eBay

rdemaree · ‎12-26-2025

My views, impressions and sales dropped dramatically in half on December 17th out of nowhere. Is something going on?

I turned off promoted listings on December 11th to avoid the backwards changes starting in January and then a week later all of my views including organic dropped off a cliff to literally be less than half of what they were.

For context my ad rate was only 2% and not only are my promoted listings views gone (to be expected) but my organic have shrank as well.

Is this eBay punishing my account for not wanting to be to be taken advantage of starting in January? Why are my organic views etc suddenly down in the dumps?

reallynicestamps · ‎12-26-2025

How does this December compare with 2024? 2023? 2022?

For me Q4 is always slow because I sell to collectors and my items are not very "giftable".

I dropped PL, which I only had at 2% and on only about 10% of my listings, and have not noticed any difference.

I rather liked PL since I only had to pay if the item sold, and it did seem to bring Views, even if they then browsed and bought something else from my Store.

I have been sending Offers to "eligible" viewers, which is fairly successful.

rdemaree · ‎12-26-2025

I normally do great in December. This is my worst December on record and my data shows a sudden and consistent drop off on a December 17 for no explainable reason

38e_avenue · ‎12-26-2025

Here business as usual. This Dec is slow, but still "acceptable".

rdemaree · ‎12-26-2025

I want to attach a photo of mine too but it says it’s not the right type of file

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎12-26-2025

@rdemaree

Have you tried attached screenshots? Cut and paste?

My traffic started to tank right after needing to turn off US shipping. Because I still do not have access to eIS (currently), traffic is not improving. It does appear a good percentage of current traffic is external vs from eBay so that is not helping the situation.

July: 2080 Views

August: 2041 Views

Sept: 1203 Views

Oct: 1153 views

Nov: 1219 Views (Strangely Nov only had 29 days)

Last 30 days: 1403 Views (Spike most likely was adding a quantity of promoted listings to the mix.)

Promoted sales tend to arrrive in blips...A bunch in a row and then nothing for a few weeks.

As a side lost Top Rated after Sept. Gained it back last month but it doesn't kick in until next sales in January. (eBay's idea of tape delay.)

In doing a comparison of Dec 2024.... 12 sales. 3 Canada...8 US...1 Intl. Dec 2025.... 3 sales. All Canada. Dollar value of Canadian sales down 350% year to year.

reallynicestamps · ‎12-26-2025

Promoted sales tend to have blips...A bunch in a row and then nothing for a few weeks.

Interesting.

I wonder if this is related to the often observed wave pattern in Views with New Listings (or monthly relists) spiking then slowly descending until About To Close when they spike and then get the Relist spike?

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎12-26-2025

@reallynicestamps wrote:
Promoted sales tend to have blips...A bunch in a row and then nothing for a few weeks.

Interesting.
I wonder if this is related to the often observed wave pattern in Views with New Listings (or monthly relists) spiking then slowly descending until About To Close when they spike and then get the Relist spike?

@reallynicestamps

Unsure regarding my observation. Just a pattern I have noticed.

A new observation that I am seeing when creating promotions the system no longer shows how much of an improvement seller will see unless there is a large number of listings included. (This may or may not be a category specific observation.) In the past you would see it with a smaller batch no problem and smaller rates.

With a fixed rate promotion test in books 300 listings seeing the following.

2% rate - 1 % spike

3% rate - 16 % spike

4% rate - 27 % spike

5% rate - 36 % spike

7.5% rate - 52 % spike

10% rate - 64 % spike

Dynamic gets you 65 % spike but with risks. Rates average as per ebay between 8 and 12%

Ya pays your money....ya takes your chances. Sorry...Just not that daring!!! Like going grocery shopping on an empty stomach. Super dangerous!!!

flipistics · ‎12-26-2025

@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:
@reallynicestamps wrote:
Promoted sales tend to have blips...A bunch in a row and then nothing for a few weeks.

Interesting.
I wonder if this is related to the often observed wave pattern in Views with New Listings (or monthly relists) spiking then slowly descending until About To Close when they spike and then get the Relist spike?
@reallynicestamps
Unsure regarding my observation. Just a pattern I have noticed.

A new observation that I am seeing when creating promotions the system no longer shows how much of an improvement seller will see unless there is a large number of listings included. (This may or may not be a category specific observation.) In the past you would see it with a smaller batch no problem and smaller rates.

