eBay decline

[Arfur Dealy 823]

As a really loyal eBayer selling cars since 2002, I have watched its decline, a lot of us have..... My EMP package is £175.20 + VAT, no Gumtree. Over the last year and more importatntly the last 3 months its been dead, all my sales are from AT.. hardly any enquiries at all.... Anyone else seeing the same ?  I'm ready to end EMP.....

But then I think it's only £175...... 

[NOACROSS 414]

It works fine for me. Just now been answering a sensible email from there on a late 308. 

(I do ensure the best offer box is checked though, as I find it means the listing shows up better. You can auto set the decline the offer figure so you don’t notice stupid ‘offers’)

It has been quieter in general recently, but this weekend has been busy.

As you know, I haven’t used Autoraper for years, but I still get told regularly that they saw the car on there!

I did have my arm twisted to try the Gumtree bolt on for a reduced cost, but predictably, it’s not set the world alight but it has done a couple and the odd enquiry. 

Ebay MP is good value IMO. 

[Nick M.K. 574]

I was thinking exactly the same as Simon but the £175 are so low that for me it’s worth having it just for the 10-15 sales it does generate over a year, one of those deals (and the p/x and the p/x of the p/x) in 2018 netted me over £5K alone so I am keeping it. For now. 

[lastyboy 23]

I have actually had quite an increase on ebay over the past 3-6 months. Dont get sod all from gumtree though unless i have a cheapie.

[Arfur Dealy 823]

10 hours ago, Nick M.K. said:

I was thinking exactly the same as Simon but the £175 are so low that for me it’s worth having it just for the 10-15 sales it does generate over a year, one of those deals (and the p/x and the p/x of the p/x) in 2018 netted me over £5K alone so I am keeping it. For now. 

Very true... Looking at it that way makes it a no brainer  

[Mark101 536]

And here's me considering whether to further invest in AT (additional stock) or split the investment across the two platforms.

[Rory RSC 596]

Do you use the call trackers for all the sites Simon? I have recently had one turned on so I know its from ebay ( not sure I ever asked anyone to do it it just happened one day)and can now attribute a lot more to it.

[Nick M.K. 574]

33 minutes ago, Rory RSC said:

I have recently had one turned on so I know its from ebay

+1. It happened automatically. 

eBay is a great source of callers that have at least 20 questions. Number one usually "Why are you selling it" :-)

[SC Derby 259]

15 hours ago, Arfur Dealy said:

As a really loyal eBayer selling cars since 2002, I have watched its decline, a lot of us have..... My EMP package is £175.20 + VAT, no Gumtree. Over the last year and more importatntly the last 3 months its been dead, all my sales are from AT.. hardly any enquiries at all.... Anyone else seeing the same ?  I'm ready to end EMP.....

But then I think it's only £175...... 

I go through the same thought process almost monthly, but then we sell one through it and I think 'oh it can stay another 3 months'.

Even if we do 10 a year through it (I'm sure we do more) it HAS to be worth it.

[BHM 994]

18 hours ago, Arfur Dealy said:

the last 3 months its been dead.. hardly any enquiries at all.... Anyone else seeing the same ?  I'm ready to end EMP.....

But then I think it's only £175...... 

Yes. I’ve had exactly this discussion prior to Xmas with a couple of fellow traders. From October onwards enquiries & sales nosedived for me.

I’ve also had a few holidays away but now I’m back into it full time from today I’m unsure how to kickstart it - the Mrs says I need to start videoing (FFS!!) but I ‘feel’ there’s something fundamentally wrong with the punters on my type of cars (basically no f***ing money) and have a suspicion the glory days of eBay may have come to an end - and this is from someone who’s only ever advertised on eBay for years & years.

[Arfur Dealy 823]

4 minutes ago, BHM said:

Yes. I’ve had exactly this discussion prior to Xmas with a couple of fellow traders. From October onwards enquiries & sales nosedived for me.

I’ve also had a few holidays away but now I’m back into it full time from today I’m unsure how to kickstart it - the Mrs says I need to start videoing (FFS!!) but I ‘feel’ there’s something fundamentally wrong with the punters on my type of cars (basically no f***ing money) and have a suspicion the glory days of eBay may have come to an end - and this is from someone who’s only ever advertised on eBay for years & years.

BHM, I always find its easier selling the cheaper cars by video, it takes a away their ability to negotiate and it also makes selling the car a much nicer process. Billies don't have the anxiety in meeting you. I could amagine you doing a John Cleese character type of video, would be hilarious.....

[Tom 164]

Like I said in the other thread ebay has gone really quiet. No ryhme or reason. 

[It's me 609]

same cars week in week out within 5 miles of me autotrader

so ebay clasp the buttocks keep advertisising

you know it makes sense

[ExCouncilJobsworth 27]

Ebay is worse than gumtree. 

I remember i had someone bid last minute and he then said i thought the car is in Nottinale when its Nottingham. He even said thats a place in scotland near him.

No such place on the map.

Even selling small items on ebay is a pain. People bid then they want to cancel after auction finishes with excuses like wrong colour sex size etc

Ebay are rubbish on clamping down time wasting bidders.

10 or 15yrs ago it was a different

Edited January 8, 2019 by ExCouncilJobsworth

[Arfur Dealy 823]

20 hours ago, Rory RSC said:

Do you use the call trackers for all the sites Simon? I have recently had one turned on so I know its from ebay ( not sure I ever asked anyone to do it it just happened one day)and can now attribute a lot more to it.

