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2023 holiday season - unprecedented?

by Seller_07WofIawtwL9i

I've been selling online for 23 years. I can remember no year in which I did not source and list as hard as I could for the upcoming holiday season. This year I am so numb over low sales of books and media that I feel nothing. Except existential dread over the potential for tons of returns.I fault myself for trying to do business as usual when something clearly has changed. I am low on ideas. With online sales not loving me back I am spending more time on lifestyle behaviors especially exercise.

Tags: Fulfillment, Seller fulfilled
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Seller_4zBzdtgCyS9EI
In reply to: Seller_07WofIawtwL9i's post

Sales have been so dramatically low the last 3 weeks, I had to STOP looking for any new inventory....I had FIVE cancellations in the last week. I generally get a single cancellation every few months....

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Seller_HoZF0vVZvEP0Q
In reply to: Seller_07WofIawtwL9i's post

I've been selling books for 9 years, and this is the worst holiday season ever, maybe down 75%. So you are not alone. I also sell a bit on the bay, and it is almost no sales there either. My conclusion is that the economy is affecting consumer spending and we can only wait for better times.

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Seller_Ha6JyVvDK6Ybs
In reply to: Seller_07WofIawtwL9i's post

Someone is doing good and it is Amazon. Like they said they drastically cut 3p sellers FBA limits to focus more on shipping for the holidays but you need inventory to sell very clear about the market and pricing manipulation going on got to keep them shareholders happy. Profit at all costs even if you burn you base. People do not have money to spend and what little they have Amazon is making sure they gobble it up on their rigged system.

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Seller_aUbEyzlSSnsDJ
In reply to: Seller_07WofIawtwL9i's post

We have had a steady decline in sales all year. Amazon has caused at least 45% of our sales to decline because of fake brands. We may just leave next year. Amazon News FTC amazon made over one billion dollars in price manipulation. Amazon raised prices while all of us sellers are told to lower our prices. Amazon sucks. Not the amazon we signed up for years ago.

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Seller_0qyRtqm32cQSi
In reply to: Seller_07WofIawtwL9i's post

Read through the forums. I've been selling on Amazon for 10 years and have never seen seller sentiment so low. You are not alone

It's the perfect storm... Increased Amazon expenses across the board, less customer spending and a flood of foreign competition....

Not sure where it goes from here but it doesn't look good

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Seller_rttt1yARiCuPx
In reply to: Seller_07WofIawtwL9i's post

13+ years here and over 20 selling and never seen sales so bad. I, too, have been buying less inventory and listing more of what I have. As most of you know, Im teaching full time now so I have lots of other stuff on my plate but it's just getting to be not worth it to list more here with the returns and customers stealing inventory.

I find myself listing and selling WAY more at the bay and Posh than on Amazon which is DEFINITELY not the norm... however lower fees (well on the bay), and a scintilla of the returns is worth their weight in gold.

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Seller_HNxPUtFIPPQNL
In reply to: Seller_07WofIawtwL9i's post

I feel like the high gas and food prices around the US are eating into most folks discretionary spending power. That's my two cents anyways.

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Seller_vWhgseZxKF7Jj
In reply to: Seller_07WofIawtwL9i's post

I think it's a chain reaction too. People don't buy as much as before. We don't get the necessary revenue to shop ourselves on the very same Amazon.

I used to shop every day buying stuff 'I wanted" here on Amazon, using revenue generated here. Now, I think 3 times if I REALLY need something, before I buy. Hence not generating revenue for other sellers.

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Seller_9MdSmMvZ83jn0
In reply to: Seller_07WofIawtwL9i's post

Share a few of your listings and maybe we can help improve enough to entice shoppers. Not sure what type of books your selling so perhaps won't help. I was thinking bundles for kids, hobbyists, tech nerds. Time consuming if they are all one off sales.

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Seller_RCiDUhon0TKTE
In reply to: Seller_07WofIawtwL9i's post

i sell items generally under $25 and i am seeing 29% drop from 2022

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