When eBay sales hit a slump, some artists panic. They don’t realize how normal it is to alternately get lots of bids in a high range, and then have a time when nothing sells, even at absurdly low prices.

The Christmas shopping season is one of those times.

If you haven’t sold through eBay in past years, holiday auctions tend to follow a pattern:

There’s a flurry of holiday shopping that peaks shortly after Thanksgiving.

Then as we get closer to gift-giving, things go flat because people (a) aren’t sure if they’ll be the high bidder, and (b) even if they are, they aren’t sure they’ll receive the item in time.

In some categories, people will continue to shop right through to Christmas, but in many, the shoppers seem to vanish. And, every year those categories change. During Christmas season 2002, I was selling items in the “collectibles” categories right through Dec 23rd, but “art” went flat considerably sooner.

There will be one additional surge just a few days before Christmas if you’re selling something unique and you’ll ship same-day via an Overnight-type delivery service.

So, if you’re going to sell at eBay through the holidays, run lots of three-day auctions that close around the 20th or so, for the last- minute shoppers who’ve given up on the malls. And, plan on shipping instantly, or pretty close to it.

Otherwise, don’t fret if your sales slump now. My current auctions are probably my last until after the holidays, though I’ll continue to make art and put it at my websites. Mostly, I’m planning to stockpile merchandise for the after-Christmas shoppers.

See, people get cash as gifts and then they’ll spend it right after Christmas. So, there can be a nice boom in eBay sales starting around the 27th or 28th (after they’ve been to the post-holiday mall sales).

The only other time of year when eBay seems to do this–besides around big holidays such as July 4th when people are on vacation or otherwise busy–is right before April 15th. The week before people pay their American income taxes, it can be disturbingly quiet at eBay.

But… if you do custom work, even when things hit a slump at eBay, your business can continue to grow. People see my art–especially my faerie doors–at eBay, and contact me for special orders. I rarely accept them, but it’s nice to know that the opportunity is there when I need more income.

I’ve also done well by offering similar items to “second chance” folks at eBay; this is where you can offer to sell an identical or similar item to the people who weren’t successful bidders, but who bid high enough that you’re willing to make more of whatever-it-is, and sell to them at their unsuccessful bid price. (Did that make sense? I hope so. See eBay for details on how this works.)

Many people who have a strong fan following are going to continue to sell, regardless of the calendar. And, that takes months of steady listings, at the very least, to build a network of collectors. Quit for a month or two, and you’ll find yourself back at square one or close to it.

If you’re new to eBay or don’t auction your art there on a steady basis, you’re likely to see dramatic ups & downs in your sales and selling prices, especially at certain times of year.

Don’t take it too personally.

It may be seasonal doldrums at eBay. It happens every year, when holiday shoppers head to the mall instead.

Take a break, enjoy the holidays, and stockpile your art for the start of the new year.