eSeller004
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posted on September 26, 2001 05:50:43 AM new
I'm having one helluva time trying to move anything that's not patriotic right now! The patriotic items are getting nice bids but the rest of the stuff is just sitting there with nothing!  Most of the other stuff was flying off the shelves prior to 9/11.
Is anyone having any luck right now? Is it time to give up and donate everything to A4A??
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deco100
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posted on September 26, 2001 06:01:34 AM new
Best thing in MHO is to set sit tight if you can and wait it out for a couple of weeks.
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Eventer
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posted on September 26, 2001 06:02:10 AM new
Don't give up. I listed for the first time in a couple of weeks and it was REAL slow going at first. Then bids starting picking up this week.
I sell in many different categories & haven't had much luck w/books or clothing but household items seem to be doing fine. A few collectible items are going well, others are a bit slower.
Several of my buyers mentioned they are already buying for the holiday season so maybe that will start picking up even more soon.
Interestingly, my ebaystore which had been selling at a decent rate before the WTC disaster, have dropped dramatically after the WTC disaster. Hoping they will pick back up again.
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BJGrolle
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posted on September 26, 2001 06:20:13 AM new
Bids are starting to trickle in on my items, so I'm hopeful.
It's too soon to panic, IMO.
http://bjgrolle.freehomepage.com
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eSeller004
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posted on September 26, 2001 06:42:46 AM new
Any guesstimates how pathetic Christmas sales on eBay will be this year compared with last? A4A will be hanging over our heads right through Christmas and we could be in the middle of a war by then. The economy isn't doing us any favors either.
Do we start looking forward to Christmas 2002 instead??
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richierich
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posted on September 26, 2001 07:07:00 AM new
I think it is what categories you are in.
Things for me were ok the week of 9/10. The week of 9/17 was SUPER (the best since May)! The week of 9/24 is doing GREAT as well. I am have an excellent month!
Things are looking up for me.
Happy dancing time again,
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loosecannon
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posted on September 26, 2001 07:17:08 AM new
I don't know. What's your general line of merchandise? New items? Vintage collectibles?
I had my biggest sale in a while last night (over $750) and it had 36 bids. While the item might have brought a little more (in better times), it sold, I made good money on it, etc... Plus, other (good) smaller sales.
I'm optimistic. You have to try to be optimistic. Convince yourself that it will work out and it likely will.
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nightbird84
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posted on September 26, 2001 08:00:45 AM new
While now a lot of auctions are going for A4A (not mine) I think in a few weeks it will die down esp for the holiday's - so i'd hang in there. My bids are not so good but will hang in there thru Christmas. Again I do think the A4A's will die down.
Lauren
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gina50
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posted on September 26, 2001 08:14:42 AM new
Glad to say my auctions this past week have been excellant, tons of bids
I sell woman's gently used clothing and vintage clothing
I have one item listed in AFA and still no bid on that one
I did sell some flags last week and did the buy me now, did not ask for a ton of money, just could not do that
I am not listing any other items in AFA since I already donated money to Paypal's collection, the fund raiser show the other night and elsewhere.
Just hang in there ~ sales will pick up
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outoftheblue
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posted on September 26, 2001 09:23:48 AM new
nightbird84
>"While now a lot of auctions are going for A4A (not mine) I think in a few weeks it will die down"<
I've been keeping track of the AFA listings for the last few days and everytime I check they are declining. I'm no longer worried about AFA over the long hall. It's just the next week or so that has me bit concerned.
I have immediate needs and I've had 1 bad week already. This week is slightly worse than last week so far. The job market isn't looking too promising, so all I can do is hang in there and hope to be able to pay the important bills.
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keziak
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posted on September 26, 2001 09:53:36 AM new
Things seem to be going fine to me. I keep getting outbid on stuff I am trying to buy, both for resale and for myself. My sell-through is no worse than usual. I don't sell everything the first time, but this is just part of the routine to me. I got 3 BINS on things I listed just yesterday.
I am more concerned about Amazon [I am a bookseller]. I think there is more of a slow-down in effect there. OTOH, I have had some good sales there recently on books that didn't sell on ebay. I am continuing to diversify as much as I can so I am not dependent on any one venue.
keziak
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sadie999
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posted on September 26, 2001 10:20:11 AM new
For me it's been good news/bad news. I'm not happy with my sell-through rate, but the bids on the items sold are some of my highest. Go figure.
Amazon for me has added a nice chunk of money each month to the household coffers. I recently got a few box lots of books that were oop but in Am's data base, and they're going nicely.
I think that eBay is becoming more pricey than I'd like - mostly because they won't refund listing for deadbeats (especially on BIN). I posted in another thread that I'd recently been paid for an item that had been "deadbeated" (new verb "to deadbeat" ) 3 times before (all BIN). That means I spent 50 cents for the item and $1.20 in listing fees. It sold for $10, but the extra listing fees hit the profit percentage. I do look at that on my sales, and as eBay becomes more costly, I'm also putting more and more of my stuff elsewhere.
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nightbird84
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posted on September 26, 2001 10:24:20 AM new
Outoftheblue
Agree about them decling. Right now since it's so close to tragedy A4A will get bids - I gave to Red Cross on my own and dont have billpoint so can't do it and have mixed feelings on doing it anyway with the way it's been handled.
BUT in a few weeks I do believe it will die down, as most people will give as much as they would have and will concentrate on bidding on what the need - A4A or not.
Lauren
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mballai
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posted on September 26, 2001 10:36:14 AM new
I see no real difference in selling other than prices are often less than a short time ago. There is a bit of belt tightening, but I seem to be selling much of what I put out on eBay, maybe 75%.
Good things will always sell. All this talk of recessionary economics and eBay's latest blundering moves leaves me cold. People may buy more carefully, but they still buy.
