posted on October 23, 2003 08:43:31 PM new
Wondering how you guys are doing? I have one item listed (been taken a short break but gearing up to go again).
Anyway, one item 72 hits, no bids. <sigh> Maybe my price is too high?
posted on October 23, 2003 09:37:55 PM new
Hi Neroter,
Mine seem to be going in a cycle.
One week is unbelievable - tons of hits, lots of bidding, sniping at the end, just about everything selling.
Then the next week I feel like my auctions are invisible. Not many hits, the solds are going for opener or maybe one bid increment higher.
Could just be what I have listed. One thing I try to do is have at least one item that's bound to get a lot of looks. When I have an auction like that going, my others get more hits and bids.
The auctions of others I watch seem to be the same. Bids depend on looks and something that's popular bring the bidders to the other auctions.
posted on October 23, 2003 10:34:07 PM new
yeah, very true, Lucy. I forgot about that part of it. I too, often take a gander at the sellers other listed items when I am looking at one thing!
toasted, yep, I had a few good weeks, then I listed more, and more, and well, of course those weeks werent so good - so when I got my ebay bill about fell out my chair!
posted on October 23, 2003 10:58:28 PM new
Overall, sales are good. I agree, though, that this week is slower for some reason. I find that a lot of people just don't bid until the last day of the auction, as well. Though I have put up a few items recently that got bids within an hour of listing them, Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there --Clare Booth Luce
posted on October 24, 2003 03:43:22 AM new
This must be one of the most frequently asked questions on this board, and as in most of the cases, there is no clue as to what the merchandise might be. Here's a news flash: It is most likely not the weather, the world series, late-breaking news about Princess Diana or what the bidders had for dinner. It will probably have a great deal to do with what is for sale.
I can understand withholding this information when sales are good to avoid competition (but then why even ask the question), but are you afraid others will steal your idea so they can also list items that don't get bids?
Yeah, I know someone will tell me I can just ignore posts I don't like blah blah blah ...so you can save your typing fingers.
For the record, I have also started listing again - good antique items (china, silver). Listed four Wednesday night, all had bids by Thursday a.m. Listed two more last night, one already has bid.
[ edited by Damariscotta on Oct 24, 2003 03:44 AM ]
posted on October 24, 2003 07:43:33 AM new
Well, I mostly sell books. All kinds of books. Fiction, non-fiction. Children's and adults. Books sell all year round. But this week has been very slow...
Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there --Clare Booth Luce
[ edited by bunnicula on Oct 24, 2003 08:53 AM ]
posted on October 24, 2003 08:30:03 AM new
At least ebay in rolling in the dough. Auction counts chart is now at over 12 million...big increase in the last couple of days. Last year this time there was less than 9 million listings.
posted on October 24, 2003 10:22:59 AM new
The funny thing is sometimes it is NOT what is being sold, but the timing of when it is being sold. You could have something that sells great one week or month and doesnt get touched the next. But thats the nature of EBAY.
posted on October 24, 2003 10:50:40 AM new
If you're feeling low because of low sales or bids just enter a few common words in the ebay search engine and then select the completed auctions option after the current items are listed. Most searches show an average 20% - 30% sell rate and most items seem to gather one lone bid. The penny starting bid sellers jack up the average a bit.
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
posted on October 24, 2003 10:52:38 AM new
Of course timing is a part of it. Those Christmas ornaments are just as nice on Dec. 26, but will probably be a lot cheaper.
But every time this question comes up the same replies appear: Yes, they're slow, No, I am doing OK, I just had my best week ever, Sales are better at xxx, etc.
If people are truly "not buying anything", then the merchandise/price may not be a factor. But since some things are selling (whether eBay or elsewhere), we do have to look at all legs of the three leg stool: Merchandise, Price, Timing.
posted on October 24, 2003 11:00:01 AM new
"Anyway, one item 72 hits, no bids"......I prefer using the free Ebay bid counter it's always 100% accurate and means something.
Just pick random words and do a search on completed auctions.
I chose "Ebay auction game" ....60 listed 9 sold..... 15% sold 85% unsold.
