I'm wondering about all the long time sellers out there on eBay who sell in the antiques and collectibles categories, folks who have been on eBay for two, three years or more. How are your sales and bid figures compared with your first year in online auctions? Are they better? Worse? The same?
I started selling on eBay WAY back in '96. I'd have to say that I am doing MUCH better now than ever before. But, that is due to learning from experience. The more you sell on eBay, the more you learn what makes money and what doesn't. You learn how to take advantage of services that save time and money, and to avoid those that don't. You learn to diversify your product line so that even when certain areas are slow on eBay, you pick up the profit in other areas. Basically, you just need to be aware that eBay is part of an ever-changing e-commerce environment. You need to be willing to adjust your practices in order to take advantage of new changes. While there is no doubt that eBay is more expensive these days (what with higher fees, Paypal fees, auctionwatch fees, higher postage fees)... you can still make great profit because there are a TON of people out there on eBay looking for their idea of a good deal!
posted on April 18, 2001 12:06:59 PM new
It's become a better environment for buying and less than ideal for selling, given the large number of identical items and the pricing pressure that results.
I used to buy collectibles in antique stores and post them on Ebay. Now I buy on Ebay and consign and sell them in antique stores. Better margins!
posted on April 18, 2001 12:31:28 PM new
Hi,
I've been selling on Ebay for over two years now and I've noticed there are slower periods.For the two previous years it really didn't start slowing down until June through the summer months.It seems to have started earlier this year.I've noticed I don't seem to sell quite as high as I used to either but I'm having to pay more for my merchandise.I also sell antiques and collectibles.I used to think here in the midwest was the cheapest place to buy them but I don't know anymore.
posted on April 18, 2001 02:40:48 PM new
I just had my 4th anniversary on ebay. In some ways I'm doing better, as I've become more knowledgeable. However, I have to be more selective about what I list - it used to be that almost anything sold for a good price, until the categories went crazy and also so many more sellers came on board so things aren't as "rare" as they once were.
Also, I don't often get good deals at RL auctions any more, a few years ago you could get a whole box of old books for $2 - NO ONE wanted them - now they go for $25 or more! RL auctioneers no longer sell "good" box lots (at least not very often), everything is sold individually and the price goes way up because all the bidders think they can sell it for a fortune on eBay
posted on April 18, 2001 04:14:20 PM new
I have been selling for about 3 years (antiques and collectibles.) To me, things have really slowed down. The "feeding frenzy" seems to be over . I am very selective what I put on, but no matter what it is, there are always a couple or a hundred more of the same thing. People are waiting until the last minute to bid, and what ever happened to the good ole Sniping days! I still have some very good sales and I'm not complaining, but I believe things have leveled off.
posted on April 18, 2001 08:42:55 PM new
Been selling for 4 years. Bids are down, hits are down, sales are down. Even the unique one of a kind items aren't doing very well. There are so many millions of listings now, just being seen is the main problem. Lately I've been getting more hits on Yahoo than on Ebay.
posted on April 18, 2001 08:48:40 PM new
I have been selling since 96 and have found I am doing almost as well as back in the "good old days" but I have become a lot more selective with what I list. The everyday vanilla stuff just doesn't cut it anymore, I save that stuff for the shops or shows where it still sells well. I have to work harder at buying than anything but I have developed a lot of contacts through the years and have a lot of sources available to me so I am fortunate. I also deal in a line of antiques that not too many people in my area deal in, they don't have the knowledge or interest so I have an edge which makes it easier to buy. I think a lot of the new sellers get discouraged easily because they have heard all the "get rich quick" stories from sellers who were lucky enough to get in the ebay ground floor and make money on anything, those days are over, I remember getting exorbitant prices for common stuff back in 96 and early 97, now it has to be unique or at least hard to find.
posted on April 18, 2001 11:00:48 PM new
It's worse on the other sites. (Yahoo, epier, Bidville, etc.)
On Sunday, I listed my first items on eBay in two years.
More bidding activity than the other sites, but the prices were still hovering at eBay's liquidation levels.
I canceled all the bids and yanked all the auctions. My apologies to the bidders but its just not worth my time.
With the exception of the extra nickel on the listing fee it cost no more to list now then when I was a regular ebay seller in 97 & 98 (I don't use reserves).
It's not the fees. Its the lower selling prices. When my average selling price was $25+ for items that cost me $10, the $1.50 fee was not an issue.
