Ebay Showing Signs of the Economy???

**many houseapes** · 09-21-2010, 05:38 PM

Just curious...for those of you here that sell on Ebay... in the last 1-2 yrs,have you found that it is becomming more difficult to sell your items?
I have resolved to selling only during the holiday seasons b/c of this...& now, I am noticing that compared to the last 2 years, it is getting more difficult to sell my items. I am basically doing everything the way that I always have, but I think that w/the combination of Ebay's ever-changing rules / fees & unemployment, it's rough trying to make a profit.
I am a "habitual craft designer" -I'm always making something, or another. If there were not places like Ebay, my finished products would be piling up in the garage.lol. I've also tried to sell on Etsy & Blujay but those sites do not seem to get much notice.

**Momto5RN** · 09-21-2010, 05:52 PM

i quit selling a little over a year ago -

1 reason i went back to work and didnt have the time but i had a store with over 100 items most NWT listed at 75% off the retail value and still couldnt sell them - so i closed it .

i also sold vintage items and that went down too there is less money out there for extras and even with the best deal for me at least ist not as good a deal once i pay shipping - i can find a better deal on my own .

that said i still buy some of my homeopaths and natural skin care items on ebay because i cant find them in my area .

i am hoping to swap some of the stuff i didnt donate on mom swap site for some crafted items or gift cards . we will see if that goes well or not .

i was going to list some things during the free listing period but was too busy and my $ per hour pay out is more when i work my job then selling something on ebay .

**Momto5RN** · 09-21-2010, 05:53 PM

oops i think its swapmoms .. i said it backwards LOL

**Nana2two** · 09-22-2010, 12:20 AM

I still sell but sales in 2007 were around $6000 then 2008 rolled around we dropped to around $2500 then 2009 went to around $1900 so far in 2010 we have made around $ 1400. So it's really taken a nose dive. I was just looking at some ones auctions tonight and they sell antiques OMG they sell around $5000 a day. But no telling how much is spent getting these items. I could have sold more but with my health and my mom being on hospice and then passing took at least 4 months i didn't list.

But i attend auctions and garage sales,thrifts. I buy stuff for .25 cents up to $5.00 depending on what it is.I do want to start making prim items . My husband also sells alot of clock parts. Our clock business took a nose dive this past year because of the economy.

**frugalfranny** · 09-22-2010, 01:45 AM

Originally Posted by many houseapes

Just curious...for those of you here that sell on Ebay... in the last 1-2 yrs,have you found that it is becomming more difficult to sell your items?

Your posting of this raised a curiosity for me.......

I wonder how many accts. paypal has closed........and, to my understanding, unless you give paypal your banking numbers you are then considered an 'unverified buyer'.......I ask/say this because:

paypal closed my credit card for non-use and I haven't been back to buy anything since. (they didn't say they were closing it, I found out when I got a credit report) The only reason I applied is 2 B 'verified' but they were such shi@& about their billing practices (prior to law changes) that I quit using that card and used my Discover on ebay.

When you have to use paypal..........and paypal is closing accts.........well..........the poor sellers suffer the results.

**Nana2two** · 09-22-2010, 01:56 AM

Over the last 2 years they have really gotten an@@ about how you pay or accept payments.We have had our account since 04 we do have our checking account listed, but our bank sends a email out to us when we have money withdrawn. We had a credit card when we open a ebay account and that was in 04,we stopped using a credit card in 08 in fact the card exp. Last year and they just closed the account for that credit card a few months ago.
Now you can only accept paypal, no check or money orders. When they changed that policy i noticed a big change in sales. No everyone uses a credit card or debit.

**frugalfranny** · 09-22-2010, 02:07 AM

Originally Posted by Nana2two

Now you can only accept paypal, no check or money orders. When they changed that policy i noticed a big change in sales. No everyone uses a credit card or debit.

I know a couple friends that quit selling when they went to the paypal only policy. That is crazy.

And if paypal is being a butt about/with the cards that is going to hurt ebay too. Looks like ebay would question it. I have had a round or two with paypal even b/4 they closed my acct. Over a credit from a seller that they didn't want to put back on my card........they wanted me to take a check........with a fee for cutting it, of course. Discover helped me both times to get the $ credited to the card!

I googled complaints about paypal about 3 months ago and was reading FOREVER.......still didn't get through all of them.

Ebay .........either doesn't care........or has their head in the sand!! Doubt that the stockholders will be pleased.

**ladytoysdream** · 09-22-2010, 06:55 AM

I think ebay is trying to get their numbers up and with the economy the way it is, it's a struggle.
In August, ebay ran the promotion for the month for 100 listings with any starting amount, with no listing fee, only final value. I did get some up but the summer heat and my computer being down 3X in August did not help me at all. Their recent promotion was .10 per auction to list for 3 days with any starting amount.

