ARE your sales still slow this month? Oct - Nov 2014

[rsot]

Things should turn around with holiday season coming

[YEbayY]

Originally Posted by rsot

Things should turn around with holiday season coming

Sales should start to pick up back end of November and upto Chrimstas as people begin to buy last minute gifts/items before Christmas

[goldstealth]

We all need to also keep in mind we all sell different things! Its hard to make universal statements when this forum isn't just confined to a single country, but the world.

Its also pretty hard to say sales are down when some are thriving in this market, as I am. Whats a negative for someone, can be a positive for someone else. We must always constantly adapt to the market. Reason being you could easily have record breaking sales last year, and this year your sales could be record lows.

I like to look at apple as they are to me one of the best at marketing and constantly reinventing their products. Nothing lasts forever...

Too all the people knew to stealth seeing older members on here can be somewhat alarming and may make you want to stay away from eBay, don't give in. I can offer you the other side that you can thrive in this market! Sales should pick up around thanksgiving but we shouldn't have to wait for a month to see a boost in sales, a steady stream is the only way to go for the long term.

Remember never believe all that you see Including me.

Keep in mind it doesn't matter what you think about your product at the end of the day, its what consumers want and whats in demand that matters.

Soon it will be Black Thursday! haha...

The negativity in this thread amazes me.

Originally Posted by Mrjame

No one can guess their items on day, it's depending on many things, such us: Holidays, sale off, etc...

I agree. The people complaining about "glitches" must have never worked in retail before. I've worked at best buy where we would be crazy busy one week, DEAD the next. Same thing applies to a simple day...where we would get a crazy rush, then dead the rest of the night.

Its just the reality of retail. Just because you sell a certain amount one week, one month, one year..doesn't mean that will happen again its just not how it works. Thats why you must adapt, adapt, adapt!

[SadSuspended]

My sales have been down this month. Last month I had fewer stealths accounts and more sales. This month I have more stealths accounts and less sales. So as my stealths accounts increased my sales decreased. Hoping this changes quick. I have 8 active accounts on ebay and hardly no sales this month. My amazon sales this months have also decreased.

[dealagreeproceed]

always early November before stupid black Friday, retails sales slow. atleast from my limited experience in retail. if this is still goin on end of nov early December then ya be concerned

[mudrat26]

For me it's purely USA/Canada/Australia sales overnight i've went from 60/40 Uk/ROW split to 95/5 when it should be moving to 50/50 due to ROW wanting get there items in time for xmas. Its happened overnight, this split has been constant year upon year, I'm trying to track down the day to see what chagnes ebay implemented on that day. This weekend 1 USA sale, that's my first weekend of 1 USA sale in at least 3 - 4 years something is not right.

[user3657]

Originally Posted by goldstealth

We all need to also keep in mind we all sell different things! Its hard to make universal statements when this forum isn't just confined to a single country, but the world.

Its also pretty hard to say sales are down when some are thriving in this market, as I am. Whats a negative for someone, can be a positive for someone else. We must always constantly adapt to the market. Reason being you could easily have record breaking sales last year, and this year your sales could be record lows.

I like to look at apple as they are to me one of the best at marketing and constantly reinventing their products. Nothing lasts forever...

Too all the people knew to stealth seeing older members on here can be somewhat alarming and may make you want to stay away from eBay, don't give in. I can offer you the other side that you can thrive in this market! Sales should pick up around thanksgiving but we shouldn't have to wait for a month to see a boost in sales, a steady stream is the only way to go for the long term.

Remember never believe all that you see Including me.

As a small time seller I can tell you this time of year, anything will sell. It doesnt matter what it is! Marketing a product like apple's is not the same thing as selling that product to lazy shoppers during Christmas.
In the past I have bought items at retail prices the week before Christmas and made a profit. I'll never understand it. People are just lazy.

I swear you can sell **** from a dog on ebay this time of year.

[aking]

Originally Posted by user3657

I swear you can sell **** from a dog on ebay this time of year.

I just died laughing, sorry that was funny. But true though!

[vogeltron]

Originally Posted by aking

I just died laughing, sorry that was funny. But true though!

Still not like it was when eBay was a huge garage sale and a community 6-10 years ago. I remember a hotdog the "hawkdog" from the Seahawks NFC championship game sell for over $1,000. A jar of air from a redskins game sell for a couple hundred bucks. A pc of Toast that looked like the state of Texas sell for $35. I am sorry to break the news to the newer sellers but the golden age of eBay is gone. I will say that holidays does mean increased sales. But this is not what it was for those of us who have been around.

[rsot]

Originally Posted by vogeltron

Still not like it was when eBay was a huge garage sale and a community 6-10 years ago. I remember a hotdog the "hawkdog" from the Seahawks NFC championship game sell for over $1,000. A jar of air from a redskins game sell for a couple hundred bucks. A pc of Toast that looked like the state of Texas sell for $35. I am sorry to break the news to the newer sellers but the golden age of eBay is gone. I will say that holidays does mean increased sales. But this is not what it was for those of us who have been around.