[ edited by horsey88 on Oct 24, 2003 11:07 AM ]
posted on October 24, 2003 12:06:12 PM new
Well, maybe I am being dense here, but if I had an eBay auction game, I would have looked to see how they did before listing. Seeing as the current ones aren't setting the world on fire (only two have bids, both under 5.00), I would assume that there is simply no real demand for this item (and a fair number of people who want to dump theirs).
As for why an item gets 73 hits and no bids, we simply do not have enough information from the seller to even begin to guess at that.
posted on October 24, 2003 01:00:53 PM new
Thank you, Ace. I was hoping somebody could point out some numerical statistics that might be informing about listing/selling in general.
I dont think I was really asking for the dissection of why I have an item with 72 hits and no bids; it was just a statement of fact, with my own afterthought of maybe my price being too high.
Wanted to ask whats going on with everyone who posts here to try to gage a general feeling. Of course you will have your vagries of whats going on, and I am glad for those who are selling good because I know the effort that goes into it, but thought I'd just ask to get my own idea if people are looking but not really buying.
I do kinda think the world series is having some effect. (Know people who hardly ever watch baseball, but found themselves getting involved in the WS for some reason.) Derek Jeter's buns, maybe? ha!!@
posted on October 24, 2003 01:22:27 PM new
There are more and more rookie ebay sellers that do not research the items they sell and many of them literally throw their insertion fees away. Ebay must make a lot of money off the rookie sellers.
Then again even some BIG corporations do not research enough perhaps?
posted on October 24, 2003 01:27:20 PM new
Getting excited over the hits on a counter are about the same as getting excited over a girlie magazine. Neither means that you will get any real action.
posted on October 24, 2003 01:39:29 PM new
I realize it's just general discussion, but throwing in the number of hits would only matter if most items got a lot of hits with no bids. Again, since we don't know what this is, I suspect that the item and/or description may be something that has a more desirable close relation, and people are just checking this out in case it is the good one.
In the antiques field right now, run of the mill stuff is slow to sell, yet for desirable items, price records are being set.
So unless you know the dealer's inventory, you could get multiple, varying opinions, all technically correct on their own, yet none of them on their own acurately reflecting the market.
For my return to selling, I have carefully selected the items for the following:
-Able to ship easily
-Low start
-No reserve
-Good eBay track record
-Bidding interest
-No saturation
-Suitability for auction format
If I list it, I want to sell. There are many items I own that I simply feel are perfectly fine, but just not appropriate for eBay, and I can do better selling them elsewhere.
posted on October 24, 2003 02:03:10 PM new
yeah, but horsey, hits have to mean there is enough interest generated in the product to open the auction to see what it is about?? I mean come on.
But I know what it is: I am a legend in my own mind and when I put something on ebay...they come, yes, they come.....they dont always buy; but they come a l;ooking for me. (Was it those lyrics I created some years ago, that the Kinks stole? Or was it the who? or guess who?) hahaha...yep, I'm laughing all the way In my poor house.
Darmiscotta (why does that remind me of biscotti? - anyway, I dont list items in this post much to avoid any potential what-evers.) but I will tell you this, the item i was referring to is halloween lights which i did research, and as far as last week were selling pretty good.
posted on October 24, 2003 03:33:13 PM new
Well that might explain it. It is only one week to Halloween - they may just figure they won't get much chance to use it this year (if it even arrives in time).
Halloween is getting bigger and bigger, and around here I swear they start putting the stuff up on Labor day.
If others are getting bids on same or similar, then I guess you will just have to take it personally.
Damariscotta is a town on the cost of Maine, between Wiscasset and Waldoboro. I don't live there, just liked the name.
posted on October 24, 2003 05:56:33 PM new
Trying to keep the braggarts a tad honest or more in touch with realiity. They may not really be the Capitain of Commerce that they envision themselves to be.
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
posted on October 24, 2003 06:28:09 PM new
Fluffy,,,,,,,,thanks for those GREAT encouranging words! Sales are great!
I mean, I guess selling Sex slave leather bondage items are slow. Like buyers are lined up to buy, especially previously USED ones,,,,,,,O the thrill,,,,,,,,,,
