Why oh, oh why? Are you still selling on this platform?

[max-power-models]

Sad reading through all these seller posts, low sales, manged payment systems. ZERO support from ebay. I stopped selling on this joke  years ago.  No fees,  no frauds. No goal post getting changed all the time, no jumping through hoops. No Stress. Enjoy.

[chameleon54]

Why oh, oh why? Are you still selling on this platform?

Why am I still selling here ?

Despite its many faults, eBay is still the best gig in town when it comes to running a small online business. It still has one of the largest global audiences for used items and despite constant changes is relatively easy to use. Its possible to get listing times down to four minutes including taking photos for generic items and posting and packing is simple using eBay systems. 

I have tried a couple of other online sites recently including two of the most commonly mentioned ( one of which was or is owned by eBay ) as well as professional B & M auction rooms and ebay leaves them in its dust for time spent on each transaction, sales results and costs. ( High profile B & M auctions charge 21% commission )

I recently offered half a dozen high quality items at the prestigious two night end of year auction with one of the major B & M auction rooms. Only one sold and that at the low end, reserve price. I put two of the other unsold items up for auction on ebay a week later and they both sold first round to international clients. The others will be put up for auction on ebay early next year.

As for the future ? I,ve recently had an unsolicited offer for my near city farm which is  too good to refuse, so I might have a lot more time on my hands soon. Never thought I would say it, but spending more time poking around the op shops and garage sales looking for items to sell on ebay is starting to look like a good way to fill in the day.

[springyzone]

Congratulations, chameleon, on the sale of the farm. I guess it is probably a bit bittersweet as you seem to have enjoyed the farming experience but it sounds as if you are excited about the future, too.

Max power models, I guess people sell on whatever venue works for them. I imagine every business has its ups and downs, even B & M shops during covid. And quite possibly quite a few sellers here sell on more than one venue, so they'd be in a position to make a valid comparison.

A lot might depend on what items you're selling too.

What platforms do you sell on? I've tried (as a very casual seller) to sell a few bits and pieces in the past on marketplace and it was extremely stressful compared to ebay. I probably underpriced the items but I was hassled by non stop messages and people expecting instant replies, as well as trying top barter me down further. Plus you get time wasters who say they'll turn up and don't. I don't sell on ebay now but in comparison I remember my ebay selling time as relatively peaceful and orderly. I knew when something was sold and paid for and all I had to do was post it off.

[paper-jack]

You wonder why people are still selling on ebay? One fairly obvious answer is that many people, including yourself, are still buying online via ebay.

As a buyer I turn to ebay for items I need and can't find elsewhere and for items I want and there is an ebay seller with the best price.

As a seller of handmade items I have found ebay to be the cheapest and easiest online option.  Fees? yes, but not as high as commission taken by craft shops, and they can be factored into the price.

For the service provided, ebay's fees and the managed payment system are quite reasonable when compared with waiting a month or more for payment from a craft shop (that takes 35% commission). Thankfully my ebay customers have consistently been genuine and not caused problems. Perhaps because they value buying from a local (as in Australian) craftsperson.

That is why I am still selling on this platform.

(NB my selling via this account is obviously not my handmade items. However, I do not regret selling my book collection on ebay. Far better to sell a book for a few dollars than give to an op shop to throw away.)

[gutterpunkz05]

To make it really really simple, (but still probably not simple enough for OP to understand)

Not selling on ebay, is totally your loss

Now go and calculate how many sales,   $$$,  you have not made.

[sandypebbles]

All I can say is, one can't be too busy with sales on this magical 'other site'  if there is enough time to 'read through all those posts' on a forum where the site is a joke 

Spoiler

Maybe it was a bon-bon joke?

[jellybirddesigns]

I'll just chime in here to say that whilst I continue to sell here as I do make some sales, I have opened up other avenues and revenue streams.

Up until late October, I just had this Ebay store and an Etsy store.

I have since diversified my product offerings completely and now I have 2 Ebay stores, 2 Etsy stores PLUS a website. 

To be perfectly honest - until about 13 months ago (Nov 2020), my sales on Ebay were quite good and this shop was trending upwards, but since they implemented the new item specific requirements, my sales definitely decreased month on month until they are a fraction of what they once were. Ebay is still a worthwhile avenue for me to continue to use, as a sale is still a sale, but I will be cancelling my store subscription at the end of the month to minimise expenses.

Selling through other avenues like FB Marketplace/Gumtree is very inconsistent. Lots and lots of time wasters. You put something up, you get dozens of messages asking if still available, you reply, and never hear from these people again. Like what's the point of messaging me? It's so weird.

As for what the future holds for me on Ebay? Hard to say at this point. As long as sales come through I will still stay around. 

[chameleon54]

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@springyzone wrote:

Congratulations, chameleon, on the sale of the farm. I guess it is probably a bit bittersweet as you seem to have enjoyed the farming experience but it sounds as if you are excited about the future, too.

Thanks Springy, I hadnt planned on selling but with some careful investing I can probably retire on the farm price. With Covid and inflation I,m not all that convinced about the economy going forward so have decided to " take the money and run " rather than gamble on things continuing as they are. I have still got the remote farm and leased hills properties so still plenty of sheep work to do.  I might even buy another cheaper farm further from the city fringes.

As for ebay, I suspect they have changed the algorythms again to place even more emphasis on account activity. The more you sell, the higher your visibilty and sales, the less you sell, the lower your visibilty resulting in a death spiral that can be hard to escape from. My busiest account is going very well while my smallest selling account is just about comatose.

Ebay has stated publicly they are moving away from what they regard as " Low value ' buyers to concentrate on those who spend many thousands of dollars on the site each year. I suspect they are also discouraging lower volume selling id's that they don't see as profitable. It costs as much to maintain a low volume selling id as a higher volume seller.

[springyzone]

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@jellybirddesigns wrote:

As long as sales come through I will still stay around. 

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I guess that is the definitive answer for Max.

People and businesses will continue to sell on ebay as long as it is profitable for them.

Profits may vary or even go down and cause some complaints, but while there is still enough profit, people will stay.

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[jellybirddesigns]

@Springy - exactly.

Once I cancel my store subscription in a day or two, I will have no further expenses other than selling fees, so the listings can literally just sit there until they sell, which will happen sooner or later.