dorrie
|
posted on September 3, 2008 11:25:53 AM new
With the 30 day 35 cent special being offered by Ebay, is there any reason to keep the Ebay Store open? I am ending the items in my Ebay Store before they automatically relist. Soon there will be no items in the store. I plan to list all of the previous Store items in the Sept 16 Fixed Price Special. Of course, I will have to remove the Ebay Store link from each of the ads. Any opinions?
|
vintageads4u
|
posted on September 3, 2008 01:17:42 PM new
Dorrie: I just did the same thing. Be sure and go in and check if you have any subscriptions besides your store that they will continue to charge you for.
I'll be listing in core (auction and FP) and using eBay Checkout redirect to my vendio store for the rest of this year (after taking September off) and then wait and see what the new year brings.
Motley Fool just did another interesting article on eBay saying that Fixed Price will be a lot of overpriced items and drown out auction and any "deals".
Beth
http://shop.vendio.com/vintageads4u
|
ladyjewels2000
|
posted on September 4, 2008 10:28:55 AM new
Beth I was thinking the same thing about FP drowning out auctions.
I have 2 ID's and one I plan to keep a store open until the end of the year. If all the sales have dried up then I'll close it.
Most of the items aren't worth putting in FP for any period of time.
The other ID - I have not decided what to do just yet. Just wonder how all of this new stuff will impact the Christmas
|
herbscraftsgifts
|
posted on September 4, 2008 11:16:08 AM new
Please expalin your logic. I am trying to wrap my brain around it and make the decision for my products.
As I see it - 35 cents fixed price 30 days or
3 cents 30 days/ store = listing savings of 32 cents!
Why is having everything in core better than the store?
Is the FVF the only reason?
Thanks, Louise
|
dorrie
|
posted on September 4, 2008 11:25:13 AM new
Even though Ebay Store listings are cheaper than the Fixed Price 30-day listings, items are hidden in the Ebay Store with not many items showing up in search. I have much better sales with fixed price than store items. That is why I am considering closing my Ebay Store & listing all items for the 30-day Fixed Price special.
|
herbscraftsgifts
|
posted on September 4, 2008 11:40:52 AM new
But aren't there other advantages to having a store?
Like the
** Google Base Store Connector;
**free access to several otherwise per month pay features like Selling Manager Pro, plus other features specific only to Stores like email marketing, reports, phone support, etc.;
**and a real cheap way to store lots of items that may need to wait for that unique buyer looking for a very specific item.
I guess this is product driven.
Louise
|
fluffythewondercat
|
posted on September 4, 2008 12:14:06 PM new
I guess this is product driven.
No, not really.
What Dorrie and others like her fail to realize that while her 35 cent Fixed Price items will show up in Search, so will everyone else's.
There is only one page 1 for any particular search. Your stuff shows up in Search, all right, on page 5. Or page 50.
They also forget that with Best Match, ending-first does not rule. You can have a listing ending in 10 minutes that is buried on page 13, and it may never make it to page 1.
So many changes in such a short period of time make it impossible to adjust selling strategy. There's going to be blood all over the floor this holiday season. Some sellers won't survive and others will find life outside eBay.
fLufF
--
It looked like she had that dreaded neurological disorder that lets you browse and bid on eBay all day long but won't let you push the "Pay" button.
|
pixiamom
|
posted on September 4, 2008 12:31:27 PM new
This is really going to drive postcard collectors nuts. Many check core daily to see what new items in their niche have been added. I'm afraid they'll just check auctions now. GTC BIN in core will certainly junk things up.
|
vintageads4u
|
posted on September 4, 2008 12:58:11 PM new
Fluffy...you mean that green bar that says I am raised in Search isn't going to help me after all??????????
I say, choking with laughter.
Beth
http://shop.vendio.com/vintageads4u
|
dorrie
|
posted on September 4, 2008 01:25:37 PM new
Everyone's input is appreciated. I just know that my fixed price items sell much better than my Ebay Store items, which I have to deduct is because they are more visible to buyers. To me, Ebay Store items is like having hidden items which someone might find, but, not likely.
|
fluffythewondercat
|
posted on September 4, 2008 01:50:20 PM new
Fluffy...you mean that green bar that says I am raised in Search isn't going to help me after all??????????
You're living in Lake Wobegon. All the children are above average.
I found this interesting:
In 1987 a study reported the true-but-statistically-impossible finding that all 50 states claimed average student test scores above the national norm.
I think some of those people went on to work for eBay.
fLufF
--
It looked like she had that dreaded neurological disorder that lets you browse and bid on eBay all day long but won't let you push the "Pay" button.
|
fluffythewondercat
|
posted on September 4, 2008 01:52:56 PM new
Dorrie, it isn't an either-or. It was never intended to be.
The whole idea behind Stores was that you would also run auctions and fixed price items to drive traffic to your Store.