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MAH645
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posted on September 26, 2001 11:01:36 AM new
I'd say hang in there the best you can,people will be buying for Christmas.I'm sure E-Bay will have a free listing day before December.
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eis98
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posted on September 26, 2001 11:11:23 AM new
I had a good set of closing this past week as compared to the past 9 months -- but of course it was all low end junk that I had little or no money into it. I will use the term Good Stuff - seems depressed - even lower than it has been.
Thank god I stopped listing full time and went back to a real B&M job. At lease I can eat and donate money to the Red Cross directly instead via Greedbay.
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katiyana
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posted on September 26, 2001 11:23:39 AM new
I had high hopes for September because of the Harry Potter trading cards - things have slowed WAY down, but I did good for the first week of the month.
Half.com is doing very well for me - lots of multi-card purchases there. I'm almost to the point of buying more inventory of those cards - plus another set is due out about the time the movie is released, so should REALLY move then.. *crossfingers*
And my halloween and doll clothes are moving out of my storefront.. if it wasn't for those, I'd be closing up shop Friday.. 8(
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Ellis747
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posted on September 26, 2001 11:45:29 AM new
It's slow. Getting about 50% of nomal hits and 25% of normal bids. If anyone says they are "happy dancing" due to the action right now, don't believe it. Consumer confidence is way down now...everybody is feeiling the pinch. Wait till we get into October and the cold breezes of autumn, things will pick up.
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Zoomin
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posted on September 26, 2001 11:58:45 AM new
Well, alrighty then, call me a Liar, but you'll be wrong  .
My sales are doing great and my sell through is over 90%.
>>>Consumer confidence is way down now<<<
Consumer behavior and consumer confidence are apples and oranges.
Focus on the "comfort items" within your selling category. The Stuff that gives bidders a "warm fuzzy".
Whether it is a stroll down memory lane, something for the kids, or the missing piece of a collection ~ find what will "touch" you bidders.
People need to feel good right now.
Reach your target market by satisfing that need.
Most of my bidders are shopaholics (like me  ). I sell mostly clothing so right now it's:
Jeans, shoes, jackets.
Trendy tops, purses.
Some things we just can't get enough of.
How tough is it trying to sell on eBay right now?
BAU, for me.
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kittykittykitty
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posted on September 26, 2001 03:17:44 PM new
i also sell vintage and gently used clothing. sales are okay - not great, not terrible. probably 70-80% sell-thru. my biggest problem is buyers being unusually slow to pay these days
k3
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vorlon4
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posted on September 27, 2001 12:41:26 AM new
I'm actually doing quite well.
Up until the auctions that ended today I had better than 90% sell through.
I deal mostly in comic books, SF memorabilia, autographs, and some adult mags. It was the smut that didn't sell, all but one of the comics sold.
I haven't had a real bad week yet this year.
NOT Vorlon4 on Ebay
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toolhound
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posted on September 27, 2001 02:05:58 AM new
I had 11 auctions end last night and only 3 sold. I sell tools and my normal sell rate is 90% This is the worst I have ever had. Maybe some categories are more effected. I am sure it will pick back up,but prices seem to just keep going down anyway.
A wrench that I sold for $325.00 about a year ago is now selling for around $60.00 and a wood working plane that sold for $70.00 is now bringing $25.00 It can only go up.
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outoftheblue
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posted on September 27, 2001 02:12:31 AM new
We sell clothing like some of the other sellers here. Our sales are usually 70-80%. We've had 2 weeks of less that 50%. I can't figure out what we are doing wrong right now if others are doing business as usual. Our items are good and the price is right..
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yeager
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posted on September 27, 2001 03:42:47 AM new
I think that things will pick up in time, hopefully soon. In the last two weeks, everyone was in shock with the happenings in New York. After people return to their daily lives, and the Christmas season arrives, things should be better.
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eSeller004
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posted on September 27, 2001 04:52:22 AM new
Glad some of you folks are having success!
However, I'm still having tough luck! All of the non-patriotic stuff (mainly collectibles and things people don't need) is just sitting there with little bidding. Meanwhile every single flag item has unusually high bids. Seems the focus now is on a show of patriotism, although prior to 9/11 I could hardly sell any of the patriotic items, not even U.S. flags. Now the flags are going for 3-10 times what they had prior to 9/11. Go figure.
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litlux
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posted on September 27, 2001 05:42:10 AM new
There is not question that many, many sellers are hurting right now, both from the general malaise as America prepares for, well, who knows what, and the incredibly disproportionate promotion ebay has given to AFA.
In my various categories, things range from completely dead to feeble. My fitness and exercise items, normally reliable, are barely kicking. The only items that are going well for me are, um, "mature audience" items and American flags, though the latter is calming down as stores restock.
With the recent layoffs, stock market gyrations, and uncertainty of another terrorist attack still in the news, it will be a while before things get back to anywhere near normal. If we have a Christmas bump, it will be late buying and not so good for online sellers because of that.
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Zoomin
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posted on September 27, 2001 07:09:49 AM new
From a marketing standpoint, some of your categories are tough to figure out.
Try to find something in your niche that will let your bidders spoil themselves a bit.
My high end goodies are going well.
Nothing I sell is a necessity.
Still, no break in my sales.
Go figure.
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Ellis747
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posted on September 27, 2001 07:38:12 AM new
zoomin....Could we see a sample of your auctions?
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Zoomin
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posted on September 27, 2001 07:50:43 AM new
Sure, Ellis!
I'll delete this in a few minutes to be on the safe side, though!
(edited out "identifying info" per AW community quidelines)
[ edited by Zoomin on Sep 27, 2001 08:09 AM ]
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Ellis747
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posted on September 27, 2001 08:12:07 AM new
zoomin...thank you. You have great stuff!
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