What has happened to Ebay ?

Taadaa

hubb wrote: »

I would disagree to some extent. Have you ever been in a branch of CEX or Cash Converters selling cd's/DVD's ? I always find them full of people buying cheaper second hand. Especially in these cost cutting times. Sometimes I am ages standing in the que to be served. Some of my cd's are obscure stuff. Most people cannot afford the live movie streaming subscriptions.

It's a bit different though, as they can a. walk away with it straight away and b. don't have to pay for postage. Plus even pound shops are getting in on the act and selling CDs adn DVDs that we flog for 30p each to the likes of Music Magpie. I am in my 30s but I buy maybe one CD a year compared to downloading instantly. I wouldn't dream of going into HMV and wasting my money on DVDs that will sit there and gather dust either -that is what online rental services and tv subscriptions are for.

Crowqueen

I occasionally browse in CEX, so does my boyfriend, but as pointed out, that is not the same as selling online - there are some things worth paying postage for but even so you are not comparing like with like. It may cost me more to get a bus to town than to pay postage on some things, but looking at it another way, if I am in town and I pop in to CEX, my costs get spread out over other items or activities (such as having lunch out or going to see a film) so I don't think about it in quite the same way as when I'm buying stuff online. If buying stuff online I would cut out the middleman and go straight to mp3s, so you are not putting yourself in a good position at all. You might do better taking your stock to a carboot sale or having a market stall, or opening up a CD shop if you are convinced that unsold stock in CEX or in a visibly struggling HMV is indicative of a still-healthy CD market. I fear you may be labouring under some illusions you need to shift about how people buy stuff.

Could feedback/terms be holding you back?

You may be better diversifying, changing marketplace/venue/your way of doing things and looking at your competitors to see what is happening with them. Intransigence is probably your main problem here, not lack of stock or any slowdown in the venue. Stuff is flying out of my Amazon listings, I'm extremely happy with the state of the market; I'm not trying to rely on it but I might at some point have to - so maybe something is just putting people off buying from you personally?

Sorry - it's a hard fact to face up to but I think you have to think critically about your own tactics rather than just moaning. If you depend upon income from ecommerce then it might be time to look for an ordinary job.

Maybe you need to find a niche product, specialist area or whatever. The best category I can think of is fantasy/genre fiction. There are a number of titles which still go for big prices - Game of Thrones is one; consider capitalising on trending items such as 50 Shades of Grey or anything related to big events or popular TV series - and as I said above TV DVD sets have better prices than films.

hubb

Crowqueen wrote: »

I occasionally browse in CEX, so does my boyfriend, but as pointed out, that is not the same as selling online - there are some things worth paying postage for but even so you are not comparing like with like. It may cost me more to get a bus to town than to pay postage on some things, but looking at it another way, if I am in town and I pop in to CEX, my costs get spread out over other items or activities (such as having lunch out or going to see a film) so I don't think about it in quite the same way as when I'm buying stuff online. If buying stuff online I would cut out the middleman and go straight to mp3s, so you are not putting yourself in a good position at all. You might do better taking your stock to a carboot sale or having a market stall, or opening up a CD shop if you are convinced that unsold stock in CEX or in a visibly struggling HMV is indicative of a still-healthy CD market. I fear you may be labouring under some illusions you need to shift about how people buy stuff.

Could feedback/terms be holding you back?

You may be better diversifying, changing marketplace/venue/your way of doing things and looking at your competitors to see what is happening with them. Intransigence is probably your main problem here, not lack of stock or any slowdown in the venue. Stuff is flying out of my Amazon listings, I'm extremely happy with the state of the market; I'm not trying to rely on it but I might at some point have to - so maybe something is just putting people off buying from you personally?

Sorry - it's a hard fact to face up to but I think you have to think critically about your own tactics rather than just moaning. If you depend upon income from ecommerce then it might be time to look for an ordinary job.

Maybe you need to find a niche product, specialist area or whatever. The best category I can think of is fantasy/genre fiction. There are a number of titles which still go for big prices - Game of Thrones is one; consider capitalising on trending items such as 50 Shades of Grey or anything related to big events or popular TV series - and as I said above TV DVD sets have better prices than films.

My feedback is 100% good. I have noticed HMV are starting to sell pre-owned cd's and Dvd's now.

As for MP3's, you are not getting the quality of a CD. MP3's are always compressed which compromises the sound quality detail (if quality is what you want like myself)

Valli

hubb wrote: »

My feedback is 100% good. I have noticed HMV are starting to sell pre-owned cd's and Dvd's now.

As for MP3's, you are not getting the quality of a CD. MP3's are always compressed which compromises the sound quality detail (if quality is what you want like myself)

Maybe so - I prefer CDs myself BUT you're swimming against the tide.

It's not about what you like, or prefer, but about what is selling - and what isn't.

soolin

Change your business model if you are a business.

I've had such a blinding weekend at a face to face venue that I am (half) seriously considering running down the ebay side of my business and starting up in real life- the fact that as Crowqueen says, buyers might buy on inpulse if they don't have to factor in postage costs seems to be the key.

* Note- I often half seriously consider running down my ebay business, but I'm lazy and selling from home tends to make me reconsider once the euphoria of lots and lots of crisp £20 notes in my bag has worn off. I even met a fellow MSE'er who I won't name as I don't have their permisison- but 'hi!'

porto_bello

Olympics memorabilia - there's a hot tip!

All those freebie guides, postcards, pin badges and any other junk that TFL were giving out at major stations are probably changing hands for silly money to overseas buyers!

hubb

My business side of Ebay is also strangely dire. I sell 100% genuine, new condition retro badges. 100% feedback with years of selling. Lowest price (some sell for 3 times as much for the same items) and free postage and yet others with higher prices are making great sales ! There are some backhanders going on somewhere.

soolin

hubb wrote: »

My business side of Ebay is also strangely dire. I sell 100% genuine, new condition retro badges. 100% feedback with years of selling. Lowest price (some sell for 3 times as much for the same items) and free postage and yet others with higher prices are making great sales ! There are some backhanders going on somewhere.

Backhanders? Really?

Crowqueen

Check out completed listings in your categories - the only backhanders going on are payments to sellers from buyers. Find out what they are doing right and copy them.

If you think eBay paying people off to sing their praises here is what is going on - then think again - I'm not having a good year at all yet things are flying off the shelf (or out of the box) on my Amazon listings. (I wish eBay would pay me to do something - I do enough already providing unofficial support on their forums!) It's the first time in ten years I've been disappointed with eBay's service, but I guess there are a number of factors making my items unattractive, probably that people can undercut me drastically on postage rates, so perhaps I'm not surprised and should focus on what I list on Amazon, which is anything that will get me more than a pound plus postage credit (and there are still a lot of items that will).

From what you've said you are stuck with stock you can't get rid of - not eBay's fault really, just that there's no-one around where you're listing who is buying it.

hubb

And yet when I first started selling them ALL my items sold for a few £ each !