eBay

dreamystudio · ‎08-01-2013

An item: Native american turtle, feather earring. No action for 3-4 mon. ugg , what why, any suggestions , thank you

inuk_the_polar_bear · ‎08-01-2013

I do not see it under yer listings. I looked at one listing. Now, I have never been accused of being subtle. I do shoot from the lip. Your pictures need a lot of work.

pierrelebel · ‎08-01-2013

Watchers and number of watchers are meaningless information for fixed price listings.

If they had the money and like the item at the price and terms advertised, they would buy it,

Someone puts a fixed price listing on the "watch" list instead of buying it. Why?

Because they do not have the money today and hope they can afford it later? Maybe but not likely.

Because they have a similar item and would like to know what the market price is? Most likely.

In the "good old days", before eBay created that "watch" function, interested buyers would simply save the listing to their "favourites" and come back to it later, or not.

No real marketing value either way. Over the years, when I was an active seller on eBay, I keep hundreds of competitors listings on my "watch list" to review from time to time. Knowing how others do helps a seller remain competitive.

pierrelebel · ‎08-01-2013

PS - I live in Canada and, after checking one of your listings, I get:

Shipping cannot be calculated for your area. You can contact the seller for additional shipping costs and services.

Obviously, you need to do something to fix that problem. Potential buyers will not waste their time reading the description (where it is rather confusing; is it $3.00?) or contacting you. You should have the information in the "shipping charge" portion of your listings.

Also, where is "SHUSWAP"?

surplusdealdude · ‎08-01-2013

Re; the watchers.

Ignore them - they could be other sellers trying to see what you get for the items, they could be people marking "possible" gifts for the future, anything.

Re; Picture quality - I agree with inuk - those pictures could be improved.

Have a look at listing # 261194184445. Click on "Advanced Search" up top, then input the listing number.

This is a light tent in a style that's getting quite popular - I would suggest you get one like it - you need diffuse lighting to get the most out of your photos.

Also look at this tutorial;

http://www.sigma-2.com/camerajim/

This is one of the best references for ebay photography I've ever seen.

Re: slow sales;

It's not just you, lmost everybody is complaining of slow sales. This is a good time to diversify into other venues so your eggs aren't all in one basket, improve the listings you have, diversify your offerings, etc, etc.

Things will improve, but probably not for a month or so - right no, it's back-to-school expenses, next month it'll be in-school expenses. People don't have money for the "I want" stuff

Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere. Carl Sagan

rose-dee · ‎08-01-2013

@pierrelebel wrote:

Also, where is "SHUSWAP"?

Ah, Pierre, if I may speak for the OP (and as a former BC resident), Shuswap is a place you should travel to some day. It's one of the most beautiful spots in the B.C. mid-interior, gorgeous lake and town nestled in the mountains. Google it and you'll see what I mean.

OP, you're not alone! Although I do disagree somewhat with the comments made by other posters concerning 'watchers'. It's doubtless true that some (or many) are competitors or comparison shoppers, but something else, something different, has occurred in the last few months.

My experience for at least the 3 or 4 years prior to 2013 was that items that accumulated a larger number of watchers than others almost always sold quickly, and at a good price. If an item was getting a lot of attention and watchers, I knew I could usually count on a sale. Lately it doesn't seem to matter. Nor does free shipping seem to make much difference (I tried offering free shipping for 2 months and made 1 small sale). Nor discount sales (15-20% off). Nor price reductions. Nor shipping reductions across the board. Nor lots of good pictures. Articles that sold extremely well a year ago are just sitting now. And I really don't think July/August is an economic "dead zone" for most people.

I am at a loss to know what the reason is or what more I can possibly do now. I can only guess that the myriad of changes to the site, swamping by untold millions of free listings, and radical policy changes made by eBay over the past few months has taken its toll on smaller sellers.

The onlything that seemed to make a difference was an experiment I tried a month ago in listing a number of similar types of items all at once as new listings (I normally spread out new listings over a month). Suddenly I made a few sales, but after about 10 days it dropped off completely. I can only surmise from this experience that something about brand new listings in a group is garnering more attention. Could it be that the new "feed" on the eBay main page, which picks up primarily the latest listings, is more or less the only thing people are now paying attention to?

dreamystudio · ‎08-01-2013

All good, most useful. As I haven`t posted in any chat rooms in a few years, I mainly look on .com side.
find on com side there new posters just about eat anyone alive, take you apart 10 ways up and down. So thought I would post here on the tame side of things will take your info into consideration, Never mentioned slow sales thanks anyway.

dreamystudio · ‎08-01-2013

Yes the Shuswap is where A lot of Canadians come to retire. thus it is the place too find the many collector items, It also says Shuswap and right beside it says Canada, and a new item I noticed it says how many watchers too the public.

surplusdealdude · ‎08-01-2013

ebay is hoping to scare some of those watchers into being buyers.

