eBay

ammolitehunter · ‎10-26-2013

TEST AND PROOF.

I sell quality ammolite jewelry.

Search google for "Ammolite jewelry".

Ebay top of list or close.

open the Ebay page under "ammolite jewelry".

First page contains 30 items..

Of these--16 out of the 30 are not ammolite--those cheap brown things you see are ammonites fossils from Madagascar.Not ammolite at all.

So legitimate quality ammolite sellers are frozen out of 50% of the first ammolite page shown to buyers--which corresponds almost exactly to the 50% drop of ytraffic to my store year ober year this month.

Cassini also gives preference to stores that sell many cheap items--It does not give a **bleep** about quality or a perfect record.

Cassini is detroying our business here and I am not alone.Several stores in the jewelry line say the same thing.

The ones that seem to be flourishing are the ones listing hundreds of cheap junk jewelry under the fine jewelry categiry with lots of sales under $20.

i have put all this to Kalvin--he says he has sent in my story into the powers that be who have filed it in the circular file--the waste basket--no action or response.

mr.elmwood · ‎10-26-2013

Cassini works for me.

.
.
.

rose-dee · ‎10-26-2013

You're unfortunately in a huge category with an enormous range of quality and prices, everything from $2.00 Chinese-made junk jewellery to diamond rings. I also suspect this category, like electronics, has been absolutely swamped with listings in the last few months particularly.

The probability of getting eBay to change your sub-category by differentiating the two types of jewellery you refer to is low, but not zero.

While you're waiting to see if Kalvin's input has any effect, you need to find ways to work around the existing issue to get better visibility and higher placement. There are actually qutie a number of things you could do to get onto page 1 or 2 and/or to distinguish your products from the lower quality items. Have you tried any of the suggestions that I recall making in the earlier thread you opened on this subject?

You may not see instantaneous results, but those strategies should help to boost your visibility (and sales) in the long run. I'm sorry I don't have the link handy, but the thread was on Seller Central, about a month or so ago. If you do a search on the word "ammolite" it will probably come up.

pierrelebel · ‎10-26-2013

I learned something today:

"Ammolite, is an opal-like organic gemstone found primarily along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains of North America. It is made of the fossilized shells of ammonites, which in turn are composed primarily of aragonite, the same mineral that makes up nacreous pearls. It is one of few biogenic gemstones; others include amber and pearl.

In 1981, ammolite was given official gemstone status by the World Jewellery Confederation, the same year commercial mining of ammolite began. It was designated the official gemstone of the Province of Alberta in 2004 and the official gemstone of the City of Lethbridge in 2007.

Ammolite is also known as aapoak (Kainah for "small, crawling stone"), gem ammonite, calcentine, and korite. The latter is a trade name given to the gemstone by the Alberta-based mining company Korite International, the first and largest commercial producer of ammolite."

Now for some unsolicited advice. Take it or leave it as you see fit.

Suggestion - Why don't you incorporate the word "genuine" in your titles?

Also I noticed in your listings "but has no tracking number and is insured max $100 so use this service at your own risk.I will not be held responsible for lost items by users of this service." May I suggest you drop that line and similar references. When buyers pay you through PayPal, you are responsible to get the items to the buyer. If you have to purchase insurance (through third party) to protect yourself, that is your choice as it protects you.

Unfortunately your listings are raising "red flags" when I read them - possibilities that something may go wrong. My first reaction as a potential buyer is to hit the back button.

Same for the reference to "five star ratings". That stuff has no place in listings. Use the description of each listing in a positive way, selling and promoting yourself, your knowledge and experience, the quality your items and your service. Do not suggest possible delays and blame "customs" or the shipping companies. Keep it simple and promote your stuff.

"Understanding Canada Post.

Canada Post is not subsidized by the taxpayer as most other postal systems are. We run our PO to break even or make a small profit. This is why our postal rates are a bit higher than others."

Once again, lose that ftuff. Buyers do not care about Canada Post. It feels like an excuse to justify high shipping costs when compared to your American and foreign competitors.

"I do not make money on shipping and in fact often subsidize it."

Lose that too. It can only backfire when a buyer realizes you may have paid twenty-five cents less for postage that what you charged.

Finally, you may receive better placement in search results by:

1) stating "one day" handling instead of three

2) 14 or 30 day return privilege instead of seven.

One attracts more flies with honey than vinegar.

Good Luck

mr.elmwood · ‎10-26-2013

EVERYTHING Pierre says, I implemented a long time ago. It all makes a huge difference.

.
.
.

pierrelebel · ‎10-26-2013

While I am at it I recommend you set up a "about me" page. It is free.