If you're currently not driving traffic with your FP items, you're not doing enough of them or they are not compelling.
fLufF
--
It looked like she had that dreaded neurological disorder that lets you browse and bid on eBay all day long but won't let you push the "Pay" button.
|
dorrie
|
posted on September 4, 2008 02:10:12 PM new
Fluff,
I run auctions every week with a link in the ad to my Ebay Store. Maybe I'm the only one not selling much out of their store.
|
kozersky
|
posted on September 4, 2008 02:22:41 PM new
If you have the inventory keep your store open. I will be selling from my ebay store, 30 day FP core, and Vendio store.
My plans are just about finalized. I just need to determine whether Auctions will be part of my new selling plan. Whatever I decide, I will be ready to go on Sept. 16th. I sure hope ebay and Vendio are also ready then.
Here is some of my plans, perhaps it will help with ideas.
Full store, hopefully with 900 - 1200 items, or more. About 50 of those store items with an inventory of 5 or more, will be continually listed in 30 day FP GTC core. The items will appear in two ebay categories, plus International. An yet to be undetermined amount not counted as in the store inventory will be in core as "Best Offer" and another undetermined amount may be Auctions.
Those 50 or so items to be listed in 30 day FP Core will all contain a link back to the store category in which they are listed within. I just checked with ebay customer service and Trust and Safety, so as to be sure such a link is acceptable. And, the link was approved.
An example is - http://cgi.ebay.com/Boys-Town-Christmas-Seal-Collection-As-Required-1936-71_W0QQitemZ300254411551QQihZ020QQcategoryZ681QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262
As usual, fluff is right. Best Match is the spoiler as we have no way of determining placement in search.
Bill K-
William J Kozersky Stamp Co.
William J Kozersky Stamp Co. Book Store
|
neglus
|
posted on September 4, 2008 02:43:50 PM new
Best Match is a killer - I wish they would not make it the default in Core - it makes no sense!
I've been experimenting with running unannounced "Free Shipping" sales over the weekends (using Markdown Manager) on my auction items. If buyers bid while the sale is running, they lock in to free shipping. If they wait to bid until the sale is over, they don't get it. That should teach those watchers to bid instead of watch! Free Shipping is supposed to improve search placement (I haven't confirmed that it actually does)
I haven't figured how or if I will market this or even if I am going to continue it. I asked ebay if the Free Ship discount (double the DSR discount for Powersellers) for FP items would apply to free shipping with MM and the answer was yes. I may use this for my 30-day FP items.
-------------------------------------
http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards?refid=store
|
vintageads4u
|
posted on September 4, 2008 02:52:22 PM new
In my category, there are quiet a few store owners that run NO auctions. For example, Period paper has 22,277 listings in store, no auctions.
I'm going to wait until the new landing page comes out. Then I'll decide on the eBay store...but I'm thinking not.
Bill, it will be interesting to hear how your strategy works out. Good luck.
Beth
http://shop.vendio.com/vintageads4u
|
neglus
|
posted on September 4, 2008 02:55:58 PM new
I'm going to wait until the new landing page comes out. Then I'll decide on the eBay store...but I'm thinking not.
What new landing page?
-------------------------------------
http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards?refid=store
|
herbscraftsgifts
|
posted on September 4, 2008 03:05:43 PM new
Bill, I am right behind with your thinking. Since we have several different product lines we are going to do do some in fp core (on a rotating basis) with all of them in the store.
I am saving auctions for one of a kind things that may get bids like collectibles, glass, dishes, some books etc.
Louise
|
ladyjewels2000
|
posted on September 4, 2008 03:07:44 PM new
"FP items would apply to free shipping with MM and the answer was yes"
What is MM?
|
neglus
|
posted on September 4, 2008 03:12:23 PM new
MM = Markdown Manager (available through Store Subscription). You can offer % discount sales or free shipping temporarily without changing your listings.
-------------------------------------
http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards?refid=store
|
ladyjewels2000
|
posted on September 4, 2008 03:40:02 PM new
Thanks - I wasn't sure. I've used the markdown but not the free shipping. Good to know it's there.
|
vintageads4u
|
posted on September 4, 2008 05:40:45 PM new
The new listing page that we have seen: no left nav bar, crumbs: other people's products, tabs, etc.
For everyone coming off a search engine (which is quite a few for some sellers) that will be their landing page. Will that be good? or bad?
For others, I think once they land on the new listing page (which is A LOT like the old eBay Express page to me) they will have difficulty finding your other items.
As eBay adds more restrictions to what can be on an item page as well as scripts, sizes, etc., that, too may effect sales.
I'm just adopting a wait and see.
Beth
http://shop.vendio.com/vintageads4u
|
pixiamom
|
posted on September 5, 2008 07:25:08 PM new
Another option - raise price for GTC BIN core listing with Best Offer.
|
ggardenour
|
posted on September 6, 2008 07:14:42 AM new
I am also taking the wait and see attitude. This method has always worked in the past. I am going to roll with the changes.
Being proactive and Ebay do not go hand in hand.
|
