"It's not geared up to be the principal selling site for a small business..."
Perhaps that's why it works for sellers who are not relying on it for that purpose, but are instead trying to reduce their accumulation of slower selling niche items. Something that ebay was once famous for but has increasingly turned its back on, in favour of small businesses.
I sell in the same niche on both sites. I listed the same number of new items on both sites in the same year. I even went through the rigmarole of refreshing my ebay listings regularly as Sell Similar, something I don't have to do over there because it is set up better to cater for slower selling items. I could give buyers small discounts on item price and postage because they charge lower fees and no fees on P&P. I didn't spend any time self promoting on SM but took the time to ensure I was always visible on Google Shopping.
No, I'm not any sort of yardstick when comparing the two sites. But I think I can say that I demonstrate in a small way what can be done on a smaller site. I'm not the only one, as @johnwash1 said sellers of postcards and stamps seem happy enough, sellers of magazines and comics seem to be doing better as do model cars and railway sellers.
Also I see sales of new goods on the increase in some areas, as you say perhaps not their principle selling site but neither so infrequent as to be a "pleasant surprise if something sells occasionally".
I'm glad that the owners haven't gone down the corporate investment route. That means we don't have to put up with the sort money grabbing policies that ebay has to use to pay them for their investment. Ebay may have turned its back on the world wide boot fair / collectors market because it isn't as profitable for the site as small businesses are. But if ebay no longer wants that business, there is a gap in the market for a site that does and for me at least, ebid has filled that gap quite nicely and I think it can do the same for others if they have some patience.
So with ebay's millions of potential buyers, huge footfall and advertising budget, why were my sales figures for the two sites not reversed when for many years they were? Ebay used to beat ebid year after year by a big margin. Last year I sold 4 items here and 28 on the other site. I'll say it again. Because buyers could find my items and at a price they thought acceptable.
All through last year most of my items here suffered low Views, attracted 5/6 Watchers (probably the same 5/6 Watchers on every item) who probably weren't even going to view the item until I sent them a lower price Offer. That isn't what I want of a selling site and if ebay can't do any better, why stay?