Your "about me" page could integrate the information you have in your links "Information on Ammolite" and "Me And My Ammolite" available in your store front page.

The problem is simple: few viewers will ever go to the store front page and find those links while all viewers will see a link to your "about me" page in every one of your listings.

rose-dee · ‎10-26-2013

@pierrelebel wrote:

The problem is simple: few viewers will ever go to the store front page and find those links while all viewers will see a link to your "about me" page in every one of your listings.

More good advice -- you should try it! I would add that not only does the "Me" icon get displayed in every listing, but it will follow you everywhere else on eBay, such as on your FB page, on buyers' FB pages who have purchased from you (when the seller icon is clicked), on your promotional emails, on your "My World" page, and on these sort of discussion boards.

Another great thing about a "Me" page is that you are permitted to insert website and/or other links (a limited number, but allowed) on that page that you can use creatively to promote and explain your products. You can even upload photos.

One other suggestion, if you want to consider it and haven't already done so: write a review! In your case you can expound all you like on the distinction between the two types of jewellery. And those reviews follow you around eBay too.

As I said a few weeks ago, there are other strategies you can use to try to get more prominent visibility and to distinguish your jewellery from the "junk", that won't involve the almost impossible task of getting eBay to remove all the "junk" from the category.

Pierre's suggestion of using "genuine" in your titles is a good example, but you might want to pay the extra $1.50 in listing fees to be able to incorporate that into a subtitle on one or two particular items, which will allow you a more extended description. Or pick one particular item and pay to run it for a month with some higher-value listing options and with lots of photos in the gallery. If you do this, you should also make use of one or more of eBay's store promotional tools to cross-promote your other items once buyers get there. As I mentioned earlier, the way I see it, you only need to get a couple of your items on page 1 or 2 in your category in order to lead buyers to the others.

EBay does offer some useful promotional tools that could make a big difference in your case. That is in addition to correcting some of the issues in your listings mentioned by Pierre - very important.

rose-dee · ‎10-26-2013

By the way, I notice you still don't have any categories in your store. Consider including these (the categories features are included in store subscriptions), since I think you're inviting 'buyer fatigue' if a prospective customer has to search through several pages of various items to find a particular type or colour.

Not every buyer will have that sort of patience or time. If they arrive at your store, you want them to find what interests them as quickly as possible.

pierrelebel · ‎10-26-2013

"you might want to pay the extra $1.50 in listing fees to be able to incorporate that into a subtitle on one or two particular items,"

subtitles are FREE - yes save $1.50 - when listing on eBay.cafr

eBay.ca: http://pages.ebay.ca/help/sell/fees.html

eBay.cafr http://pages.cafr.ebay.ca/help/sell/fees.html

(sous-titre $0.00)

As you can see, I always use sub-titles in my eBay.ca listings - it's free!

cumos55 · ‎10-26-2013

It was several months ago that eBay starting applying Cassini to books.

I have regularly checked my major category in which I list.

and... by comparing what was happening on eBay.com relative to ebay.ca, I was able to track Cassini's approach to a search in books.

It was determined by me that Cassini looked at item specifics first... that is categories for your listings... then keywords in the title followed by the description. I have never used subtitles.

It was then that I added specific keywords to my titles..... keywords that were very similar to the categories in my store.

and almost immediately I had higher page views as well as visits....

------------------------------------------------------

Something to consider with Cassini.

(1) If your titles are similar for many items... Cassini might look at the listing as duplicates with some form of "title variation"

(2) The question you have to ask is "How much does the use of a subtitle do to listings visibility?".... especially if the subtitle is the same or similar for many listings.

(3) We all assume Cassini looks at positive factors in a listing.....

It should be noted that Cassini looks at words, word combinations as well as many other factors. Put this all together and Cassini may choose not to place a listing high in a search report.

Saying too much about postage, especially the negative factors will put a buyer "on guard". A seller has to understand everything, while buyers are best served by not saying things like... no insurance, no tracking and customs problems...

Each item one sells on eBay is unique... The title, subtitle and description must be unique to promote that uniqueness...

Not too sure if this does happen..... but I have heard that Cassini might also look at who you are..... as a seller ... and may look at the "tone" of feedback received by a seller..

When it comes to Cassini one does not have to know how it does what it does...We do have to understand how to prepare a listing that Cassini will view as the "tops" among thousands of listings...

ammolitehunter · ‎10-26-2013

This is very good advice and is eactly the sort of thing I was looking for.

Thanks Pierre.

