Sales Downfall in March 2024

I wonder if anyone else noticed a sudden downfall in sales.

 

Sales are non existent in March however January and February were reasonabley good months.

 

Please share your thoughts!

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Re: Sales Downfall in March 2024

As primarily a buyer from eBay UK  I am spending much less money.

Their search engine is useless.  I can no longer buy from the US site because they inflate shipping costs, add import tax to items that cost less than the UK import tax level.  So who gets these fake import taxes?  Many sellers will not even send to the UK?  My biggest ever eBay USA purchase was a Ford F-150 pickup truck which I imported into the UK.

Many UK sellers are NOT actually in Britain despite claiming to be so.  Why should I bother paying inflated prices for exactly the same item direct from Temu costing pennies not pounds?

I object to items advertised as "free postage" that are actually charging and items with postage charges more than the item selling price.

Why bother advertising "open to offers" and ignoring offers sent or replying with 5% off.

Second hand items being advertised as "new".  Charity shops selling gifted items (often used/repacked) for more money than Amazon!

Waiting 2 weeks or longer for a purchased item to be shipped.  Temu states 7 to 10 days from China and late deliveries are automatically credit your account with £4.

Sellers either not posting to Northern Ireland or claiming the postage cost is much more expensive.  Absolute nonsense Royal Mail and Parcelforce charge a universal rate no matter if the parcel is sent to Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow  or London.  Most of the main carrier companies charge the same rates no matter where in the UKthe delivery is made.  If your courier charges more change your courier.

Do sellers check what price other sellers are selling the same item at?  The amount of different prices listed for the same item from different sellers is stupid.  Especially when a seller thinks they are being smart selling an item ie £14.99 with "free" postage or £9.99 with £5 postage.  That does not inspire trust in a seller.

I am an infrequent seller as eBay charges are ridiculous.  They quote a low postage charge which turns out to be several pounds less than the actual charge at the post office.  I recently sold a brand new Lego set for my son who decided he did not want it.  The item sold for £20 "buy now" the postage eBay quoted was £2 more expensive and my son got £16.70 from the total £23.49  purchase.  Robbers.  I won't be selling anything else.  This greed on their part has the effect of reducing sellers on the site making it less and less interesting to spend aholics such as my self.  I am spending £30/£50 per week with Temu with the added benefit of receiving full refunds for sub standard items and refunds when items purchased reduce in price.

 

 

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Re: Sales Downfall in March 2024

A few points here that do need adressing.

 

I object to items advertised as "free postage" that are actually charging and items with postage charges more than the item selling price.

 

Yes, there are sellers that do this.  But Ebay is encouraging the "free" postage by providing an additional discount to their fees, when selling this way.  It is a reflection of the likes of Amazon and is something that is not going to go away.  Anyone with any common sense realises that the charge is included either way.

 

Why bother advertising "open to offers" and ignoring offers sent or replying with 5% off.

 

Why is 5% discount not ok as an offer?  Just because you want a bigger discount that this, it is not unreasonable.  Perhaps you should view it from the other side and not just how cheap can I get something!

 

Second hand items being advertised as "new".  Charity shops selling gifted items (often used/repacked) for more money than Amazon!

 

This is due to the sheer volume of Private sellers and nothing that anyone but Ebay can do anything about.

I've never understood why they can allow private sellers to sell brand new items.  They are not, even if they are sealed.

 

Sellers either not posting to Northern Ireland or claiming the postage cost is much more expensive.

 

The postage CAN be a lot more expensive to send an item to NI.  It depends entirely on what that item is.

Just because you can send something at the same price with RM, does not necessarily mean that a seller uses their services anyway.  But has a contract with another company.

 

Do sellers check what price other sellers are selling the same item at?  

 

No, of course not all sellers do this.  The vast range of prices, is because this is a marketplace, with many different sellers.  Never mind the fact that an item may have been free to one, but cost a fair bit more to another.  There are of course the chancers out there, that inflate the price and hope for a sale.

 

They quote a low postage charge which turns out to be several pounds less than the actual charge at the post office.  

