Sales have just STOPPED???

[shamrockshirts]

Is anyone else experiencing ridiculously slow sales? 

I've been selling here for over 5 years, an average of 10 items per day, every day of the week.  Then suddenly on Saturday, my sales just stopped.  Ebay can't give me an explanation for it, I've changed nothing in my listings or my settings. 

My products are still selling as normal on my other online sites, and my other ebay accounts are also selling as normal.

Any ideas what could be going on?  It's costing me a fortune!  X-(

[sloanranger62]

My sales have been shocking, hardly any all month after a very sucessful year and regaining my Power Seller status (although I would like to know any associated benefits to being a PS).  I did close my shop down for a while after getting upset with Ebay and making a stand.  I decided to do just free listings for approximately 3 months with good sales.  I reopen my shop a month ago because relisting is so labour intensive and SALES CAME TO A DEAD STOP.  I could have made some sales by accepting ridiculous offers for expensive garments but I am not desperate and declined.  My other on-line shop is performing well.

[dazzledayz]

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@sloanranger62 wrote:

My sales have been shocking, hardly any all month after a very sucessful year and regaining my Power Seller status (although I would like to know any associated benefits to being a PS).  I did close my shop down for a while after getting upset with Ebay and making a stand.  I decided to do just free listings for approximately 3 months with good sales.  I reopen my shop a month ago because relisting is so labour intensive and SALES CAME TO A DEAD STOP.  I could have made some sales by accepting ridiculous offers for expensive garments but I am not desperate and declined.  My other on-line shop is performing well.

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And that is rather the point!

Where other channels are ticking along in a normal(ish) retail manner, eBay suffers these extreme stops and starts.

Even in the most downbeat cycle our sales slow but do not stop.

ATM we are looking at 3 days of 0 sales and that is just so far from normal as to be highly suspicious.

Just because we're paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get us lol.

[tangledstitches]

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@dazzledayz wrote:

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@sloanranger62 wrote:

My sales have been shocking, hardly any all month after a very sucessful year and regaining my Power Seller status (although I would like to know any associated benefits to being a PS).  I did close my shop down for a while after getting upset with Ebay and making a stand.  I decided to do just free listings for approximately 3 months with good sales.  I reopen my shop a month ago because relisting is so labour intensive and SALES CAME TO A DEAD STOP.  I could have made some sales by accepting ridiculous offers for expensive garments but I am not desperate and declined.  My other on-line shop is performing well.

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And that is rather the point!

Where other channels are ticking along in a normal(ish) retail manner, eBay suffers these extreme stops and starts.

Even in the most downbeat cycle our sales slow but do not stop.

ATM we are looking at 3 days of 0 sales and that is just so far from normal as to be highly suspicious.

Just because we're paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get us lol.

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I don't think it's all down to ebay playing with things.  I think it has more to do with the fact that a lot of people just don't buy on ebay any more, yet they'll buy on sites like fb that are just as risky, or websites that they know absolutely nothing about.  

I've been selling a bit on facebook and more than half of my customers have chosen to pay with direct deposit!  Some weeks I've sold more on there than on ebay (not this ID) and I'm sure most of my buyers there would never look at ebay, let alone buy here, and my ebay buyers would never buy on facebook.

[dazzledayz]

A thought just occurred to me - I wonder if all eBay's advertising of the "Netflix Tax" may not have something to do with the sudden slowdown?

Buyers, as we are all well aware, more often than not miss the detail in descriptions.

Could it be that a large number are reading eBay's announcements as prefacing a 10% overall tax on sales?

If so, then eBay would be well advised to make it very plain to buyers that they are not affected, only sellers and only then by way of fees.

Just a thought.

[lyndal1838]

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@dazzledayz wrote:

A thought just occurred to me - I wonder if all eBay's advertising of the "Netflix Tax" may not have something to do with the sudden slowdown?

Buyers, as we are all well aware, more often than not miss the detail in descriptions.

Could it be that a large number are reading eBay's announcements as prefacing a 10% overall tax on sales?

But there is already a 10% tax on sales....it is called the GST and has been in force for 17 years now.  All goods sold on ebay are supposed to be GST inclusive but the only sellers who are affected are those who are registered for GST.  Small time sellers (both business and private) do not have to pay it to the ATO.

If so, then eBay would be well advised to make it very plain to buyers that are not affected, only sellers and only then by way of fees.

It is hardly ebay's place to educate the Australian population on the ins and outs of our taxation system which has been in use for 17 years.

Just a thought.

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[ircinic-7]

Lyndal,

Perhaps Dazzle means the misinterpretation of the new tax on fees.

A lot would read it as a further 10% on sales, how hard has it been to get through here it is on fees not the goods.

[lyndal1838]

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@ircinic-7 wrote:

Lyndal,

Perhaps Dazzle means the misinterpretation of the new tax on fees.

A lot would read it as a further 10% on sales, how hard has it been to get through here it is on fees not the goods.

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There is always going to be misinterpretation of ebay announcements while people are determined to believe that ebay is out to get them at every turn.

I doubt that the average buyer is even aware of the Netflix Tax and how it is or is not going to affect them.....it is not going to affect them to any great degree unless the seller raises their prices unreasonably to cover the GST component of their fees.

Every time ebay hikes the fees or adds another fee the sellers all come here crying doom and gloom but in reality it is the buyer who is going to suffer....any seller worth their salt will build the new fees into their prices and the buyer will pay.

[imastawka]

For cryin' out loud......hasn't anyone noticed that this thread is over 4 years old!

If sales had suddenly stopped 4 years ago then nothing is new.

It's always slow on ebay at some time or another.  Dunno why everyone is bleating.

Go with the flow people.   

[dazzledayz]

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@lyndal1838 wrote:

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@dazzledayz wrote:

A thought just occurred to me - I wonder if all eBay's advertising of the "Netflix Tax" may not have something to do with the sudden slowdown?

Buyers, as we are all well aware, more often than not miss the detail in descriptions.

Could it be that a large number are reading eBay's announcements as prefacing a 10% overall tax on sales?

But there is already a 10% tax on sales....it is called the GST and has been in force for 17 years now.  All goods sold on ebay are supposed to be GST inclusive but the only sellers who are affected are those who are registered for GST.  Small time sellers (both business and private) do not have to pay it to the ATO.

If so, then eBay would be well advised to make it very plain to buyers that are not affected, only sellers and only then by way of fees.

It is hardly ebay's place to educate the Australian population on the ins and outs of our taxation system which has been in use for 17 years.

Just a thought.

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This is exactly what I mean and I thought I was being clearer than eBay.

If Lyndal can misinterpret what I have said then it is really likely that a buyer may infer that GST will now be applied to item prices when in fact it is only on eBay's income (our fees).

It looks like eBay are running a needless (and possibly damaging) scare campaign.

They've done exactly the same in the US over the issue of state based sales taxes.

[brerrabbit585]

Not directed at lyndal...

Most buyers neither know nor care that sellers pay fees to ebay and paypal so why would they know or care about gst on anything on ebay?

If they'd heard about the gst on fees they'd be more inclined to buy up now before sellers put their prices up to cover it. Ditto if they thought it was going to be paid on the price of goods and not just on sellers' fees.