Very helpful.

dipmicro · ‎10-26-2013

Cassing is similar to Google, it ranks higher listings that convert. To simplify, if a buyer searches for gold and ends up buying junk, next time Cassini offers junk when another person searches for gold. And most people are buying junk, because it's cheaper. That means if you want to profit on Ebay, you need to be selling it.

cumos55 · ‎10-27-2013

About Cassini

Link to

http://ebay.about.com/od/sellingeffectivel1/a/Make-Ebays-Cassini-Search-Work-For-You.htm

pjcdn2005 · ‎10-27-2013

Interesting article, thank you for the link cumos.

You said "I added specific keywords to my titles..... keywords that were very similar to the categories in my store."

Would you mind giving me an example as I'm not totally sure what you mean.

Thank you

cumos55 · ‎10-27-2013

Subject > History

Topic > Canada

Now I do not have to put history or Canada in the title of the listing.... They are in item specifics.

I now have 10 provinces and three territories... and I do not have to include history in the title

For military I have a range of key words from the "War of 1812 right up to Afghanistan. going through World War I 1, World War II 2, Navy, Army, Air Force. and then more

Law..... illegal booze is Prohibition..... then crime, criminals, and the National Security.

Cultural industries... theatre, film, and more

The Riel Rebellion becomes Rebellion 1870 or 1885, or both

RCMP is police as well as anything to do with other police forces..

Government is defence, Finance, Foreign Policy, Constitution ... and more

Simple words... but now these words provide an easy access to a series of listings.

Many people who list books will list the title, the author ... while sometimes the title has nothing to do with the content...

The information might get picked up out of the description.

However, recently several sellers are including photographs of information from the dust jacket, as well as the Table of Contents.

Cassini cannot read photographs... Keywords in the title of the listing, in the subtitle and the description would be of benefit.

----------------------------------------------

An example of a book title that has no meaning in relation to the content of the book.

Just Dummies...... One would guess... something to do with learning something simple. Yet it has to do with Defence, and the testing of unarmed cruise missiles... dummies ... over northern Canada.

cumos55 · ‎10-27-2013

Photographs are a part of the description of an item for sale.....

A Potential buyer can view the photograph... However Cassini cannot read a photograph.

A good description in association with good photographs will work well for both the potential buyer and for Cassini.

cumos55 · ‎10-27-2013

With Cassini one always has to go to the start with a new search.

I always click on the "ebay four color logo" at the top left of a page.

If one does a search on top of a search, the end result can be a mess.

Cassini remembers things, unless you start at the beginning.... that means starting at the bottom of a pyramid... all listings on eBay ... and work your way up to the top.

Three searches should help sort things out.

(1) National Security Canada

(2) Afghanistan Canada

(3) Prohibition Canada....

cumos55 · ‎10-27-2013

OP's situation

Item specifics should be simple.

"Main stone" in item specifics is Ammolite...... Cassini will use this..... any other indformation such as

30 x 22 mm triplete stone should be in the description, or the title as indicated below

Putting the extra information in item specifics limits how Cassini can use this information... One word Ammolite is snough...

One does not have to have the word ammolite at the beginning of a title.. It is already viewed by Cassini in item specifics

Makes a BIG Beautiful Colourful Fashion Statement... should be in the description.

The title can be

"Gold 14 kt Ring, size 8, Inlaid with Ammolite Stone".

"Sterling Silver 925 Necklace with Multicolored 30 x 22 mm Ammolite Pendant"

I state 925 because European silver is sometimes listed as 800, or coin silver.... and something from Russia can have a different silver content than 925 or 800...

ammolitehunter · ‎10-27-2013

Both you and Pierre have been very helpful for which I thank you both.

As you can see I did an "about me" page today all with proper paras etc and look at the result when it got uploaded!

Tried to re para but it would not accept the changes.

Hideous.

I have had problems with their WYSWIG before[Imac] so went to my Windows10 on another computer and it was even worse.When I went to the update page to make revisions, all the text was jumbled and layered one on top of the other in the editor.Will talk to a tech tomorrow.

Another oddity is I can find no obvious way on my dashboard to get to "my page"

on your other pointers-- I have had reviews online for a long time and Ebay shows them.

I am taking ten items in my store and incorporating all the changes you two have provided and am running a test to see how they do.

Hopefully all this will lead to improvement.

However we still battle Ebays indifference of letting sellers of cheap ammonites on our ammolite searches and deprive us of our rightful place.

As I understand it subtitles are not searchable but I have used them a lot anyway to point to my other items.

Re:

"EBay does offer some useful promotional tools that could make a big difference in your case."

are there others not mentioned by you so far?