 

If that happened, then you simply did not input the correct sizes/weights before getting the postage sorted.  Fees on Ebay are very similar to other platforms.  At least the ones where you will actually sell something.  And for the record, postage does NOT count as Ebay fees, it is simply postage cost.

 

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Re: Sales Downfall in March 2024

Wrong on several counts. The fee includes the postage charge. This was
changed years ago to combat sellers selling at a cheap price with an
inflated postage charge ie £1.99 plus £20 postage.

I did fill in the item details correctly and eBay gave the postage cost
which was £2 less than what the post office then charged. I’m not a
simpleton. How does ebay give my son £16.70 after the item was sold for
£20 and the postage was £5.45 NOT £3.45 they had charged the buyer. So my
son actually got £14.70 because the postage cost £2 more than the buyer
paid us!

Message 143 of 172
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Re: Sales Downfall in March 2024

Yes, the total fees charged are indeed charged on the selling price, plus the postage price.

But that's not what I said at all.    I said that postage is not an Ebay fee, it is postage, nothing else!  

As to what you where charged at the post office, when Ebay quoted a different figure.

That will be because you purchased the postage at the Post Office, instead of using the label that Ebay can provide.  They are cheaper.  Comparable to online RM pricing and NOT counter services!  So you are obviously doing it wrong!  

Or you have used the default value of postage and not amended to what you should have done.

 

And for the record, I made multiple points.  The only one that you have taken a poke at, is what you think I have said!  You have not answered any of the others.

 

As you have clearly made out, you are a buyer, therefore you probably don't properly understand the various issues that a business seller has.  It's not as simple as you seem to think it is.

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Re: Sales Downfall in March 2024

I'm pleased to report that the search-within-seller's-shop glitch was fixed a few weeks ago - thank you, eBay.

 

When I noticed the glitch had gone I looked through the discussion boards to try and find my post, and I apologise that couldn't find it to update it. I didn't know what to do, forgot about it, was reminded today. I hope posting here seems reasonably relevant.

Message 145 of 172
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Re: Sales Downfall in March 2024

Why is this dated 8-04-2024 when today is 7-13-2024? Maybe I have arrived @ 😵💫

Message 146 of 172
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Re: Sales Downfall in March 2024

At a guess, because this is the UK and the dates are not put in that order.  It is Day/Month/Year and not Month/Day/Year!

So your actually looking at something from April of this year.

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Re: Sales Downfall in March 2024

Of course! I possibly didn't know I was in the UK board. Thanks. My sales have totally died this July. 

Message 148 of 172
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Re: Sales Downfall in March 2024

UK and most of the rest of the world date day month year

ie 4 July 2024 is 4-07-2024
Message 149 of 172
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Re: Sales Downfall in March 2024

Presumably you're from the USA?

 

And you're experiencing the same fall in sales on ebay.com as many UK sellers are on .uk.

 

If you also sell on other platforms are you finding the same as some UK sellers, that ebay sales have fallen but sales on other sites have not?  Or at least not to the same degree?  

 

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Re: Sales Downfall in March 2024

Hi. I don't know if the view of a buyer is any use and it's probably something your already aware of but ebay is killing itself off. It's gone from a great site to grab both used and new bargains to a money grabbing nearly un shopable joke. 

Rediculous postage, slow postage, rubbish site layout, always shows American listing's even though you set to UK only(which you must select on every search), the list goes on. From sellers side I guess ebay charges are a big joke too. I've had some purchases delivered off ebay faster than amazon in the past and the way amazon is heading with there delivery policies they'll both be as bad as one another soon. The UK needs a fresh version of ebay and it needs it now. I have to say, I've used ebay for 20 years but not in this last 12 months, it just isn't cheap or a pleasurable buying experience anymore. 

Message 151 of 172
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Re: Sales Downfall in March 2024

I've seen selling prices have dropped to about half from 2 years ago. The
COVID lockdowns were good for online shopping I guess that's why. I'd
rather be a buyer than a seller. I don't know if prices have dropped the
same way in the UK. If should be a great time to be a buyer though it
seems.
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Re: Sales Downfall in March 2024

I'm in the UK.

