The demise of eBay?
Discussion
I'm an online retailing and started selling on eBay back in 2008. Back then and the following few years it was great. We were flying, doing really well and it seemed to just grow and grow. Over the last few years though I've noticed that our eBay sales have just been going down and down. No matter what we do they keep falling. This year in comparison to last year for example we're about 30-40% down. And last year was a drop on the year before also.
I just wonder what peoples opinions are on eBay especially of those who also sell on the platform. Dare i say eBay is dead? What's its future? They just don't seem to have really changed or done anything differently or new over the years unlike the other platform that begins with A and ends in Z.
Interested to hear other peoples thoughts?
I just wonder what peoples opinions are on eBay especially of those who also sell on the platform. Dare i say eBay is dead? What's its future? They just don't seem to have really changed or done anything differently or new over the years unlike the other platform that begins with A and ends in Z.
Interested to hear other peoples thoughts?
I find ebay great for buying. When selling stuff I will only list items when it's max £1 selling fees. I'm not a trader though, just a private individual but have bought and sold hundreds of items over the past 10 years or so.
I guess a lot of people sell on Gumtree and Facebook these days due to zero fees and naturally when buying, that's their go to place as well. I must admit, when buying something second hand I'll always check out Facebook. Anything new it's eBay or Amazon.
I guess a lot of people sell on Gumtree and Facebook these days due to zero fees and naturally when buying, that's their go to place as well. I must admit, when buying something second hand I'll always check out Facebook. Anything new it's eBay or Amazon.
Personally I only use ebay if I'm looking for something that's likely to only be available second hand (i.e. something that is discontinued/ not available in the shops)...Even in that case sometimes with books, say, I'll go direct to world of books rather than using their ebay shop.
Anything new I will automatically go to A--z-n as with prime I know I won't pay any postage and it'll be here the next day. Might sometimes do a quick cross check to ebay if it seems relatively expensive but 99 times out of 100 it'll still be cheaper at A--z-n.
Anything new I will automatically go to A--z-n as with prime I know I won't pay any postage and it'll be here the next day. Might sometimes do a quick cross check to ebay if it seems relatively expensive but 99 times out of 100 it'll still be cheaper at A--z-n.
As a buyer, eBay for me is the second place I look if I want new stuff, Amazon being the first. I will happily pay a few quid more for guaranteed next day delivery.
If I am looking for something slightly more obscure then I will head to eBay otherwise I'll find it elsewhere, my eBay usage has dropped dramatically over the past couple of years. I used to try to use it for UK sellers but most that I've bought from are actually based in China so it's a bit of a scam imho.
eBay used to be the place to go for bargains but now it seems it's just another online marketplace with prices that are very much comparable to anywhere else so no real benefit in using it.
If I am looking for something slightly more obscure then I will head to eBay otherwise I'll find it elsewhere, my eBay usage has dropped dramatically over the past couple of years. I used to try to use it for UK sellers but most that I've bought from are actually based in China so it's a bit of a scam imho.
eBay used to be the place to go for bargains but now it seems it's just another online marketplace with prices that are very much comparable to anywhere else so no real benefit in using it.
I feel for you I really do, BUT the eBay strategy for success has hugely changed with the introduction of promoted listings.
In a nutshell
In a nutshell
- If you have the margin in a product you can own the eBay visibility and sell many times more.
- If you don't have the margin you need to accept its a dying line as it will soon be off search / invisible.
- if you don't use promoted listings you can be invisible for previously great selling products.
- If you don't have the margin but use promoted anyway you will see your eBay monthly invoice soar with less return overall.
eybic said:
As a buyer, eBay for me is the second place I look if I want new stuff, Amazon being the first. I will happily pay a few quid more for guaranteed next day delivery.
If I am looking for something slightly more obscure then I will head to eBay otherwise I'll find it elsewhere, my eBay usage has dropped dramatically over the past couple of years. I used to try to use it for UK sellers but most that I've bought from are actually based in China so it's a bit of a scam imho.
eBay used to be the place to go for bargains but now it seems it's just another online marketplace with prices that are very much comparable to anywhere else so no real benefit in using it.
This, I generally need stuff next day, many sellers on Ebay don't offer this but Amazon do, it's free with Prime and that's where my money tends to go.If I am looking for something slightly more obscure then I will head to eBay otherwise I'll find it elsewhere, my eBay usage has dropped dramatically over the past couple of years. I used to try to use it for UK sellers but most that I've bought from are actually based in China so it's a bit of a scam imho.
eBay used to be the place to go for bargains but now it seems it's just another online marketplace with prices that are very much comparable to anywhere else so no real benefit in using it.
I feel sorry for the traders on Ebay that can't compete with Amazon, but delivery times are just so much better.
Could you sell your products/s via Amazon?
OP I feel your pain. Same issue here. The actual problem is ebay themselves.
Ebay don't seem to know if they are coming or going, they sometimes decide to try and become like amazon, fail at it then decide to try something different.
