Sales slow???

[user3657]

I suspect its normal for sales to have dropped off this week? Will it pick up in Jan?

[Omgoozle]

Not till March, depending on the category.

People's wallets hurt from the holidays, and the weather deters shoppers and slows down a huge section of the economy.

[jeffweico]

I don't know about all that. Sales for me usually pick up about 2 weeks after Christmas and steadily improve until summer hits. Then they are slow for 3 months, until the kids go back to school in September. Then sales pick up again and reach a peak during the Christmas season. Of course, it also partly depends on what you sell. Not too many swimsuits moving off the shelves in February...

[vogeltron]

Depends on the Category etc. To be honest price wise this was the worst year I have ever had for the items I have sold. Years ago at the discounted prices I offered especially with the fewer eBay sellers due to the purging I would have sold 10x as many items. I really don't sell items that are on Amazon or compete with them so I have no idea why the past two years especially this one have been so crummy.

I guess just keep planning and hoping for the best. That is what I am doing.

[rsot]

Originally Posted by user3657

I suspect its normal for sales to have dropped off this week? Will it pick up in Jan?

Can only hope so - will depend on market niche...dont forget to check in on your competition/competitor prices...

[joesshooze]

December has been steady slow for me. I actually had better sales in Oct. & Nov. Who knows? The economy is really weird and sales are unpredictable.

[Dmshark25]

The week after Christmas is slow everyone spent all their money and just tired of buying but once January comes around there are a lot of gift cards given out and I guess that's why now paypal advertises to buyers they accept prepaid cards for purchases because they want to grab that second round of gifts given as visa gift cards

[galigusso]

Originally Posted by Dmshark25

The week after Christmas is slow everyone spent all their money and just tired of buying but once January comes around there are a lot of gift cards given out and I guess that's why now paypal advertises to buyers they accept prepaid cards for purchases because they want to grab that second round of gifts given as visa gift cards

Totally agree! They will try..

[vogeltron]

Originally Posted by joesshooze

December has been steady slow for me. I actually had better sales in Oct. & Nov. Who knows? The economy is really weird and sales are unpredictable.

eBay has been turning off buyers and sellers as well for at least 5 years now. It isn't what it use to be.

[rsot]

Lot of returns after the holidays too

[glacier922]

Slow sales now for everyone the last week? I've been getting a lot of competitors troll bidding. Hardly any real sales. Tried to block but they keep coming like cockroaches.

[nivo]

Originally Posted by glacier922

I've been getting a lot of competitors troll bidding. Hardly any real sales.

I like that phrase, "troll bidding."
Never really thought of it like that - but very true. Too often did I use to get this when reselling computers.

I also think that it does not help with forums like this one - then everyone knows the "tricks-of-the-trade." Especially scammers.
Obviously there are many tricks that some will not disclose, but you get my drift.
But I can not complain - I would not know half as much as I do if it was not for sites like this

[user3657]

What is troll bidding? Non payers?

[glacier922]

Pretty much non payers. You can see them create new accts just to bid on your items and then not pay. Like cockroaches. I am impressed that they are so persistent

[nivo]

Originally Posted by user3657

What is troll bidding? Non payers?

I am assuming it would be 2 type of people:

1) People who are selling similar items - they want you to loose business. Create ⊗⊗⊗⊗/stealth account, and bid the highest, never to pay.

2) "Kids" or dumb people. That just want to troll you, literally.

[nivo]

Originally Posted by glacier922

Pretty much non payers. You can see them create new accts just to bid on your items and then not pay. Like cockroaches. I am impressed that they are so persistent

I am starting to think ebay is the one that trolls people since it is so persistent. There is no way a normal person has so much time..

[user3657]

lol yuck.
Thats why I like bin with payment required. Although I refuse to sell high ticket items to new buyers and mention this clearly in my listings and they always sneak through.

[glacier922]

@nivo, a friend of mine suggested that it could be eBay trolling. I was wondering how someone could just create accts just to troll me all the time. What I was thinking, maybe these competitors are outsourcing their troll bidding? Maybe outsourcing to s. America. Because I saw some Latin names, but I don't know for sure.

@user, problem with bin to me is that you're not as guaranteed of a sale in a predetermined time as auction. Auction people get excited pushing those buttons.

[joesshooze]

So sorry to hear about the slow sales you are having. The last 2 weeks have been the best ever. Even Christmas.

[rsot]

Originally Posted by nivo

I am starting to think ebay is the one that trolls people since it is so persistent. There is no way a normal person has so much time..

Naw - there are people - eB isnt as bad as that, in general

[biglouis999]

The problem with January is that all the overspent credit card bills come home to roost. Plus its the time of year for bad weather - hence big fuel bills, roof, boiler and plumbing repairs, etc. And our weather her in the UK is not nearly so extreme as the folks in the USA had a couple of weeks ago.

No one has any money for discretionary spending at the moment.

[mfarris83]

Don't forget about China's spring festival that last 2 weeks. Nothing goes in our out for a lot of shipping companies for 2 weeks, hurts a lot of sellers who can't stock up on inventory before the 2 week holiday.