 

I always try my best to drop my prices when possible, this is whenever eBay give me a promotion offer to save 80% on their very steep fees, otherwise I have to add the amount eBay would take to my buy it now price as the fees are really crippling lately 😞

 

If only eBay would come to their senses and make their selling fees half of what they are charging now... it would be much better for both buyer and seller - eBay already make billions - No  sense being so greedy as it will only put people off buying and selling on eBay... 

Message 153 of 172
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Re: Sales Downfall in March 2024

I for one understand the impact ebays greed has on prices. As a buyer the natural process is to shop round for the best deal and lately I've found it harder to justify not only ebay and Amazon prices but online shopping in general. There's alot to be said about keeping your local stores open these days. By the time the greedy platforms stick their silly charges on etc is better to head to a store where at least you can see the item.I do empathise with sellers trying to make a living and I miss the old days where lots of used stuff was available, bit like a car boot sale online. Amazon is on the decline with their stupid changes afoot. A new platform is desperately needed in the uk, for the uk. 
Message 154 of 172
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Re: Sales Downfall in March 2024

I try to support my local shops as there aren't many (a rural and fairly remote area) - "use them or lose them" as they say. I don't mind paying the inevitable higher price as long as the extra's not disproportionate.

 

But now these shops are buying increasingly online and from major platforms like eBay. I can't really blame them as it must be convenient for them.

 

For instance, a while ago I wanted a particular backing rack that I knew would fit my baking dish. I checked on a major platform (let's call it "A") and noted the details (manufacturer and price). I drove to the hardware store. The owner simply fetched his mobile phone, looked on "A", showed me to check it was the correct item, then ordered it from "A" in front of me. He quoted me the "A" price plus £4 or £5.  It took longer to arrive than if I'd ordered it myself using "A"'s next-day delivery service, plus I had to drive to the hardware store to fetch it.

Message 155 of 172
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Re: Sales Downfall in March 2024

Hi I just saw this, sorry. I'm just on eBay, but from what I read it sounds like sales are down on all platforms. I read algorithms can cause your listings to lose visibility and go dead for awhile. That's interesting if in the UK just eBay is suffering. I read that eBay isn't too interested in the small seller but want big companies. Their return policy is like Amazon's, which is hard on the small and poor seller! A customer just says "NAD" and scores free shipping both ways. No explanation is required about how the item doesn't match the description. Which invites abuse from the gamers and the conscienceless. 

Message 156 of 172
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Re: Sales Downfall in March 2024

I bought a lot of merchandise during COVID, and now prices are half of what they were 2+ years ago. I wonder what the future of online sales will be. I don't know if the policies are the same in the UK as in the US, but buyers are treated so much better than sellers. Buyers can return trash and still get a full refund, SMH . They reward criminal behavior. They groom crooks. A buyer left me a negative on a perfect item, lied, because he sells the same thing. Just to harm another seller. 

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Re: Sales Downfall in March 2024

this topic needs closing down now. its becoming spammy and off topic...

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Re: Sales Downfall in March 2024


@retail_media_station_group wrote:

this topic needs closing down now. its becoming spammy and off topic...


I think this topic is somewhat relevant and only reflects sellers and buyers honest opinions telling it as it is.

 

I for one can clearly see that the eBay of 5 years ago was much better than how it is today.

 

eBay need discussions like this so they can use the important points and feedback raised here to improve eBay so that it is more reliable and userfriendly.

 

I really don't like "item specifics" - This is a huge inconvenience and burden to the average private seller who just wants a straight forword selling process without the hassle and chore of having to fill in lists  and lists of keywords because eBay have now made their searches so complex over the last 5 years...

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Re: Sales Downfall in March 2024

Interested to know how youre getting on over at ebid. I opened a lifetime a/c there about 10yrs ago and never sold a thing so pulled out years ago (ebay was the market share holder then)  so just wondering if its taken off now theres more choices. Cant be bothered creating aload of new listings again for no return🤔

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