We are the exact same as you, always been steady, 2 years ago was a drop but it was fine, last year was steady ish and then eBay completely crashed into a black hole. Doing some investigation myself it looks like they tried to do an update in mid year then mid oct and its completely and utterly trashed anything that made sense with how the system works.
Any one I seem to speak to at eBay can't make much sense of it or deny the issue (inc senior people). I was hoping they would have fixed issues by now but they seem to be on a downward trend.
Even the most recent promote your listing is a pile of rubbish, Tried it, seen no increase but just more money going to ebay for fees. Took it off and our sales are the same.
They are now saying they will change the way it works, if you have promote your listing they will remove your product from the organic position.
Last thing I heard was it isn't working as they planned and will prob scrap it or not bother so much with it in the future.
Especially for the last 3 years they really seem to have lost their direction. I really hope they do something meaningful.
As a consumer I am really starting to hate amazon, it just seems to be completely and utterly full of rubbish with fake reviews.
Ebay don't seem to know if they are coming or going, they sometimes decide to try and become like amazon, fail at it then decide to try something different.
We are the exact same as you, always been steady, 2 years ago was a drop but it was fine, last year was steady ish and then eBay completely crashed into a black hole. Doing some investigation myself it looks like they tried to do an update in mid year then mid oct and its completely and utterly trashed anything that made sense with how the system works.
Any one I seem to speak to at eBay can't make much sense of it or deny the issue (inc senior people). I was hoping they would have fixed issues by now but they seem to be on a downward trend.
Even the most recent promote your listing is a pile of rubbish, Tried it, seen no increase but just more money going to ebay for fees. Took it off and our sales are the same.
They are now saying they will change the way it works, if you have promote your listing they will remove your product from the organic position.
Last thing I heard was it isn't working as they planned and will prob scrap it or not bother so much with it in the future.
Especially for the last 3 years they really seem to have lost their direction. I really hope they do something meaningful.
As a consumer I am really starting to hate amazon, it just seems to be completely and utterly full of rubbish with fake reviews.
Edited by Chamon_Lee on Tuesday 21st January 16:05
eybic said:
As a buyer, eBay for me is the second place I look if I want new stuff, Amazon being the first. I will happily pay a few quid more for guaranteed next day delivery.
If I am looking for something slightly more obscure then I will head to eBay otherwise I'll find it elsewhere, my eBay usage has dropped dramatically over the past couple of years. I used to try to use it for UK sellers but most that I've bought from are actually based in China so it's a bit of a scam imho.
eBay used to be the place to go for bargains but now it seems it's just another online marketplace with prices that are very much comparable to anywhere else so no real benefit in using it.
This describes my shopping habits in a nutshell. Amazon always first choice for anything new.If I am looking for something slightly more obscure then I will head to eBay otherwise I'll find it elsewhere, my eBay usage has dropped dramatically over the past couple of years. I used to try to use it for UK sellers but most that I've bought from are actually based in China so it's a bit of a scam imho.
eBay used to be the place to go for bargains but now it seems it's just another online marketplace with prices that are very much comparable to anywhere else so no real benefit in using it.
Facebook first choice for anything secondhand, then eBay.
As a user, I'm similar to others here. Amazon is first port of call for new items. eBay is great for secondhand stuff (I live in a rural area, so the Facebook marketplace is relatively limited in what it offers within a reasonable distance).
I'd like eBay to go back to what it was when I started using it - a cheap and easy way to sell/buy secondhand items. It was a worldwide car boot sale for a few years and it worked, but I guess didn't make much money
I'd like eBay to go back to what it was when I started using it - a cheap and easy way to sell/buy secondhand items. It was a worldwide car boot sale for a few years and it worked, but I guess didn't make much money
Chamon_Lee said:
Even the most recent promote your listing is a pile of rubbish, Tried it, seen no increase but just more money going to ebay for fees. Took it off and our sales are the same.
They are now saying they will change the way it works, if you have promote your listing they will remove your product from the organic position.
Last thing I heard was it isn't working as they planned and will prob scrap it or not bother so much with it in the future.
If you took it off and sales were the same you didn't bid high enough if you can afford to overbid the suggested % by 25% plus you will definitely see increased sales.They are now saying they will change the way it works, if you have promote your listing they will remove your product from the organic position.
Last thing I heard was it isn't working as they planned and will prob scrap it or not bother so much with it in the future.
Edited by Chamon_Lee on Tuesday 21st January 16:05
Also the "send offer" in bulk is useful and can scrape extra sales in.
What are you selling OP? Could be your market/goods rather than the platform?
Other possible factors
Retail platforms like Amazon Prime, Facebook etc.
Other smaller platforms especially mobile app based
Companies ability to set up their own websites and run e-commerce off them easily and cheaply and promote through social media
Next day delivery becoming the norm even away from Amazon
Cheap imports from outside the UK being easier to obtain
Other possible factors
Retail platforms like Amazon Prime, Facebook etc.
