A week of great sales , then back to nothing? what happened?

[PlanetOpal]

Hi all, so a few weeks ago I posted here how this is my worst sales year ever since starting my shop 12 long years ago. Then low and behold I had one of the best weeks ever with almost 1 sale per day. Then all of the sudden back to nothing. Zero. zilch.  My monthly sales graph ATM looks like one long flatline with a single heartbeat in the middle. The thing is apart from having a bit of a whinge here in the forums about slowest sales ever, nothing really changed in my shop. I just can't understand it, it's almost like Etsy turned my shop back on for a week and then cruelly turned it off again...I'ts very deflating  and at a loss as to what's going on.

[VintageRescueSquad]

It's less than a week before the holidays! Many shops have shop slowdowns late during the holiday season because people have spent all their money. 

Look at past years and see what 6 days before Christmas looked like....

[PlanetOpal]

Yeah I get that, but that doesnt explain why august sept october was so terrible.

[ReImagineBrewing]

A week before Christmas I'd get a mad rush of 20-100 sales over the past 8 years. This year, 2 sales or 4. 

October was my worst month since 2017. This December, worst December since year 1 of selling on Etsy in 2014. This December was like a "normal month" Jan-Oct 2017/2018. 

I'm not liking the changes here. In some of my FB groups, a lot of people are having their busiest years ever, but not on Etsy. I think this is a sign where sellers are not shopping or where Etsy is playing more and more with visibility. I don't like this AI similar photos less visibility stuff.

[CoquetteBath]

honestly, it is all about need. And a few months ago, in the US at least, all of us were in the midst of a tumultuous election and I could just feel people holding their breath...

as soon as it was over, regardless if one's candidate won or not, I could just FEEL the release of anxiety. I would see people out & about. Stores were crowded. People seemed more generous, too.

holding open doors, letting you cut in line in traffic...simple things.

Not saying that that held up people buying opals from Australia, but it could have...after all none of the things any of us sell (well unless you are selling food items) is a necessity. It is all want, right? I mean I sell soap, but you can get 4 bars for what I charge for 1 (isn't even close to the same quality ingredients, but that's another tale for another time...)

since...yeah, I bet people are relaxing. Right now, though, if anyone wants anything for Christmas, best they shop within 250 miles...even then, problematic.

good selling to all.

[sharonjenkins1]

Yep, I agree.  It’s been such a rough year for sales that we have to be happy for any activity at all.  I’ve also been here for (over) 12 years and have a much smaller sales number than you do.  I think Christmas sales, realistically, are done, so let’s hope for winter sales coming up. @PlanetOpal 

[MountainlilyFarm]

I finally got out today to do some in person shopping. Every place was packed! Went to a farm store for chicken feed early and there were almost no parking spots. A big book store with a line that snaked through the center of store. Crazy traffic everywhere. So, yes at this late date I think people are shopping locally. My holiday sales were dismal this year. Not even what I did back in 2014 with half the items. I was having better, steady sales back in Sept. then it all tanked. I reworked photos etc. Now, I don't care. My stand alone site is up over 123% so it is clear where to focus my effort. I used to have at least 20 sales a day here. 

[ZenCatPottery]

My shop has slowed down considerably this week.  People have slowed down on their online purchases because they want to be sure they receive their items by Xmas.  Now through Xmas is normally a slow time of year - and sometimes January is slow too as people "recover" from spending a lot.

@PlanetOpal 

[GieseDeseiGns]

Yes, went from 18 to 5 to zero. Shopping is local now. People know their orders won’t make it by Christmas, time to focus on Valentines Day, or Mardi Gras, Easter, St Patrick’s Day whatever is next.