most peoples shopping lists.  Austerity has been going on and on for many for a decade or more and I'd guess that more of the population is poorer than they were 15-20 years ago, with little sign that there will be any recovery any time soon. ?

[bittyboy101]

Exactly the same for me - NO SALES since 19th July 2024 and that was only one sale after 4 weeks of nothing.

Now all I get is 0-1 views on 90% of all my 50 odd items and 1-2 watchers who just watch and watch and do nothing.  I'm tired of this. I come here to eBay to sell stuff I no longer need so I can buy things I do need... but If there are no sales then I cannot afford to buy anything... so other sellers will notice my absence when I am not able to buy their stuff because mine has not sold like it should have... used to... before eBay started making changes...

[bittyboy101]

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@pg_kicks wrote:

I really dont get the hate for MP, instead of it being in your PayPal balance its now in your bank account and you have control over it and its earning you interest not PayPal, yes it takes upto 24 hours but unless its payment required immediately its no advantage being in PayPal?

SLOW PAYMENT - OVER 1 DAY WHEN A BUYER PAYS TO WHEN THE MONEY IS AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO USE COMPARED TO PAYPAL'S INSTANT PAYMENT WHERE YOUR ITEM SELLS, YOUR BUYER PAYS AND THE MONEY IS INSTANTLY AVAILABLE IN YOUR PAYPAL ACCOUNT BALANCE WITHIN A FEW SECONDS.

Also with eBay's Managed Payments there is no credit or pay in 3 options available - They just want to take the money upfront straight out of your bank account... Whilst for very rich people this isn't a problem... but with the costs of living always going up lately most poorer folks cannot afford to buy things and pay for them UPFRONT so this is a major turn-off for many potential buyers and it's now HURTING  SALES to a noticeable level.

So in a nutshell this is why Managed Payments is hated/loathed by so many people. It is a huge INCONVENIENCE for many people and a huge COMEDOWN.      

[theelench]

Reading through yesterday's posts there seems little agreement that any one reason for lack of sales.

Amazon is cheaper for some things , but not for others.

Although competition has been reduced for some, there hasn't been a corresponding increase in their sales.

One thing about ebay is that its always tried to be all things to everyone and based its business model on mass use of the site.  But its always over-promised and under-achieved.

Several times its thrown swathes of sellers under a bus, most recently businesses selling clothes.

How many private sellers have been disappointed that their items have not sold for what they thought and after paying the fees have been left with very little?

How many buyers have been disappointed when their purchase didn't arrive but, because 'tracking' says delivered, the MBG hasn't worked for them?

Even today, how many buyers are being led to believe that their purchase will arrive tomorrow and been disappointed when it didn't?

The problem with mass use of the site is the risk that over time there has been a massive build-up of disappointment and all those users have moaned to family, friends, neighbours, colleagues and people in pubs.

Is it possible that over the years there's been growing back-ground noise saying ebay is a disappointment, something that has rippled out to every corner of the UK, causing the never-ending supply of buyers / sellers to decline?

[555njp]

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@theelench wrote:

I'm only guessing but think many of my buyers are possibly pensioners who feared the worst with an election coming.  With the constant media fear-mongering about the Triple Lock being removed from pensions they simply stopped spending.  Since then we've had the Winter Fuel Allowance stopped for most, more fear as rumours abound of all kinds of ways the new govt. is planning to hit pensioners.

We're now having "a painful budget" trailed every day in the media which has only spread the fear to other demographics.  Old vases have gone to the bottom of most peoples shopping lists.  Austerity has been going on and on for many for a decade or more and I'd guess that more of the population is poorer than they were 15-20 years ago, with little sign that there will be any recovery any time soon. ?

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Just to add to that (and the looming budget of dread!) our energy company announced a likely 10% rise in gas and electricity from next month when the wholesale cap is increased.

On my usage that's another £250/yr increase to deal with.

I think the collectibles market is shrinking too. Youngsters don't seem to go in for hobbies or pass times like that anymore. They all just want be influencers on YouTube...

[bittyboy101]

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@bittyboy101 wrote:

Exactly the same for me - NO SALES since 19th July 2024 and that was only one sale after 4 weeks of nothing.

Now all I get is 0-1 views on 90% of all my 50 odd items and 1-2 watchers who just watch and watch and do nothing.  I'm tired of this. I come here to eBay to sell stuff I no longer need so I can buy things I do need... but If there are no sales then I cannot afford to buy anything... so other sellers will notice my absence when I am not able to buy their stuff because mine has not sold like it should have... used to... before eBay started making changes...