So far, the jury's out as to whether it's going to work or not.

Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere. Carl Sagan

bb_cool_stuff · ‎08-01-2013

Watchers actually mean nothing in my category.

The watchers are usually competitors.

pjcdn2005 · ‎08-02-2013

@surplusdealdude wrote:
ebay is hoping to scare some of those watchers into being buyers.

So far, the jury's out as to whether it's going to work or not.

Really? How are they trying to do that?

inuk_the_polar_bear · ‎08-02-2013

Any time I click on something to watch, I instantly forget about it. I have no idea how to watch something I am watching. Ya think I am the only one?

rose-dee · ‎08-02-2013

@pjcdn2005 wrote:
@surplusdealdude wrote:
ebay is hoping to scare some of those watchers into being buyers.

So far, the jury's out as to whether it's going to work or not.
Really? How are they trying to do that?

You may not have noticed unless you do searches and look at other listings regularly, but eBay recently began inserting a little blue "pop-up" box on the main listing photo of certain listings that says something like: "_____ people have watched this item in the last hour" (or similar wording). They have also stuck a line under the price section at the top that says "This item has ___ watchers" (or something to that effect).

I haven't yet figured out whichlistings get this treatment, or if it's only on .com, but I've seen this on some of my own listings. Try switching over to .com and take a look at one of your recently listed items. It may come up, or you may have to surf around amongst other new listings to see it.

As the other poster said, this is eBay trying to cajole watchers into action -- OMG, hit the panic button, this item has other watchers besides me! Depending on your point of view, it's either a clever sales/marketing strategy or a rather cynical and calculated means of preying on buyers' psychological weaknesses, maybe a little of both.

bb_cool_stuff · ‎08-02-2013

Exactly Rose.

If it leads to an increase in sales, I am all for it.

lady.stark · ‎08-02-2013

I do agree that as a seller, if it brings new buyers, that is great!!

However, as a buyer, I find them annoying... so if I do, I'm probaly not the only one....

pocomocomputing · ‎08-02-2013

Another ebay tactic to push a sale is showing a banner on the picture saying "Only 3 left". This shows when a fixed price listings that started with say a large quantity of 20 and 17 have sold with three left. The banner is over a corner of the picture similar to the new style green "Free Shipping" banner on the left corner of the main eBay image.

pjcdn2005 · ‎08-02-2013

@rose-dee wrote:
@pjcdn2005 wrote:
@surplusdealdude wrote:
ebay is hoping to scare some of those watchers into being buyers.

So far, the jury's out as to whether it's going to work or not.
Really? How are they trying to do that?
You may not have noticed unless you do searches and look at other listings regularly, but eBay recently began inserting a little blue "pop-up" box on the main listing photo of certain listings that says something like: "_____ people have watched this item in the last hour" (or similar wording). They have also stuck a line under the price section at the top that says "This item has ___ watchers" (or something to that effect).
I haven't yet figured out whichlistings get this treatment, or if it's only on .com, but I've seen this on some of my own listings. Try switching over to .com and take a look at one of your recently listed items. It may come up, or you may have to surf around amongst other new listings to see it.

As the other poster said, this is eBay trying to cajole watchers into action -- OMG, hit the panic button, this item has other watchers besides me! Depending on your point of view, it's either a clever sales/marketing strategy or a rather cynical and calculated means of preying on buyers' psychological weaknesses, maybe a little of both.

Yes I've noticed that although I've never looked at it as ebay trying to 'scare' customers but more as a suggestive selling tactic. I understand what you mean though.

reallynicestamps · ‎08-03-2013

OP -- In addition to your pictures, you should turn on the spellcheck on your listings.

It should be "brooch" not "brooche". And "hassle" not "hastel" although that is less important since it is not in the title and not a word that anyone would search. You also have a random asterix in one of your titles.

The problem with spelling errors is that they make the seller look ignorant. And bullies target those they believe are going to be easy marks, like those with weak language skills.

There is a place for spelling errors. I sometimes will put an "alternate spelling" into a title, because I know that the error is common enough that it may be searched. "Tolkein" and "Tolkien" for example. (I sell science fiction and fantasy books on another ID.)

aztecmcuprototyping · ‎08-04-2013

If someone is clicking on your item to watch it, then they find it interesting. That should have some relation to sales. It may not be a tight correlation, but there should be some correlation.