How do I get more traffic to my listing

 

Hi Guys,

I have the following listing 281777707415 which doesn't generate much when entered into the search engine.

Is there some additional (or less) wording that I should use??  This listing is on the U.S. Site.  When I enter a few descriptive words into a general search, my listing usually doesn't show.  What am I doing wrong ??????

 

Another general question:  Why is that whenever I list or make a change to a listing, there are immediate views?  Is there some sort of a trigger to generate the new listings to some of the "Chosen Few" or how is this done?  JUST ASKIN !!!

 

Thanks in advance for your assistance

Message 1 of 31
latest reply
1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

How do I get more traffic to my listing


@murphcrud wrote:
The reason for my "Probably Uncirculated" comment, is that (now don't get upset :<) ) our grading in Canada for coins is USUALLY more stringent than that of U.S. Grading Firms. I am quite certain that I speak the truth on this coin.


You may be quite certain it's the truth, but I wouldn't include any claim in a listing if I couldn't substantiate it on the site where the buyers are going to be looking.  

 

Murphy's Law -- some buyer will get it and believe it isn't uncirculated, and you won't be able to provide appropriate proof to win an INR claim.  It's up to you.  

 

View solution in original post

Message 18 of 31
latest reply
30 REPLIES 30

How do I get more traffic to my listing

I find that immediate views of 1 or 2 almost always happen when I list something.  I doubt those are true views by buyers, although if I see 6 or 7 views within a few minutes, it's a bit harder to explain.  I don't pay much attention to views until a few days in. 

 

As far as the particular item you mention, your pictures could be a little brighter and clearer I think.  Perhaps try a white background behind whatever you're photographing, to make details stand out.  Try increasing the lighting you're using if possible, to get brighter images, and add a couple more pictures from different angles, even if the photos are virtually duplicates (eBay tells us that using all 12 pictures will help).  I realize there's only so much you can do with a coin! 

 

Also, are you deliberately not shipping that item to Canada?  Your shipping information indicates United States only. Many Canadian buyers do shop on .com. 

 

I know a number of people don't agree with me, but I think there are some other important factors, out of sellers' direct control, that are playing into current view/sales levels.  You might want to read this thread to get an idea of what those are: http://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/SALES-are-Down-Cause-Recession-Suggestions-welcome/m-p/30...

 

Message 2 of 31
latest reply

How do I get more traffic to my listing

In the listing, the first thing I notice is there are terrible pictures, especially the first picture. Move the clearer picture of the coin to the first picture which is the gallery picture and is seen in all searches.

 

Next, you are selling a Canadian coin but only offer shipping to the USA. Put in a shipping cost to Canada.

 

Last comment, you are selling a Canadian coin where most interest is by Canadians and you are listings in US $. I would list in Canadian $ on eBay.ca Canada.

 

As for search words, I do not know enough coins but the title seems to have many searchable keywords. Why not have the monarch name in the title?

Message 3 of 31
latest reply

How do I get more traffic to my listing

"What am I doing wrong ??????"

 

First, since you are selling a Canadian coin, it would make more sense to list it on eBay.ca and in Canadian dollar.

 

Listing on eBay.com with shipping to the USA only frankly does not make sense.

 

The images are not good.  Period.

 

The title could use a bit more information such as "King George V" for example.

 

Offering "free shipping" to Canada and USA will attract more buyers and get your listing a better position in search (Best Match), so will changing your handling time from 2 to 1 day.

 

There are over 11,000 listings under "small cents" in the Coins-Canada category.  Yet your listing does not appear because it does not show you shipping to Canada.

 

There are also 11,000+ listings on eBay.com.  If a potential buyer looks for "1924" within the sub-category, eBay offers 127 listings.  Those are your competitors.  Have you checked them out?  If not, you should.  Check their price, their terms, their images, their description.

 

Good Luck.

 

Message 4 of 31
latest reply

How do I get more traffic to my listing

As rose pointed out the coin has shipping to the U.S. only so it is unlikely to show up on .ca at all.  On .com you have to show your domestic shipping as the U.S. and international shipping to Canada.

 

Why not ship all of your coins to Canada and the U.S.?  Your Canada only listings are not always seen on the .com site and many Canadians do shop on .com

 

For your listing...I suggest that you put the grading in the title and that the main picture show the coin out of the pouch.

 

From your listing...

