posted on December 29, 2000 12:23:09 AM new
(I don't come here much anymore - previous threads on the subject may exist.)
Having been registered with eWhatever for nearly three years, I've seen it all.
And that's A LOT.
Every time they dream up some new policy (usually restrictive) or develop another cooperative venture, I just cringe.
Now it's "Buy it Now".
Since it was launched, anywhere between 5 and 50% (averaging about 20% currently and rising) of items I search for (always by keyword - both to eliminate the dross and to locate things in hopelessly inappropriate catagories) are ALREADY SOLD!!!.
This is an AUCTION?
What's WORSE, many items go for less than I would have bid.
DO YOU HEAR ME, SELLERS?
eBay claims ca. 25,000,000 members. Yeah, right. How many times have you seen usernames not active since they registered two years ago? eBay is nearly off my screen now.
posted on December 29, 2000 09:49:20 AM new
And since BIN was instituted, I am getting LOTS more early bids as bidders want to be sure to get a chance at the items. I love this new feature and used with good strategy, it has enhanced the auction and the prices realized.
posted on December 29, 2000 10:22:29 AM new
Ebay is going to be a huge mall.
They are trying to snuff out auctions that siphon sellers off to storefronts because they want that action too.
Can't blame them, stock is in the toilet - hope you all diversified!
The sad thing for bidders is to see all the closed BIN auctions. The drop in prices is great for me, but some of my regular sellers are slimming down inventory. Some I don't even go through ebay anymore.
Ebay wants to cash in on all that eyeball glue that they have. And they know (if we know, they know) that it is a muck heap of eyeball overload.
So they want fewer sellers with deeper inventories and a better deal rather than nickel and dime molto hassle growth they have now.
It's pretty obvious. And it's a slower economy, so they don't want people to have time to think over a sale and renig. BIN means an impulse buy is a done deal.
HCQ, no ebay isn't doing "fine" without even one bidder. They know it. That's why they are trying to replace bidders with buyers.
Until they cop a freakin' clue on fraud and security (and KP is in denial there) the buyers will slip over the hill to super secure sites with great reps.
Capriole
posted on December 29, 2000 10:42:12 AM new
Certain sellers do just fine and will continue to do so, BIN or regular auction.
Want new stuff? That merchandise can be found anywhere. Ebay ain't the place to sell that kind of merch (for a reasonable profit) and everyone knows that.
Want good, hard to find vintage collectibles that are hard to find even in an antique shop? Come to ebay.
I utilized BIN once as a buyer and liked it fine. As a seller I won't use it.
posted on December 29, 2000 10:49:19 AM new
I'm primarily a seller, and so far I'm happy with BIN. Would I pay for it? No way. I'm seeing a lot of early bids, and several times items sell with BIN for more than I ever expected.
On Free Listing Day I listed over 200 items that didn't sell the first and often the 2nd time they were listed. 11 have sold with BIN for about 25% more than my opening bid. Sure beats hauling the stuff to Goodwill!
As a buyer I'll click on a searched item with BIN before I click on those without. I'm impatient don't always want to wait for an auction to finish. If the price is right, I go for it. I do get frustrated when the BIN logo remains after the item is sold. eBay needs to change this immediately!
posted on December 29, 2000 11:16:28 AM new
I'm using BIN as a seller, but I think wisely. After 2 years of selling I have a very, very good idea of how an item in my niche will sell in both buyers' and sellers' markets. I set my BIN for about 30% above the average of that amount. (IOW, if in teh past, high bids on my widgets have averaged $100, I'll set a BIN for $130). If a bidder really wants that widget, he'll go for the "inflated" BIN (and has, IME) - in which case, it's highly unlikely I've lost anything on the deal. If he's not desperate for it, he'll place a bid, in which case I have at least my minimum on the widget (and I never start an item at less than what I need to gross on it). My BIN rate is about 30%, and my total sell-through rate the first time around is about 85%.
I figure there are some buyers out there with more cash than patience. Why not take advantage of that situation, while leaving the auction option open for those with more patience than time - and let the two groups fight it out amongst themselves?
It should also be observed that, unless the BIN price is identical to the opening bid, a bidder can squelch the BIN option merely by placing a minimum bid. As a bidder, I can say this has just about eliminated my nasty habit of "watching." If I plan ever to bid on a BIN item, I'd better at least put in a minimum bid, or a BIN bidder could end the auction right out from under me. As a seller, I like that just fine. I wonder how long it'll take bidders to catch on, rather than complaining that "itstillhurts"...
posted on December 29, 2000 11:56:05 AM new
I just live out in the country where it gets real boring. Ebay gives me something to do. I don't expect to become a millionaire or anything/
posted on December 30, 2000 03:07:23 AM new
Since most of what (I used to) buy is "collectable" and frequently one-of-a-kind, should this "venue" turn into Swap-Shop, it's going to be without me.
I actually HAVE a life. I don't intended to spend 22 hours a day reloading search pages to be sure I don't miss something.
Yes, you can kill the "BIN" - IF it's higher than the start bid. Still don't prevent somebody else getting there first.
The whole thing sounds like it was dreamed up by the Doonesbury character "Uncle Stupidhead".
(I think the 400+ sellers who've left feedback would disagree about not being missed. . .)
(edited because UBB didn't recognize that tag.)
[ edited by ItStillHurts on Dec 30, 2000 03:09 AM ]
posted on December 30, 2000 01:47:29 PM new
I can start a new thread titled: "Another Reason to not Quit eBay", and, believe me, it would get more responses than this one.
