Forum

Why are Sales So Slow?
 

Does anyone know why sales are so slow right now?

I have everything listed from Kayak's to bicycles, Book Sets, Gun Safe Cabinets

I only had 2 sales in June.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

Cause it's Summer.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

It could be what you are listing, your prices, how your ads are written, your place in eBay's search algorithm or many other things.

Summer is the WORST time for sales. They start coming back after the kids go back to school. People are out and about during the summer months, on vacation, etc. so sales tend to be much slower.

One thing you CAN do to see if others selling the same items have more sales is to use a service called TeraPeak. You can enter an item and it will show you sales data over the last 30, 60 or 90 days, show you your competitor's listings, etc. If someone is selling a lot more than you, you can look at their listings to try to figure out why. Are they Top Rated? Do they have a better listing? Better prices?

You can gauge how many items are being offered and how many are being sold on a monthly basis. You can see how much competition there is. If an item is not very popular and 30 other people are selling the same thing, you won't have very many sales.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

you would think people would buying outdoor stuff, maybe i should start listing school stuff soon.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

Just wanted to add: TeraPeak is a subscription service, but they DO have a 7 day FREE TRIAL, so you can sign up and try to see what is going on with your listings without it costing you anything, but just make sure to cancel it before the 7 day trial ends (unless you want to keep it).

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

If i give Terapeak my ebay username can ebay link me?

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

Maybe, but you should not have to give them your eBay user name.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

It's THAT time of the year again..

It's the slow period. Sumer is always slow for online sales.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

Especially as we are having our annual mega heatwave here in the UK and as usual it's come early and interspersed with the occasional thunder and lightening and ridiculously heavy hail storms being mentioned for this coming weekend.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

Yup always super slow this time of year for me.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

back in the day when people were not afraid to lift their heads up on ebay did someone not create a record on youtube about the things they do in the summer while waiting for the buyers to return?

Any how it is not a new thing.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

Have you considered stocking products that are in high demand at this time of year. I have 2 products that are selling like crazy, you just need to have stock that is in demand, terapeak was mentioned above, also look at best sellers sections on ebay/amazon etc to give you an idea of whats hot. Also, try watchcount.com they show sales as well as watch count ;)

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

Well... had rocketing sales in June, and very low sales in July. Probably, summertime.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

Another infomercial by Jeff 😂😂:lol:

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

I have steady sales.

Its seems like these threads ALWAYS pop up. People said they weren't getting sales up till last December lol. And thats AFTER black friday. You have to adjust to the season or accept slow sales. Bottom line.

That might sound harsh but do a search on the forums and you'll find a thread with ALOT of people complaining about SLOW sales from Oct-Jan. Those are supposed to be the height of online sales activity.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

I do not sale on ebay but summer always slow for me to even in affiliate income.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

Sales are always generally slow yes, but there are levels to "slowness", its all relative.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

Everything is relative. I can be insanely busy if I choose and within a month my only complaint will be to many orders.
.Much of this ebay/amazon/internet marketing is all industry specific. I willl be dead ome October in comparison to today.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

Sales are ok over here - deal with the summer woes or close up shop. Maybe find new stuff to sell OP

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

Yankee I KNOW you remember that thread of people complaining they were "slow" and that thread was from I think October all the way threw January.

I'm doing fine, actually better than last year because I have invested more in my products. Although its "generally" slow during summer months it doesn't mean YOU have to be slow.

Like if your selling lawn mowers, of course your going to be busier in the summer compared to if you were selling a snow blower. I've used clothing as my fallback product and grown other niches around that. Although my niches aren't driving in majority of my sales YET they will very soon. But clothing is ALWAYS needed so I'm ALWAYS selling it.

I'm not selling coats now like I was, I obviously had to switch my inventory to adjust but I'm doing better than ever. It all comes down to what YOUR selling not what "month" it is.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

Sales are picking back up now for me.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

Sales were sweet first 5 days of month. I bought some ads for weekend months ago forgot about. I started monthly subscriptions on my site in May and getting about 1 new one a day. 6 months to year from now I be set with recurring income if that rate keeps up. In March, I lowered prices to half off. In June increased prices and did it again on 1st now back on old prices. I lost money for 2-3 months but it got me tons of new customers and they are buying at new price. I am still the cheapest among like products so I probably raise prices again in few months. This is why people buying my subscriptions I sent email to my sales list saying I be increasing prices every few months but if buy subscription locked in on that price as long as keep subscription. Best part me and only one other site owner owns what we sell rest got to use middle men this why I can keep prices so low.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

Yes, I OWN Terapeak. Also ShipStation, Ecommercebytes, 888lots.com, Toolhaus.org, and I am Jeff Bezos secret partner in Amazon. We are planning on buying eBay as soon as it splits from PayPal.

