People Quitting eBay in Droves: Is This the End of an Era?
eBay, the e-commerce giant, has long been a go-to platform for online shopping and selling. However, recent trends indicate a significant exodus of users from the platform. Many long-time users are abandoning eBay, and this raises the question: Is this the end of an era for the once-thriving marketplace?
There are several reasons why people are quitting eBay in droves. One of the most prominent factors is the increasing prevalence of alternative online platforms. With the rise of competitors like Amazon, Etsy, and even Facebook Marketplace, buyers and sellers now have a plethora of choices. These platforms often offer more advanced features, a wider product range, better customer service, or a more user-friendly interface. In comparison, eBay may seem outdated and unable to keep up with the evolving demands of the modern online marketplace.
Another significant reason behind this mass exodus is the apparent decline in eBay’s reputation. Over the years, eBay has had its fair share of controversies and negative experiences that have affected its standing among users. Numerous accounts of fraudulent activities, fake products, and unreliable sellers have damaged eBay’s reputation. Furthermore, the platform’s relatively lax approach towards regulating sellers and ensuring customer satisfaction has left many feeling disillusioned and seeking safer alternatives.
Moreover, eBay’s fee structure has been a long-standing point of contention for both buyers and sellers. eBay charges sellers for listing items and also takes a percentage of the final sale price, resulting in high fees for transactions. The profitability for sellers has diminished, and as a result, they are turning towards other platforms that offer better profit margins.
Additionally, eBay’s search algorithm has faced criticism for not effectively promoting visibility for sellers. Many users report their products being buried beneath other irrelevant or sponsored listings, making it difficult for potential buyers to find their items. This lack of visibility has frustrated sellers who rely on eBay to generate sales, pushing them towards platforms that provide better exposure for their products.
Finally, the recent surge in competition from Chinese e-commerce platforms, such as AliExpress or Wish, has contributed to eBay’s decline. These platforms often offer significantly lower prices, quicker delivery times, and a wider range of products. As a result, both buyers and sellers are lured away from eBay by the better deals and convenience offered by these Chinese competitors.
While eBay is still a popular platform, the significant exodus suggests that the company is facing growing challenges. To remain competitive, eBay needs to address the concerns raised by its users. Enhancing its seller regulations, improving its fee structure, bolstering its search algorithm, and actively combating fraudulent activities would go a long way towards regaining user trust and loyalty.
Nevertheless, with the rise of new, innovative alternatives, it remains to be seen whether eBay can regain its prominence in the e-commerce marketplace. Only time will tell if eBay can adapt and reinvent itself or become yet another relic of a bygone era.
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I LOVE that reselling is hard work. So when the haters actaully try it they give up quickly. Lol LIke……" This is work? " Ha! YES……ALOT of work.
You are explaining things so well. You basically described my situation to a T!! I'm glad I watched this video because I've been having doubts about my future in reselling and now I am thinking I should stick out these slow sale times until things get better!!
I only sell on eBay to pay for my storage now since prices have gone upnin rent and value has dropped competitively on most of my items. That's okay because I tripled my purpose for the storage unit. I'm not taking eBay too seriously anymore. I will list a few items only in a month.
Millinials and Gen z killed eBay and sell well below value because they have no overhead. So they are probably doing it from their parents' basement. Yeah, I would have all that time and energy too to list items for below actual value if I lived like that.
Ebay is more of a headache than anything. Everything they do is wrong.
Too many scammers. I sell barely used electronics once or twice a year to purge the clutter.
This time 2 in a row. eBay is tailored for these scammers too.
eBay needs to fix it. eBay is taking a huge percentage too.
A belated CONGRATULATIONS to Jacob on graduating college in record time!! What degree did he earn?
All this time & I don't ever recall hearing what he plans on doing.
Yup… 20+ years. I got scammed for the last time. I hate eBay. Sold item, buyer claimed didn't get it 30 min after payment, when item arrived… signed with squiggle then claimed it never shipped. Ebay paid money to buyer and tried to take money out of my account. Scammed out of my money and my item. Ebay doesn't do anything before or after people get scammed.
