posted on January 13, 2004 04:54:49 AM new
Ever get sick of an item getting so many hits and no bids? Its like, what with this wussing around? You like it, your interested: bid. This clamoring to the last minute stuff is getting on my nerves to the point I think I may start running 3 day, 1 day auctions.
posted on January 13, 2004 05:17:04 AM new
Nero - I have become used to that. I think the hit number doesn't really tell you much more than the item is showing up. It is nerve-wracking, seeing no bids until just before the auction ends. Hard to have bidding wars in that situation. I put a BIN on everything now. Sometimes the item sells within an hour or two of launch, which tells me I probably had a low BIN. However, if I am making something on the deal, I'm happy and there's a happy bidder out there that will bid again.
posted on January 13, 2004 05:59:58 AM new
Earth, yeah, thought about adding Bins.
Might start doing that now. I am getting impatient to list more, but dont want to do that if nothing is selling, you know? Pack on fees with no results.
re job: lol..thanks for asking. Job is no more! I miss the handy cash flow, but really cant say I belonged with those people or at that place, or felt any self-actualization from being a waitress again. (other than maybe being kind to someone who may have been having a bad day \
Fenix, or maybe it was you posted about 'their nervousness' as new owners and I believe that trickled down to me. In my earnest desire to want to help them succeed, it was like I became the focus of the most minute critisim. "Did I have a stamp on me that said, "output here"??? lol. I mean, I didnt spill coffee on anybody, nobody waited more than 5 minutes to get their drink refilled, everything was clean, my nails were manicured and polished..so wtf? But they will get a new bag of bones to pick on. Good Luck. I laughed in my mind as I was so reminded too of my own unrecognized analness at one time -- like spending an hour or two perfecting some auction that I was listing for 1.99 or some foolish thing. (Alas, Perfection is not all its crackedup to be.)
Earthmum, I think the universe gave me this experience to learn some more hard lessons and maybe stop bucking the tide. Thanks for asking!
posted on January 13, 2004 07:10:44 AM new
Nero - I'm glad you quit and feel good about it. No sense in getting stressed, money isn't everything, as long as you have enough for the basics, huh?
I have found the BINs great, as long as you are willing to make them low enough. Jewelry is a nice category to sell in, because there is so much variety and so many buyers. Also, the shipping and handling is great and my entire stock fits in a three drawer plastic thingy. I started with costume mostly and worked my way up to estate type jewelry. The neat thing about estate jewelry is that you can wear it for a while before you sell it.
posted on January 13, 2004 09:42:46 AM new
Surely lots of those hits are coming from people like us who are researching categories before listing an item.
And I've become really aware of how many hits my photos are getting after an auction has ended! Some of my month-old photos still get hits, judging from the date they were last looked at.
___________________________________
"I have resolved to allow my friends their peculiarities." -- Samuel Johnson
posted on January 13, 2004 10:40:20 AM new
I think the reason for the many hits is that sellers check to see if someone is bidding on the item that they want. Bidders wait until the end to bid is so that they can get it for the starting bid. If they start to bid then of course someone else is going to bid also. Happens more than less. If you want to put a BIN on, try a little higher and see what happens. Someone will either like your BIN or start the auction before someone else comes in and takes the BIN. Then the bidding begins. Does this make sense?
posted on January 13, 2004 10:51:04 AM new
I agree that a lot of the hits on auctions are probably other sellers looking at similar items that they sell or may be posting soon. The rational of using a sub-7 day duration fails me though because the longer the item is posted the more chance there is of a willing buyer seeing the auction. Why lose that chance?
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
posted on January 13, 2004 04:17:30 PM new
Earth, yeah, I will have to give some careful consideration to the bin. Of course you dont want to go in too low and lose out, and then - dont want to go too high. (I've seen that, and it turns me right off as a buyer.)
Libra, yes what you say makes alot of sense, thanks.
Ace & Roads, I'd guess 65-75% of the hits are other sellers. Unless you sell the same product over and over, its part of your research. I do it. But even with 25% of real potential buyers looking.....i dont know. Who starts the bidding at where they expect the item to stay? If thats the case then you may as well do fixed price. As far as exposure goes, how many just happen upon a auction and how many are purchased by true ebayer buyers that have emalied searches to them for a product they want, etc., etc.? I would think 7 days is long enough and I am starting think maybe even three?
I am gonna play around with a few differnt things and see what happens.
posted on January 13, 2004 07:14:31 PM new
A couple years ago, there was a poster on this board, I believe it was sg55 or similar, who stated that he would list an auction in the regular 7 day format. The last line in the description was a warning that the auction would not run the full term, that he would end it at his discretion between the 5th and 7th day. Something like that has just gotta upset would be snipers.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
posted on January 14, 2004 02:16:03 AM new
If the fee is the same for any auction duration except the 10 day duration what does it hurt to let it run the whole 7 days? The only exception maybe a seller that selling concert tickets are something time sensitive.
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
posted on January 14, 2004 03:20:57 AM new
I ran across a few auctions that the seller stated 'we reserve the right to end the auction early if no interest is shown in the item' [that would mean early bids] ...
posted on January 14, 2004 04:26:42 AM new
As a "buyer" I can tell you I never bid early.Why jack up the price,when I know someone will probably come in at the end and snipe me anyway.I hate reserves and never bid on them, but I like the BIN if I think IM getting a good deal or if its something I want right away.3 and 7 day auctions are good,but the 1 day auction is a bad idea.You have to rememember not everyone goes on Ebay everyday and you might lose bids.
posted on January 14, 2004 05:29:03 AM new
Classic, thats true.
I am thinking of analyzing my ending times better too. Have not really done that so far.
They say you should do that, look at your best purchasing times for patterns. Other than Sunday night endings which everybody knows, 'works pretty good'. Saturday noons and night seem good for my items as well. (I have made a weak effort to run the relists for those ending times). I'll have to look into it, because I cant say thats made a huge difference?
I just had something go off this am at one bid, which - why I listed to go off at am...??? I think I have been depending too much on the items 'appealability' by itself and not all the other things combined.
'Whys' I love this board and the opinions from it!! :~))
posted on January 14, 2004 06:15:55 AM new
Nero - I have tried every kind of ending time and day. Now and then I have items end around 6:00 a.m., which sometimes makes a bidding war start the night before (and sometimes not). I used to always use the tried and true Sunday night ending, but now most of mine end around 10 p.m. on Tuesday or Wednesday. Not so much competition on those days. I don't have a scientific survey of this, but I do seem to be selling more items.
posted on January 14, 2004 06:36:41 AM new
I know earth!! Thats why I have been reluctant to spend alot of time doing the whole 'analyzation' thing. Seems luck of the draw when the buyer finds the thing, and if they feel like buying? I was hoping for those on ebay a while longer than me could affirm or deny that. But now I am wondering if there is even any sort of 'scientific formula' that can be applied to every seller or every item? Surely there is some applied in the real world with car dealers, retailers, etc that they work around?
If I am missing it, I'd like to know. If not, I will keep on doing what I am doing...heh,heh.
