posted on September 24, 2001 08:30:44 PM
I've been a regular buyer on eBay for 2.5 years now, collecting in many different categories and sub-categories.
This is the worst I've ever seen it! No juicy merchandise, just the same old mass-produced, reproduction-type junk in each category. Sellers, where's your good stuff? I know about A4A -- but as a buyer, I don't care about it one way or the other. I just want to get back to normal!
Give me something to sink my teeth into!
rarebourbon
grammar
[ edited by rarebourbon on Sep 24, 2001 08:34 PM ]
posted on September 24, 2001 08:47:59 PM
i am a seller and usually i am busy listing and selling,recently i have some time to browse the categories i listed and i agree,very few unique good items,some are just listed and relisted for eons.
may be they cannot get new merchandise until they sell the old ones??
posted on September 24, 2001 09:18:32 PM
I have listed lots of good stuff. The result: not a single bid with multiple relists, stuff sells for a small fraction of its value, deadbeats and cheapskates who won't bid a lousy buck more and then whine when they don't win.
Many items are selling for 50% or less of what they did just months ago. The market is much more rigorous than it was one year ago. I do better on Half.com most of the time with much less hassle.
posted on September 24, 2001 09:28:16 PM
Sorry, I was busy with RL biz last week, in a few days I'll have plenty of good stuff for you to sink your teeth into.
posted on September 24, 2001 09:45:17 PM
i recalled not too long ago,brick and mortar stores sell nice things on ebay becasue they will get best price thru competitive biddings,now they are withholding these peices and would rather take time selling in their store at decent price.
if you have an item in your store listed at 1000,may be it takes a year to sell but you will get 895 -995,but on ebay you risk selling at 400-500 dollars.
posted on September 24, 2001 09:49:13 PM
My good stuff is right here or in my B&M. I cannot afford to sell great old items at a small fraction of their value, nor can I justify putting reserves on everything and then watching them get no action.
At best I will be listing my $10 stuff this fall. If you want the good stuff, you are going to have to show us that it is worth our time and money to put it on ebay. That means making serious bids for serious items--you might even want to think how the seller fares when you steal that widget for a few bucks and know it is worth $50 anywhere else.
You may even need to tell your friends and get them bidding too. Unfortunately, you are going to have to bid on a few "not-so-good" things if you want to ever see my good stuff again. I have and sell a LOT of very nice vintage items. I just won't give them away on ebay when there are other places where I can do much better.
I have enjoyed my time on ebay but it is a hobby that is becoming much, much too expensive!
posted on September 25, 2001 05:03:19 AM
I too have been on eBay selling for the past 3 years. However, when I started selling, my sales were tremendous in my field. Now with all the repros out there, it takes hours to sift through them to get to one occasional "GOOD & TRUE ANTIQUE". When I look at the categories and see the junk people are paying way too much money for it makes me sick. The real stuff is getting nowhere near the prices of the junk.
I still try to put up nice pieces, but have found in the last year, I have had to sell at my cost in order to turn merchandise - That too is upsetting. It has gotten to the point that I am not purchasing new "antique" inventory, as no-one is paying for it on Ebay.
However, going to real life auctions is interesting - bids are ridiculously high - I sit and wonder "where are they selling it".
I have to sit back now and determine what else I should be selling - Everytime I think something else might sell on eBay, I get stuck with it. I never believed I should sell anything other than what I know best and that gets proved to me over and over again when I buy out of my field of expertise.
I know the economy has had a huge part in all of this. I also believe eBay has attracted alot of junk buyers.
I understand alot of seller's here who don't want to "give away" their inventory. I am in that same frame of mind. So, I guess I will try to sell whatever at this point, to continue to make a living.
posted on September 25, 2001 05:54:47 AM
I'm pretty much selling the same stuff that I've been selling since spring of 2000 when I started selling on eBay. Same quality, same type of merchandise, etc.
And I've seen some big changes since then.
I used to put my merchandise up for a decent price and I had a whopping 70% sell-through rate. Over that first summer, that dropped to maybe 50%, but I thought it was still halfway decent and I could still get the same pricing. Things picked up in the fall and remained strong through Xmas and a bit beyond.
This spring of 2001, things started spiraling downhill. By this summer my sell-through had dropped to a pitiful 30%. The only way I've found to pick that up is to drop my pricing ridiculously low. Then I can get maybe a 70 - 80% sell-through, but I'm practically giving the stuff away at cost or only slightly above.
I've learned a couple of things from this though.
#1 - Don't have more than a 6 to 8 week backlog of inventory. That way, if the bottom drops out of the category, I'm not stuck just trying to give it away.
#2 - Diversify into categories that aren't quite so discretionary. Learn more about the things that people need vs. the things that just want when they feel flush with cash.
posted on September 25, 2001 06:49:10 AM
Entering my fourth year of ebay selling, my modus operandi hasn't changed.
Quality antiques/collectibles, researched prior to listing to make sure it's worth my time, presented with good descriptions and photos and priced either with a reasonable opener or reserve.
My sell-through rate's always been in the 85% vicinity. Recently that's dropped to 75%, not a huge difference and one that I can live with.
Happily, the 80 or so auctions I listed Sunday look like they'll end at pre-9/11 levels.
