poor sales

soolin

Brooker_Dave wrote: »

Perhaps its because more people access the internet now with a smart phone?

So any phone friendly sales venue is going to make headway?

Possibly, but Facebook is still completely dead for me.

Strangely today I have had a good run of sales, in the old days Saturday was a very poor day for selling but it has all switched around now. Perhaps you are right and these sales were done while people were out and just browsing their phones?

Brooker_Dave

soolin wrote: »

Possibly, but Facebook is still completely dead for me.

Stamina needed for FB, everything needs to be so cheap, so many loons too.

soolin wrote: »

Strangely today I have had a good run of sales, in the old days Saturday was a very poor day for selling but it has all switched around now. Perhaps you are right and these sales were done while people were out and just browsing their phones?

Back in my ebay days Saturday was the day, then Sunday, then Monday, now Tuesday is when thing start to happen if they are going to happen.

I sit and read the papers, economy is on the up, record number of employed people, stock market never been higher, but from where I am everyday people are skint, and every month they are even skinter.

After 25 years my business is finished, so few sales, so much rent...

bxboards

Brooker_Dave wrote: »

I sit and read the papers, economy is on the up, record number of employed people, stock market never been higher, but from where I am everyday people are skint, and every month they are even skinter.

After 25 years my business is finished, so few sales, so much rent...

It's probably more likely that what you are selling has fallen out of fashion, or no longer a desirable item?

People are not skint, interest rates are at a record low, money has never been so cheap. We also have a minimum wage fairly recently, which will have raised income. If people do not want to want to work, or choose to pursue a lifestyle choice were they decide not to work, there are certainly fewer handouts now.

Often failing sellers blame other factors, and have not reviewed their business model - complacency can be fatal in business. The good news is you have identified your falling sales, and have a chance to see why and recify it- but it will not be economic reasons. It is more likely be what you stock, a pricing issue, or an item visibility issue on your chosen venue.

soolin

Answering both of the last two responses I do think this goes back to people not wanting 'stuff'. Most of my items are not necessities - obviously I don't want to say exactly what I sell but most of my items are something you don't actually 'need'. I am aware that in the antique and vintage market fashions come and go, I wouldn't waste my time now listing say a Wedgwood jasper wear pin dish- I can't even give them away, but there are some things that do sell and I keep moving with the times and have branched out into a different area.

Dave, it is interesting you say that your 'good' days have moved, traditionally for years my day was Sunday, I could sell as much then as the rest of the week, now it is possibly one of the worst days. Even on here we used to suggest people ended auctions on a Sunday evening as it was busy, now I find Mondays or Tuesdays better- but even then it is completely random.

I do mainly BIN items and find sales at 4am to the UK n a Monday morning or midnight midweek, where in the past it tended to be evenings. This does rather suggest that people aren't now using PCs and just coming home from work, having dinner and then browsing ebay- instead its being done on phones or tablets at all times of the day.

If I may go off topic a bit, what's with the 'XXX likes your item' on Shpock? I don't care if people like my item, I only care that they want to buy it- I'm not a museum.

Brooker_Dave

soolin wrote: »

Dave, it is interesting you say that your 'good' days have moved, traditionally for years my day was Sunday, I could sell as much then as the rest of the week, now it is possibly one of the worst days. Even on here we used to suggest people ended auctions on a Sunday evening as it was busy, now I find Mondays or Tuesdays better- but even then it is completely random.

Tuesday is the best day for me, last week of the month is always dead, I even get people saying they are waiting to be paid and then they'll buy, often what they want is around £5...

soolin wrote: »

I do mainly BIN items and find sales at 4am to the UK n a Monday morning or midnight midweek, where in the past it tended to be evenings. This does rather suggest that people aren't now using PCs and just coming home from work, having dinner and then browsing ebay- instead its being done on phones or tablets at all times of the day.

Supposedly around midnight is when most people shop online, sat in bed with smartphones I suppose.

Problem seems to be that people have run out of money and have too much stuff anyway, thrill of ebay bidding seems to have died off too.

soolin wrote: »

If I may go off topic a bit, what's with the 'XXX likes your item' on Shpock? I don't care if people like my item, I only care that they want to buy it- I'm not a museum.

Facebook thing I suppose, I advertise stuff, get 1001 likes but no buyers.

RFW

soolin wrote: »

Dave, it is interesting you say that your 'good' days have moved, traditionally for years my day was Sunday, I could sell as much then as the rest of the week, now it is possibly one of the worst days. Even on here we used to suggest people ended auctions on a Sunday evening as it was busy, now I find Mondays or Tuesdays better- but even then it is completely random.

I think we're at the stage where the majority have now switched to mobiles to buy. In my interpretation this means they use more during work, so I pick up trade in lunch hours and early evening. That said, I sell a fair bit business to business so I'm a bit different.
When I sold full time on Ebay and Amazon (I've only just gone back to Ebay in a small way) they were oddly mixed at the weekend, Amazon did relatively well on a Saturday and Ebay on a Sunday. Now Amazon seems to have switched with their sales dying on a Saturday over the last few weeks. Saturday and Sunday combined usually equal a good weekday for me.