New eBay Ad Program Lets Sellers Pay for Added Exposure

Old timers may remember three previous programs, the last one being the very popular AdCommerce which was closed four years ago.  It was a real money maker for sellers, not so much for eBay!

 

http://www.ecommercebytes.com/cab/abn/y14/m09/i16/s01

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New eBay Ad Program Lets Sellers Pay for Added Exposure

I am sad that I have not yet been invited....hopefully soon.....
Message 2 of 28
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New eBay Ad Program Lets Sellers Pay for Added Exposure

I have not been invited either.  I suspect they are inviting American sellers exclusively... as usual.

Message 3 of 28
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New eBay Ad Program Lets Sellers Pay for Added Exposure

Thanks for the post. This would be a welcome addition to the toolbag.

Message 4 of 28
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New eBay Ad Program Lets Sellers Pay for Added Exposure

Pierre, does that kind of a program work well for stamp sellers?
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New eBay Ad Program Lets Sellers Pay for Added Exposure

I loved everyone of the three previous programs.  The last one (AdCommerce) was the best.

 

My average monthly cost would be a bit over US$50 while generating additional sales of over US$1,000.  It could be customized to target the buyers you wanted in their own country.  With my eBay sales at the time in the $10,000 to $15,000 range monthly, it was a nice addition at a very low cost.

 

Keep in mind that a buyer, once obtained, often keeps on coming back regularly for years. So it was not only $1,000+ additional monthly sales, it was also the extra sales that would be generated by those newly attracted buyers (many of whom also became regular customers on my website) for years to come. Smiley Happy

 

 

Message 6 of 28
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New eBay Ad Program Lets Sellers Pay for Added Exposure

I liked those programs very well as well......
Message 7 of 28
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New eBay Ad Program Lets Sellers Pay for Added Exposure

Sounds exciting. Yes, those repeat customers are the most rewarding part of this job. Well beyond just the money, it makes me feel like I did something right to see the same person returning several times. 

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New eBay Ad Program Lets Sellers Pay for Added Exposure

Each month 50-66% of my sales are to repeat customers. Photo's comment perked my interest as I had a long time customer purchase something a couple days ago, so I went and checked. That person has been with me for at least 9 years (was one of the first ones on the "new" computer system may have purchased before that system, can't tell) and has purchased 31 times since 2005...... enough procrastinating back to work now!!!!
Message 9 of 28
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New eBay Ad Program Lets Sellers Pay for Added Exposure

Anonymous
Not applicable

It clearly shows that eBay NEVER put all our auctions in equal search ability!  We pay for our Stores fees, we should expect to get the equal service, period!  Otherwise we should not have to pay for our Stores fees anymore.

Message 10 of 28
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New eBay Ad Program Lets Sellers Pay for Added Exposure

"we should not have to pay for our Stores fees anymore"

 

You do not need to pay for a store.  It is a choice some sellers make to have a store, generally because they save money on listing fees and FVF.

 

I think most sellers today recognize that they pay eBay much less than five or ten or fifteen years ago for listing their products on eBay.  And I mean MUCH LESS.

 

The difference is that FVF have generally increased to make up for the overall reduction in listing fees.

Message 11 of 28
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New eBay Ad Program Lets Sellers Pay for Added Exposure

Sure hope it is offered to us Canadian store owners. Hope it is mentioned at Wednesday's board hour since I may miss it myself.

Message 12 of 28
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New eBay Ad Program Lets Sellers Pay for Added Exposure

Yes, but there remains the question of why eBay still needs featured listings promotions when it claims that its search engine pulls up the most relevant items for a buyer to see, and -- supposedly -- lists sellers' items based generally on performance.  

 

So I agree with the comment in this article: 

 

"The new program may call into question the efficacy of eBay's Cassini search engine that was supposed to be able to deliver the most relevant listings to shoppers. Upon closing AdCommerce ad program in 2010, eBay said, "Our goal is to keep the focus in eBay search results on surfacing the items most relevant to a buyer's search from sellers delivering the best value and service."

 

If I understand correctly from the article, this trial balloon is free of charge participation by invitation only, starting October 1st. How is that supposed to work, I wonder?  By random selection?  By performance/seller status?  By sales volume?   Let's hope it's not by mere volume of sales.  

