PC vs the App.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

So pro's and con's Selling & Buying on the PC vs the App....App vs PC:

Do you have a preference? Do you use both? Do you use only one? Do you have mental checklist of what's available between the 2 platforms. Are you aware of what is missing on either? Are their advantages or disadvantages to using either? Are their features you would like to see added/returned? Please don't suggest removed. That is a dangerous tire to kick!! Lastly, do you feel the PC version is now a shell of its former self?

Throwing it to the floor!!! Have at 'er!!!

-Lotzofuniquegoodies

***Personally PC only for both selling and buying. I like to be able to see EVERYTHING vs the reports of the LITE verion I hear about from other buyers and sellers with the App.***

[femmefan1946]

I'm a touch typist and can qwerty my way through a Description in moments.

The app for phones is awkward.

Desktop for me.

Even laptops are annoying.

I am old and set in my ways.

[rocketscollectibles]

I personally use my phone just for quick check ups. To see what i sold when i sold something after hearing the notification, sending an offer once in a while, taking a look at my views counter, stuff like that

Big things are made on PC

But to be honest both versions have multiple leaks and bugs, it would be too long to list every problems i met since selling on eBay. Sometimes i feel like its a shame from such a big money machine like eBay to have so many leaks, and still seeing many not fixed after many months being active on it

[msmaggie060]

I use my PC for listing and printing packing slips, making a purchase, etc. I do use my iPad for any other stuff like answering emails, checking my listings, leaving FB. And yes, I do know what the limitations are when using the app but I do use it when looking for an item to buy. Just easier to sit in a comfy chair with my feet up when looking through those 1000s of items.

[richardcm]

I have a Windows 10 Laptop and use it for eBay selling and buying as well for Shopping on other sites like Amazon and pickup from local stores like Best Buy, Home Depot, etcetera.

I have an external wireless keyboard and mouse as well as 22” inch display at my desk. I use this setup at my desk at home and only rarely take the laptop anywhere unless I am on vacation.

I have an iPad and an iPhone. I use them a lot because they are so small and portable and work so well.

I use the iPhone to take photos for my listings and add them to the drafts I made with the laptop. Someone posted on these forums that photo taking and editing on the iPhone was the best way to take eBay photos. I tried it a year ago when I set up two new selling accounts when I started to sell again. So much easier than using my older digital camera.

I also use the iPhone for reading the Canada and USA forums. I reply there also just like this reply. I also use the iPhone eBay app to check my selling ids. The app will go ChaChing too for sales. I also use the iPhone for browsing other sites for browsing shopping. I will buy my groceries online on the iPhone.

I use the iPad rarely for eBay because I use the iPhone more. iPhone fits in my pocket and is so portable. iPad is bulky so I use it less and more for entertainment like Netflix. iPad is bigger and easier to see things.

EBay app does have limitations and can change my description HTML so I never edit on the eBay app other than add pictures to my drafts. I do randomly view my listings on the app to see if they match the listing created on the Windows laptop. Never found anything except editing the description changes the HTML. (It strips out bullet points and line spacing.)

When I started selling again last January, I made very brief descriptions with minimal bullet points and just bold or underline for emphasis and default eBay font and size. This way nothing interferes with the changing ways eBay makes to their site. Except bullet points. Sigh. Have to figure out that. Maybe not use them any more.

I use the windows 10 laptop browsers Edge for one seller account, Goggle chrome for another seller account for and Firefox for this posting ID as well as shopping. I use the eBay listing editor to create my description so the HTML used is from eBay. I fo look at the HTML to remove extra redundant HTML nesting caused by using Sell Similar. I do used saved templates to store starter templates. 

I do not have any terms in the descriptions like I used to. eBay terms override anything so no point. So nothing not even combined shipping tips. 

I use the Seller Hub on the desktop and have since it was introduced years ago. 

On the iPhone I use Safari browser for using these forums and replying. 

[regs43]

I list only on the PC (I have adesktop, not a fan of laptops either lol)

I use the computer, for buying and selling for all aspects

The app I wil use for replying to messages, ending a listing and the odd searching for stuff to buy (which I then add to my watchlist and only purchase with the PC)

Tha app/phone is very cumbersom and slow process!

[kawartha-ephemera]

I use my Desktop PC for almost all listing and shipping tasks.

The app is fine for casual browsing or shopping, for instance I use it regularly to research the market on items I'm going to list. I find regular app use keeps me abreast of how listings are presented there which is helpful.

Of the three devices available to me I probably use my Samsung tablet the most, it's nice to review things while relaxing in my comfy recliner. Seller Hub is almost fully functional on a tab and displays quite nicely when held in landscape mode. I often keep it in Classic (desktop) mode to revise a ĺisting or two. I also have the app installed and available on demand. Normally, in Hub there are quite a few links there (eg. listings) that when the user clicks on them the app takes over and opens them in mobile by default. This is annoying, there's an app setting that prevents that behaviour.