Bag of pencil shavings...cereal that looked like Jesus....a kidney...those were the golden age

[Dmshark25]

And be-careful over the holidays , hold some accounts completely back from selling until after

Every year sales have been great in December and than January comes and it's like the MC999 tornado comes thru just making there yearly clean out, and I have lost TRS accounts that were that status 9 months running all positives there's something about a couple weeks after Christmas that eBay seems to suspend lots of accounts

So be aware and keep a group of accounts totally clear from any holiday sales, it will be worth it come mid January after the sweep

[aking]

Also look at price adjusting. Your items may just be over priced. Look at competitors, look at trends in sales. Sometimes you have to make adjustments with your listing or item to get the sale!

[storas]

Originally Posted by goldstealth

I agree. The people complaining about "glitches" must have never worked in retail before. I've worked at best buy where we would be crazy busy one week, DEAD the next. Same thing applies to a simple day...where we would get a crazy rush, then dead the rest of the night.

Its just the reality of retail. Just because you sell a certain amount one week, one month, one year..doesn't mean that will happen again its just not how it works. Thats why you must adapt, adapt, adapt!

The strange thing is I was busy all year 40-60 a day with continues grow.
And yesterday 3pm everything stopped. Sold 3 since then.

Not sure what to think

[goldstealth]

I hope you realize that when you operate businesses they have ups and downs, peaks and valleys? Its a little earlier to worry if its just yesterday. There any many factors that come into play. Unless your a Walmart or Target you should expect to have bad days, your pretty delusional to think otherwise.

[vogeltron]

Originally Posted by goldstealth

I hope you realize that when you operate businesses they have ups and downs, peaks and valleys? Its a little earlier to worry if its just yesterday. There any many factors that come into play. Unless your a Walmart or Target you should expect to have bad days, your pretty delusional to think otherwise.

It could be regional by country. But when you have multiple sellers like myself, RSOT and other who have been doing this for a decade. Saying this is usual and extremely strange. Definitely something is up. You are right 1 day can be an outlier. But eBay is either losing traffic or the western economies are much worse off then the talking heads are saying.

[rsot]

Also other platforms to check out

[storas]

I have had steady selling. 40-60 items a day. The day before yesterday 3 items and today back at 37 . Seen a lot of people complain about eBay app not working and combined postage not adding up last 2 days. Seems they have fixed it? Fingers x.

[goldstealth]

Originally Posted by vogeltron

It could be regional by country. But when you have multiple sellers like myself, RSOT and other who have been doing this for a decade. Saying this is usual and extremely strange. Definitely something is up. You are right 1 day can be an outlier. But eBay is either losing traffic or the western economies are much worse off then the talking heads are saying.

I won't disagree since you clearly have the resume and not me.

You must have seen its growth, correct? Ebay wasn't always as big as it was now 10 years ago, unless I'm mistaken.

Only time will tell. But unless some other business comes into the market and actually works (so many failed) I don't see eBay going anywhere but up.

Without competition, unless they keep doing stupid things like having security breaches...shouldn't see traffic going downwards as a trend.

I'm talking big picture too. Just like we have hiccups so can eBay. This year could be a bad one maybe. But if you break it down say every 2-3 years or something like that, you must be better off now than 10 years ago?

[vogeltron]

Originally Posted by goldstealth

I won't disagree since you clearly have the resume and not me.

You must have seen its growth, correct? Ebay wasn't always as big as it was now 10 years ago, unless I'm mistaken.

Only time will tell. But unless some other business comes into the market and actually works (so many failed) I don't see eBay going anywhere but up.

Without competition, unless they keep doing stupid things like having security breaches...shouldn't see traffic going downwards as a trend.

eBay may be bigger in the sense it is more corprotized. FVF fees were like 4-5% when I started for low value items then got lower for higher value items. There was a golden age of selling on eBay. I would say about 2002 to 2008 or so when Aspkin came out with the stealth guide. Still maybe 1 to 2 decent years after that. When the 1099k law went into effect for me on US eBay especially it felt like it changed everything dramatically.

There was a day when this was a community of small independent sellers and amazing things happened on the site. Now it is pretty cookie cuttter. For the most part eBay is trying to keep up Amazon in most categories.

To be honest back in like 2005 to 2007 I had crazy competition. When eBay started changing things I was like well I am the last person standing. I am starting to believe because there are so little products offered in many of the areas I sell now it has actually hurt my business. Because buyers are looking elsewhere.

[rsot]

Originally Posted by storas

I have had steady selling. 40-60 items a day. The day before yesterday 3 items and today back at 37 . Seen a lot of people complain about eBay app not working and combined postage not adding up last 2 days. Seems they have fixed it? Fingers x.

Positive news at least

[CanBrit]

Sold $18000 in August, November to date $550. How did that happen. Ebay's new seller defect system. 99.9 Feedback. 1 Neg. Two Items lost in mail. 3 Ebay Feedback Extortion and two INAD's due to returns wanting free shipping.

Pretty cute eh? Now restricted to 50 auctions and PayPal is holding funds for up to 21 days.

The only good thing? If I'm not seeing, eBay is not getting any fees. If I'm not buying, eBay loses as well. Thank God I'm not in it for the money.

[joesshooze]

I hope Aspkin is correct and I understand all the variables... but my sales are significantly down compared to 2 years prior.
BTW, no "foo foo" I have been selling the same items for over 4 years now and sales have increased every year until present.