Watchers

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

With the last update for watchers the count was attached to each listing when you hit 5. Anyone know if that is still the case? On my curent listings all I am now seeing is Ships from Canada, Returns accepted and/or New. From my past experience if/when an item did reach 5 it sold within a week or 2 most of the time.

(In checking another seller with listings (list view showing watchers of 5 or more) clicking on the listings watcher count is missing.

-Lotz

[38e_avenue]

I must say I never check the watchers number,  but I send offers rather regularly - about 10% respond. 

[msau4301]

I hadn't really been paying attention other than on my Active Listings, I always like to see the watchers there (even if they don't buy it psychologically helps!), but you are right, even the ones with 5 or more I checked the number of watchers shows on the search list, but when you click on the listing it no longer shows it. I even tested it on an item showing on the "Popular" tag, with someone who had 18 watchers on the search but if you click it, you no longer see the watcher number. 

I don't know how long it's been like that, it was better I think when you could see the number of watchers for an item you wanted, the kind of uh-oh I better act quick, lots of people interested in that one (especially with auctions I found anyways).

With all the changes to make us more visible to the outside world (google searches, etc.) we lost some of the old tried and true perks we used to have here.

[pjcdn2005]

Most though not all of my listings with 3 or more watchers do show the number of watchers in the search view.

I've never correlated the number of watchers with sales.  I do think that the majority of watchers are just as likely to be other sellers, someone who is comparing prices or someone who thinks that they 'may' want that item in the future. They use the watch as a bookmark so they can go back to it when comparing the prices on other listings.

[38e_avenue]

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@pjcdn2005 wrote:

I do think that the majority of watchers are just as likely to be other sellers, someone who is comparing prices or someone who thinks that they 'may' want that item in the future. They use the watch as a bookmark so they can go back to it when comparing the prices on other listings.

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It's exactly what I think, too. I noticed many times, that other sellers use my listing as reference (copied title, description, etc.). Once, I even found a scammer's phoney store with around 1.000 of my listings (everything copied, including photos), with everything put "on sale" (around 10% of the original price). I hope no one bought anything from that false store ....   🙄

[msau4301]

For myself with auctions anyways I definitely find my watched items sell much quicker. I have a lot of regular repeat buyers and I think a lot of times it is them (my loyal followers). I also notice that if I have a number of watchers and my auction ends (without selling) I almost always will re-list at a lower start price and many times it will then sell. I think some people put an item in watch list to see if the price gets reduced. 

I'm a buyer/collector as well as a seller and I know most times I put an item in my watch list it is something I actually want, but of course I also ask myself do I really NEED it?! 

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@msau4301 wrote:

For myself with auctions anyways I definitely find my watched items sell much quicker. I have a lot of regular repeat buyers and I think a lot of times it is them (my loyal followers). I also notice that if I have a number of watchers and my auction ends (without selling) I almost always will re-list at a lower start price and many times it will then sell. I think some people put an item in watch list to see if the price gets reduced. 

I'm a buyer/collector as well as a seller and I know most times I put an item in my watch list it is something I actually want, but of course I also ask myself do I really NEED it?! 

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For me its mostly about eBay's ongoing desire to at nauseum remove long enjoyed features. Adding new stuff I can understand. Maybe it works...Maybe it doesn't. But streamlining for the sake of speed? Nope!!!  Low on my priority list. My speed is fine on PC. Now I find doing anything procedurally takes longer. Maybe it's about time they (eBay) made improvements to how search works now compared to in the past. Definitely hasn't been ANYTHING done to it lately to resemble an improvement.

-Lotz

[femmefan1946]

With Fixed Price items, watchers watch. Buyers buy.

With Auctions, some watchers will be waiting to make that last nano-second bid, so those are actually buyers in clever plastic costumes.

[brettjet38]

I have never used "watchers" as a gauge for anything...

...as mentioned by others, many watchers are other Sellers or "virtual collectors". 

I usually end listings on a time-fixed basis just to reset them in the search and shake any watchers off the branch which makes them look for the item again...

[avidhiker-33]

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@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:

With the last update for watchers the count was attached to each listing when you hit 5. Anyone know if that is still the case? On my curent listings all I am now seeing is Ships from Canada, Returns accepted and/or New. From my past experience if/when an item did reach 5 it sold within a week or 2 most of the time.

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I thought perhaps the watcher counts was only for those with ebay stores, but you have one.

Only 1 of my active listings has more than 5 watchers, and the number of watchers does not show up in a search listing.

On my own watch list only 3 items show the number of watchers.  Each is offered by a seller with an ebay store who listed multiple copies available, and will state something like "11 sold - 7 watching".

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