"IT IS, PROBABLY, UNCIRCULATED "

You don't know for sure so you shouldn't suggest it as that can cause trouble in the future. Let the grading stand by itself.

 

 

Edit - I like Pierre's King George suggestion

 

 

 

 

Message 5 of 31
latest reply

How do I get more traffic to my listing

 

Don't take the wrong way, but the pics are not what generates the traffic.  The description is the key.  When we do a search, we enter what we are looking for.  The pics are not great, I give you that, but adequate.  The reason that I am on dotcom is that my freebee listing for the month on dotca are full so, as many Canucks do, we use 20 more from dot com.  Some sellers like ourselves rarely use the store.  Thanks to all for the feedback as to shipping "to Canada", I will modify that -------- and maybe move a few pics around.

Thanks Guys.

 

I'm not totally sold on the explanation on the quick views of newly listed items.  Coincidence?  I don't think so.  I am sure that if you had  access to privy information, you probably wouldn't want the world to know.  I say that generally speaking.  This happens EVERY time a new coin is listed.

Message 6 of 31
latest reply

How do I get more traffic to my listing

Just a thought to add to everyone else who has made suggestions.

 

Your opening bid price seems to be about 150% of what the most expensive sale on that item has been in recent history. I don't imagine that is helping things much especially considering the grading company has had "issues" with their reputation from posts I have seen out and about. I actually had heard that Ebay either was going to or already had stopped recognizing ICCS as a legit grader.

 

Put the high price and the perhaps suspect grading together and from what little I know about coin collectors you have a problem.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

Cheers,

 

thD

Message 7 of 31
latest reply

How do I get more traffic to my listing

what did you means by "I doubt that these are true views by buyers", who is viewing them, E Bay?
Message 8 of 31
latest reply

How do I get more traffic to my listing

Thanks, your comments are appreciated. (see above). We are know who the Monarchs are and their years of reign. Waste of key strokes
Message 9 of 31
latest reply

How do I get more traffic to my listing

Thanks. Images? Not to critical for what I am looking to achieve. My listing does not come up with key words. I guess when I am on the U.S. site, I will have to list accordingly as I am in Canada, regarding shipping etc.
Thanks
Message 10 of 31
latest reply

How do I get more traffic to my listing


@murphcrud wrote:
what did you means by "I doubt that these are true views by buyers", who is viewing them, E Bay?

Quite possibly.  It's just a guess on my part, but robotic checks are done often these days on eBay, so it's not out of the question.  

 

What I do know from verifying this after listing is that my items do not show up either in a general keyword search or in my store inventory for anywhere from a few minutes to 24 hours or so at worst.  Of course I am able to see the listing in my "Active" section, but without the actual listing number, I doubt anyone else can see it.  I actually know this from having listed custom items pre-arranged for particular buyers -- I provide them with the item # so they can access and purchase the listing immediately. 

 

In any case, I wouldn't lose any sleep over the phantom view numbers that show up that quickly.  The views that matter are the ones that translate into sales anyway.  I find that if an item grabs a lot of attention over a relatively short time (a few days), it's more likely to sell.  Day 1 is generally fairly meaningless in that sense. 

Message 11 of 31
latest reply

How do I get more traffic to my listing

" When we do a search, we enter what we are looking for."

 

Yes, a Canadian would enter "small one cent 1924" and eBay will offer over 100 listings.  Yours will NOT be there.

 

Now, viewers looking at eBay.com doing the same search will also see over 100 listings.  Yours will be somewhere in there.

 

What now?  Potential buyers look at the picture (first one only is shown in search results) and the price.

 

If you feel your pictures are adequate and your title and description are OK and your site selection (.com) makes sense to you and the price is competitive, then you certainly do not need any advise from me, a retired professional stamp dealer, do you?.

 

Good Luck

Message 12 of 31
latest reply

How do I get more traffic to my listing

I like most of your suggestions. However, our certified grading service in Canada is not recognized on the U.S. E Bay site and we therefore cannot identify the coin as VG10, VF30, MS62 etc. The reason for my "Probably Uncirculated" comment, is that (now don't get upset :<) ) our grading in Canada for coins is USUALLY more stringent than that of U.S. Grading Firms. I am quite certain that I speak the truth on this coin.
Thanks
Message 13 of 31
latest reply

How do I get more traffic to my listing


@murphcrud wrote:
Thanks, your comments are appreciated. (see above). We are know who the Monarchs are and their years of reign. Waste of key strokes

But 'graded as noted' is a good use of key strokes?

