greatlakes
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posted on September 20, 2004 09:32:56 AM new
I didn't list during July and August, but I did follow closing auction prices.
During that time many items were ending a bit low, but the prices were OK. I figured I'd wait till September when the buying picks up to start listing again.
For the month of September, I've been checking closed auctions and I'm finding auctions are ending with lower bids now than they did in August.
I found five listed during August for a widget I want to sell and the auctions ended between $40 and $80.
I'm checking ending auctions for the same widget now and I found 3 auctions listed over the past 3 weeks. They all ended at $15 or less.
What is going on? Is it just me and my items, or has the September bounce turned into the month of falling prices?
Even the number of hits on my auctions are way down (thanks in part to all the tinkering with catagories).
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[ edited by greatlakes on Sep 20, 2004 10:58 AM ]
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stopwhining
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posted on September 20, 2004 10:45:14 AM new
so what else is new??
This has been a trend going on for a long time.
-sig file -------Life is one big happy 'All You Can Eat' buffet .
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etexbill
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posted on September 20, 2004 10:47:49 AM new
Each month is getting worse!
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greatlakes
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posted on September 20, 2004 11:12:33 AM new
I was hoping maybe it was just me.
I've been re-vamping my inventory and researching everything before I list.
If it was just me, then I could work on finding and correcting my mistakes, but if everyone's sales are taking a downturn....
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niel35
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posted on September 20, 2004 11:12:58 AM new
I blame it on the sellers. They keep undercutting prices. Before xmas last year I sold place settings for over $100.00. Then other sellers put them on for 80.00, then 65.00 then 45.00 and now 24.99. Same with Lladros, they have beat them into the ground.
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NEGLUS
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posted on September 20, 2004 11:14:57 AM new
Perhaps you aren't the only Seller who decided to wait until Sept and the market was flooded..were there more listings?
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Sig files are too much trouble!
http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards
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Gtootie
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posted on September 20, 2004 11:19:26 AM new
This is one of my biggest problems. Some newbie comes in and list the same items I have at a price I know they are losing on. They eventually give it up, but then they have already hit me pretty hard. Buyers think I'm making a huge profit and they can find it somewhere else cheaper.
Be kind. Everyone is fighting their own secret battles.
...Author Unknown
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greatlakes
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posted on September 20, 2004 11:31:10 AM new
Neglus, I didn't notice much of an increase in the number of listings for the items I've been researching. In fact, I think the number declined for some items.
I choose not to list the items that have taken the most dramatic dive in price. I'm sure there must be other sellers holding off, too.
I won't list an item unless I can make a certain amount on the sale.
I can sell many of my items to dealers for as little as ebay and not have all the work.
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NEGLUS
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posted on September 20, 2004 11:48:29 AM new
Well there goes that theory! Don't blame you for holding off
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Sig files are too much trouble!
http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards
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jake
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posted on September 20, 2004 11:59:21 AM new
Could it be that with all of the storms and flooding, there is a significant less number of bidders/buyers?
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Kevinatgrannys
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posted on September 20, 2004 12:00:53 PM new
I've noticed this trend also. Each month lower sales. I do a search on the items that I sell as my main "item" about once a month and last week I found out that almost half of my "competition" has left. Closed their stores and are gone. I can see why! My sell through on my regular items dropped to 34%. I am use to enjoying a sell through of 50+%. On the common stuff, I can see why the dealers are having a fit. Depression Glass seems to be much lower than I remember and other high end collectables are going for garage sale prices as well. I have also noticed a drop in the high end Power Sellers. I use to be able to find at least one in each search I did and here as of recent, I haven't for a single one. (I will probably loose my Power Seller star this month, not that I saw any big improvement in sales by having it.)
Kevin (My B&M store is also WAAAY down.)
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Roadsmith
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posted on September 20, 2004 08:51:20 PM new
Come to think of it, many of my buyers happen to live in Florida, for some odd reason. If I lived there and had been hit by the storms, I'd be saving all my money for reconstruction etc.
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stonecold613
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posted on September 20, 2004 09:59:06 PM new
I can't say the same here. My sales are clearly up. Easliy double what I did in August with 10 days to go yet.
Be patient for another two weeks and we should be in our Christmas season.
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cantwin
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posted on September 21, 2004 04:50:14 AM new
I HAVE MET THE ENEMIE AND THEY ARE US
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toolhound
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posted on September 21, 2004 04:50:42 AM new
stonecold613 how about a link to your auctions so we can see someone who is doing good?
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Reamond
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posted on September 21, 2004 08:10:37 AM new
Falling prices are exactly why many high end brand names fight tooth and nail to keep their merchandise off of eBay, this includes filing specious VERO reports.
Competition at the click of a mouse is every retailers nightmare.
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classicrock000
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posted on September 21, 2004 09:17:27 AM new
well...if ya want my valuable input-JUNK is on the downside this year..maybe thats your problem.
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ladyjewels2000
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posted on September 21, 2004 09:50:36 AM new
I still wish they would break out Antiques and Collectibles from the rest. This is what I sell and I think it just gets lost in the millions of drop shipped stuff. All in all I am still making money but I have to be much more selective.
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jwpc
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posted on September 21, 2004 10:58:21 AM new
I have mentioned this before, but eBay sellers have more and more gotten the ‘flea market’ attitude, which is spending more time in trying to “cut the throats” of their competitors, than in simply selling.
Some sellers seem to spend more time trying to find other sellers “violations” than they do in concentrating on selling and promoting their own items.
