Convince me to stay!

[niceoldstuffdownunder]

I have been selling regularly on here since 1999, mainly my own stuff  (retro , antiques, collectables)collected over years and years and my own quality clothes and shoes. I realize ebay can't operate  without fees but I've noticed declining views and watchers and ultimately sales  . I use keywords, brand names etc and my prices are cheap but I don't feel like paying more in promotional fees .....I've read they don't work anyway! Are high postage prices a problem ? I always offer pick up. Or is Marketplace a better option ?  Or is it what I'm selling ?Also ebay used to dangle carrots like 5 fee free listings or free postage for your next 5 sales .....haven't had these offers in ages ! Would love to know what others think.

[kopenhagen5]

As long as you can list for free, then may as well.

I suggest putting ‘make an offer’ on all your listings. 
No one has money at present. Dare I say it, I think we are and have been in a recession for a few years. 
I hear some have great success with marketplace, however I think prices need to be very generous. 

I also haven’t seen many promos offered for some time, both for selling and buying. 

[pnc75]

Plus it's always slow this time of year, with Christmas, holidays and then back to school. People don't have any money left 😞

[pnc75]

Just to add though, ebay isn't what it used to be 😞  but it has a more competition these days.  I have success on some other platforms, but still hang around here for the occasional sale. 

[brickworksmarket]

High inflation usually tells you theres too much money in the economy but as you say many dont have much money. Someone is spending keeping inflation high instead of going through a short recession with a price correction making it easier for everyone else.  

[*casey*]

@niceoldstuffdownunder

I agree with pnc in respect to  "eBay isn't what it used to be".

As I'm sure you're aware, once upon a time some of your 'labeled' women's and children's  items would have been snapped up for MUCH higher prices than you have them listed for now.

I don't think it's ALL about lack of money though.

Much of your target market have moved away from this site. 

Many think it's old fashioned  and are looking on Marketplace instead.

While some people think that Marketplace buyers will try to beat you down in price, I think  it really does depend on where you live and what you're selling.

JMO, but I think some of your labeled items would do very well on Marketplace and you'd have a wider audience of local buyers.

As far as the rest of the site goes, it's flooded with Chinese dropshipping junk , often making it too time consuming  for buyers to actually find the good, Australian sellers.

And  with so many other online sites to shop, those buyers have had enough of having to sift through  all the  Chinese dropshipping junk,    so they've left here.

[springyzone]

Why don't you try out both? List some of your items on marketplace as well as here. You can also look up facebook groups. Sometimes there are dedicated groups for selling particular brands of items/clothing and you could join and list in those too.

If some of your items are listed on both sites, you'll be able to judge for yourself how they do. It would be easy to juggle as if you get a person on marketplace who is offering to buy, you can just quickly pull the ad off ebay before accepting.

Things on ebay have changed drastically since 1999. Back in the early 2000s, I sometimes bought good brand/excellent condition used clothing but it is not something I have even considered doing on ebay in many years now. It has lost its appeal. I have occasionally  bought something for the grandkids but that is about all.

What you're facing is a situation where most companies now have their own websites and sales, which they didn't back in the early 2000s.

And I'd agree with Casey in that a lot of younger people (and younger people to me are those 40 and under 😁) just don't use ebay. They didn't grow up in a time when ebay was about the only sales site online.

If you're able to list on ebay for free, I agree with kopenhagen, then you may as well. Nothing to lose. But do both and double your chances.

[south.coffee]

It's not you.  It's everyone.  Everyone is selling clothes.  Type the word 'cotton' into search field and you will get 4,558,214 results.

There are 22,519,505 listings in Clothing, Shoes & Accessories category on sale to Australian buyers.

How you stand out statistically where your 34 items for sale is mathematically low... and your 16 sales in the last few months reflects the statistics.  It's not you.

[south.coffee]

My local Vinnies store sell second hand T-shirts for $6-10 when up the road at Kmart you can buy a new one for $4.50 and don't have to wait days or cost for delivery.  Fast Fashion too has killed off second hand clothes market.

Unless you are looking for something unique, retro or vintage new clothes cost very little.  Even Op-shops don't want them any more and throw out many donated clothes.  They take up lots of space and return little.  Two Op-shops in our town closed as they went broke...

[*casey*]

"new clothes cost very little"

Obviously I live in the wrong area.

Could someone please post the locations of  eg

The Decjuba, Witchery and Country Road  stores where they're  selling their clothes for 'very little'  ?

TIA