Time To Say Goodbye To eBay?

sequence

There's not much wrong with ebay. Overall it works well for both buyers and seller. I don't see it going away any time soon.

southerndave

Thanks again for replies, its certainly made me think a little bit.

I have had a trawl through my accounts for my eBaying and although I am still earning a little bit (and as I am selling my own stuff, its not really profit at all, more like loss adjustment!), but weighing up the effort involved photographing, writing, selling, wrapping and queueing in the post office, not to mention the fees and the postage costs, it really isn't worth it for me anymore. I think I am going to be better off just doing a couple of extra hours at work every week overtime and be done with it. I am going to let my current sales run and then that's it.

I think if you have a 'line' of products which you can sell at fixed prices then there is still mileage in eBay. Or even hard to find stuff. but for me, as they say on DD.....I'm out!

prowla

I rarely sell on ebay these days; I prefer to give lower value things away, or just bin them. When you sell a 99p item, ebay takes its cut, there's the P&P costs, people expect you to ship it immediately, it costs you more to take it to the post office than you make, and you bear the risk of it going missing. It's just not worth the time & effort

However, for buying, it's the only feasible place I can get some things from.

Brooker_Dave

RFW wrote: »

I've so missed these comments. Do you still carry the "end of Ebay is nigh" sandwich board? It must be weighing heavy 5 years on.

How come less and less is being listed?

RFW

Brooker_Dave wrote: »

How come less and less is being listed?

Is it? Where do you get that from?

Duplicate listings have been cut back and MVL (multiple variation listings) are being encouraged more, so it could look as though less is listed. I've actually got no idea. I do know that in the current economy they're figures are holding up pretty well.

ballisticbrian

Just this week had the update from eBay, profits a up hugely, wish I had shares, but equally it's undeniable there is a big shift to bigger sellers and these most recent RM changes will put more small sellers out of business for sure. Lots of change, and more to come.

Strapped

It's getting harder for small sellers, certainly. So think big! Maybe there is an opportunity here (and I don't mean here on this website, because we're all a bunch of weirdos) but perhaps local groups of businesses can pool resources, etc.

jetplane

southerndave wrote: »

Thanks again for replies, its certainly made me think a little bit.

I have had a trawl through my accounts for my eBaying and although I am still earning a little bit (and as I am selling my own stuff, its not really profit at all, more like loss adjustment!), but weighing up the effort involved photographing, writing, selling, wrapping and queueing in the post office, not to mention the fees and the postage costs, it really isn't worth it for me anymore. I think I am going to be better off just doing a couple of extra hours at work every week overtime and be done with it. I am going to let my current sales run and then that's it.

I think if you have a 'line' of products which you can sell at fixed prices then there is still mileage in eBay. Or even hard to find stuff. but for me, as they say on DD.....I'm out!

I so agree with this, how much time and effort and little reward for private sellers, got to be well short of minimum wage, with the added hassle of seemingly unrestricted buyer protection. I do buy, however the new postage costs may halt that

Funky_Bold_Ribena

I had one buyer, who messages me after they received their parcel,asking why I had put stamps on the item, as it had said 'free postage' in the listing.

Some mothers do indeed have 'em.

londondealer

Somebody bigger and better will hopefully come along and give eBay a run for its money.