Why has my traffic and Sales Stopped?

[key_mart_au]

The last 2 weeks have been the worst ever for sales for me. I just checked my traffic report, and at the same time last month I was averaging 10-15 visits per day. All of a sudden traffic has dropped to virtually zero for about 7 days running. I hadnt had even 1 zero day last month.

Dropping prices to less than cost hasnt helped. What is going on? Please help - another week like this and its no longer worth it. Sell off any remaining stock and leave Ebay after 10 years.

😞

[acenyg]

Seems like many of us are feeling the same pain - I haven't had a sale or bid in near two weeks and I have never experienced this before. I've always had sales evem if it slows down and there's just a trickle. I've never seen it this bad - and the fact that many of us are going through the same is alarming. Very frustrated and irritated. Especially considering the ridiculous hike in fees, FVFs and lack of free lisitings. 

[expanded_perceptions]

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@acenyg wrote:

Seems like many of us are feeling the same pain - I haven't had a sale or bid in near two weeks and I have never experienced this before. I've always had sales evem if it slows down and there's just a trickle. I've never seen it this bad - and the fact that many of us are going through the same is alarming. Very frustrated and irritated. Especially considering the ridiculous hike in fees, FVFs and lack of free lisitings. 

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I thankfully am about at my average for the month.........BUT, I can certainly feel the throttling and being hidden. Annoys me because I have a list of targets lined up to buy, but can't until I sell. I admit I am possibly a lot better off than some sellers, I really hope things pick up for you soon!!!

And I agree, it's one thing to be slow because of economic reasons, quite another because of eBays throttling, and actually abusive to be throttling whilst under tough economic times!!

[expanded_perceptions]

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@expanded_perceptions wrote:

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@acenyg wrote:

Seems like many of us are feeling the same pain - I haven't had a sale or bid in near two weeks and I have never experienced this before. I've always had sales evem if it slows down and there's just a trickle. I've never seen it this bad - and the fact that many of us are going through the same is alarming. Very frustrated and irritated. Especially considering the ridiculous hike in fees, FVFs and lack of free lisitings. 

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I thankfully am about at my average for the month.........BUT, I can certainly feel the throttling and being hidden. Annoys me because I have a list of targets lined up to buy, but can't until I sell. I admit I am possibly a lot better off than some sellers, I really hope things pick up for you soon!!!

And I agree, it's one thing to be slow because of economic reasons, quite another because of eBays throttling, and actually abusive to be throttling whilst under tough economic times!!

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Another thing to note too, which is perhaps going unmentioned, is the effect that throttling has on BUYERS. For example I have an item listed at $650 (with best offer), and there are similar items listed at between $600-900. Now, it is highly possible that what happens is, buyers are buying items that they believe are market value, when in actual fact, it is merely that other items are being hidden from them!!! It is immoral from a sellers point of view, but surely it is bordering on criminal if a buyer is paying well over the odds, when an actual identical item is listed, but 'hidden'.

[i-love-my-sheep]

I never check where my items are in the Best Match search, but I decided to have a look at one last night purely out of curiosity. I used a different browser and searched as a guest. On the 'default' view, my item showed up at number 3 out of around 100. When I changed to worldwide, I was second last out of nearly 300. Except for one other Aussie and a few Americans, all the other sellers were Chinese and all except 2 had less than 100% feedback.

That item must be getting seen though because it has a few watchers. I don't know if auctions get throttled, or whether it's just stores. Last weekend was pretty quiet compared to the last couple of months, but I still had to go to the PO today with 4 things. To be honest, I'm enjoying it being a bit quieter, gives me time to catch up on other things. I am not dependant on what I make on eBay though. I feel for the ones where this is their only source of income.

[expanded_perceptions]

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@i-love-my-sheep wrote:

I never check where my items are in the Best Match search, but I decided to have a look at one last night purely out of curiosity. I used a different browser and searched as a guest. On the 'default' view, my item showed up at number 3 out of around 100. When I changed to worldwide, I was second last out of nearly 300. Except for one other Aussie and a few Americans, all the other sellers were Chinese and all except 2 had less than 100% feedback.

That item must be getting seen though because it has a few watchers. I don't know if auctions get throttled, or whether it's just stores. Last weekend was pretty quiet compared to the last couple of months, but I still had to go to the PO today with 4 things. To be honest, I'm enjoying it being a bit quieter, gives me time to catch up on other things. I am not dependant on what I make on eBay though. I feel for the ones where this is their only source of income.

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I would not be surprised if eBay has a way of giving search results based on your IP address, so even if you are logged out, it will still show up a good match because of the IP address that has been used to sign in to your accounts? Also I often wonder how legit the watchers are, perhaps some are system generated based on how many views? Have thought that even before the throttling, as there appears to be a pretty standard ratio?

It is great that you are able to see it has a break! And I think you have got it bang on with the word dependant, some are, and it really should be a case of level playing field, where price, service and feedback are kings, and not a system heavily skewed by eBay's current priveleging of select sellers.

[lane-ends]

I emailed Ebay about why my items are appearing in the of bottom best match given my performance. They just replied with the usual BS about they checked my listings and said they were getting good exposure, and maybe I should check out what my competitors are doing so I could improve my listings. That is plain insulting as my listings and options are way more favorable to buyers than most who are ranked above me.

Only items that lift off the bottom at all are ones with watchers, and that wont happen if I can't get them lifted in the frst place

Sales are now 1 item per week down from 40. Don't know what to do there is no point listing anything new or even relisting if there is next to no chance of selling

eg search for jaqui e dress

my item ranked @1160   #311326169649

competitor ranked @2   #251890649039

Can someone clever tell me what I can improve to match my competitor as per Ebays recommendation. Of course it has more watchers (due to ranking). Its not the price as others priced the same as mine are highly placed.

Should I round up family and friends to put my items on watch and thus give them a boost??? Has it come to that?

[better-investment-than-shares]

This is funny a thread.

Federal budget time.

Interest rates will still head south.

And I gather no one here has ever looked at Australia's economic forcast.

Carry on Gumbbies!

[Anonymous]

Yes, the professional junk sellers cling to conspiracies rather than except reality, people's spending habits are changing due to current economic worsening conditions and are choosing to save their cash rather than spend. Bricks & mortar retailers are now cheaper than Ebay on many fronts to add to the equation. Defintely ostrich syndrome here.

[lane-ends]

Rubbish. I have been in retail 20 years an there has always been those excuses. At times like that you need to promote more, Not take your products out of the shop window and stick them on the back shelf and just sit back and say "not my fault, its the economy/ the season/ interest rates/ the weather,/stock prices/ the colour of the PMs tie, so I will just sit back and do nothing.

Assumptions are the mother of all stuff ups, you have to question and find out exactly why and what can be done to minimze any affect.

[better-investment-than-shares]

Who posted or even suggested "to take your products out of the shop window and stick them on the back shelf and just sit back and say "not my fault"?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm, so I guess you know what customers want before they know what they want too, lol.