December Sales 2021

[hobby_cds]

Just curious as to how everyone is going sales wise this December. There is the obvious reasons why sales are slow across the board over many categories both online and at retailers. Just interested to see how everyone is travelling - 

My wife went to the our local shopping centre Thursday and she said it was basically a ghost town. With so much uncertainty around the world today it makes for an interesting conversation piece,

Our sales over our two accounts are down some 30-40% December 2021 vs 2020 yet the rest of the year has been reasonable business. Is it simply a case of people getting shopping done earlier this year with time on their hands or with so many uncertain situations facing people are they simply not buying as previous.

[davewil1964]

Woolies are always busy when I shop. I must pick the wrong times.

As for low sales, mine aren't much less than any other December.

Maybe lockdown syndrome has eased and people are spending money in their local B&M, as we are all being urged to do. Maybe your items don't suit the time of the year. Maybe Black Friday and Cyber Monday has emptied pockets.

So many possibilities, so few empirical answers.

So little chance of your advertising on the boards being productive.

[springyzone]

I am not a seller but I am a buyer & if you're wondering where buyers have gone, well, a lot of buying has been done online this year, for sure.

I have been receiving 2 -5 parcels a week lately and sometimes several on the same day. I see the Aust post vans around daily. I babysit at my son's and he has been receiving lots of parcels too, as have the neighbours up & down the street.

People are still buying presents. Maybe they are buying smaller gifts this year, I don't know, but they are still buying something- but probably not on ebay. I haven't bought a single gift on ebay this Christmas.

Most of the retailers I buy from also have an ebay presence and goods are the same prices but I tend to buy direct. I look at cashrewards too and see what % back is at different sites and ebay is usually only a low %, whereas the other sites tend to have occasional specials where it will be eg 10-15% off. Don't know how many people that influences but there are a few of us.

Bottom line though is if I wanted to buy something and and ebay seller had a good deal on it, I'd probably buy here too. Depends what people are after.

[lezned-toycollector]

My sales have been nothing less than steady. I've had better, yes... but I've also had much, much worse.

I'll gladly take this December over last December in a heartbeat, and this one's not done - yet.

[*sons_and_daughters*]

I'm actually struggling to keep up with current sales. Thankfully I've recently had 2 annual leave days that I was able to catch up on posting. It's been a huge December for me.

I'm not in Sydney, and you couldn't pay me any amount to live there. Not even a billion dollars. I do know my local area has been absolutely buzzing with shoppers. So much so, I wanted to go to Big W the other day, but the stream of cars going into the carpark, I kept driving. The line up was nearly a KM long in both directions. I live in a regional area.

As for Woollies, I'll be going there this afternoon. Sunday afternoons are always quiet here. Stuff going there when it's busy! I will hit Big W then too.

[offroad7400]

Our sales are down similar percentage. Once lock downs lifted buyers headed to bricks and mortar stores, sick of screen buying. Hobby sales like ours fell off a cliff as everyone bought through lock down.

With government cash dwindling, buyers have moved from discretionary to experiential purchases in need of a holiday. Throw in Christmas gift buying for other people and their personal spend diminishes, especially after Black Friday.

When eBay run TV commercials, you know sales are slow.

[paper-jack]

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@springyzone wrote:

....

Bottom line though is if I wanted to buy something and and ebay seller had a good deal on it, I'd probably buy here too. Depends what people are after.

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I agree  - bought a pair of shoes on ebay yesterday - saved $30 and they'll be delivered to my door so saved from the crowds at shops.

From a selling point of view, not surprised sales have stopped (especially on handmade Christmas decorations, not too fussed, less to make next year). I'm only buying things online that aren't needed for Christmas and don't mind waiting till next year for delivery - I'm guessing the majority of buyers want things this week, so unless they can pick up locally, ebay will have to wait until new year heat waves when air-conditioned confinement breeds boredom and people start buying again.

Although people may be turning to ebay to sell unwanted gifts to help fund the cost of running the air con during heat waves...

[sweet_violets]

Ebay fiddled with categories, especially jewellery so sales are right down.Etsy though is soaring so I was told.