I find my Samsung phone is a convenient tool for app browsing and notifications etc. As for listing tasks, it's horrible.

[msau4301]

I'm with the group that uses my desktop PC for almost everything from the selling standpoint (and for coming to this awesome Community group!) I love the huge screen, I'm more comfortable with how everything works and half the stuff I don't even see on the app anyways. As femmefan says I too am set in my ways!

The app/phone version does have a little upside - I do like the app/phone if I'm trying to kill some time out somewhere (love searching things up and putting them on my watchlist), checking if I have any new bidders (I do mostly auctions) I also use it for buying (nice to buy something while at the beach for example!)...I like the 15 minutes before an auction ends notification. I love hearing the "kaching" sound when I sell something. (Even my kids will tell me "hey mom you just sold something". Plus it's easy to respond to someone if you're out and they had a question. Otherwise it's the PC for sure!

[triber]

I agree absolutely femmefan. I saw a young person the other day texting using her thumbs so quickly I couldn't believe it. Because I am a touch typist, to send a text  or use you the app for a messageI have to find each letter, and trying to do eBay business that way would be impossible.

[byto253]

The PC has full functionality, the App is limited.  So listing and serious item searching on the PC.   The app does not let me search for items for delivery to the US, which is a big limiter if checking valuations; or pre-covid when I had things delivered to a stateside depot for pickup.  

One great thing with the app is the ability to scan in tracking numbers from Canadapost receipts.  They have also upgraded that function so it now reads the QR codes that are provided on receipts with the new system.

[teenytrinkets]

I use the App almost exclusively.  I can list soooo fast because all my photos are on my phone. There's usually very little typing involved or looking anything up because I can "sell similar" on most items. And the typing is fast because i use Swype (and I'm an old-timer that touch types at 60wpm! Lol).

I also prefer the "look" and speedy navigation of the app to leave feedback, enter tracking (via scans), and sorting/finding listed and unsold items. It has its limitations, so i sometimes need to switch to desktop website (usually to see a full list of my unsold items, feedback left for others, and my dashboard), which i find so sluggish!

The App has been traditionally quite buggy, but is been pretty stable this year!

[teenytrinkets]

@byto253 

There is an easy way to search US sales on the App: switch your default settings to a US address. I do this when I search for my purchases shipped to my US address, and to research comps. Sometimes i have my tablet and phone going at the same time to expedite that process. But it's always done as I lounge on the couch, half-watching reality TV or the Food network...lol

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

Just a little bump to this. Has anyone heard when the photo editor will be released for PC? Same goes for other things mentioned in the Winter 2022 announcement. Things like feedback and messaging?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87xAYPPoUdM

The video related to the APP release was Feb 2020. That still hasn't been added for the PC users.

-Lotz

[zee-chan]

I still take photos with a 5+ years old digital camera; 10000+ photos taken and takes sharp photos with just one hand while I hold items with the other. With phones it's hard to take photos with one hand as the photos would turn blurry. I still make listings with my Windows 10 laptop... the phone screen is just too small for listings and typing on the phone takes too long. I do a lot of copy and paste so Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V are must-have. You can't really do that with the phone. Photo editing with computer too but this is one feature that's also doable on the phone. 

[byto253]

I have a stack of video games to list on .com, and tried using the phone app as I can scan the UPC and it fills in listing info, and the upload from the phone is direct.   But for listing details, it does not provide fixed shipping details and wants to use calculated, and is very clunky.

So I am going to use the app to create a draft with the UPC details and photos and finish it on the PC.  That is still good stuff but highlites the App is missing details the website has.   

Maybe listing on .ca with the App is different though, this was .com. 

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

The only place where the app is more useful is that it allows scanning of UPC codes both to search for items, and to list items. 

While this might have changed, the last time I checked, you cannot list with templates in the app. This is a major bottleneck. 

I use the app to respond to messages/offers when needed, but I do almost all the heavy lifting of listing items and preparing shipments on my PC.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@byto253 wrote:

I have a stack of video games to list on .com, and tried using the phone app as I can scan the UPC and it fills in listing info, and the upload from the phone is direct.   But for listing details, it does not provide fixed shipping details and wants to use calculated, and is very clunky.

So I am going to use the app to create a draft with the UPC details and photos and finish it on the PC.  That is still good stuff but highlites the App is missing details the website has.   

Maybe listing on .ca with the App is different though, this was .com. 

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Another seller pointed that out to me. They used to have no problem using either when they first created listings with the app. They now have to go in and fix on a pc after the fact. Definitely sounds like a nuisance going forward.

-Lotz