posted on November 13, 2000 07:51:40 AM
I just want to know if it's me or if others are seeing this trend!!
Since the turmoil with the presidential election, I am finding that the number of times that my items,(jewelry) are viewed are way down. If this is happening to you, please let me know. I have over 40 items up for auction, listed in my normal fashion, and I am getting some response/hits, but not like it was before. Could it be the election mess, or the changing of the jewelry categories?
Almost any comment should make me feel better.
Thanks.
posted on November 13, 2000 07:56:29 AM
I was very concerned as I posted auctions to close on voting day (by mistake) but they went wonderfully. Since then on both eBay and Yahoo I have seen a dramatic slow down - it could be the country is concerned about this ridiculous situation, and is being conservative about their buying till this mess is settled.
Personally, my feeling is, if one is too stupid to be able to read and properly cast a ballot, they are not intelligent enough to be able to truly comprehend the issues and shouldn't be voting anyway.
posted on November 13, 2000 08:02:23 AM
I think you can see "upset" in the downward trend of the stock market in the last few days.
On a similar subject, my son, who is an Equity Trader told me that he seriously foresees a hard recession already beginning (noting to do with the election), and we are preparing for that now, by eliminating any extra product, and keeping a closer watch on our inventory.
Of course the Fed is creating some of this with their constant tightening of interest rates which will slow down the economy.
posted on November 13, 2000 08:14:33 AM
I don't "do" jewelry, but my stuff is actually getting a few MORE hits than a couple weeks ago. Listed 9 items since 11/10 and all but one have bids - one's got 5 bids in the past 48 hours. Last week I didn't get any bids at all until day 3.
I know nothing about quilts or the "quilt" business, but it seems to me that fall would be a natural time for your sales to increase, maybe bucking a general trend?
posted on November 13, 2000 08:26:04 AM
jwpc; I thoroughly agree with your last paragraph, in your first post to this page !!!
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HartCottageQuilts; Thnaks for the imput. I have an older quilt that I have thought of listing, if I ever get caught up with the jewelry.
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jwpc; I have a retail business, and sell discontinued stock on Ebay. I have noticed a bad downward trend since mid-summer, as sales are getting harder. People seemded hard pressed to part with even a little of their money. Even J.C.Penneys announced last week that their predictions on 3rd quarter loses, was going to be twice as bad, and that is for the 3rd quarter, not covering the holiday season. So I have been expecting a recession for a few months, and have done as you have done, and gotten my "ducks in a row" so to speak.
But I didn't think that it would really make a dent in veiwer hits. People like to window shop, even in bad times.
The viewer hit thing has got me wondering.
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Thanks all, for the imput.
posted on November 13, 2000 10:00:27 AM
Well, has anyone else noticed a drop in the number of viewers looking, not necessarily bidding, but looking at their items?
posted on November 13, 2000 10:08:23 AM
"Personally, my feeling is, if one is too stupid to be able to read and properly cast a ballot, they are not intelligent enough to be able to truly comprehend the issues and shouldn't be voting anyway."
Right on!!!! And dont forget that women are too emotional to vote.
Stupid people, women, and hippie punks should stay at home on election day.
posted on November 13, 2000 10:16:50 AM
I had a good summer and fall but I'm seeing a definite slowdown now. The past three cycles of listings have resulted in fewer hits and fewer bids. I've made the decision to list my held-back stock now instead of after the first of the year. I should be completely out of inventory by the end of the year. I have some plans to change what I sell and how I sell after the new year, but for now I am getting all the back stuff sold so I don't wind up with a bunch of stuff selling for pennies if there's a big recession.
posted on November 13, 2000 10:50:20 AM
Thanks,,,BRIGHID868,,, Yours was the kind of response I was originaly looking for.
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Now if I can just get a response to my question about the Thanksgiving weekend selling.
posted on November 13, 2000 10:52:32 AM
Bidders are fickle. I do think that the long term effects of this election will play out very soon on eBay as the economy is very dependent on the sense of security in a stable government. The stock market is taking a bath thanks to the gyrations of our prosperity VP jut as it did when the DOJ went after Microsoft.
posted on November 13, 2000 11:13:14 AM
Actually, my only "off" month seems to be August. The rest of the year the hits/bids/bidding seems to be the same. I should've noted that the item on which I got 5 bids are feedsacks (fabric), not completed quilts. The one item that doesn't have a bid yet is a quilt! Go figure.
I think my "secret" (Val and I were just laughing about this) is that I've tapped into an bottomless market: quilt collectors and quilters. Neither can ever have "too much" (the joke is that fabric manufacturers put some sort of addictive drug in the dyes), and quilters always figure if they don't use the fabric they buy, they can always get rid of it in a quilters' swap (yeah, sure). It's a sickness, and I don't feel one whit guilty about exploiting these folks' weaknesses as I'm a fellow sufferer
Anyway I think that there's the possibility people see what I sell as "useful" gifts rather than "frivolous" ones - but more appealing than, say, six dozen undershirts or a pipe wrench.
From what I've read on this board, jewelry is always a tough, tough market. People have to really take your word you're not selling vermeil as 24kt, they grouse about the shipping and you really have to struggle to get a decent markup. I have a lot of (IMHO) really wonderful 1950s German costume jewelry earrings and have listed them at as low as $2 for the LOT, THREE different times. No hits at all. It kills me to pass up some of the great costume stuff I've found lately, because I know it'll tie up my inventory forever. I admire those of you who (A) know this stuff inside out and (B) have the intestinal fortitude to deal in it, because I really think that the items are well worth preserving. (I also went through a jewel-buying phase some years back. After dealing with some real nightmares in B&M shops, I have a deep appreciation for honest sellers!)
