Sales down on EBAY Australia

[shopafix]

What is going on? I have felt a dramatic drop in sales and interest on ebay.

I can only think of two contributing factors:

1) ebay's compulsory rollout in March 2021 to direct payments for small sellers (like myself) without a store meant an actual INCREASE in fees rather than a decrease in fees. 

2) An recent increase in Australian postage

I have become disheartened. I personally stopped listing many new items after these increases. Simply put, Ebay's cut and postage is currently unrealistic for small fish like myself. 

If others like myself feel the same way then this means that there are less new products listed on ebay ---> this reduces the random clicks through search engines ---> less visitors on ebay and less random sales for bigger sellers with stores too!  

We must remember that Ebay is "one organism" when the weaker parts start to suffer the whole system starts to fail.

On top of that- although it is still early days- I think the wind of change is blowing over Ebay but also Amazon Aus ( a joke IMO) and even Facebook: they are fast becoming a "granny's platform" according to younger generations. Ebay feels to me like it's losing momentum. There is a fine line between treasure hunting and the expectation ebay buyers have nowadays to buy things at unrealistically low prices.  It cannot happen anymore. Something must change, I sincerely hope it does. 

[davewil1964]

What is your question?

I am on Managed Payments on 2 accounts and have not noticed any reduction from long time averages. Nor any significant increase in fees. Are you taking into account the fact you no longer pay Paypal fees?

The only time AP increases would be applicable, competition-wise, is if people absorb the increased cost. A good way to go broke, imo.

You are selling into an extremely cluttered and competitive market.

Maybe that has something to do with it. Or maybe the fact that Job seeker and keeper payments were drastically reduced at the end of March and people have less money for discretionary buying.

[kitschkoven]

My sales have gone off a cliff also. I'm not on MP yet, maybe that has something to do with it. I didn't get one sale last month

[jellybirddesigns]

I went on to MP last year in July and did not see a difference in sales at that point.

However,  I did notice a massive drop around February of this year. I carried out some tweaks in my shop and since then sales have come back, although they are still somewhat down from the same time last year.

Fees are around the same for me now as they were before MP but I advise sellers to adjust their prices accordingly to compensate if they feel there is a slight difference.

[kitschkoven]

Good to know that you were able to get your sales back after some tweaks. I think that's around the time my sales went off the cliff too. What tweaks did you do, if you don't mind sharing? 

[chameleon54]

Sorry to hear your sales are not going well. Your post raises a number of issues. 

 " There is a fine line between treasure hunting and the expectation ebay buyers have nowadays to buy things at unrealistically low prices.  It cannot happen anymore. Something must change, I sincerely hope it does. "

The days of ebay being a treasure hunters paradise at discount prices is long gone. Auctions are now a rare commodity and 99 cent starts have virtually disappeared. Its up to sellers to adapt to changes both in the products they offer and also the way they sell their items. 

Around 5 years ago, my main ebay category was flooded by Chinese knock offs and changes in technology. My sales where dropping dramatically and so I researched new opportunities, started a new selling id and went into different product lines. While sales on my original selling id's have halved, the new id, selling more relevant items has gone very well and now outsells the two original id's combined, most months.

My sales have been stable and on the firm side right through COVID and are still consistently at the better end. I,m just a single person, part time ebayer selling mainly used items and have sold 3 items worth around $80 since packing and posting earlier this afternoon. ( 3 hours ago ) For me that is good, but not that unusual.

The books you are selling are very common and targeted at a saturated market. Its always going top be a struggle to move them at a reasonable price. Your hand made knitted items are really good ( I,m an old bloke, but I love your knitted stuff ,  very clever ) and should be good sellers. Is it possible that the buyers looking for hand made craft items have moved to other large online sites which specifically target that market ?

[davewil1964]

Books sell.

And 1st editions or bundled relevant sets are not that common. So not a saturated market.

I would tweak some of the prices, but if I was selling those books, I would be charging around the same prices for most, so they are ballpark.

[chameleon54]

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@davewil1964 wrote:

Books sell.

And 1st editions or bundled relevant sets are not that common. So not a saturated market.

I would tweak some of the prices, but if I was selling those books, I would be charging around the same prices for most, so they are ballpark.

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To be accurate you should put the word " SOME " before " books sell. The OP has already stated that the books they have listed are simply not selling. So while some books sell, ( I know because I sell close to $1000 worth of used books on ebay every week  ) its constructive to look at why the OP's books are not moving.  The answer is simple. Its pretty hard work selling low value, modern, common titles that many other sellers have listed. ( same as selling used, common clothes  )

@davewil1964   As you mention, many first editions do sell with sought after titles worth hundreds of dollars, but like everything, they need to be the ones buyers actually want. It all comes down to rarity, subject matter and condition. Its the one percenters that bring the really good money and sell quickly. The other 99 % make great props for wonky beds or can be used for last resort loo paper in a pandemic. To make reasonable dollars per hour, book sellers need to educate themselves on how to identify the one percenter's and find reliable supplies on an ongoing basis.

Selling mass produced, common titles for a few bucks is OK if you dont place any value your time, but it is a flawed model for sellers who want to actually make any sort of return on their time and the money invested in stock.

[chameleon54]

Footnote - in the last 18 hours since packing, I have sold 5 used books for $134.00 excluding postage costs. Nothing unusual and right on target for nearly $1000 worth of used book sales each week. ( and yes there are regular posters who can verify the info )

All are rare or unusual titles and an average price of around $31.00  each.

SOME books sell, but they have to be the ones buyers want and are willing to pay reasonable money for.

[chameleon54]

How do you edit these new posts - average price $26.80