Ebay Down 37% and Craigslist Down 43% YouTube UP 109%

by Mark Riddle

Posted: 14 years ago 19 replies

INTERNET MARKETING

Craigslist's traffic has dropped 43% over the past year.

Ebay's traffics has dropped 37%

To me it's not that big a surprise with all the spamming going on over a craigslist and the changes at ebay (holding money till they feel like letting you have it) are probably not the only reasons for the decline.

But for me both sites are not worth the hassle of dealing with all that comes along with them.

And I also see more of my traffic coming from video sites including YouTube.

I am sure there are people who still use those sites and see them as a goldmine.

The Biggest Winners and Losers Online

Mark Riddle

#109% #37% #43% #craigslist #ebay #page not found #youtube

bobsstuff 14 years ago

No wonder my sales are so lackluster at ebay......NO TRAFFIC
Plus, the traffic that comes can't find my auctions due to the changes ebay made in SEARCH.

Craigslist for me has been good for getting rid of some larger items that I no longer try to sell on ebay.

Neither is making me a living wage, but any extra cash is good.
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Gee S 14 years ago

Not really a surprise....Google now owns the top 2 search engines. Craigslist is still popular but it's been a lot more difficult to make a success of it with the restrictions they have put in place.
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GoGetta 14 years ago

I believe many services such as CL and Ebay shoot themselves in the foot with restrictions and changes. I believe in the statement "Dont fix what isn't broken!"

Obviously there will be changes, but some changes are too much and it drives people away and to other resources!

GoGetta
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- JAIDEEP2959 14 years ago
  
  The reason of less Ebay traffic is decision of disallowing sale of digital ebooks except through classified ads. Classified ads don't get any feedback.
  
  Paypal hold of 21 days also irritates newbie sellers.
  
  Most people visit Youtube for fun and entertainment, so it is a natural increase in traffic.
  
  I hope Ebay changes such harsh policies.
  
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  Mark Riddle 14 years ago
  
  It's another confirmation that it's best to not put all your marketing into ONE channel.
  
  And monitor and track your response rates.
  
  Mark Riddle
  
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  ShaqirHussyin 14 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Mark Riddle
  
  It's another confirmation that it's best to not put all your marketing into ONE channel.
  
  And monitor and track your response rates.
  
  Mark Riddle
  
  yeah...i agree with that. I also post my ads not only in craigslist but also to other sites that are just for free. I take advantage on those free ad sites. I could get exposures but without risking my money. It's more practical.
  
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Donald Truehart 14 years ago

Youtube and other video content sites will continue to grow as the price of high speed internet drops.
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Raydal 14 years ago

eBay seems to be on the downward track in all areas, now traffic.

They need to get some ideas from Google on how to stay afloat.
You either change with the net or perish.

-Ray Edwards
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BlogDesign 14 years ago

I think the traffic is down because people don't have the money to purchase things. If they did they would go and buy like before. Although the restrictions are problematic, and I really don't like them. They really only effect the sellers and not the buyers. The buyers are the ones that generate the most eBay traffic.
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MarkAse 14 years ago

CL is in a tough spot, they were pretty much overrun with Spam at points which was ruining the user experience. I do wonder how much of the CL traffic drop comes from IMers and spammers no longer using the site.

Ebay is more interesting because their drop in traffic and sales is a direct result of their own doing, at least it is in my estimation. It's a bad, bad sign for the overall economy though.

I think we're going to enter the age of video on the web here really soon.
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- rapidscc 14 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by MarkAse
  
  I think we're going to enter the age of video on the web here really soon.
  
  Yeah, I agree. If you look at new product launches
  these days almost all of them have videos in the
  squeeze page.
  
  Maybe it's time to get serious about video,
  it could be the new frontier..
  
  By the way I think when popular sites start tightening
  up their policies, it's when it begins to go down...
  but that's just me..
  
  All the best,
  
  Omar
  
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Loren Woirhaye 14 years ago

Perhaps CL traffic is down because the marketers/spammers
have got discouraged so they aren't logging the millions of
hits/day to CL servers they were 1-2 years ago.

Just like with EzineArticles - chances are many of your sig-line
clicks will be from other article marketers fishing for ideas -
the traffic is parasitic.

Ebay traffic from Ebook SELLERS may have plummeted. Is this
a surprise? Ebay anyway has become a less interesting
marketplace than it once was. Look at the dynamic expansion
of Etsy.com - a handmade/retro goods marketplace. Sellers
have left "Fee-bay" and moved to Etsy, where testing products
is cheap, fees are low, and listings last 4 months. It's a better
deal for both buyers and sellers for handmade goods than Ebay.
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Trieu 14 years ago

37% is lot. However, does any one have any evidence this is cause by the changes or their polices. Perhaps it has something to do with the recession?
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FriendlyRob 14 years ago

As a marketer, I've always ignored Craigslist. And I've recently begun ignoring Ebay, since they have begun ignoring me.

Most of my traffic comes from articles, PPC, and this forum
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- genietoast 14 years ago
  
  If you go on to Craigslist now and click anywhere in the jobs section, they have a blatant warning to surfers to be ware of "scam affiliates".
  
  Craigslist also advises surfers to report affiliate IDs to affiliate program managers, too.
  
  I've had a hard time just selling regular stuff at Craigslist. People wanting me Western Union my address, etc.
  
  I feel bad for Craigslist. I don't know how much longer it will last.
  
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xlfutur1 14 years ago

Doesn't help that Ebay went to that goofy PPC model for affiliates either. I used to make $60+ dollars a day with the Ebay affiliate program. Now I'm lucky if I crack $10 a day. They just keep punishing their sellers and affiliates. Eventually people just go elsewhere.
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jkovats 14 years ago

Is Craigslist self promoting their "auto Posters"? I post 3 ads a day for specific reason in a specific area in a specific genre, and I get 3 emails a day of the same content and nature promoting these auto posters. I find the same copy in word pad copied to CL is as good an autpo poster I can get. Anyhow, it's annoying.
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- Ehanson 14 years ago
  
  Not too surprised with the results. Social sites are continuing to rise as the world becomes smaller.
  
  I'm going to You Tube now to search for information on various topics as I'd rather watch and/ or listen to information than read it sometimes. Video sites like YouTube could become good search engine alternatives (wouldn't be surprised if they already are)
  
  Even social search is on the rise. Interesting times ahead for the internet.
  
  Thanks
  
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  spiderweb 14 years ago
  
  This is all so interesting to me. The ebay and craiglist policy changes will certainly be something to watch. Aside from youtube, there is bound to be something new rise up and take the ebay, cl throne.
  
  Thanks
  
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