Apparently IT isn't working. eBay sellers complain of slow holiday sales

[bargainbloodhound]

http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=2000047031&start=0

QUICK, CALLING ALL VOICES MEMBERS:  We need someone to go to this thread and lie tell everyone that eBay sales are just greeeeaaaat, never been better, much better than anyone could hope for on a web site...and tell them eBay fees are reasonable too! :twistedevil:

[valleygirl]

I've never done IT! Sell there, that is.  Ebay is good to get below wholesale inventory deals.

[Angel]

What bothers me the most about that thread is all the excuses for no sales.  Its gas prices... its oil prices... theres a full moon out, no its cause the sun is shining... no wait it must be cause its the third tuesday of the month.  I understand they are looking for reasons and hoping things will change but geez enough with the excuses already  :


Angel 

[xppman]

My web site sales are kicking a$$.
So far this weekend alone over 400.00 and weekends are usually slow.


Excuses is ALL ebay and it’s little cheer leading section have left.


Remember the little 10 cent fixed price feebay sale last week?

So far two sales for me. One paid and one NOT.

A BIG $24.00 sale. WOW I'm so impressed. NOT

4 items offering 10 of each.
It’s now Nov. 13th and still slow at the bay????
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

The buyers are JUST NOT at the bay.
Long live the all mighty web site. 

[bargainbloodhound]

all the excuses for no sales.  Its gas prices... its oil prices

I do think gas and home heating oil prices are having a negative effect on spending (and I've noticed a definite effect on our sales any time gas prices go up) BUT I don't think they explain why things are so slow for many sellers on eBay.

I think more of the eBay slowness is attributable to the  effects of a glut of sellers and products in many categories than it is to oil prices.  I also think that fraud concerns are making many buyers: A. limit the amount they are willing to "risk" on eBay purchases or B. avoid eBay entirely.  eBay's frequent glitches this fall probably have caused more than a few buyers to give up in disgust and go shop somewhere where they didn't have to jump through hoops to purchase and pay for an item.

I woke up this morning and we had 5 sales overnight on Overstock...on eBay we've had a combined 1 sale in the past week from our 2 ebay stores.  Our web site, Amazon, and Overstock sales are are a little lower than last year but still good. The year-over-year drop in our non-eBay sales is small compared to the huge drop in our eBay sales which are practically nonexistent this year.

It’s now Nov. 13th and still slow at the bay?

This should be the busiest time of the year on eBay.

Remember the little 10 cent fixed price feebay sale last week?
So far two sales for me. One paid and one NOT.

We only run store inventory on eBay now, so we avoided that sale...paying 10 cents to list an item without a gallery pic that won't sell didn't seem like much of a bargain since store items are 3 cents including gallery.  Even when we did run auctions on eBay I usually avoided those sales because the sell through rates were so much lower than normal.

[xppman]

I did the ten cent thing as an experiment and for some exposure.
I did use gallery so each listing cost .45 cents.
My total out of pocket to ebay for listing 4 items (with fixed prices and 10 available for each)
was $1.80. 

The way ebay is heading that 10 cent for any listing should be standard fee all the time.


That is about all the value a ebay listing is worth anymore. IMO

You hit the nail on the head here me thinks:

eBay's frequent glitches this fall probably have caused more than a few buyers to give up in disgust and go shop somewhere where they didn't have to jump through hoops to purchase and pay for an item.

I would add:
bay’s frequent glitches and CONSTANT changes in the last two years or so, plus the jumping through hoops to purchase and pay for an item has sent many a shopper far far away.


Thank You ebay

[Angel]

I do think gas and home heating oil prices are having a negative effect on spending

Ok you're right, gas and oil prices are having an effect.  I know it has effected me and my friends as well but its not the whole reason that sales are down there. 

eBay's frequent glitches this fall probably have caused more than a few buyers to give up in disgust and go shop somewhere where they didn't have to jump through hoops to purchase and pay for an item

I totally agree with this and will also add that its part of the reason that some sellers have closed up and left also.  Low traffic, crappy sales and glitches, glitches and more glitches are why I closed up.  A person can only take so much (buyer or seller), thats something ebay fails to understand or chooses not to care about.

The whole thing is just sad when the sellers are struggling so much.  I feel for them, some really need this to work so they can earn money for their families.  I really do hope things turn around for them.


Angel 

[butterflykisses]

I stopped buying on Ebay.  I can't stand the gouging on the shipping.  I know why it's done, but I don't agree with it.

[sneakymagenta]

http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=2000047031&start=0

That is one depressing thread 

[butterflykisses]

"IT" is a stupid campaingn too.  Who comes up with that crap?