Not sure what to do

[yng1998]

I have been selling here for awhile now. Sales haven't always been great but I have always managed to have a few sales a month. I love the site - it is always so easy to list and edit items etc. That is why I stay. I make my living by having sales on a couple of other sites. Lately I have had barely any sales on here and ebid noticed. They sent me an email telling me that something is wrong with my listings because they have been uploaded to Google shopping and 244 people clicked through to view my items in the last month but only 1 person bought something. I should review the descriptions, the images, the prices or that my products have limited appeal.
They went on to say something to the effect that it costs money to upload to google and that they reserve the right not to upload to google. So basically we won't help you sell anything if you don't sell anything. I didn't think they had been uploading anything anyway because when I would randomly check to see if it was on google I wouldn't find it. That has been going on for a very long time and I got sick of dealing with it and decided to put my energies elsewhere.
My images are the same that I use on other sites - my descriptions are the same that I use on other sites - Most of the products on here I have sold on other sites. My auctions prices and often my Buy it now prices are less than other sites. The only thing I can think of is that the postage prices are more here because it is sent standard or priority postage and parcel select is not available. Any suggestions would be great, thanks.

[zaranvalesasterix]

Oh dear, I do feel for you, I am half expecting one myself any day now, however, you are not alone:

http://www.ebid.net/forums/showthrea...nclusion-Email

I do appreciate that this is a problem for eBid, as it costs them a lot of money for no return but we can only do so much and the fact that our listings are getting viewed shows that we can lead the horses to water.

I think eBid now need to come up with a way of making those horses drink.

[squern]

You have some really interesting items, and the prices look good.

From the UK, the postage look high compared to postage from the UK to the US.

For instance -
4 enameled 4-H Club Lapel Pins acheivement pin backs

Postage to UK is $12.75.

Given that I don't know the weight, postage UK to US would probably be £3.80, about $6.34, Airmail.

Of course there may be no comparison in postal costs UK-US and US-UK.

[yng1998]

I just checked a few of my items both with UPCs and exempt in the box and none of them have come up on Google shopping. I don't know what they have uploaded to google but I don't know if I believe them. My sales were decent since before the changes with google.
I agree that I should probably review my postage prices. I haven't looked at them since the postage changes. A few ounces off can make a huge difference when shipping internationally.

[RameRetro]

Oh dear, I do feel for you, I am half expecting one myself any day now, however, you are not alone:

http://www.ebid.net/forums/showthrea...nclusion-Email

I do appreciate that this is a problem for eBid, as it costs them a lot of money for no return but we can only do so much and the fact that our listings are getting viewed shows that we can lead the horses to water.

I think eBid now need to come up with a way of making those horses drink.

Ditto. I couldn't agree more.

[suesjools]

I have been selling here for awhile now. Sales haven't always been great but I have always managed to have a few sales a month. I love the site - it is always so easy to list and edit items etc. That is why I stay. I make my living by having sales on a couple of other sites. Lately I have had barely any sales on here and ebid noticed. They sent me an email telling me that something is wrong with my listings because they have been uploaded to Google shopping and 244 people clicked through to view my items in the last month but only 1 person bought something. I should review the descriptions, the images, the prices or that my products have limited appeal.
They went on to say something to the effect that it costs money to upload to google and that they reserve the right not to upload to google. So basically we won't help you sell anything if you don't sell anything. I didn't think they had been uploading anything anyway because when I would randomly check to see if it was on google I wouldn't find it. That has been going on for a very long time and I got sick of dealing with it and decided to put my energies elsewhere.
My images are the same that I use on other sites - my descriptions are the same that I use on other sites - Most of the products on here I have sold on other sites. My auctions prices and often my Buy it now prices are less than other sites. The only thing I can think of is that the postage prices are more here because it is sent standard or priority postage and parcel select is not available. Any suggestions would be great, thanks.

I sympathize with you, too; as a seller of admittedly niche vintage items I do the best I can, but as I didn't have items given to me I can't afford to give them away, the best I can do is list items for what I paid some years ago and hope to recoup something in the process. You're absolutely right that international shipping is a killer, not sure what can be done about that, after all we don't have anything to do with USPS prices, (and frankly I refuse to ship any way but Priority Mail, as I rely on fast delivery and being able to track packages from end to end for my own peace of mind as well as that of my buyers).