With a fixed rate promotion test in books 300 listings seeing the following.
2% rate - 1 % spike
3% rate - 16 % spike
4% rate - 27 % spike
5% rate - 36 % spike
7.5% rate - 52 % spike
10% rate - 64 % spike

Dynamic gets you 65 % spike but with risks. Rates average as per ebay between 8 and 12%
Ya pays your money....ya takes your chances. Sorry...Just not that daring!!! Like going grocery shopping on an empty stomach. Super dangerous!!!

The question is whether the spike in views translates to a spike in sales. If the views are being shown to people looking for that kind of item, great! If the views are being shown to people searching for other things, it probably doesn't have much real world effect.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎12-26-2025

@flipistics wrote:
@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:
@reallynicestamps wrote:
Promoted sales tend to have blips...A bunch in a row and then nothing for a few weeks.

Interesting.
I wonder if this is related to the often observed wave pattern in Views with New Listings (or monthly relists) spiking then slowly descending until About To Close when they spike and then get the Relist spike?
@reallynicestamps
Unsure regarding my observation. Just a pattern I have noticed.

A new observation that I am seeing when creating promotions the system no longer shows how much of an improvement seller will see unless there is a large number of listings included. (This may or may not be a category specific observation.) In the past you would see it with a smaller batch no problem and smaller rates.

With a fixed rate promotion test in books 300 listings seeing the following.
2% rate - 1 % spike
3% rate - 16 % spike
4% rate - 27 % spike
5% rate - 36 % spike
7.5% rate - 52 % spike
10% rate - 64 % spike

Dynamic gets you 65 % spike but with risks. Rates average as per ebay between 8 and 12%
Ya pays your money....ya takes your chances. Sorry...Just not that daring!!! Like going grocery shopping on an empty stomach. Super dangerous!!!
The question is whether the spike in views translates to a spike in sales. If the views are being shown to people looking for that kind of item, great! If the views are being shown to people searching for other things, it probably doesn't have much real world effect.

I really can't recall much of anything that eBay has implemented in the last several years that has caused an increase to traffic or my personal sales. They've been spending too much time removing features that worked....downgrades. 2 examples off the top of my head....Refurbished and mixed lots have become next to impossible to sell. That was the bulk of my business in the past.

reallynicestamps · ‎12-26-2025

Useful numbers.

If I return to using PL, which I actually quite like as cheap advertising, I might overcome my Aberdonian heritage and spring for 3%. Maybe even 4% if something has languished for over a year.

The question is whether the spike in views translates to a spike in sales.

I found PL did, but not of the PL listings.

I got more Views overall and that seems to have led to more sales, of something else.

YMMV.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎12-27-2025

@reallynicestamps wrote:
Useful numbers.
If I return to using PL, which I actually quite like as cheap advertising, I might overcome my Aberdonian heritage and spring for 3%. Maybe even 4% if something has languished for over a year.

The question is whether the spike in views translates to a spike in sales.
I found PL did, but not of the PL listings.
I got more Views overall and that seems to have led to more sales, of something else.
YMMV.

My personal opinion of promoting, from the very beginning was most hobbiest sellers are just chasing their tail with anyone considered competition..... or has very good margins for profit. It's similar to highly ranked eBay sellers (in eBay's algorithm) have alway gotten more eyes than sellers just starting out or with a small collection of listings. They just have more flexibility.

Probably why the concept of competition is fading into the sunset.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Unprd7Oe_Uc

ricarmic · ‎12-27-2025

My own experience is that promoting items also encourages organic views as well.

I did some experiments where I ran "high" promoted rates and non promoted items sales increased as well.

I have promoted rates on "old stuff" but haven't added any new items to the campaigns for a long time.

My view rates have remained normal through december.

Sales were poor up till Christmas, 11 sales so far Dec 25 till today. More than 50% are to the US as well!

IMO like it or not, one has to have something promoted to have better sales overall of both promoted and not. Don't have experimental evidence how many items against total one needs to have promoted to have an effect. I did have experiments where bursts of promoted rates had positive lingering effects for a week or so after the promotion stopped. Certainly I've not made changes to my quantity of promoted items in a long time and it doesn't seem to be hurting.

However this could be category specific for sure. (In my world folks money is going to presents for others before Christmas, once Xmas happens and they get spending money that's when I tend to see them).