eBay

soul5555511 · ‎01-13-2014

Hello there I have a question about watchers. I have 2 watchers on one item these are potential buyers. For you experience sells what are the chances a watcher will buy that item? Thank you.

pierrelebel · ‎01-13-2014

From my experience, next to nothing on fixed price listings.

If these folks had wanted to buy the item, they would have. "Watchers" are window shoppers, curious, competitors, or other users with similar goods wanting to know how much the item go for, if they do.

Unfortunately, most potential buyers are very reluctant to buy from new sellers with zero feedback rating.

ricarmic · ‎01-13-2014

Hi! You have no way of knowing if the watchers are potential buyers, curious onlookers or other sellers looking to see if your item sells at that price.

I suppose statistically the more watchers you have the greater chance one of them ends up being a buyer and will buy it but with 2 you can't really tell that much.....

All of the above was the long version of "no you can't tell anything"......

rose-dee · ‎01-13-2014

@pierrelebel wrote:

If these folks had wanted to buy the item, they would have. "Watchers" are window shoppers, curious, competitors, or other users with similar goods wanting to know how much the item go for, if they do.

In my categories, I find that the more watchers an item garners in a short timeframe, the quicker the sale, usually at full price.

There is of course no way of knowing which (if any) of the watchers is a potential buyer, but I have been told by buyers after they've purchased that they were watching an item until they could afford to buy it, until payday, etc. This is probably a more common phenomenon in my categories than with stamps and coins. I don't have a lot of competitors, so I doubt many of my "watchers" are other sellers.

I expect that eBay's new idea of showing how many watchers an item has may also have a psychological effect on potential buyers that encourages them to become actual buyers. Otherwise I can't see the rationale for eBay making this information visible for all to see.

brandeentertainment · ‎01-13-2014

I have to go with Pierre on this one the chance of a watcher being a buyer very very little and if they are potential buyers you will usually have a questions come your way which would indicate they are watching until getting the info they need from you but in most cases it is competition or windows shoppers ...

Peronally i have 10 things in my watch list on a regular basis and i rarely buy any of them

soul5555511 · ‎01-13-2014

What's the point of putting something in your watch list if your think of buying it?

recped · ‎01-13-2014

@soul5555511 wrote:
What's the point of putting something in your watch list if your think of buying it?

I see something and think "that might be useful" add it to my watch list...........I have a few things that have been on the list for a year or more. Eventually I might actually buy the thing but it's just as likely that I'll buy from another seller.

Adding to "watchlist" is pretty much the same as "bookmark this page".

"What else could I do? I had no trade so I became a peddler" - Lazarus Greenberg 1915
- answering Trolls is voluntary, my policy is not to participate.

pierrelebel · ‎01-13-2014

"What's the point of putting something in your watch list if your think of buying it?"

Honestly? To watch what my competitors are doing.

pierrelebel · ‎01-13-2014

If I were you, I would check

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Womens-Shoes-/3034/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=carmen+steffens

and add many of those listings to my "watch list".

Why? To see how your competitors are doing.

reallynicestamps · ‎01-14-2014

Some people just like to watch.

This is the basis for "Rule 34".

rose-dee · ‎01-14-2014

Well, I may just be in another type of world on eBay altogether, but I put something on my watch list because I find it interesting or useful enough to seriously considering purchasing in future -- and sometimes just to keep a particular seller visible for future reference.

Sometimes it's days, sometimes months, but I almost always go back to my watch list to purchase. Still, my purchases are usually in one of two or three categories that don't include stamps.

Since I have few competitors in my selling categories, my watch count is perhaps more meaningful than other sellers. As I said, I've found that the more watchers an item gets and the faster it gets them, the quicker the item will sell. Generally speaking, 10 or more watchers within a few days translates to a sale, but these are usually unique and sought-after items of higher value ($200 - $300).