[clovis]

I sell printed products on ebay.

Over the past year, business has been unbelievably great. The products I sell are needed, and not considered luxury items. My items sell between $6 and $25 each.

Through the summer, I was selling $100 to $150 a day on average.

Only one item I have is seasonal, with a peak in the summer and fall, with a significant drop-off in the winter.

I have been getting my clock cleaned since September when the headlines broke with economic woes.

I know that ebay's ignorant change to Paypal only has hurt my business. I do sell to alot of farmers, old timers, and the like. Lots of people simply refuse to use Paypal, and want to use money orders.

I bet I am only selling 1/3 of what I did just a few months ago.

I am looking forward, and hoping to forge ahead with some new offerings, albeit an expensive investment, especially when income is down.

Anyone else?

Thoughts? Ideas?

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!

Clove

 

[featherbottoms]

"...I know that ebay's ignorant change to Paypal only has hurt my business. I do sell to alot of farmers, old timers, and the like. Lots of people simply refuse to use Paypal, and want to use money orders..."

You can still take checks and money orders if your buyer asks you if you take them. The way I understand it you aren't allowed to put anything in your listing saying that you take checks or money orders but if they ask you you can say yes. They just have to initiate the dialog.

At least that's my understanding. I stopped selling on there back in July or so of this year and have no plans to start again. We are working on a website and also plan to build a new site for my bookstore the first of the year.

Debora

 

[ErinP]

I'm still taking MOs...
I have noticed I have to send an invoice for it to show up as an option, though. It used t be automatically checked as that was one of my preference settings. But now I just click the radio box each time I invoice...

So far as the original question, yeah I took a big dive in September, too. But I've since come back. October was a phenomenal month.
My international sales are back up again, though, so maybe they're balancing out the domestic. The dollar must be down again...

 

[designer]

I stopped selling on there and went to Iffer.com It lets you set up an auction store front for free, you only pay a fee when some sells.

 

[Boleyz]

I just opened an auction site; www.eggseller.com

Listing is free.

 

[How Do I]

We stopped selling on eBay years ago when Meg took the helm and starting playing with the controls. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I'm glad to see there are people still making money through eBay. Seems they like to make it harder and harder on the little guys. Have you tried listing on Craigslist?

 

[SFM in KY]

I don't sell a lot on eBay, occasionally extra horse equipment or books I no longer want to keep ... and I buy occasionally as well.

I am, however, going to start listing my artwork there, though more for exposure than actually expecting sales.

 

[ErinP]

We stopped selling on eBay years ago when Meg took the helm and starting playing with the controls. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I'm glad to see there are people still making money through eBay. Seems they like to make it harder and harder on the little guys. Have you tried listing on Craigslist?

Actually their latest changes have been wonderful, for sellers like me, anyway.
I sell multiples of individual items (ie, yards of fabric). So I always had a store listing with my quantities, and I'd have a Fixed Price for a single in order to get search exposure (and then link to my store listing if they'd like more). $.35 plus $.25 for pic for each and every different fabric I carry! Every week! Plus store listings and FVFs, of course.

NOW I can list everything in a Fixed Price for $.35 per month. Not only have my fees dropped by a couple hundred bucks per month, but my sales have gone up in that people just buy six yards out of the FP listing where they would have bought a single yard before, and might or might not have linked to my store to buy more.
Also, I always get at least 15% off my fees because I'm a PowerSeller with high DSRs. Last month I was in the 20% category.

In cases like mine, Craig's list is pointless. My nearest Craig's list city is 200 miles away and I'd be severely limiting my exposure.
I have customers all over the world. At the moment, only eBay can do that for me.


I've been selling on eBay since '99 and I have to say it was definitely easier to sell stuff back then. But as much as I grumble every time they have a big change, I have yet to regret sticking out.

 

[clovis]

Thank you for the replies!!!!

I am happy to hear that some are still selling well with ebay. I wish I were one of them.

I do think the stopping of money orders as an accepted payment is having a great effect on the items I sell.

I was on a tractor forum about a month ago, and this topic came up in a thread. Out of about 16 posts, 12 of them were against the M.O. change, and many said they would be done forever with ebay. Only 4 people were in favor of Paypal only, or said that it would not effect their buying habits.

Well, losing MO's as a payment option has cut out the good old boys, alot of old timers, farmers, and those with poor credit, to say the least, IMO. Even my 60 y.o. father, usually progressive, will not use CC payments of any type on the internet.

I was getting, on average, 5 to 10 money orders a week. I cannot help but believe that this change has cost at least $100 a week in lost revenue, considering that many of my buyers fall into the above mentioned categories.

I am going to stick with ebay, at least until something else becomes a viable option. I just wish business would resume back to the days of a few months ago.

Clove

 

[ErinP]

Next time you get a chance to send an invoice, that is, before someone PayPals right off-- Check the MO box.
It's still an option. :shrug:

 

[rean]

Can you post in your auctions that you do not accept paypal, thus causing folks to contact you regarding what kind of payment you accept?

 

[NostalgicGranny]

I quit selling on ebay in the beginning of the year. The fees increased to much for the work involved selling vintage linens, antiques, and the like. You however have new items. If I were you I would print up a brochure and start mailing it to all of my former customers, starting with the ones who paid by money order. Then open up a website (a real one), and again mail brochures and announce your new website.

What I wouldn't give for some new items that fit in with my former clients tastes and collecting habits. I researched each new customer and what they bid on besides my stuff, so I have a data base of their preferences, sometimes down to the colors they preferred.

I agree though, my first thought was eBay will come to regret not allowing money orders. Especially with the economy like it is now.

 

[rean]

When I type in iffer.com, I get a page with a link to ebay. Is this site still active?

Thanks!

I stopped selling on there and went to Iffer.com It lets you set up an auction store front for free, you only pay a fee when some sells.

 

[Fla Gal]

Rean, I believe this is the site designer meant.

http://www.ioffer.com

 

[clovis]

I still can't figure what is ailing my business.

I had an uptick in business, yesterday. I sold $70, but nothing today.

I cannot help believe that the headlines in the newspapers aren't scaring my particular buyers away.

 

[clovis]

Can you post in your auctions that you do not accept paypal, thus causing folks to contact you regarding what kind of payment you accept?

Well, the way I understand it, ebay policy states that you cannot state in your ad that money orders are still accepted, unless you fall into specific categories like cars, equipment, tractors, etc.

 

[rean]

That's too bad. I see why so many people are jumping ship. I pray that you find a solution, Clovis, that will help your sales go up.

 

[Sabrina67]

I am not doing too well on E-bay right now either..Not sure why. I sell mostly used college textbooks and usually do pretty well. Right now ..nothing. grrrrr
The fees are getting to be pretty steep. By the time you pay the listing fee then the final value fee. And then Paypal gets their share it kinda hurts. If you are selling something pretty low cost, you can't make a profit

 

[clovis]

Yes, I agree that the ebay fees are steep, but am thankful for the outlet to sell my products.

I am still hoping another auction site becomes a viable alternative to ebay. (I still don't think this will happen until someone starts advertising like ebay does.)

Clove

 

[shelleydar]

I don't list near as much as I used to because the increased listing / selling fees cut into my profit so much. I'm not a professional seller - just list stuff I can't use or garden related items. I no longer post clothes because the profits just aren't high enough to fool with. I've been doing it long enough I usually know what is likely to sell and what's not (although sometimes I'm surprised). It's not as profitable for me as it used to be but I too am thankful for the outlet.