Right that is it, I am over ebay. They don't care for casual sellers.

[grannytakesatrip17]

I am seriously peed off. I have been a collector for over 50 years of antique and vintage items. It was all started when I was just 12 when my Nana took me to jumble sales and I started to appreciate the quality and workmanship of old items,

This led to me inheriting heaps of things and building up crazy collections of everything.

Many things I display and enjoy in my home, but heaps have been stored away. I think I srarted selling things occasionally on ebay about 7 years ago. I always enjoy the research and making people happy.

It is a ot of work, to take good photos and write honest descriptions, but I didnt mind as it was a nice hobby.

This week I decided to kick it off again, I spent over $250.00 pn pre paid satchels, spent 6 days doing the photos and descriptions and hey ho, I sold one tea towel tonight for $5.50.

I notice there is hardly any decent vintage/antique stuff sold now on ebay. I believe this is because they are greedy b******s who have even taken a cut from Australia Post which is outrageous.

So now I will look for somewhere else to sell my hoard, I am considering etsy or FB pages, which seems to be where most are heading. I am bitterly dissapointed as I have top seller status, but thing for me and other similar people ebay is now a dead duck, so sad. If anyone has any suggestions, they would me most welcome. 

[grannytakesatrip17]

Yes I know that and that is all I am prepared to do, but last year I got all these lunatic offers from ebay eg 150 free listings in 4 days or so. It is not possible for me to do this. Are they still putting tese offers forward now?

[davewil1964]

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@grannytakesatrip17 wrote:

I have always tried to keep it simple, my poor old brain thinks that a flat rate postage with signature is the simplest way. TBH I have never got my head around other ways, that is why I stick to Australia only sales.

It hasalways worked really well for me in the past, maybe I am just being an impatient old bag who is jumping to conclusions?

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Nothing simpler than eBay flat rate satchels. Except you have to buy the satchels upfront.

Whilst they are Australia only, as they are a subset of AP's Click & Send, they aren't exactly new.

As to why, you would have to ask eBay that. They won't give you an answer, but  staff have in the past publicly admitted they throttle visibility.

I think it has something to do with their servers not being able to handle the traffic otherwise, and the fact they aren't prepared to spend the money updating them. After all, that is money they can spend getting big-box stores to swamp the site (in their effort to become Amazon-lite) or to spend trying to be a grocery delivery site (WTH!).

All in all, if you persevere you will get sales, but don't expect huge spikes, and don't expect (once you reach a level) to exceed your established monthly average.

There are plenty of threads about it. Just don't bump them, please.

[imastawka]

They're certainly not 'lunatic' offers.  They are there to help you sell more.

Yes they still offer free listings,  but no so often any more.

Keep an eye on the selling board.  Someone always posts a link to these

[collect247]

That's what I'm going to do,leave it all to the kids lol.

I also have 1000's of valuable items and perhaps they will be even more valuable in the future so the kids can enjoy.

[imastawka]

Don't count on it.  I have a garage full of stuff left over from my B & M shop I closed in 1992

Vintage and antique collectables.  Looking at the prices of the same stuff today, and it's

either the same value I was selling them for, or less value.

Very few items are worth more.   Wonder how long you have to keep them?

[grannytakesatrip17]

Actually I have been chewing over your suggestion of BIN. Well earlier tis yearI wasin England andmy dauter had just had anew baby and was skit, so I spent weeks selling stuff for her. It was very succesful, the postage and heaps of couriers are so cheap, yes I understand it is a tiny country compared to Australia. But there is a lot more competition for postal business. You dont get this crazy letter post, then jump to 500 gms, then 3kgs then 5kgs. You can send items so much more cheaply. Here the postage is very often more than the value of the item.

I sold several thousand GBP's worth of stuff for her, it wouldn't work here.

Australia Post is suffering, I am not dumb. So many eails have overtaken letter post. But if they wish to increase their profits they need to provide a cost effective model. I am/was a business woman and you need to meet the market, not push it out of reach. Otherwise the only postage they will be dealng with is the massie loss making **bleep** from china, which I understand is an (outdated and ufair) agreement form the 1940's.

I used BIN in England for my daughters sales and it was a dead loss.

[grannytakesatrip17]

I need to look further into your suggestion, it sounds good on the surface,,,,Thank you.

[davewil1964]

yes I understand it is a tiny country compared to Australia

Do you also understand that that tiny country has about 10 times the population of Australia, in a far smaller area?

Have you heard the term 'economies of scale"?

Do you wish to compare apples with apples?

I gave you some solid advice. If you want to take it fine. If you find here deficient to the UK, move there.

[grannytakesatrip17]

No, I am from England anyway, I cannot move back there for family reasons.My huband is not well enough to return.

I totally appreciate and understand all the help everyone has gvien me tonight and once I use up these expensive prepaid satchels, I will definately look further into your suggestion. I am just a bit confused about it just now as I prefer to use a flat rate all over Australia and am not sure if this works the same way?

I have taken on board what everyone has said, I am not an arrogant or greedy person and have just spent the last half hour or so reducig my prices.

I guess my main concern was basically is it worth persevering. TBH I have always enjoyed my casual intermittent sales on ebay, but was just concerned if there is still a place for a casual seller as myself.

I hope I havent offended anyone.

[ourphonecase]

Personally I would take it to a local auctioneer to auction your stuff in front of real people. The one near my house do them every week and they auction out quite a variety of vintage stuff. Also the buyer has to pay the fees. Downside is you can't set a reserve.