eBay

vancouver_antiquarian · ‎10-29-2016

I just noticed that for my favorite categories (books, collectibles) that it is not possible to organize search results by "most bids first" for auction listings. It was formerly the last option for sorting, obviously since eBay valued it the least, and now it is gone entirely. How are you supposed to find out what kinds of items are attracting auction attention without this feature? Or find something worthwhile to bid on? Maybe this is another step in the gradual phase out of auctions entirely, what do others think?

ypdc_dennis · ‎10-29-2016

Another nail -- not really.

In 12+ years I've never ever used that as search feature for auctions.

I don't follow the crowd, my buyer bidding strategy/preference is on the opposite end, fewest bids for the best bargain...

-..-

I can see where sellers might like it, feeding off of the crowd frenzy of gotta have it...

-..-

i.am.vivian · ‎10-29-2016

@writings_photos wrote:
I just noticed that for my favorite categories (books, collectibles) that it is not possible to organize search results by "most bids first" for auction listings. It was formerly the last option for sorting, obviously since eBay valued it the least, and now it is gone entirely. How are you supposed to find out what kinds of items are attracting auction attention without this feature? Or find something worthwhile to bid on? Maybe this is another step in the gradual phase out of auctions entirely, what do others think?

Several people have mentioned this lately but I can't remember ever seeing "most bids" as an option. I am wondering if you could have been using the American eBay dotCOM and seen it there? The categories seem to be books and stamps. I asked about that on the Weekly Board Hour and here is eBay's official response:

https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Weekly-Chat-Session/October-5th-2016-Weekly-Session/m-p/353342#M5208

I agree with the other poster. Fewest bids = best bargain. If most bids attracted more bidders all that would happen is shillers would add dozens of little bids with another ID in hopes of netting a bigger 'real' fish. Maybe that's why its gone.

As the eBay rep suggests, try Best Match in the Auction section, it will show you what the most popular items are if that is what you are looking to see.

bozonet · ‎10-29-2016

I used the sort by number of bids quite frequently. It was a way of seeing items that had some interest and might be worth bidding on. There is so much garbage being relisted ad nauseum that this was a way of trying to filter through the **bleep**. At this point unless I have a specific search for a specific record, I'm unlikely to find anything interesting among all the garbage. That's OK, there are other sites with better searching that I can spend my money at.

Searching by "Best Match" is a complete waste of time.

bozonet · ‎10-29-2016

I just discovered there is an option in "Advanced Search" that you can use. In "Show Results" there is an option to show by a range of number of bids. Somehow I didn't see this before. This seems useful so I expect eBay to remove it at some point in the future.

i.am.vivian · ‎10-29-2016

@bozonet wrote:
I just discovered there is an option in "Advanced Search" that you can use. In "Show Results" there is an option to show by a range of number of bids. Somehow I didn't see this before. This seems useful so I expect eBay to remove it at some point in the future.

It feels that way sometimes. If you think this alternate form is helpful, that's good. For now. I don't really see a lot of buyers going to the trouble of

then going to

but maybe I underestimate the average seeker. For those who are missing the other "most bids" option this might be better than nothing.

vancouver_antiquarian · ‎11-04-2016

This is exactly what I used it for as well, to weed out the massive amounts of junk. I also look at it as a partial judge of market value, as I have recently started selling rare books, postcards, ephemera etc. and it is often a judgement call what items can be sold for, and auctions are a helpful guide to potential interest and possible prices even if skewed on the low side on eBay. As a seller, if you are selling by auction, you want buyers piling bids on your items, not looking to single bid on your zero bids item, so it's hurtful to sellers to lose this feature. I ave only tried one auction so far on eBay, and it went well, but I've seen too many sellers receive low final bids to employ it very often except for items that are sure to draw interest. As as a buyer, if I buy an auction item with a high starting price, it may as well have a "Buy It Now" sticker on it - it takes all the fun out of eBay.

vancouver_antiquarian · ‎11-04-2016

Thank you! I will use the option as a substitute for the "most bids first" when looking at auctions. I've occasionally used it when it appears as a sidebar but I've never noticed it in the Advanced menu.

Anonymous · ‎11-04-2016

I would hope not that the auctions would "retire" by eBay. I noticed with the US sellers that list their Elvis items at auction-style format and it often have bidding wars to insane high prices like you wouldn't believe, so eBay would be that dumb to retire auction-style format when eBay are getting the hefty final value fees from those bidding wars!!

femmefan1946 · ‎11-05-2016

It was a way of seeing items that had some interest and might be worth bidding on. - bozonet

Wouldn't it be the opposite? Items that attract a lot of interest would be worth selling?

so eBay would be that dumb to retire auction-style format

I don't do much online shopping, but are there any other general auction sites besides eBay?

Although eBay tells us that only about 15% of listings are now auctions - and a lot of those have Buy It Now optioned- it is still one way that eBay distinguishes itself.

Along with, what , 140 million sales a day?

EBay-- come for the auction bargains-- stay for the selection...