But when half those $10 items start closing at $15 or $16, eBay would have to send someone over to pack and ship everything to make it worth my time.
posted on April 18, 2001 11:56:55 PM new
The BIN has been my real savior, pulling up my average sale price, and allowing me to list more with the quicker turnover. I'm doing a lot more work finding inventory but the reward is that I'm selling more things for over $20 than last year, and with huge profit margins.
So compared to my first year, my sales are triple and my profits are 5x higher. My secret is every year I have diversified. It allows me to sell what is in demand. If I hadn't diversified this year, I'd be one of those complaining about declining sales.
posted on April 19, 2001 12:34:45 AM new
I don't think I used the right approach with the BIN option. I had minimum bids at $25 and set the BIN prices at $50 to $60.
It seems more likely that the first bidder would bid the BIN price if it is closer to the opening bid.
Whatever. I would prefer that the first bid did not eliminate the BIN price. I don't understand eBay's reasoning on this one.
posted on April 19, 2001 07:13:50 AM new
Bids and hits way down. Fees way up.
When I first started 3 years ago, I sold 90% of what I listed the first time! Now I look at 60% as good.
I think Ebay killed alot of it with the crazy categories they came up with. Of course, it increases their fees when sellers have to list it in 2 categories to cover everything.
sabreena20
posted on April 19, 2001 10:54:09 AM new
Long time seller of books here. I used to sell about 80% of my stuff. Now it's down to about 30% for the same type of books. The fees kill off the profits and the deadbeats are up, IMHO. Selling on other sites besides ebay doesn't seem to work either. Not many sales on alternate sites.
Alas, with the upcoming downswing in the economy, the added fees, Postal rate hikes, etc. I may have to begin printing catalogues and offering them through book related publications!
posted on April 19, 2001 12:06:15 PM new
sasoony, try this approach for BIN, it has worked well for me: Do SEARCH and see how many bids the item typically gets. If it gets more than a few, put the BIN at twice your start bid, and slightly higher than what it has gone for. Example, You see it has received 6 bids and ended at $120. Your start price should be $60 and your BIN at $125.
Now, if the item only gets 1-2 bids, your start bid should be slightly lower than what it previously went for, and the BIN should be about 50¢ higher. It previously went for $8. Your start bid should be $7.00, and BIN $7.50. You may even start it at $8 and BIN at $8.50 if you feel it is a consistant seller.
posted on April 19, 2001 02:00:27 PM new
quickdraw; This sounds like a good approach. I'm going to give it another shot and keep my opening bids closer to the BIN price.
Or just set the minimum bid at the BIN price. The main problem I have with eBay is paying the FVFs when I don't get my price. The listing fee is not an issue (for myself).
I don't believe eBay will have a lot sucess trying to charge a fee for the BIN option as long as it is set up the way it is now.
posted on April 19, 2001 07:41:03 PM new
D.............N! IT IS GREAT TO READ THESE THREADS....i continue to be perplexed by the different bidder mixes, changing demands on items[which negatively effects price]...my b/marks are almost exclusively set to my competition, that is, my competiion that has my respect...they suffer just as many "reserves not met, one initial bid on the minimum-then no more, fewer hits, more bottom feeders, etc." further, my friends in the furniture business have experienced their listing fee charges going up by 30%....
i have had mixed success with the BIN....on items that i havent sold after 2 relists, i "firesale" it and list the BIN at a buck above reserve[which hopefully is fair and saleable]....at this stage, i list to make a few bucks and get the item out of my inventory....this is better, to me, than having a retail booth or having to find some other way to sell....dint mean to bore you folks, and this thread is really refreshing; i applaude the person who posed the question....and i hope there will be more feedback and input; tanks sam,myoldtoy
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smhoward
posted on April 19, 2001 08:45:33 PM new
I've been selling model trains and auto's over 2 years, I'm doing better now than ever, I had to raise shipping prices to cover the increased fees, but this seem to have had no impact, my shipping fees are still very reasonable. I also host my own images to save money. I think if you have great service and high quality products, the number of repeat buyers will constantly increase. I also believe in using small size jpegs plus avoiding bells and whistles that keep an auction from downloading fast.
posted on May 7, 2001 09:18:41 AM new
No! I have been selling UK coins for 2 1/2 years and I used to get US buyers fighting over them. Alas no longer as most lots now seem to go to UK buyers at lower prices.
. I am very selective what I put on, but no matter what it is, there are always a couple or a hundred more of the same thing. People are waiting until the last minute to bid, and what ever happened to the good ole Sniping days! I still have some very good sales and I'm not complaining, but I believe things have leveled off. 