Is my store ok? My sales have dropped off

[kitty-kat-kollection]

I know it's been quiet since before Christmas, and I also was away for almost 2 weeks during that time, but I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong somewhere.

My store is called kitty-kat-kollection and I sell mostly used excellent quality womens clothes, shoes, handbags, some makeup & skin products, some jewellery and the occasional item like vintage Lego and (genuine) Pandora charms (from one of my own bracelets).

I know the amount of sellers is high in this fashion area, and although I try and buy high end / designer clothes, it's very rare to actually find those pieces at prices cheap enough to guarantee a fairly decent profit and you can never know whether any item will sell or for how much.

I put business cards in every parcel, have custom return address labels and am really helpful and friendly to my buyers. I've been on Ebay since 2002 (but only started properly selling in July 2018) and am a "top seller".

I try to use all the keywords I can in the titles, always include well written descriptions in the listings, always provide measurements for each item, and also try and show my items as best I can by taking photos from various angles. I also go through my listings every few days and change up the photos and review the price.

The photos of clothes are mostly on cat-themed coat hangers on a hook on my white door so against a clean, uncluttered backdrop. The photos of my other products like shoes, bags and cosmetics are on either my white shaggy rug or my faux fur ottoman. I am actively seeking a plain white mannequin bust as they often look so much better (neck down to upper thigh).

I'm just wondering if there's an issue I'm not aware of. Many of my items only have 1-3 views after a week. Am I buying the wrong brands? Am I too cheap? Too expensive? Do my listings blab on for too long?

If anyone is really bored and would care to take a look, I'd really appreciate it

Thank you!

[downsizing6000]

I think you need to research your brand claims before you find the fake police hanging you out to dry. The “replica” Hermes cuff.... seriously?! Sell real stuff not try to make rubbish stuff sound good.

[downsizing6000]

Oh and I seriously dislike cats so those cat hangers???!

[countessalmirena]

kitty-kat-kollection, truly, truly, you need to be very careful re listing any Hermès items. You say that the bag you've listed is HERMES Leathergoods and is made in Australia, and you further say it is a subsidiary of Hermès.

Well, there's no doubt that one can buy Hermès bags and small leather goods in Australia. The genuine site for Australian online purchases (included for purposes of showing genuine items) shows the sort of items, and the prices they fetch. In a word... high. When you look at the quality of the leather and the workmanship and stitching, it's so much better than the bag you listed that one can't really compare the two. Also, you'll see the inside embossed pale gold stamp stating HERMÈS PARIS MADE IN FRANCE (not made in Australia).

Spoiler

There is indeed an Australian company that is a subsidiary of Hermès in Australia. Let me quote:

❝The company responsible for the service, seller of the goods offered for sale on the Hermes.com website is HERMÈS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, subsidiary of HERMÈS INTERNATIONAL, which has been granted the exclusive right to sell a selection of Hermès Products on the Internet network in Australia.

HERMÈS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD (ACN 003 558 085, ABN 88 003 558 085), a company incorporated in Australia whose registered office is located at: Level 11 70 Castlereagh Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Company Number 773076
Tel.: 02 9216 1900

Email: service.au@hermes.com❞

Not, you will note, HERMES Leathergoods Made in Australia or anything of that sort. Oh, there is a private company listed on ABR called HERMES LEATHERGOODS PTY LTD, but this company is not registered for GST currently. Its history (through at least two name changes, and it started out as A K I U Leathergoods (contractors) Pty Ltd in 1968) does not gel with the history of Hermès having a presence in Australia. I might be mistaken because I'm not a Hermès historian or expert, but to the best of my knowledge Hermès NEVER manufactured its goods in Australia. It's a luxury brand, and it maintains its status by ensuring that its goods are of the very highest quality, very exclusive, and very expensive.

That exclusivity would have been lost if it had been outsourced to Australian manufacture rather than being made in France. I just can't imagine that having happened. In fact, Hermès themselves say ❝Our bags, luggage and small leather goods are produced by our artisans at approximately 12 French leather goods manufacturing facilities.❞

HERMES LEATHERGOODS PTY LTD has a completely different ABN to that shown on the Hermès Australia website: 15 000 616 151 (and ACN 000 616 151).

I strongly strongly suggest you call Hermès to have a frank but careful discussion about what you've researched because Hermès are among the most aggressive companies in the world when it comes to protecting their brand.

Call 1300 728 807 (Australia)
Monday to Friday: 9.30am - 5.30pm AEST

[kitty-kat-kollection]

I agree with the Hermes cuff. It sucks.

I love cats and so do many others, but I accept the coat hangers can be distracting.

I had NO idea I was doing anything wrong with the Hermes Leathergoods made in Australia product!

[padi*0409]

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@kitty-kat-kollection wrote:


I had NO idea I was doing anything wrong with the Hermes Leathergoods made in Australia product!

---

Countess said this in her post :-

"I strongly strongly suggest you call Hermès to have a frank but careful discussion about what you've researched because Hermès are among the most aggressive companies in the world when it comes to protecting their brand."

further to that I think it would be a very good idea to end that listing before you call Hermes and before anyone reports that listing.

Hermes are indeed very aggressive on protecting their brand and could cause problems with your eBay account (and possibly sue you) if you don't do that.

[kitty-kat-kollection]

Omg, I REALLY had no idea!!!!!!

[imastawka]

I just checked your store, quickly, and I'm pleased to see you've taken on board

the suggestions that have been made.

Blurb at the top has been shortened, and store categories have been put in place.

I know it will be a big job to get rid of that cat coathanger, so it can wait a while.

But that Hermes bag should be taken down.

Bet you didn't think we'd really look that hard at your store.

We've had some who've asked basically the same question, and didn't like the answers they got.  They got very defensive.

But you didn't, so well done.

I hope your sales pick up soon.

[kitty-kat-kollection]

Thank you!! I honestly really appreciated all the valuable advice! I didn't ask for compliments or only sugar coated minimal suggestions. 😀

I'm still getting through some categories and adding more sub-categories for size, just for the tops and dresses as they each have the most items.

I plan to ask around about mannequins next week at my regular op shops, and buy some nice wooden coat hangers.

I'm nervous about the Hermes bag. It has 3 watchers on it and the greedy side of me just wants to see if anything happens...gulp.

[countessalmirena]

kitty-kat-kollection, in your place I wouldn't run the risk. I'd at the very least remove the reference to HERMES LEATHERWORKS being a subsidiary of Hermès. The risk for a sanction, a Significantly Not As Described claim, and a businesslike but brutal letter from Hermès Australia's lawyer is just too high...

[kitty-kat-kollection]

Wow. But is it really not a subsidiary? That's the only reason I put that in the listing in the first place, because I read about it.

If it's not a subsidiary, what is it (and the others like it / similar)??? Some weird rogue brand?

I got excited when I saw Hermes in the op shop, then obviously realised it wasn't the PROPER Hermes, but still thought, after reading, that it was at least legitimate.

The only other time I bought a **bleep** item was when I saw a Jimmy Choo bag at another op shop, blindly bought it from excitement, and then realised that not only was it fake, but it was also decrepit. lol.