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Since posting this message I have since made a sale for £91,95 🙂

Maybe it's just fluke or maybe eBay have now changed something over for the better ?, I don't know...

It is nice to have steady and regular sales and this restores faith in eBay and encourages other sales to happen when there is "spare money to spend !" ...

[555njp]

Good to hear. At least someone's still on here shopping 👍

[exponential_developments]

Is anyone actually having normal sales for this time of year.................

[the-nutwood-collection]

Is anyone actually having normal sales for this time of year.................

Something odd seems to be going on.  Not with eBay - that's just bumping along the bottom as it usually is - it's my website and other platform.

I'm getting the normal amount of clicks on the website, but only a couple of pages viewed per visit.  I've checked the keywords that are bringing visitors and they're OK, I'm not being found because a characteristic of the site is causing it to be listed against search terms that are not relevant.  The search terms are what I sell and my prices are in line with my competitors'.

I'm also getting quite a few messages on my other platform, asking questions.  Usually, the answer leads to a quick sale, but all it's yielding is a 'Thanks' reply.  Clicks and favourites are at the normal levels, but sales aren't.  They're OK, but not what they historically ought to be.

It's like people are just randomly browsing, clicking, favouriting and messaging just for something to do.

Very odd.  Never had this before.  

[the_book_seekers]

The prime minister's constant messages of doom and gloom can't be doing much for buying confidence. 

[bittyboy101]

Yes, It is always good news when an unexpected sale happens ! 🙂

These days sales on eBay are rarer than hen's teeth !

In turn I just bought something from eBay which I've been watching for weeks !

It's the regular sales that generates "pocket money" for buyers to use on eBay that keeps eBay ticking over...  

[exponential_developments]

Well at this rate i'll be gone by Xmas, the site isn't performing, if i divide profit by hours, if would be a joke.

[red357rose]

Same here I paying all promotions and coupons, but les and less sales and now problem they did something with Impressions, the last few days all the time red not goes up and have less views as weel.

But no understand why pay extra cost ( Promotions) if not any change sells than before. :((((((

And this is only my income My partner and me doing as partnership , when started 2 years ago was everyting good and have lots of sales, without any promotions.

Now you must pay this service but less sales and you can talk with 1 of costumer service team they allways just said everthing fine :(((

[mawels_87]

I stoped selling here mouths ago because 0 views where now becoming the norm.  I'm now just a buyer, but high priced items, (coursed buy high fees I guess) are making me buy from Vinted and also direct from suppliers instead. Postage costs here are so often now so often well over inflated. I was looking at an old vintage watch a few days ago and was going put in a starting bid of £20.00, but then looking at the postage cost which should have been under £5.00 for lager letter was instead £10.00 for Royal Mail basic 2nd Class. I didn't bid nor did anyone else. The postage on Vinted for the same watch would have been £2.29 fully tracked. Postage costs here are I'm sure unstanable I think  and are pointing buyers off even if some sellers don't over inflate post costs. 

[santlache_sales]

I worked it out the other day on the sales for August.

They were so poor that after eBay had taken their fees, plus the £90 for the shop fee (which is rapidly turning into a total waste of money), eBay basically took 25% of my earnings.

It really feels like I am working for them now, we pay all this money and get scraps in return.

The Shop fee paid used to be called a 'Featured Shop', and that got your items good placement and visibilty. But that aspect went west a number of years ago along with any other promotion eBay gave your shop, so I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that an ebay shop is a total waste of money, and time.

This place just gets worse and worse, year in year out. I used to hope for an upturn but that has never materialised and I'm certain now it never will.

[therenewalworkshopltd]

You are aware that it's the sellers that decide the prices for their postage etc.

And I would be willing to bet, that was a private seller, who just looking to make a bit extra.

And with auctions, by using a higher postage cost, people avoid having to put in a reserve price.

So at the end of the day, unless the item was actually worth less than the postage cost, people should take that into account.

[mawels_87]

The watch was about the right price from experience. I've had a lot experience buying here too. Just so many sellers now are over inflating prices on items and the postal cost. On Vinted sellers can't over price postage as Vinted have control. Every small package I buy on Vinted I know 99% of the time  post will always be £2.29 for fully tracked. It's just any price goes here for the most basic postage.