Incentive lacking...

[ed_58611]

It's only just dawned on me that I haven't made a use of the formally ubiquitous and enticing JAN10, FEB15 OR MARCH20 type of offer, which had me actively searchng (on an almost daily basis) for items on which to splurge the money burning a hole in my pocket... 

When was the last instance that you can remember making use of anything similar, and do you believe that the lack of this type of offer may have contributed to the drop in sales and buyer interest in eBay as a whole?

[jonatjonatjonat]

As a business seller, we still get invited onto say two ebay part funded offers a month at least.

So the offers are still there. People just don't have as much money to spend even with an offer.

15% off something that has a price that has to be priced for fees of possibly 20% and increasingly expensive postage may not be the deal it once was of course.

[ed_58611]

Of course, while I do very much value the input from our sellers - and it is an open forum after all - I was rather addressing other buyers and how the lack of these offers may have affected their shopping habits compared to my own.

I see those "deals" that you mention, but they're against a predetermined selection rather than a percentage off ANY item of my choosing, which is what I miss in particular.

In other words, whereas I was formally able to do a "normal" search by specifying the item in the search details and simply entering the code at checkout, against a number of items up to a maximum value IIRC, I am now expected  to make a much more time-consuming and laborious hunt according a criteria other than my own.

I tried just this morning and there's just nothing but newspeak and sales blarney, and certainly nothing suitable for myself or gifting to others... I rather think I just miss the freedom and self-determination which I enjoyed formally.

I'm still spending the same, and usually more, on coffee beans, malt whiskies and deli items, for instances of everyday shopping items, as ever I was... just not here!

And I'm no longer browsing for upcoming birthday, seasonal or other celebratory type items mainly because those offers have been discontinued, but also because the overall service regarding quality, descriptions, delivery, wider variety, etc., etc., is more reliable on other platforms or on the high street, it has to be said.

[vinylscot]

Sellers will offer "deals" on items they want to sell. There's no need for them to do "deals" on items which will sell anyway. So most offers will tend to be on less attractive items.

It's very possible that the items you're hoping to find reduced in price aren't the sort of items which the sellers need to discount.

The offers system isn't really for the benefit of buyers - it's to help sellers convince buyers who wouldn't otherwise buy the item. Sometimes, the buyer would have bought anyway, so the offer is a bonus for them, but more often, the buyer is spending money they wouldn't otherwise spend.

[ed_58611]

Again, this thread is regarding the old offers - such as JAN 10 or JUN15 and the like - which were very much for the benefit of buyers, and sellers too I might add, as they were subsidised or even fully funded by eBay themselves... and I miss them, which was the entire thrust of my post!

[jonatjonatjonat]

To answer the very specific question.

if there are few universal offers - yes, that will likely have an impact on sales.

But to be realistic - there is little benefit to ebay doing these deals. yes it would bring in more sales - but ebay would basically be giving away most of the fees they bring in - so for them - whats the point? they've dropped these offers for the same reason they don't do 70% off selling fees anymore.

[ed_58611]

You really haven't answered my question, but no matter... it was just a throwout casual question, borne of an idle moment, to other buyers while searching for possible causes of eBay's decline.

I certainly don't require a lesson in eBay-conomics, but the effort is appreciated nonetheless.

[jonatjonatjonat]

Good luck. I hope you find the answer you want.

[ed_58611]

Well thank you... the sentiment is appreciated.

If I ever do hit upon a defintive answer as to why I no longer feel inclined to shop here, I shall no doubt share it with the community.

Best of British to you too!

[*devils.advocate*]

Well, if these Boards are anything to go by, a lot of people gave up when all the changes came in (over too short a period of time).

From what was posted, some left ‘in their huff’ and others seemed to not want to try the new way of doing things (although, when they started eBay initially, everything was new to them then - and they got used to it).

That (exodus?), possibly, could have led to the lessening of the range/choice of items for buyers (especially in some categories (eg. collectibles).?

Also, competition - many sites have grown up over the years and eBay now face stiff (selective) competition, maybe not from one site alone but when added together, it’ll make a fair old dent.

And the economy - more and more people have had less and less disposable income over a good number of years - and it’s certainly not going to improve over the coming period (if anything, it’s going to get even worse).

But to answer your question, IMHO (as a buyer myself), no, the lack of use of offers (or the lack of offers) hasn’t led to decline - but many other factors have.

And although sellers reply on these threads, they are buyers as well - so perhaps see things from both sides?

[ed_58611]

I don't understand where you might get the impression that I don't look at eBay as a whole - that's buyers & sellers alike - and, in fact, I do seem to recall previously stating that I return regularly in order that I may remain au fait with the platform from the vendor's POV, as I do not possess a Seller Account myself.

That being said, I do appreciate your response, and I would of course agree that there are many factors that have contributed to the sad decline of eBay... 

The changes made like BPF and SD didn't put me off buying at all... but as I said those type of offers to which I refer would definitely bring me back to at least browse and purchase more often, although I am perfectly willing to accept your contrary opinion, that the removal of monthly discount, had no effect whatsoever on the habits of buyers... although I do not share it myself.

Unfortunately, eBay clearly decided/deduced/opted to discontinue that particular type of subsidised promotional offer as it must no longer be profitable... it's history now, but who knows what reversals fortune may bring?