topic Re: WHY HAVE EBAY SALES CRASHED in Selling

WHY HAVE EBAY SALES CRASHED

pinnacle-agencies — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 23:52:13 GMT

I have found in the last three weeks that my sales volumes on ebay are down by about 70% ... same listings ... same promotional discounts and no other changes on my side...

Are you other sellers finding the same?

My sales of same products OUTSIDE ebay have not changed, and now subsidising my ebay fees.

Re: WHY HAVE EBAY SALES CRASHED

plonkacolin — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 00:20:39 GMT

something serious wrong at the moment with ebay or is it just the australian economy

or sellers are just not buying on here anymore

my sales compared to last years october/november are 60--80% down from last year

december last year was brilliant but this year im not so confident

Re: WHY HAVE EBAY SALES CRASHED

cq_tech — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 00:31:27 GMT

The obvious lack of sales on eBay is due to a number of factors, not the least of which are higher prices than anywhere else due to the exorbitant fees being levied by Ebay on their sellers, including higher shipping costs because eBay have added fees to those as well.

Ebay has also received some pretty bad publicity during the last year or so and their reputation is completely shot at the moment, and I seriously doubt that they can recover in light of the fact that far more customer-oriented sites like AliExpress are now servicing Australian buyers at prices eBay can only dream of.

Also, eBay have clearly forgotten that sellers are also buyers, yet they've treated their sellers so appallingly over the last couple of years that sellers are leaving eBay in their droves and they're taking their money with them and spending it elsewhere.

There are additional reasons but that's enough to be going on with for now.

Re: WHY HAVE EBAY SALES CRASHED

phorum_junkie* — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 00:32:03 GMT

My store sales are way down however most of my auction items are selling and most with more than one bid. I don't think it helps that so many people come on these boards and put ebay down saying things like they are ripping people off and they don't care etc. Buyers read these boards as well and if I didn't know how few people post nothing but complaints it may put me off buying.

Re: WHY HAVE EBAY SALES CRASHED

cq_tech — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 00:40:00 GMT

Those who put eBay down and say they don't care are simply telling the truth.

Good deeds go unnoticed while bad deeds are shouted from the rooftops.

Re: WHY HAVE EBAY SALES CRASHED

mccrae2007 — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 00:46:52 GMT

Mine haven't changed much - but I don't have a high turnover, just happy with what I do.

I have been researching my local area (regional Victoria) "Buy Swap Sell" sites on Facebook, and after a quick search I found approx 6 sites, which have many members and items for sale. Most are "pick ups" & available straight away.

I am sure this must have some impact on purchasing & paying postage type sales.

Re: WHY HAVE EBAY SALES CRASHED

horizon1907 — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 01:01:09 GMT

I was at dinner last night with a group of approx 15 people ( some sellers & buyers ) and this topic came up. The overwhelming opinion was that they have basically given up on ebay. The sellers said it just wasn't worth the hassle & the cost.The buyers said they find what they want elsewhere or buy directly from the Outlets.

Re: WHY HAVE EBAY SALES CRASHED

character_parties_aus — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 01:04:45 GMT

Phorum with a bit of luck eBay may read them and realise they are doing tgher wrong thing and make some changes to benefit buyers and sellers alike not just ebay and to a lesser extent buyers.

Re: WHY HAVE EBAY SALES CRASHED

cmcoins2000 — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 01:04:50 GMT

@horizon1907 wrote:
I was at dinner last night with a group of approx 15 people ( some sellers & buyers ) and this topic came up. The overwhelming opinion was that they have basically given up on ebay. The sellers said it just wasn't worth the hassle & the cost.The buyers said they find what they want elsewhere or buy directly from the Outlets.

Oh H.

My invite must still be emailing in the airewaves.

What style food was on.

Re: WHY HAVE EBAY SALES CRASHED

Anonymous — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 01:11:01 GMT

yes,I am in the same situation,and ebay dont seem to offer free listings to non store holders as much as they use to.Strange,as they would make much more money off us.

Re: WHY HAVE EBAY SALES CRASHED

horizon1907 — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 01:14:18 GMT

Oh H, Your invite must still be austpost & the food was Vietnamese. 🙂

Re: WHY HAVE EBAY SALES CRASHED

mccrae2007 — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 01:20:59 GMT

Just wanted to add, that I think one of the major factors is so called "Free Postage" & the expensive postal costs of Australia Post.

If an item is worth $7.00, and weighs over 500 grams, then add the postage cost of approx $13+, therefore the price to purchase has to be $20.00.

No such thing as free postage for anyone.

Needs to be called "Price Includes Postage Costs" . (says me again)

Re: WHY HAVE EBAY SALES CRASHED

treasuress.4207 — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 02:16:06 GMT

I have long lived in hope that Ebay actually might a) have someone reading these boards for more than just swear words.

b)Give a flying continental about what their ACTIVELY INVOLVED community members think.