ALSO, I have noticed some major importers who are now selling on eBay, and there is no way to undercut their prices. IF, we find any of our direct importers or suppliers selling on eBay, we first discuss the issue with them, and if such selling continues, we drop their lines.
I too have seen sellers, selling for basically nothing, in their attempts to sell given items, and in the long run, everyone losses. When one of these nuts appears, I just don’t post a competitive item, till they run themselves into the ground with their naiveté, with regards to business.
Our web sites just roll on without the “back biting” and stupidity issues of eBay. We still post a few things on eBay, but I am certainly glad our base is through our web sites, as eBay is a volatile place, where between the every changing eBay rules, ever changing categories/bells/whistles; and a few little demigod style sellers trying to rule over whatever their main product category is, eBay is a disaster.
IF REAL business were run like some sellers run their eBay business, we could all eat at McDonald’s, Burger King, or Wendy’s almost free! It seems many have the “give it away before being undercut or losing the sale” mentality, and that is totally stupidity. They reduce the value of the given product, and ultimately drive their own business in to the ground.
My Boss Is A Jewish Carpenter!
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ladyjewels2000
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posted on September 21, 2004 11:20:15 AM new
jwpc
I'm with you. I don't know how some of these seller can do it. Start an item at 99 cents or even a penny and then get no bids or even worst one bid. Do a search for most any item and start with lowest first - you'll have to search 10 to 20 pages to get to a price above a couple of dollars. I think this really cheapens the whole ebay experience!! I rarely list anything under $9.99 for this very reason. I don't want it to drown in the sea of cheap knock offs and 99 cents specials.
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classicrock000
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posted on September 21, 2004 11:33:40 AM new
like in one cent cd
do you know now how many people use in the
title "1 cent whatever" ?
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epoweryourlife
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posted on September 21, 2004 02:20:00 PM new
I'm confused. When looking at stonecold's ebay id, it looks to me like nothing has sold since April and there are no listings right now. Are you listing elsewhere? Or under another ID?
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Gtootie
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posted on September 21, 2004 03:12:08 PM new
I don't see how these people do it. I knew of one lady who had over 9000 listed at all times and she didn't have a store. That's at least $3150 a week. On most of them she had BIN and Gallery. Add to that FVF and PayPal. Even with high shipping she would have had to sell almost everything just to cover her expenses. She sold a lot, but not that much. I just don't get it.
Be kind. Everyone is fighting their own secret battles.
...Author Unknown
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MAH645
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posted on September 21, 2004 03:27:24 PM new
Once sellers start giving their inventory away its starts a trend and you might as well quit listing...been there done that. Sales at the flea market are the worst I have ever seen them. I think this is why a lot of sellers are going with an E-Bay store.I did it works. Are my auctions doing well...yes better than ever...am I going to tell you what I sell...not on your life,I don't need somebody to screw it up,although some hungry sellers are trying.
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sanmar
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posted on September 21, 2004 04:06:37 PM new
I have had 2 great months in a row. I really think that if you have the right product, it will sell. i.e. I sold out a pattern of Lenox china that was gobbled in no time. One platter sold with BIN in 2 hours!! This was not a give away price either. I deal in china & collectibles & have had success.
Life Is Too Short To Drink Bad Wine
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vickrose
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posted on September 21, 2004 05:40:57 PM new
The elections could be a problem plus all of these hurricanes that are happening isn't helping. I have been doing alot of research before I list something. If you have the right thing that they want they will go after. My mother just sold something for $305.00. But won't tell what it was. I wish I can find another one.
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getalife
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posted on September 21, 2004 06:46:48 PM new
I run auctions and the bidders set the price. On my last set of auctions 7 of 10 items sold and the profit was 1174%. That's almost 13 times my cost.
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Roadsmith
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posted on September 21, 2004 06:57:35 PM new
"I still wish they would break out Antiques and Collectibles from the rest. This is what I sell and I think it just gets lost in the millions of drop shipped stuff."
Ladyjewels: What could happen if they broke out those categories, I fear, is that everybody with a Pier One doodad would rush to list it in collectibles. Or do they do that already? If drop-shippers are already listing there, what's to stop them from continuing to clutter the categories?
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rozrr
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posted on September 21, 2004 08:25:57 PM new
My two cents as a small-time seller ...
A lot of my father's collectibles are low-ticket ... collectible beer cans of the 1970's and 80's (pull tabs and stay tabs)... model railroading 8 x 11 soft cover books ...
What I've noticed is that the people who price the same things too cheaply ... 99 cents, etc. ...usually don't sell as well as I do. Ditto, the people who don't bother to research the market and think that a 1976 Steeler can is "rare" and they're way "out of the money" in terms of a minimum bid.
I try to hit the middle in terms of a minimum bid price, while also using multiple photos to create a good-looking ad. But the minimum bid is a respectable bid for a respectable copy.
I think that pricing too low in a bad market can send the wrong message: "More junk."
I think that if it was a rip-roaring market, a 99-cent minimum bid might indeed attract opening bids. 99 cents is meant to say: "Here's a real bargain. Jump in - right now!"
But in a bad market where there's a flood of stuff, I think it's a good idea to price up a little for an opening bid, as a means of saying: "This is better than the usual junk you see on eBay."
I've also noticed that the segments I watch - as both a buyer and a seller - seem to be off right now versus July and August.
Maybe it's because it's such an exceptional season for hurricanes.
Even Jersey is getting floods borne of the hurricanes.
So, I'm buying right now but not selling - not yet.
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etexbill
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posted on September 24, 2004 08:18:17 AM new
stonecold: we are still waiting for that link to your auctions.
[ edited by etexbill on Sep 24, 2004 08:18 AM ]
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