Ebay Auction Profits 2 Low 2 Bother With

[NotAHappyBunny]

I have been calculating profits on small auction items from around the home at 99p start bid and very reasonable postage cost (I don't make a penny on them) and to be honest it's really not worth people's time. I made a lowsy 30p after fee's etc.
Last year I could shift tons of items - making a decent enough amount for the time & effort involved.
I predict a huge number of normal household seller's not bothering with EB anymore. Easier to take it to a car boot or donate. This will then cause a huge loss of bargain hunters - one of which is myself.

Added to this is the ridiculous expectations they place on sellers - imagine a newby eb seller just trying to shift some clutter - very popular way of getting rid of unwanted items for the general public, and the hoops they are going to have to jump through which could also cause them to be banned for life.

Also the prices rise is on there is ridiculous - i have just browsed & compared a large amount of items (getting a new addition to the family ) and disregarded EB as a buying source to shop elsewhere online - purchased 10 items that would have until recently been purchased from EB.

I used to do ALL my xmas shopping there - but - if they have managed to alienate me - one of their most loyal customers - well many others will surely follow.


All i can say is roll on Tesco

[GrannyT]

Originally Posted by NotAHappyBunny

I have been calculating profits on small auction items from around the home at 99p start bid and very reasonable postage cost (I don't make a penny on them) and to be honest it's really not worth people's time. I made a lowsy 30p after fee's etc.
Last year I could shift tons of items - making a decent enough amount for the time & effort involved.
I predict a huge number of normal household seller's not bothering with EB anymore. Easier to take it to a car boot or donate. This will then cause a huge loss of bargain hunters - one of which is myself.

Added to this is the ridiculous expectations they place on sellers - imagine a newby eb seller just trying to shift some clutter - very popular way of getting rid of unwanted items for the general public, and the hoops they are going to have to jump through which could also cause them to be banned for life.

Also the prices rise is on there is ridiculous - i have just browsed & compared a large amount of items (getting a new addition to the family ) and disregarded EB as a buying source to shop elsewhere online - purchased 10 items that would have until recently been purchased from EB.

I used to do ALL my xmas shopping there - but - if they have managed to alienate me - one of their most loyal customers - well many others will surely follow.


All i can say is roll on Tesco

NAHB - you have fully identified the problem that EB refuses to look at (I hope their troll reads this) The problem is EB no longer wants you - it only wants the large corporate accounts. The little seller is more trouble than they are worth.

It's just the way it is

[NotAHappyBunny]

Yes - but they must also now be alientaing buyers with the price rises that have occured due to eb & pp fee's - they have managed to lose me, and a few friends of mine who regulary purchased on EB - infact it was always the first port of call for years, that's all we ever said "Got it fro EB, Got it from EB, Got it from EB......".
EB was ALWAYS cheapest on most items - now hardly any in my experience shopping my usual categories.

[GrannyT]

That's exactly what I meant hon - it's called shooting yourself in the foot - trouble is no one at EB is listening

[Ruehl]

eBay used to be my first place to look when I bought stuff, now it's way down on the totem pole.

[planes]

I haven't sold on eBay since they canceled some of my listings for policy violations which their own eBay employees were selling without harassment.
When I brought this to their attention they reinstated my listings but the damage had already been done. They scared off my buyers, with emails, never to return.

I left that account high and dry(Not to customers.) and told eBay to shove the last fees up their a$$.

[ShadyOne]

Yes I agree, I buy so little off eBay these days as well.

I used to be mad for that sh*t!

[NotAHappyBunny]

Originally Posted by planes

I haven't sold on eBay since they canceled some of my listings for policy violations which their own eBay employees were selling without harassment.

hi

how did you find these sellers? What gave them away or are you a FBI agent/Private Detective who supplemented his income by selling on EB :Wink:

[BiN4RY]

Originally Posted by NotAHappyBunny

hi

how did you find these sellers? What gave them away or are you a FBI agent/Private Detective who supplemented his income by selling on EB :Wink:

eBay employees MUST state that they work for ebay in their listings. It's part of the rules

[Road-Kill]

Originally Posted by NotAHappyBunny

I have been calculating profits on small auction items from around the home at 99p start bid and very reasonable postage cost (I don't make a penny on them) and to be honest it's really not worth people's time. I made a lowsy 30p after fee's etc.
Last year I could shift tons of items - making a decent enough amount for the time & effort involved.
I predict a huge number of normal household seller's not bothering with EB anymore. Easier to take it to a car boot or donate. This will then cause a huge loss of bargain hunters - one of which is myself.

Added to this is the ridiculous expectations they place on sellers - imagine a newby eb seller just trying to shift some clutter - very popular way of getting rid of unwanted items for the general public, and the hoops they are going to have to jump through which could also cause them to be banned for life.

Also the prices rise is on there is ridiculous - i have just browsed & compared a large amount of items (getting a new addition to the family ) and disregarded EB as a buying source to shop elsewhere online - purchased 10 items that would have until recently been purchased from EB.

I used to do ALL my xmas shopping there - but - if they have managed to alienate me - one of their most loyal customers - well many others will surely follow.


All i can say is roll on Tesco

You should be selling the items with Buy It Now and set a high enough reserve so it won't sell too low.

The auctions have mostly bottom feeders, but you will sell the same items for 10-40% more with BIN if you keep the item for sale long enough.Most of my customers just use BIN and don't even bother bidding.

[NotAHappyBunny]

Its not really included in my current selling strategy - i'm just trying to lift limits and stay low key for a while. I have new items to list for BIN but i'm apprehensive and want to wait a while longer as I don't want to be linked. Soon after they lift the limits I'm changing selling format.

But I can imagine the average household seller trying to get rid of their unwanted items not bothering after their first few lots of sales - I know if I was just joining now, like your average joe does - I'd consider it a waste of time and energy. The bargain hunter auctions are going to be a thing of the past of they're not careful.

Buy It, Sell It, Love It - My Arse

[stillselling]

@OP, I've read a ton of your posts worrying about this and that, but have you actually gotten back to selling?

It's clear that eB doesn't like auctions anymore. Having multiple ppl fight for 1 item over a few days just to make one sale is not a good revenue model. But if you're just looking to dump your household junk, why would you care over the couple more quids you have pay in fees? You're getting rid of junk and getting something in return.

I don't see how that would alienate buyers if the seller is eating the cost. If the auction starts at $.99, it'll be the market that determines the price not the seller.

Just start listing. Use the BIN, makes no difference to eB if you're new or not. It's the item that gets the attention. Just don't do a no reserve auction with BIN. I love to place the opening bid so the seller loses the BIN option and get stuck with the fee.

[NotAHappyBunny]

Originally Posted by stillselling

@OP, I've read a ton of your posts worrying about this and that, but have you actually gotten back to selling?

Yea - never stopped mate. Just changed strategies - as recommended.

I would never go through this much bother just to clear my home from junk.

Waiting for new acc'ts to verify.

The only reason i'm selling household items (on one account only) is to follow recommended stealth starting strategy.

The fact remains is that a huge number of dedicated eb shoppers will eventually totally disregard eb as a shopping source when auctions numbers dwindle away.