Other smaller platforms especially mobile app based
Companies ability to set up their own websites and run e-commerce off them easily and cheaply and promote through social media
Next day delivery becoming the norm even away from Amazon
Cheap imports from outside the UK being easier to obtain
My shopping preferences...
Amazon is first port of call for anything new and expensive or where safety is a potential issue (eg, phone chargers where cheap dodgy Chinese ones can burn your house down), unless it's something like a TV or Washing Machine, in which case I'll start with John Lewis or Richer Sounds for the long warranty.
eBay is only for second hand stuff (especially things like camera lenses, as it's good to have the buyer protection if it turns out to be not as advertised) or off the wall stuff like individual lengths or steel rod which are difficult to find elsewhere other than in bulk I don't need.
Amazon is first port of call for anything new and expensive or where safety is a potential issue (eg, phone chargers where cheap dodgy Chinese ones can burn your house down), unless it's something like a TV or Washing Machine, in which case I'll start with John Lewis or Richer Sounds for the long warranty.
eBay is only for second hand stuff (especially things like camera lenses, as it's good to have the buyer protection if it turns out to be not as advertised) or off the wall stuff like individual lengths or steel rod which are difficult to find elsewhere other than in bulk I don't need.
p4cks said:
I'd be interested to see a graph showing their profits since they started, and whether it's been decreasing over the past few years since they'd clearly changed their approach to protect buyers/support scammers.
https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/EBAY/ebay/revenueThey seem to be doing OK
I used to be an eBay seller’s dream! Sold a few things myself too along the way. But for the last couple of years, I just simply haven’t used it. I’m a huge Amzn Prime fanboy, and everyone else in my family uses that Myface Marketplace thing. No one ever even seems to say the word Ebay anymore.
As a private seller, their fees kill it as a selling platform I think they've been too greedy and it's turned sellers away. They should have had a reasonable cap on it, say max selling fee of £10.
I think they are aware of it as they are now offering max £1 final value fee listings every couple of weeks. That brings up another question, why do business sellers bother having an account when you could just run a few private accounts and take advantage of that promotion?
They thought they had market control and started to take they piss IMO. The new promote your listing thing is cack anyway, I assume everything at the top of the search is more expensive so scroll down or sort by price.
Facebook is my go to place for used things, also seem to sell lots on there.
I think they are aware of it as they are now offering max £1 final value fee listings every couple of weeks. That brings up another question, why do business sellers bother having an account when you could just run a few private accounts and take advantage of that promotion?
They thought they had market control and started to take they piss IMO. The new promote your listing thing is cack anyway, I assume everything at the top of the search is more expensive so scroll down or sort by price.
Facebook is my go to place for used things, also seem to sell lots on there.
I used to buy everything on Ebay, no matter what it was i would typically buy it from there. Not being versed in the likes of Screwfix etc at the time it was my go to place. Now it's Amazon for most things, free next day delivery whereas Ebay even when free can be 2, 3, 5 days for delivery. I just happen to be looking at Really Useful storage boxes, cheapest price on Ebay is £6 more than Amazon. Amazon i can have it tomorrow if ordered before Midnight. Ebay, the earliest i can have them is Friday.
Ebay is still great for second had stuff and the odd bargain but for general merchandise Amazon beats them hands down.
Ebay is still great for second had stuff and the odd bargain but for general merchandise Amazon beats them hands down.
Business seller on eBay since 2013, sell around 100 items a day - nothing crazy but enough for now. We offer first class postage on all items for a small additional cost too.
I gave the promoted listing a shot - made no real world difference (sold more but higher fees) I cancelled all the promoted listings and went back to basics.
There are many changes implemented by eBay but it’s not a level playing field - you have business users on private accounts who come and go with the wind undercutting as they go, the China sellers based in Manchester 😳and the pre VAT threshold rinse and repeat brigade.
Anything will sell on eBay at the right price but not always at a profit unfortunately.
We also sell on Amazon and generally can’t compete until Amazon have no stock and sales go crazy for a few days then return to normal - again it’s okay for us for now.
At least for now eBay will accept proof of delivery from a courier as gospel, however on Amazon they rely on the buyer being honest and will refund a buyer even with proof of delivery.
I gave the promoted listing a shot - made no real world difference (sold more but higher fees) I cancelled all the promoted listings and went back to basics.
There are many changes implemented by eBay but it’s not a level playing field - you have business users on private accounts who come and go with the wind undercutting as they go, the China sellers based in Manchester 😳and the pre VAT threshold rinse and repeat brigade.
Anything will sell on eBay at the right price but not always at a profit unfortunately.
We also sell on Amazon and generally can’t compete until Amazon have no stock and sales go crazy for a few days then return to normal - again it’s okay for us for now.
At least for now eBay will accept proof of delivery from a courier as gospel, however on Amazon they rely on the buyer being honest and will refund a buyer even with proof of delivery.
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