What should small sellers do now?

[combargain]

These 20% promotions are killing small sellers.

eBay is always supporting the big sellers to against the small sellers!!!!!

[chameleon54 · Accepted solution]

Small sellers will always struggle if they are trying to sell generic products in competition with large retailers and Chinese sellers. Its not just the 20% promotions, its buying power, postal contracts, lower ebay fees negotiated by large sellers and a host of other advantages the big boys have which make it almost impossible for small sellers to compete.

The best way for small sellers to succeed on ebay is to find a niche market that the big boys are not interested in. This could be things like specialised racing Go kart parts, Australian rules signed footy collectibles, Hand made bridal accessories or 1970,s Scandinavian glassware and furniture. You get the picture. Stuff the big boys cant sell.

There are still openings for specialised products on ebay. If anything it is easier than two years ago, as many small sellers have dropped out, leaving gaps in the market. The antiques and collectibles sections still have a lot of buyers and many sellers in these categories are achieving very good sales.

[chameleon54]

For what its worth, you look to be doing very well for a relatively new account. You are achieving high sell through rates which should help your visibilty in searches. Your feedback numbers suggest rapidy improving sales per month and it looks like your service is excellent. The store looks proffesional , postal options shown on photos. All pretty impresive stuff.

 Only you know what your profit margins are like and wether you are cutting margins to the bone to push sales ??? If so this can be an effective strategy when starting out to build feedback scores, reputation, selling volume and wholesale buying discounts, but is not sustainable in the longer term.

[jm4221]

It seems that ebay are also feeling the pinch.

My Strategy is to just be persistant.

Your shop looks great !

[clarry100]

Albeit our sales have been way down we will also persist as best we can for now.

Any sale is better than giving up and getting none at all.

So until our other selling venues (which are also slow) have replaced what is happening on ebay we will soldier on.

[kizacks]

For what it is worth, I 100% agree with you. These exclusive deals really hurt seller's like yourself in the category you sell in.

I'm personally leaving at the end of jan 2017 - and will only sell on Ebay in the last quarter for toys. It's not worth my time anymore. The Feb-July periods are getting slower as each years passes. It will pick up again from Sept to december, but that window's getting smaller as well!

Luckily I don't depend on it as much as before. I generate most of my income from advertising (google adsense)! But I also have a website and sell on Amazon (a much easier platform for me to sell on). After selling here on and off for 15 years, the time has come. 

[dylan11235813]

the last 2 vouchers ebay has given me where for basically anything. I got a free $50 for buying postage supplies tha was over $150 and then on another account if I spent $30 they gave me back $20. It does seem like they keep pushing the sales far to offen though.

As someone else said I wait for the vouchers to buy up on everything.

[clarry100]

LOL. Exactly.

We wait for the vouchers and then use them to buy our postage and packaging supplies.

[dylan11235813]

It's kind of expected now that a voucher will be given....I assume the free stuff can be used for personal purchases. They seem to be copying the other site in the worst possible way, kind of sad really.

[lyndal1838]

There are plenty of vouchers and promotions that can be used with any sellers at all.  They are not restricted to the large sellers who also have B & M stores and their own websites.

I am strictly a private buyer....I don't need to use my vouchers for business supplies so  I have a number of things on my watch list that just sit there until an appropriate promotion comes along or I have a voucher offered to me.

You are selling in a saturated market so buyers really have a huge choice.

If you want to make money you need to find something that is not so readily available.