eBay

bespokefabshop · ‎10-05-2025

Been selling different products on eBay for 14 years and until around 2 years ago could always list an item and within days it would have plenty of views and sell. Over the last couple of years I’ve noticed listings get next to no views even after a few weeks. I gave up and focused on other platforms where we do sell. Recently I thought I’d give eBay one last go, listed an item, 2 weeks later 11 views. So reluctantly I thought I’d promote it, 2 weeks later, 1 more view! Contacted eBay who confirmed that the listing was fine and they couldn’t really understand why there was no traffic. All they could suggest was I share the listing outside of eBay. Now, I’m not going to to eBay’s job and advertise the listing elsewhere only to drive it back to eBay to take commission simply because they don’t have the traffic! I have my own website so if I’m going to do the promoting it will be to that, commission free! So I can only conclude that eBay just doesn’t get traffic anymore, and promoting certainly doesn’t make any difference other than cost an additional 12%! Any thoughts/experiences? Has eBay had its day?

tressygirl · ‎10-05-2025

You are selling beautiful items, no doubt there, but they do come with a price tag which some many may not be able to afford, and you do have a niche market, so I wouldn't expect floods of views or watchers.

I'm sure your other outlets will bring the traffic you need , especially an actual showroom where you can see the great quality of these items.

I wouldn't worry too much about the low views on eBay, all sellers have troughs and peaks in selling, and there's never one reason anyone can say for certain, why suddenly an item has low views.

Good luck, your table showing for sale looks exquisite!

@bespokefabshop

bespokefabshop · ‎10-05-2025

Hi thanks for your reply. This happens on all listings whether £50 or £3000 so the price isn’t a factor. We’ve also listed totally different products so the product type isn't a factor either. And we’ve listed them at all different times over the last 2 years so timing isn’t a factor either.

You’re right, other outlets do bring us the traffic, but they’re online outlets too, we don’t have a showroom.

Having spoken to lots of people, the feedback I get consistently is: “I never use eBay”

Even the EBay customer support guy laughed at the one extra view we got for promoting it and he works there 🙂

All the evidence leads me to conclude that EBay just doesn’t have the traffic anymore.

tressygirl · ‎10-05-2025

You may certainly be right in a drop in customer numbers for eBay, there's no denying it's one of the most frequent posts we get here.... low sales / low views etc.

More and more online platforms are opening up, peeps have a much larger bases to choose from, eBay is not the stand alone brilliant only online platform to sell from anymore.

@bespokefabshop

john1297576 · ‎10-05-2025

If course we do not see the figures from ebay’s side, there it may look far better in terms of profit.

If only they would be honest with sellers, Business and Private. Free to sell for Private Sellers is a joke, nothing happens so try promotions. I have amended the rate to my figure not ebay suggested figure, which produces the comment that a lower rate will reduce views. As it works out mostly at NIL, what hope for FREE TO SELL.

bespokefabshop · ‎10-05-2025

Yes it seems they pin their future on business sellers promoting so they get their high commissions but that won’t work, it will only turn businesses off. Me included.

I rarely see eBay advertisements anymore too.

Personally I hardly ever buy on here for my business any more, I use Amazon so I guess I’ve answered my own question really, eBay has massively reduced traffic. A platform in decline it seems.

tressygirl · ‎10-05-2025

@bespokefabshop wrote:

I rarely see eBay advertisements anymore too.

They are constantly on tv! Must cost a pretty penny, as they are on prime time between the most popular programmes!