Recent eBay trends

[maktak]

I often find myself idly browsing eBay for used furs. I wanted to pick everybody's brains about a few questions:

1. I feel like I've seen fewer listings than normal, and I think we should be leveling off about now (i.e. peak listing season should have already passed). Has it been a slow season for eBay sellers? If yes, why would people not be selling this year?
2. I often see listings that feel the need to call out what a fur isn't in the title — e.g. "mink coat, NOT fox, NOT sable, NOT coyote." Do buyers really confuse different types so easily? (Cynically, it looks like slightly underhanded SEO to me.)
3. Now more than ever, I notice listings on other sites (e.g. Mercari, Etsy, Poshmark, and 1stdibs). Is eBay going out of style?

[Furrrrrrrrrr]

I’ve noticed the same thing this year. I’ve also noticed a lot more of the “outrageous” pricing by more people- sellers asking 3-4x what a coat should go for used. 
 

on the other hand that has been good for my wallet, I’ve been buying less furs than previous seasons. 
 

I think part of the problem was the coronavirus, but maybe that was my imagination, it seems like when everything hit hard (especially the USA) there were quite a few more listings for nice furs during the summer when I hadn’t seen that in years past. Maybe because people were spending more time at home going through stuff they wanted to sell. 
 

all we can do is hope it picks back up soon. I know everyone enjoys getting good deals on nice used furs from time to time. 
 

edit to add—the question about the purpose to call out what a fur “isn’t”- I believe this is purely a selling tactic and it gets on my nerves. It’s so these listings show up on other searches whether you are searching for that particular item or not. The more words in the title, the more it will pop up in people’s searches. 

Edited January 29, 2021 by Furrrrrrrrrr
Added comment

[coyote 1]

Personal observations:

Limited supply will always cause inflation. 10,000's of 1,000’s animals were destroyed because of COVID-19 (virus) over this past year. More European countries have gone fur free this year (thanks to animal right activists). International shipping laws are getting stricter. I follow a couple of fur ranchers on another site in Europe. They posted before and after pictures of the animals. One rancher showed a Finn Raccoon dropping her kits: the birth of a Finn raccoons. Then posted pictures of two of them every week for 30 weeks straight showing their growth. One of them had a beautiful rich looking pure white coat of fur (from its noise to the tip of its tail about 100cm in length). At the end of 30 weeks, they posted pictures of him being put to sleep and then came pictures of his fur coat after it was tanned. I really wanted his fur coat. But the shipping costs were more than the pelt and because of COVID-19 no guarantees as to its arrival in my country.

To many people want a fur free world now (in fact 60% of all manufactured clothing is now made from oil.) I sold pelts at auction in Montréal. Not anymore. There was only one fur auction in Canada this year and it was a complete failure. The price of real fur products is only going up. The one holds out is China. I am hoping that they will turn the industry around at some point. Truth even sales in Russia are declining rapidly because of PETA.       

Edited January 29, 2021 by coyote 1

[Charfur]

What I have seen so far on Ebay is more restrictions on the type of auctions you can do. You cannot do an auction when a minimum sales price anymore, this options is restricted to a very limited number of categories and not available for clothing. Here in the Netherlands we have a variant of Ebay called Marktplaats (translates as marketplace) and a lot of people are asking too much or make a ridiculously low offer, the same I see more and more on Ebay, but it could be also just my experience. I haven't compared the expenses of Ebay against the other platforms but Ebay is not particularly cheap and as a sellar you are forced nowadays to use Paypal which makes a sale quite expensive. The lock-down here makes it also more difficult to ship things, most shipment drop-off points are closed and you need to buy shipment boxes from shops that are closed at the moment. Everything can be done online, only it takes more effort and time with so many shops closed.

@coyote 1I do not want a fur free world :), it should be mandatory for both men and women. Preferably with the option of tax free sales or reduction from taxes on your annual tax bill.

[paul2809]

I'm finding it a little difficult to find furs in my budget when I have bills to pay like every one else..

[Shy_Fur_Guy]

Picked up a nice, super soft rabbit fur last week on eBay for $45. Well worth the investment. Gently worn but in great condition. 

[minkme]

You still have to be careful.  A lot of people are cleaning out their closets so they put their furs up for sale.  Some listings says it only been worn a couple of times. 

"Coat is in Excellent condition with no rips, cuts or holes of any kind. "

If you look at these pictures, it looks like it was on the bottom of the closet . Look at the lining.  Excellent condition?  It looks like things were piled on top of the coat.  Take a look and ask questions.  Prices are great but you don't want to end up with a coat with problems. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/WOMENS-GENUINE-BLACK-RANCH-MINK-FUR-COAT-WITH-FULL-SKIN-PELTS/313395052056?_trkparms=aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140131123730%26meid%3De5d16b57546542fd927aa2dcb144c940%26pid%3D100167%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D393107920417%26itm%3D313395052056%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D5411%26algv%3DDefaultOrganic&_trksid=p5411.c100167.m2940

[Panther10]

I've noticed a lot of chinese sellers swarming the market now and it feels like they are pricing everyone else out. There is also that one furrier in Germany (Dilart if I recall) that sells furs at such a low price that it basically qualifies as a micro transaction. A lot of the people who sell used furs can't compete with those prices, either because A) Most of those garments were purchased at much higher amounts and owners would like to see a slight return on investment. Or B), the furs are being resold on consignment and the furriers who sell them at a markup are expecting not only a percentage that they are using as their fee, but the original owner would want a cut themselves. So its very difficult for independent sellers to get any sales of the ground and compete with how things are on eBay to date.

[furrybob]

Hi,

I have bought several furs (6 or 7, coats and jackets) from Dilart.

Always been good quality, and decent price.

Have had to send back a couple as I changed my mind, and got a refund pretty promptly

 

[paul2809]

I would love to own a full.leght mink like the one in the picture...plus  size 2x to 3x womens..