Clearly - not gonna happen anytime soon.

I will stop 'putting Ebay down' when Ebay no longer deserves to be put down.

Re: WHY HAVE EBAY SALES CRASHED

wilk1149 — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 02:16:39 GMT

Maybe the elephant in the room is very poor consumer sentiment towards the coalitions budget policies and the fact that we might just need our money for more important things

Re: WHY HAVE EBAY SALES CRASHED

cmcoins2000 — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 02:20:59 GMT

@horizon1907 wrote:
Oh H, Your invite must still be austpost & the food was Vietnamese. 🙂

So you sent it Express Post by Australia Post - that explains the tardiness of arrival.

And I love Vietnamese.

Re: WHY HAVE EBAY SALES CRASHED

polocross58 — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 02:33:01 GMT

Most people seek a bargain. When times are tough, finding bargains becomes even more of a priority. But with Ebay continually bleeding more and more blood from sellers, bargains on Ebay are diminishing along with buyers (and sellers)

Ebay and Aust. Post have been feeding off each others backs for many years. Now they've eaten buyers and sellers down to the bone with their short-term thinking and greed

Most of us saw it coming years ago. Funny how CEOs are paid multi-millions of dollars, yet they couldn't see it too and avert the Ebay slow train-crash

Re: WHY HAVE EBAY SALES CRASHED

pinnacle-agencies — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 02:40:39 GMT

So it’s not just my store that is finding things tough on ebay.

It seems to me that ... less sellers on ebay = less competition = buyers are much worse off.

For ebay to be successful, ebay must have sellers and sellers must make enough profit ... under $5 per hour is NOT enough.

Let sellers do what they know and that is “SELLING” ... source quality products, deal will buyer enquiries and wrap/pack/send ASAP after a sale. “CUSTOMER SERVICE” should be Priority 1.

Most Sellers run successful businesses outside of ebay and don’t need to be told how to “suck eggs”.

Sellers need Ebay to bring customers ... not impose time consuming compliance policy requirements that mean we spend 70% of our time “complying” instead of “SELLING”.

Bad sellers will always find a way around “compliance” requirements, but honest sellers try to do everything and end up failing in “SELLING” and “CUSTOMER SERVICE” because of compliance overload.

I just want ebay to be successful for buyers, sellers and ebay ... a fair and equal opportunity for us all.

Re: WHY HAVE EBAY SALES CRASHED

arlottstreetstation — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 03:16:39 GMT

My Ebay sales are through the floor as well & this is normally a VERY busy time of year for me in the lead up to Xmas. I don't think it's got anything to do with the Budget or Economy although the Coal Industry is still reeling from the effects of the Carbon Tax & a lot of normally big spending Mining Families are now without incomes & facing a bleek Xmas.

During the worst of the high Elecricity & Fuel prices because of the Carbon Tax (plus all of the flow on from that- i.e. food prices etc.) my sector still kept growing & people were spending...

My customers are buying direct from me more & more because of the high prices we Sellers are now forced to put up on Ebay, so the money is still there but NOBODY wants much to do with Ebay anymore...They KNOW that Free Postage is just a Scam...They KNOW the high FVFs are pushhing prices higher & higher & so & so on...they are telling me this almost daily......

Sadly Ebay has fallen into the same old trap that most big players do eventually. They have become so arrogant & out of touch with their customers (we the Sellers) & the real world that they think their future is assured no matter what. History is full of these stories & the bones of the dead Companies that went the same way....

They have completely forgotten that their Customers are US - the Sellers....Without SELLERS, there are NO BUYERS.....no SELLERS, there are no FVFs, no Store Fees....They continue to interfere with our Businesses, trying to tell us how to run them, trying to tell us what our customers want, how many pictures to put up, how to describe our products & so on & so on & so on, then impose Defect Systems on us that have been VERY badly thought out, force completely unrealistic Return Policies on us, put Adverts for our Opposition on our listings etc. & expect us to just keep putting up with it because they feel they are some sought of untouchable Demi-God....

Their opposition is already becoming stronger as Buyers seek out the better deals, & Sellers adapt by moving over to them & open their own Websites etc. So in a few years Ebay will be one of topics that come up at BBQs when someone asks "Does anyone rememner Ebay?" ...and the answer will be "Yeah...they were good for a while & then went crazy.....pitty"....then the conversation will just move on...

Re: WHY HAVE EBAY SALES CRASHED

polocross58 — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 03:21:06 GMT

As far back as I can remember, Ebay was always about CONTROL, GREED and CREATING DIVISIONS

Re: WHY HAVE EBAY SALES CRASHED

pinnacle-agencies — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 03:34:26 GMT

I really want ebay to work for Sellers, Buyers and Ebay.

The truth of the matter is that I am just so busy doing ebay compliance stuff that I am having to work huge extra hours to keep on top of Customer Service.

I just don’t know where I would move to if ebay wasn’t there!