AI compares Etsy vs Ebay

Eye-opening, I asked Robot-"Do you find more cheapskates on Etsy or Ebay ?"
Here's what AI replied-

eBay hands-down attracts more "cheapskates," lowballers, and bargain hunters than Etsy. While both platforms have their fair share of difficult buyers, the underlying culture, feature set, and target demographics make eBay the definitive home for price-sensitive shoppers.
Experienced resellers on platforms like Reddit's r/Flipping and veteran community groups emphasize a stark contrast in buyer psychology:
The Buyer Psychology Profile-
Feature / Attribute eBay Buyers/Etsy Buyers
Primary Motivation Transactional: Finding a strict bargain, replacement item, or the absolute lowest comparative price. Emotional: Finding an exclusive, curated, or meaningful item. They shop like they are at a boutique.
Haggling Expectation Extremely High: Built into the culture via auction mechanics and the "Best Offer" button. Very Low: Shoppers generally accept the listed price and rarely message to haggle.
Cross-Platform Shopping High: Will aggressively scan multiple listings and sites to save a few dollars. Low: Brand-loyal; will often buy an item for $75 on Etsy even if the exact same piece is cross-listed on eBay for $40.
Price Sensitivity High: Driven by marketplace data, condition specifications, and immediate item comparison. Low: Willing to pay a steep premium for aesthetics, origin story, and craftsmanship.

Why eBay Attracts More Bargain Hunters

• The "Best Offer" Culture: eBay heavily encourages sellers to use the "Best Offer" and "Send Offers to Buyers" features. This trains the customer base to never pay full retail price and opens the floodgates for lowball messages. Etsy is traditionally fixed-price, meaning buyers don't browse with the expectation of a discount.
• The Flea Market vs. Boutique Dynamic: eBay branded itself early on as an online auction and garage sale ecosystem. Even though it is now mostly fixed-price, shoppers go there specifically to save money. Etsy shoppers view the platform as an artisan market or high-end vintage boutique, making them more accepting of premium pricing. Sellers frequently note that vintage goods (like collectible Pyrex or art pieces) fetch double or triple the price on Etsy compared to what eBay "comps" dictate.

 

I tend to agree with what was said.
The only thing they did not mention really is that on ebay the search is fairly easy.
On etsy the search is like finding a needle in a haystack.

Etsy does have BO but it works in a different way with the rules so I have never used it.

And in this economy, I think people are buying at the lowest they can or not buying at all unless they are rich.

 

And yet, credit card balances are at an all time high. Are they buying food or are they buying stuff off the internet. Probably a little bit of both.

 

I see some fellow etsy sellers still selling stuff but it is what I could call low prices. Real jewelry is selling there as well too. I have a friend on etsy that sells at low prices to get her mind off of all the family related illness she has to deal with every day. They took away her help with an aide for her daughter about a year ago. And now she is getting health issues. She sells mostly books.

Just as I managed to pay off my credit card for the repairs to my old car, there were other repairs to get done. Tho the amount is much less. But I am trying to get rid of it all. My car insurance went up. My cable went up, food bills go up. Gas is thru the roof. Dr bills to pay that is not covered by Medicare. and on and on.

I know that people here on LI are going to places to get free food as they can not afford the market.

 

They have a "Foodshare" giveaway in town for those over 60. The lines have grown in the last few years. Bills have gone up, but SS and pensions, if you have one, haven't kept pace.