Hi Rory, no I don’t. How does it work? 

[david gott 58]

3 hours ago, Arfur Dealy said:

Hi Rory, no I don’t. How does it work? 

Ring Trader ask them to put a call tracker on your phone, every time somebody rings you get a call whisper lady saying "a call from Autotrader" and then if you get one from ebay the same thing, Its only just been added automatically onto my ebay account and it pains me to say but I do get a few calls from ebay, so for me its worth the money.

By the way I'm looking forward to the day somebody makes a piss take video and uploads it on autotrader, maybe an Ali g type character selling an old battered ST, or an Arthur Daley type selling a old jag, or a traveller type selling a van.......the list goes on

[Rory RSC 596]

23 minutes ago, david gott said:

Ring Trader ask them to put a call tracker on your phone, every time somebody rings you get a call whisper lady saying "a call from Autotrader" and then if you get one from ebay the same thing, Its only just been added automatically onto my ebay account and it pains me to say but I do get a few calls from ebay, so for me its worth the money.

By the way I'm looking forward to the day somebody makes a piss take video and uploads it on autotrader, maybe an Ali g type character selling an old battered ST, or an Arthur Daley type selling a old jag, or a traveller type selling a van.......the list goes on

If you all fancy a car dealer monthly challenge.......

[Arfur Dealy 823]

40 minutes ago, david gott said:

Ring Trader ask them to put a call tracker on your phone, every time somebody rings you get a call whisper lady saying "a call from Autotrader" and then if you get one from ebay the same thing, Its only just been added automatically onto my ebay account and it pains me to say but I do get a few calls from ebay, so for me its worth the money.

By the way I'm looking forward to the day somebody makes a piss take video and uploads it on autotrader, maybe an Ali g type character selling an old battered ST, or an Arthur Daley type selling a old jag, or a traveller type selling a van.......the list goes on

To be honest I have been thinking about making part of my video a skit of Arthur Daily..... I’ve even bought a sheepskin for it.....  

Re phone tracking, how does it know where they have seen the advert ?

[Nick M.K. 574]

16 minutes ago, Arfur Dealy said:

Re phone tracking, how does it know where they have seen the advert ?

It publishes a specific phone number which is different to your actual number, only the front five area code digits stay the same. Punters dial it, it diverts to your actual number and plays them a message "This call may be recorded". At the same time it plays you a message "This is another enquiry from eBay".

[Mojo121 229]

19 hours ago, BHM said:

Yes. I’ve had exactly this discussion prior to Xmas with a couple of fellow traders. From October onwards enquiries & sales nosedived for me.

I’ve also had a few holidays away but now I’m back into it full time from today I’m unsure how to kickstart it - the Mrs says I need to start videoing (FFS!!) but I ‘feel’ there’s something fundamentally wrong with the punters on my type of cars (basically no f***ing money) and have a suspicion the glory days of eBay may have come to an end - and this is from someone who’s only ever advertised on eBay for years & years.

Seeing the same decline of eBay. A real shame as two years back the cars were easier to buy, simpler to prep and there weren’t as many dealers dipping their toes in cheaper cars... even the big boys have £2-3k cars now!

I don’t know what you’re seeing but it’s gotten harder all round for us.

[Area 51 33]

19 hours ago, Arfur Dealy said:

BHM, I always find its easier selling the cheaper cars by video, it takes a away their ability to negotiate and it also makes selling the car a much nicer process. Billies don't have the anxiety in meeting you. I could amagine you doing a John Cleese character type of video, would be hilarious.....

This sprung to mind right away, given the interest in videos... I'm sure they do work.. getting the right location is everything!

Tend to agree ebay has been / is quiet! Wonder if they are intergrating Gumtree behind the scenes in some way.. Usually when ebay is quiet, they are updating or messing up their site.. I say this based on a few selling forums that report on ebays "antics" and reasons why sales/views are down!! Its all about exposure and bring the customers too you, so for the £175.. I'd say its worth it.. More likely to be shortage of ready funds for billies, pre / post Xmas..

 

[sparky 274]

EBay decline ? And yet only two months ago there was a thread on the other forum saying how it was on the up. 

[BHM 994]

4 minutes ago, tradex said:

Two large main agents I deal with often have 64 plates on their site, have seen 62's and one has just retailed a 10 plate Honda Civic.....

Last year I collected a DA purchase from the Vauxhall dealer at Worksop. They had PLENTY of older non-franchise stock stickered up, one of which I noticed was a 2004 (yes, 2004) CRV with just under 100K on it. I thought surely I was mistaken so as I sat there I checked their website at the time & there it was. 

[sparky 274]

42 minutes ago, tradex said:

Two large main agents I deal with often have 64 plates on their site, have seen 62's and one has just retailed a 10 plate Honda Civic.....

To be fair, if they are decent and they have the space, who can blame them? 

[MOTORS 25]

22 hours ago, Nick M.K. said:

It publishes a specific phone number which is different to your actual number, only the front five area code digits stay the same. Punters dial it, it diverts to your actual number and plays them a message "This call may be recorded". At the same time it plays you a message "This is another enquiry from eBay".

Most people click through to my website from ebay or Autotrader and call me directly to the landline or mobile. I have call tracker but rarely get an ebay or Autotrader whisper call. I always ask customers where they saw the car and the most common reply is "everywhere".