But please don't tell anyone!
:pound:

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

That's good. Sometimes you hit slow periods. It can happen any time during the year. Except for the Christmas season. If you can't make sales then, either your product sucks or eBay is making it invisible to buyers.

But many, many people take vacations around the 4th of July. It is almost always warm, but not so hot like August, so it is a pretty safe bet weather-wise when planning a vacation.

Even Amazon has slow sales in the summer. On July 15th, they are having a special sale for Amazon Prime members that is supposed to rival Cyber Monday. Their goal is to get more signups for Amazon Prime. The spokesman, when asked why they chose July stated hat their shipping carriers always have a lot of extra capacity during the summer.

People still spend money in the summer, of course, they just spend it on different things. If you were selling bikinis and swim trunks, you would probably be doing all right.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

Amazon is my main revenue generator. Last 2 weeks of June very slow on Amazon and eBay. 1st week of July, Amazon below average, ebay above average. eCrater, IOffer, Bonanza etc above average for the past 3 weeks.

Sales I lost on Amazon, been made up on other channels - surprisingly.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

Half those I never even heard of lol

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

People get paid on the 1st 15th, the start and middle of the month always generate more sales, typically.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

Easy to find things that sell really well this time of year, as has been suggested look at best sellers on Amazon and EBay, it's the easiest thing to do that on both sites. That way you are getting the info, straight from the horses mouth, summer outdoor toys, hobbies, some collectables, can't go wrong. Need of course to gradually increase the amounts of stock if within the first 90 days.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

For most online sellers this is the slowest time of the year at-least in the US. That was partially why Amazon had prime day a few day ago. To boost revenue more than anything, maybe get some excitement and clear dead stock.

For me usually from June until August I am just happy to have sales and roll over merchandise I normally don't think about profits. I also find this time of year I have more complaints even though I sell about 1/5th the items. Its crazy.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

I find that if one has more than one quantity of a certain item on a listing that it grants you more views. I also know that if you have a sale that you will have more views than if it was 0 sales. I know and have proved that the longer your listing is up the more visibility you will have. I know that wording does not matter much like all these guides on eBay claim. And I know that eBay likes to put power sellers items first.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

Exactly.

The more you sell the more eBay wins.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

if only that comment was true... lol

i used to do 2x legit accounts 25k a month each maxed.

they limited me cause they wanted invoices for 6 months of transactions.... would nto accept wholesale receipt i sent them.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

So one of three things.
1.) You were getting foo foo complaints
2.) You sold too much in a nitch market and caused other sellers problems
3.) or they simply did not like your receipts.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

well i think it was because this one buyer bought 4 different items from me and then when i cancelled the order he left 4 separate neg feedback for the same listing.

and i was sorta selling 10 dollars below everyone else.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

ebay does not like price bullies these days.
Quickest way to loose a million dollar ebay business is to take control of the market
Ebay's term for it is, "Controlled Status Group Seller" basically you keep the price of a certain market very low and ebay looses money.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

Sounds like socialism to me. But America is become more socialistic these days anyways. Oops I meant "liberal" lol

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

It makes Cents. It is not socialism for ebay.
I have exact examples from my big account I lost in 2013.
according to terapeak I sold 84% of a very fic market. I also wholesaled to the next two largest sellers. There was about 30 sellers then.

Cut my account and then another and two years later there is 1084 sellers this morning. Prices are higher and ebay collects A LOT more in HIGHER fees, insertion fees and ZERO customer support. Back then I called ebay myself multiple times a day every day. Sometimes have 10-20 feedback removed at a time or close dozens of cases etc.

Ebay could not care less that I was giving them 30-50k EVERY month because I was costing them at least that much in lost revenue from other sellers.

I am currently working to recreate that business just a whole lot smarter without directly pissing off every competitor or attracting attention to myself. :)

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

i understand but im just its not fair. cause capitalism is about competitive pricing. but i guess ebay is greedy. but i think they just did it to be douches.

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

It certainly is NOT fair!

Re: Why are Sales So Slow?
 

When I said that I meant in general. I agree with the what was said after...

I meant if you have a item listed buy it now and its set to never "end" then once you get traffic to the listing and watchers plus sales your almost guaranteed the first listing for that specific item GENERALLY.