I just had some auctions end yesterday. Only 2 sold, and 42 did not but I did have a decent amount of lookers and watchers. I do have some ending tomorrow of which 8 are craft item supplies and those are looking good. One has 2 bids, and the others have watchers. One lady asked about combining 3 of them and what the postage would be. It all comes down to what people want to buy. Not what a seller thinks will sell.

People who sell antiques locally are hurting. I went to a couple of sales lately put on by dealers who are now selling off the low end items, and non antique stuff, just to keep things moving. The one said she was rotating stuff from her booth at the multi dealer shop. In the past, these dealers would be concentrating on the high end items, and I think / know the low dollar items were donated to thrift shops. Not anymore. The dealers are taking the time and selling the *junque* and common type items, themselves. The one said she is seeing a small turn around for old stuff but that some of that would be people trying to be green. And I think a lot of the antiques were just priced too high to start with.

I been moving some items on craigslist. I call it creative finances. I just bought a item saturday at a storage locker sale for $ 5 and sold it on CL for $ 30, sunday evening. I sold a lady at the farmer's market some fancy yarn, 3 lots so far, and at least 1 more to go. More money than I would have gotten on ebay.

People are not spending like they used to. They seem to be taking their time more, making a good selection, and getting the most bang for their buck. They want bargains. And everyday common items they can use, not just pretty items to sit on a shelf.

My plan is to selectively pick to buy for resale. What I would drag home years ago, would not work today. I have 3 things that fit my niche, I search for when I am out and about. Then the quality has to be there and the right price. Or I don't buy.
There will be a another bargain around the next corner

**many houseapes** · 09-22-2010, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by frugalfranny

Your posting of this raised a curiosity for me.......

I wonder how many accts. paypal has closed........and, to my understanding, unless you give paypal your banking numbers you are then considered an 'unverified buyer'.......I ask/say this because:

paypal closed my credit card for non-use and I haven't been back to buy anything since. (they didn't say they were closing it, I found out when I got a credit report) The only reason I applied is 2 B 'verified' but they were such shi@& about their billing practices (prior to law changes) that I quit using that card and used my Discover on ebay.

When you have to use paypal..........and paypal is closing accts.........well..........the poor sellers suffer the results.

Wow, I had never heard that they were doing that.So far, we haven't had any problems as far as paypal goes (Except for the fees) Thanks for the info

**many houseapes** · 09-22-2010, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by Nana2two

Over the last 2 years they have really gotten an@@ about how you pay or accept payments.We have had our account since 04 we do have our checking account listed, but our bank sends a email out to us when we have money withdrawn. We had a credit card when we open a ebay account and that was in 04,we stopped using a credit card in 08 in fact the card exp. Last year and they just closed the account for that credit card a few months ago.
Now you can only accept paypal, no check or money orders. When they changed that policy i noticed a big change in sales. No everyone uses a credit card or debit.

When we first started selling on ebay (2004), we never accepted paypal as a payment option - only mo's,cashier's or personal checks.....and we still made a profit from what we sold.Now when ebay changed the rules & forced everyone to accept paypal payments from buyers, it seems to be doing more harm than good. I think that Ebay can be greedy, after all, Paypal is their baby.

**Nana2two** · 09-22-2010, 12:21 PM

Yeah ebay and paypal are very creedy. They give you the 100 auctions free every month but you have to start then at 99 cents. If i have to start them at 99 cents is it really worth it to list it. By the time they take away final value fee's and paypal fee's Your not making a dime.

**Molemommy** · 09-22-2010, 01:23 PM

I so agree... we used to list 100 items a day antiques and collectables and sold darn near all and did great.... then all the hoopla started and the economy and we had to switch what we sell in our store... we went from 2 floors of antiques and collectables to 1/4 of the store coins and jewelry...the rest is empty... we had a auction to sell all the antiques... antiques are just not selling in our area or on ebay.... sucks...

**savvy_sniper** · 09-22-2010, 01:51 PM

eBay has just gotten too greedy and wishy washy. They took a perfectly good auction site and ruined it. I closed my eBay store about a year ago. I still sell there, but I can make more money with less headaches on my own website and Bonanzle (becoming Bonanza). I also sell on Amazon, but their fees are about the same as eBay's.

I have lots of repeat buyers (I sell the same stuff over and over again). So they may buy the first time on eBay, but I drive them to my website for future purchases.

Also making sellers accept electronic payments only, was not a good decision. There are lots of people that don't have bank accounts or that won't use PayPal. I gladly accept personal checks and money orders.

**ladytoysdream** · 09-22-2010, 02:12 PM

Originally Posted by Nana2two

Yeah ebay and paypal are very creedy. They give you the 100 auctions free every month but you have to start then at 99 cents. If i have to start them at 99 cents is it really worth it to list it. By the time they take away final value fee's and paypal fee's Your not making a dime.

Yes ebay has the regular promotion of .99 and under for 100 free listings each month.
They also had in ADDITION to that....the one in August for 100 free auctions ANY start price and them the most one recent one for 3 days, was .10 each for ANY start price.

I think they are hurting for auction numbers, hence the recent promotions they been having.