For the first time since I started selling online, my website sales have now overtaken those on eBay.
I am providing stats as it shows the market percentages and my business is a good representation of market sales (or seems to have been for many years). For ref I dont earn too much at this time of year. £2k turnover a month from this business and I have another business as well.
Stats shared here: https://beamqr.com/X9AGDC5
I always assumed any dip in eBay sales was simply part of a wider market decline, but I’ve not experienced the same issue with other platforms or through my own site. It seems to be something particular to eBay.
My feeling is; that eBay has gradually lost its niche by trying to become a “one size fits all” marketplace.
First it moved towards the “fast and free” model with tracking included, clearly taking a lead from Amazon. More recently it seems to be following Vinted with the “we’ll sort the postage for you” approach. AKA Simple Delivery. While this is aimed at private sellers, they are often the very people who buy from us as businesses. From what I’ve seen in their seller forums, this delivery system is frustrating for many private sellers, and when their experience is damaged, it affects the whole marketplace.
In short, it looks as though in trying to copy other platforms, eBay has weakened what used to make it distinctive, and we are all losing out as a result.
I hope simple delivery can be reviewed and changed to better fit the needs of the marketplace and it's buyers and private sellers. On a side note, I'd also like us to stop pushing advertising so much, it's making it difficult to find the right thing when you need it. I realise my voice is small in the big crowd but I had to say something, I'd hate for ebay to look like etsy on those stats, as I'd miss out on that income as it doesnt naturally shift over.
I actually love ebay, but its becoming difficult even for this old time business seller.