Part-time reseller. Started in October 2019 before the pandemic. Hubs and I still work full-time at Big Ten University. Love going to garage sales and flea markets together. Always compete to see who can find the best item to resell. Reselling has allowed us to travel more and is helping us pay off debt. Too much time invested with the University to leave so part-time is good enough for us!!
I appreciate your perspective. I'm not quitting, but eliminated by store subscription and went back to a free account. I busted my buns to be a Top Rated Seller, shipped daily, free returns, and provided prompt buyer focused customer service. But when I had fraudulent returns/fake INADS, eBay gave me no recourse other than to suck it up. I opened a separate, free account a few months ago as an experiment and I saw no measurable difference in sales ratios or buyer support. So I'm recalibrating my main account to be a much smaller store with higher profit items and more control over my business policies.
Is that your garage you converter into a storage space?
How long does it take to get paid from Ebay if you sell items?
Nothing New I've been full time since 2011 and just like any other business there is a large turnover .I used to be a retail manager and our company had a 90-100% staff turnover with some positions having 3 -4 different people in a 12 month period .I've been on facebook groups and they come and go just like 70% of other new businesses going bust within 12 months ,selling online is no different
Probably the new TikTok sellers that came in during covid when it got "popular"
I’ve been selling on e bay for almost 20’years my sales are down 60%. Not quitting but damn
The only reason I've considered quitting, is shipping costs. People try to get me to lower cost of shipping or include it into price or lower cost of item because of shipping costs.
These people do not realize that I can do nothing about the shipping costs and lowering my prices in any manner is $$ coming out of my pocket.
I have been an ebay seller since 2001.
I would not recommend it, not anymore. When ebay had little to no competition and was known for it’s auctions….that was the best time to be a seller.
To be an ebay seller today, and to rely on it as your primary income would be a terrible plan.
The market is saturated with sellers and not enough buyers. I have practically given away high end items because people do not want to spend any money on soft goods (clothing).
Every time you buy something with the intent to resell it for profit you are gambling.
I am not saying it’s impossible to make money on ebay, I am saying it’s a lot more difficult now than it was 10 plus years ago.
You look too young to have a 20 year old boy!! Just tell him finally you cloned him lol
I found 4 vintage Schlitz beer steins from USA pottery in mint condition. They were asking $15, and by Monday they were marked $10. I asked the guy if he would take $5. Before I could even finish my sentence, he exclaimed Yes! I think he was ready to be done, and that cleared a lot of space and weight. They are selling for $30, but I intend to keep them. We had a beer in them for supper. They drink nice.
My sales have been so slow since September that’s hardly worth it; however, I have no intention of quitting. I think having all of these selling sites stretches out the few buyers out there, and I’m dragging my heels on cross posting. I tried mercari in summer 2020 or maybe it was 2021 and I didn’t like it at all. I hated how my pay was only held for credit, and they charged me to transfer it to PayPal. I’m selling to earn money; not to spend it. Maybe if I spent some time studying out this List Perfectly, I might find it really valuable. I’m not sure I want to pay for the service, though. Id have to be convinced it would pay for itself. I plan on plugging along as long as I’m not losing money.
Ppl are quitting or at least scaling back…and there’s more than one legitimate reason why. It’s not just one or two reasons…it’s the sum of all the reasons. For many it’s just no longer worth the effort it takes. Reselling is NOT dying…eBay might be…but at the moment it’s still the best you have.
love the captain caveman shirt
Congratulations to Bubba! How wonderful. Sorry i am late!
I'll keep selling part-time. This is a great side gig for me. I love learning what works and what doesn't and I love to source! Thanks for the great video!
Im on the last branch of ebay. Ebay is one giant chessboard. You never know what moves lead to what and when you finally figured it out they dump all the pieces
ONLY THE DUMB ONES STAY WITH FEEBAY.