Message 13 of 28
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New eBay Ad Program Lets Sellers Pay for Added Exposure

"why eBay still needs featured listings promotions when it claims that its search engine pulls up the most relevant items "

 

These advertising programs have nothing to do with search results.

 

They are additional paid advertisements

 

Today, if I go to eBay.com and do a search for antique pattern for blouse, I get:

 

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p5508.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xantique+pattern+for+b...

 

In addition to the listings offered by eBay sellers, I see paid advertisements by a car company (left panel), a cable company at the bottom, advertisements paid for through AdChoice (you may see different advertisers as they rotate)

 

http://adinfo.aol.com/

 

What eBay used to offer was similar: sellers would pay extra to have their advertisements (including links to listings or store home page) show up - instead of a car or whatever.

 

Considering that eBay needs and wants the extra advertising revenue, It does make a lot of sense to me to allow eBay sellers to show their wares instead of outsiders.

Message 14 of 28
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New eBay Ad Program Lets Sellers Pay for Added Exposure

The new program may call into question the efficacy of eBay's Cassini search engine that was supposed to be able to deliver the most relevant listings to shoppers.

 

The reality is that eBay's search is far from perfect to begin with - but even if it were much better than it is, there are still severe limitations to what you can physically put in front of someone face. Anywhere from 1 to 4, 6, up to 10 or so listings at a time.

 

In situations where hundreds or thousands or 10s of thousands of similar listings compete without any intuitive means of differentiating one item from another, the system becomes almost random and skews if anything towards lower priced items and sellers with more listings to flood the market with.

 

Whereas the ability to advertise or feature an item can actually lend some more balance to results, as higher priced items or listings from smaller sellers can at least get half of chance of being seen by a shopper.

Message 15 of 28
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New eBay Ad Program Lets Sellers Pay for Added Exposure

"The reality is that eBay's search is far from perfect to begin with"

 

We all agree to that - more so if you are a Canadian seller.

 

But those paid advertisement programs have nothing to do with search.

Message 16 of 28
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New eBay Ad Program Lets Sellers Pay for Added Exposure

Back in the days when I used AdCommerce (2008-2010), I seldom used the advertisements to show a specific product or listing. 

 

I was selling and promoting my name ("name recognition" is the most important part of marketing), my store, or a group of products on sale.  Never had anything to do with search results.

Message 17 of 28
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New eBay Ad Program Lets Sellers Pay for Added Exposure

But those paid advertisement programs have nothing to do with search.

 

only in the sense that what I think Rose-Dee is saying is that if search is supposed to be perfect, a seller with a valid sales model should be able to sell virtually at will up to logistical limits and wouldn't need advertising

 

So what I'm saying is, search being weak and flawed as it is, sellers need every angle they can get and that would include advertising within eBay

 

 

Message 18 of 28
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New eBay Ad Program Lets Sellers Pay for Added Exposure

"if search is supposed to be perfect, a seller with a valid sales model should be able to sell virtually at will up to logistical limits and wouldn't need advertising"

 

You lost me.

 

Let's assume the search is perfect.

 

50 sellers list an item that offers all the criteria to be on top of the search result page.  The 50 sellers are all TRS-Plus, offer return with refund, ship within one day, offer PayPal, all have 5.0 DSR across the board and 100% feedback.  Since the search also looks into buyer's patterns, all potential buyers fit in.

 

Yet, even with a perfect search only one will be on top, one will be second, one will be third, etc....

 

I think sellers expect too much from search.  They cannot all have their listings on top or near the top of the search or even on the first page.  When a search result page offers hundreds or thousands  of listings, somebody will be on page 2, on page 4, etc...

 

Paid advertising promoting your name or your store has nothing to do with search results.  It is a different method to attract buyers.

 

I understand that you and millions of other sellers do not want to pay more money to advertise on eBay.  That's fine.  However, the program is for those willing to spend more to attract buyers.

 

Message 19 of 28
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New eBay Ad Program Lets Sellers Pay for Added Exposure

If we're talking $50-100 a month I'd jump at the opportunity to try it for half a year. Can't think of any other way of getting my name out there aside from Cassini, which I have some doubts about, or word of mouth, which is the best advertising, but limited for a new seller.
Message 20 of 28
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