Included in the batch is a wide variety of stuff: antique furniture, old perfume bottles, fine china and good glass priced anywhere from $9.99-$500.
posted on September 25, 2001 07:31:34 AM
I will continue to avoid this A4A riptide until it loses momentum so that I can then put up my good stuff and it will once again get the attention it deserves.
posted on September 25, 2001 07:45:06 AM
Very much agree with JadeJim. Actually, my sales are rising a bit right now. But I tend to see this as a temporary increase, while in the past it was always a temporary decrease.
When I have time, I'll be revamping my ads and developing new products. But the motivation is lacking. The economy is in the dumps and I think far less people are buying. Online auctions are pretty much a luxury to most folks.
In the category where I sell (software), there is so much competition that buyers can wait until a seller is ready to blow out their inventory at cost. Those successful "I'm leaving eBay" sales have become prophetic. Now sellers really are leaving and the ones that hope to make a fair profit for the most part are being left high and dry.
I think eBay is also contributing to the problem by distancing itself from its customer base. Seeing ads for Half.com on every page is not encouraging for sellers. Not everyone wants to sell their inventory for half of retail price.
posted on September 25, 2001 07:46:49 AM
who is participating in A4A auction??
i for one cannot afford to give away my merchandise.
there may be some i would donate,but then i cant afford to give away packing and shipping?
so who are these generous sellers who participate?are they building goodwill,do they get trafffic via this acution??
posted on September 25, 2001 08:18:24 AM
I HAVE 350 REMARKABLE AUCTIONS UP ALL IN THE ANTIQUE COLLECTABLES CATEGORY ACTUALLY ONE ESTATE FILLED WITH 1890S TO 16930S ARTS CRAFTS COPPER POTTERY GLASS AND SO MUCH MORE THOUGHT IT WOULD BRING IN 8-10,000 DOLLARS I WILL BE LUCKY IF I BREAK 1500 JUST ABOUT MY LISTING FEES I SHOULD HAVE JUST PUT IT INTO A BRICKS AND MORTAR AUCTION
posted on September 25, 2001 08:27:28 AM
I agree w/jadejim.
If I can buy an item, clean it up, stick it in a box, then a couple times a week, put the stuff on a shelf (b&m) and by paying one low cost flat fee per month, make a nice profit, why would I:
Buy an item, clean it up, take a pic, edit the pic, write the description, list the item, send out the eoa, wait for payment, pack/ship the item, pay eBay listing, pay eBay fvf, pay PayPal (I know that's my choice and not "necessary" ), and for less profit because of the excess of riches (ahem) on eBay?
I didn't include: follow ups to slow payers, added time/costs for deadbeats, etc. I haven't had a return at the b&m yet, but it's "store credit only," so if it happens, I'm not out the money.
Still using eBay where it's good for me. Not using it if I know it will sell in town.
posted on September 25, 2001 08:42:25 AM
There is nothing unique to eBay. There is such a vast majority of sellers that there will (probably) always be a mate to what you are selling. When I go out to garage sales and find a sleeper I go home and check ebay and sure enough there is 1 or more there. I find the "rare" finds usually take a little longer to sell in my mall space but I make more than if I would sell on ebay. For instance. Beatle records go for very little on ebay but in my mall space I can get $45.00 an album because I am the only one selling them but on ebay everyone is. I am not knocking ebay. I love to sell and I like the interaction with the buyers. You as a seller has to decide, is my article rare to my area or ebay and then sell it there. Jewelry sells better on ebay.
posted on September 25, 2001 08:44:20 AM
Over on Yahoo! After Sunday's pathetic bidding - one item out of 11- I've moved everything out (and already had a sale and a couple of bids). All my items are one of kind. I don't buy in bulk and I only sell high quaility items. I averaged $300 to $500 a week last year at this time- I keep a records of the sales. Last week on feebay- $39.50.
I'm glad I don't count on my income to support the family.
KrazyKeri- has got to go out and save some doves some a$$hole dumped behind her kid's work place. She is not happy- at least the birds were in a cage. But it is pouring rain and the cage is not covered.
posted on September 25, 2001 10:11:53 AM
I just had to add a post script:
Bought two pairs of identical snow shoes for $5/pair. Sold one on eBay for $49.99. Didn't like that price so I held on to the other pair.
Put them in B&M space 21 days ago, marked $95.00. I leave my phone # there. Just got a call from a woman who offered me $75.00 and I'm taking it.
So to add to the poster who said, "when bidders start making serious bids," yep, that's when you'll see my good stuff. You want it for nothing? Go spend gas money and time hunting for it! Just kidding, but you know what I mean.
posted on September 25, 2001 10:54:45 AM
Hey BUYERS, where are you, and why are waiting to steal my items at the very end?????? No bidders very low prices.
I have a good local market and dont need to ship my item to far off locals for less than I can sell them right here, and actually establish a good ongoing relationahip with someone who will come back again and again..........
If I am going to give , I'll give local : )
posted on September 25, 2001 07:13:36 PM
I'm behind with posting my new stuff on E-Bay.Right now sales are so good at the flea market I'm having a hard time keeping up.I haven't even had time to put stuff in my E-Bay store.
posted on September 26, 2001 07:21:46 AM
jadejim, what is B&M? I'm usually pretty good about figuring out what all these letters mean, but this has got me stumped.