MOVE TO A DIFFERENT PLATFORM. NO MORE B/S FROM FEEBAY.
I QUIT FEEBAY 3 YEARS AGO. AND STILL MAKING MONEY.
Good items still sell fast. Just sold a skillett in about 5 minutes. So so items take a while but still sell also. Do not see the issues people are talking about.
Anyone got any advice about selling healthy & beauty items? I got restricted in the past for selling OTC meds (vitamins, etc.). Today, I got restricted for selling Crest White Strips. All things are new. Thousands of other sellers are selling these products. Don't know why I got targeted. I welcome any advice. I'm currently at a loss as to what to do….
I usually hit up the thrift stores regularly but had to take the last 2-3 weeks off due to needing to work overtime at my day job. Started going back this week and the thrift stores are empty for the most part, I used to have trouble finding a parking space. Not sure if it is because a lot of people have quit or because garage sale season has started. Also my thrift used to have 50% and 75% off colors but have added a 25% off color as well recently.
Charging fees on Prices, Shipping, and Tax!!
I've been reselling used tech since 2003. The era when eBay was about connecting sellers with buyers for auctions and the thrill of the hunt. After thousands and thousands of sales this is probably my last eBay year to clear out inventory. My problem is the hassle factor not the exorbitant fees. About 10% of the time there is some kind of issue after receipt demanding a discount or switch-a-roo return or negative feedback on issues out of my control. A buyer last week, scammer, did all three for a used iPhone (high risk item, never again)
Now having to fight eBay uphill regarding my experience with a police theft report in hand is time consuming and frustrating. Commonwealth, I love the business of sales like you. A couple of experiences of the wrong person buying that baseball you showed in the video, claimed you sent a counterfeit, returned a rock from their yard, and left negative feedback calling you a scammer changes the whole attitude. Then you start to question your priorities. In the last couple of years I focused a lot more on Craigslist and after 500 sales can count the number of wackos on one hand.
With about 5 years experience on eBay I would say it's very important to know your merchandise. Trying to use current other listings and the last 3 months of sold items isn't a very good gauge. So often I see sellers copying what other sellers say and do. Copying someone who is clueless. Just don't do it unless you want to look like a fool. If you don't know about something you are selling then just say so in your description and probably just let it be an auction. By the way, one of the ways I find bargains on eBay is item titles that are in error. Especially mis-branded. Again if you are going to try and determine what to call something by looking at other listings you better be careful. Just because something looks similar to what you have doesn't mean much. One brand may be worth much more than another.
Will never quit and wont go back to the slavegrind but definitely not spending on new inventory and combing thru deadstock. Still waitting on Merc or another more honest platform to usurp Feebay
I do it off and on . Getting ready to go big. I got a hell of a death pile that needs listing. Got a trunk full of auction stuff now .. not everybody is cut out to run a business with the new tax situation. The stuff got real.
Please tell me more about cross listing? You mentioned a software and Id like to look into it. Thanks
Congratulations Bubba!!
I’d never do a brick and mortar. I used to own a Home Health agency, even though it was multi million dollars business. No much overhead, paying employees, taxes and utilities are higher for brick and mortar. I’m barely restarting reselling. I had an Amazon shop but developed a brain tumor and had too much treatment that left me in no shape to work. Barely feeling better but going to restart eBay, then hopefully reopen the Amazon, the Poshmark. Then Whatnot. I’m a warrior and will never sit idle.
I hope it isn't a secret but how do you ship and charge for shipping that little stuff like keychains?
We are fulltime and slowly growing our brand. We're shifting many items to Poshmark, until we figure out what to do about Ebay, their fees, lack of views, etc.
Buddy of mine has sworn off eBay more than a few times and he always comes back!
Don't believe any of them…just smile and agree!
If you are quitting and somewhere around North East GA. I may buy your inventory. Reach out.
I'm not selling on eBay for a living, just getting rid of some of the tons of stuff around the house that I do not use. But, I will say, I was surprised how much stuff is worth. Trying this full time is tempting.