Sales of collectables slowing?

[theElench]

Good morning all.

Have other sellers of collectables seen sales slowing over the past few months?

This time last year my sales here were catching up with sales on the other site I use, this year they have gone into reverse. It's the same over there, selling very little.

I always seem to have a quiet period during Feb. and March then pick up again but this year it hasn't happened at all on either site. If things don't pick up soon the after Christmas lull is going to meet school holiday lull.

It could just be that my stuff is going through an unfashionable period and wondered what others are experiencing.

[madelaine]

I've had a few sales of items which have been sitting on here for ages but I'm not at all sure that any ebid experience is statistically significant!

[cornishmaid1961]

Yes you are not the only one ! It didn't help that I had to close my shops for a couple of weeks in April but in general things have been very slow so far this year. At times I almost feel I've been invisible !

At one time I had regular sales all year round here but now they seem very sporadic with long gaps in between. I have a few things on another site (not feebay) and it's no better there either. Maybe as you say we are just out of fashion at the moment !

[theElench]

It's very odd, I usually do quite well in January when people spend money they were given for Christmas and then sell nothing in February. Sales then start again slowly some time in March. This year Jan. was OK then nothing, not a single sale since. I thought something must have changed here making my listings invisible so I checked key words, Listings I'm Running and all seems the same.

I don't have a shop to close so it can't be that affecting sales. I generally list one or two items a week on auction (to get an item on the first page of a search) although I've never got a bid, ever. After the one week auction it goes on as RUS and another item becomes that weeks auction. Things sell, sometimes months later from RUS. I'm still doing that but no-one seems interested.

On TOS exactly the same, good in January, but since only the a rare sale now and again and quite often something that has been listed several times before. I think they are getting desperate as I'm regularly given free listings with reduced FVF but even if I list more still no interest.

At least here the fees are so light it makes sense to keep listing. Over there I'm begining to wonder, I spend a lot of time listing and when I do get a sale so much is taken in fees I still have little to spend on my collection.

[FirstGreenIsGold]

Yes, I hear you too. I've been listing again. Starting over with revised templates (thanks again to Jan) after that eBid change over. The times have been changing ... I agree with you both.

[borucha]

I don't make sales on a regular basis they are very erratic but I had a pick up just recently in sales to quite a few newbies though unfortunately as I type 2 haven't paid after 14 days despite several reminders and my emailing them directly, boo hoo and I had to chase 2 others pretty much for 2 weeks.

BUT on a positive note I listed something this morning at circa 9am and by 11.30am it had been sold and paid for. go figure that must be one of the fastest sales on ebid.

[Shesawaya38485]

A trend I've noticed since I started selling online in 2000 is that every year we have a Presidential Election over here, sales are slow. This year, it seems that things are in economic and political turmoil all over the world and it has a lot of people "running scared". Antiques & collectibles are "wants" and if people are concerned about having their "needs" met in the future they just aren't going to open their pockets for a "want" item. Most of what I have for sale is a "want" and I hesitated to list pre-owned clothing because I can't see the stats for what actually sells on here, but I did last week and guess what has had the most views??? A huge majority of the clothing items I listed have had 20+ views during their first 10 day run - even items in my store that aren't moving to the top of the auction format. I'm going to continue to list my collectibles but will start scouting for items that are "needs" to include in my inventory.