I would think that ICCS graded AU 55 would be more useful.

Message 14 of 31
latest reply

How do I get more traffic to my listing

I'm not familiar with grading companies and didn't realize that they didn't recognize that one on ebay. I did notice other coin sellers putting the grade in their title but of course that doesn't mean that it is allowed.

 

 

Message 15 of 31
latest reply

How do I get more traffic to my listing

Hi PJ - Take a look at what other Canadian sellers do for this item:

 

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Small-Cents-/3389/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=1924+canada&_sop=15

Message 16 of 31
latest reply

How do I get more traffic to my listing


@murphcrud wrote:
We are know who the Monarchs are and their years of reign. Waste of key strokes

This is the wrong approach.  You want to include as much detail as you can in those 81 characters that you're allowed.  We may all know who the Monarchs were, but that's the best reason to include specific information in the title -- an informed buyer may be searching for a specific Monarch's name that he/she knows.  

 

With regard to photos, again I think you're looking at this the wrong way.  EBay tells us the majority of buyers search by keyword, then they run down the search results list, looking for what they want.  What's the first thing they'll see in that list -- your Gallery photo.  If they like it, they may click through.  And the next thing they see? -- the rest of your Gallery photos, especially if they're on a mobile device.  

 

So you want your photos to really grab attention with large size, clear definition, good colour and good detail.  A poor photo also reflects poorly on the seller and says "I really don't care too much".  That's not the first impression you want buyers to get from looking at your item(s) on a search results page.  

 

I'd strongly urge you to take the advice of all the experienced sellers here even if you don't believe me -- pictures capture viewers! 

 

 

Message 17 of 31
latest reply

How do I get more traffic to my listing


@murphcrud wrote:
The reason for my "Probably Uncirculated" comment, is that (now don't get upset :<) ) our grading in Canada for coins is USUALLY more stringent than that of U.S. Grading Firms. I am quite certain that I speak the truth on this coin.


You may be quite certain it's the truth, but I wouldn't include any claim in a listing if I couldn't substantiate it on the site where the buyers are going to be looking.  

 

Murphy's Law -- some buyer will get it and believe it isn't uncirculated, and you won't be able to provide appropriate proof to win an INR claim.  It's up to you.  

 

Message 18 of 31
latest reply

How do I get more traffic to my listing

Well maybe there aren't as many who use the ICCS rating in the title than I thought. lol

The search I originally did came up with many less results. It's interesting how much of a difference it can make when a search is done a bit differently. I probably tend to search with too many search terms.

In this case I typed in 1924 one cent without going to any specific category and  then I clicked on Canadian small cents and got 32 results compared to the 100+ that you got.

Message 19 of 31
latest reply

How do I get more traffic to my listing

 

Thanks for your comments.   You also have missed the reason for my post.  The price is not the issue.  That can be adjusted anytime.

 

The question is:  How to I make my listing appear in more searches.  I think that I have been given enough information to make my necessary changes to my listings.

 

Regarding the ICCS, please read my other posting below on this subject.  I believe that the real truth to the matter about the ICCS not being recognized is as I stated.  I am sure that, in general, we all think that our coins are all a grade or two better than they actually are and when they come back from grading, we are usually a bit disappointed.  Now, put yourself in the shoes of the U.S. coin graders; "Why let in another grading company that does not agree with us?" 

 

There is a large write up on just that fact.  A group of guys got together from various parts of Canada.  They all contributed X number of dollars and graded and ungraded coins.  The idea was that each graded there own coins and then sent to one location where the "super Grader" photographed and regraded all of the coins himself.  All coins were removed from Professional grading pouches and all were sent off to various graders in the U.S. and ICCS.  Upon return of the 20 + coins from one grader, the coins were all removed from the first graders pouches, photographed again and all packaged up to be sent to the next grader.  And on and on.  This, obviously took some time.  The results were somewhat similar for most, but all were different as this grading thing, is subjective.  Even some of the coins sent back to the same grader who had originally graded the coin, varied, and in 2 cases, significantly.

The writer basically drew his own conclusion that grading is quite subjective and we should each grade our coins in pictures.

GUESS THAT MEANS THAT I HAVE TO GET A MUCH BETTER CAMERA  :<)

Message 20 of 31
latest reply