I'm honestly surprised eBid e mailed you about this; you say your prices are competitive and I believe you, (not that it's anyone's business but yours what you charge IMHO, but still), so IMHO you are doing the best you can as well. Zaran is right about the horses.

Best wishes for many sales to all,

[cerealmunkee]

I have been selling here for awhile now. Sales haven't always been great but I have always managed to have a few sales a month. I love the site - it is always so easy to list and edit items etc. That is why I stay. I make my living by having sales on a couple of other sites. Lately I have had barely any sales on here and ebid noticed. They sent me an email telling me that something is wrong with my listings because they have been uploaded to Google shopping and 244 people clicked through to view my items in the last month but only 1 person bought something. I should review the descriptions, the images, the prices or that my products have limited appeal.
They went on to say something to the effect that it costs money to upload to google and that they reserve the right not to upload to google. So basically we won't help you sell anything if you don't sell anything. I didn't think they had been uploading anything anyway because when I would randomly check to see if it was on google I wouldn't find it. That has been going on for a very long time and I got sick of dealing with it and decided to put my energies elsewhere.
My images are the same that I use on other sites - my descriptions are the same that I use on other sites - Most of the products on here I have sold on other sites. My auctions prices and often my Buy it now prices are less than other sites. The only thing I can think of is that the postage prices are more here because it is sent standard or priority postage and parcel select is not available. Any suggestions would be great, thanks.

I was looking for some of my listings on Google shopping last night and couldn't find a single one....oddly earlier today i was able to see them again...so...whats going on there?.

I have always listed by making straight comparisons between every other source of the same items i have, and setting prices from there....in almost all cases i offer the best prices....yet at times have seen my listings disappear from Google shopping.
I've realised that this has been a major factor in my dissatisfaction with sales on this site.

Here's the thing ....you're using the same images as you use elsewhere, and your prices are lower yet Ebid tell you that you're not fulfilling your part of the deal?.

So ....aren't you then trapped in a circle?....if the site won't upload your listings, then how will they be seen by the outside world?.and from here how can your listings generate income for the site?

Fortunately for you , you are at least seeing worthwhile sales elsewhere, so the issue of Ebid not uploading your listings is probably of less relevance than it otherwise could be. So by taking the sensible approach it'd make more sense to use your efforts elsewhere rather than deal with the futility of attempting to make a go of things over here....after all....what exactly will you stand to lose?.

You may as well leave your existing listings active on Ebid and at least hope for the best and maybe in the future some of your listings might be uploaded to Google shopping. Perhaps even add a few more really good items in the hope that these pull the buyers in.

On the subject of views....i've questioned before if these views are actually made by real people because i've seen many hundreds of views on some of my listings and can't understand that if these listings encourage so many "people" to click on them, then why don't they sell to at least one of them?
Are these many views instead results brought about by Google bots?.

[yng1998]

I create all of my listings on this site because I think everything about it is so easy. It is unfortunate that it doesn't generate sales for me. I have been just leaving them sit here because it doesn't cost me anything and I can view all of my inventory in one place. I will leave my listings up in the hopes that ebid will grow eventually. Perhaps we will even have an influx of vintage and collectible sellers to this site due to more changes ebay will be making in 2015. Perhaps I will choose to leave there completely as well.

[purplestevie]

Hi,

I would purchase buttons from you but the shipping costs are too high, you have some Austrain tinies for sale for approx £6 but the shipping is approx £17 its just too much. Same for me i used to sell loads and loads to USA, Canada, Australia and Japan but not anymore.

To survive i have to adapt

[deanosaur1972]

Some thoughts......

Your notice on every single listing is:

"If you have a Buy It Now coupon, request an invoice. Include the coupon number found in the lower right hand corner. I will adjust your invoice with the percentage off included. Please message me if you have any issues."

What GS provides is new users - on them seeing the notice, do you think they are likely to buy? On arriving at the product the notice is the first thing that is visible. So they come to possibly purchase and they are hit with a coupon code, one of two things will happen:

1. It confuses them, now their concentration is not on the item but on what the coupon is.
2. They understand the coupon code and realize they will be paying more

Either one will likely mean the buyer goes elsewhere. I certainly couldn't purchase anything on the basis that others are being treated to better prices.

I am guessing you are targeting previous buyers with this code? If so going by your sales, it is not working and has probably cost you a lot of new custom. Try and keep everything nice and simple - what can often seem like a good idea can wipe out a lot of sales.