Question:
The major problem is most sellers list crap that nobody wants and should be crushed. If nobody wants it, why continually list it in hopes of finding a sucker? If it doesn’t sell after two listings it should be sold locally for whatever you can get or it should be crushed.
EBay’s fee structure encourages that kind of triage. Yahoo’s no-fee structure encourages relisting forever and ever, regardless, which is why it originally instituted fees to help rid itself of the crap that made browsing its auctions so frustrating. Everything I know, and then some: http://www.auctionmyths.com
Response:
We sold one piece last month for twenty times the prices it was available for in current auctions if you could wait five or six days and risk the "came from a working environment" and "seems to power up but we aren’t equipped to test it further" crap. After they got back up in two days they ordered another one for backup for next time. Full price again.
Some people will pay a premium to get what they need, when they need it and working. A lot can be said for repeat customers … they know who they are buying from and they know what they can expect. As you said, the waiting 5-6 days (and possibly be outbid at the last minute for an item that doesn’t work, anyway … and then have to wait another 5-6 days to have it shipped doesn’t work in business) is crazy … especially when the business is locked down because of a faulty machine. Some don’t realize downtime costs money, too, and it was probably well worth the investment to pay you the premium for the machine and the overnite shipping as downtime would’ve cost even more. And those cross promotions do work. You just have to invest the labor to make sure that complementary items are what show up with a particular listing. Working for a living. What a concept.
As the saying goes … when theirs work to be done, some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses and some don’t turn up at all.
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Honestly, I find the best bargains in the eBay stores. Items with BIN prices lower than current auctions are going for because, it seems, buyers are searching and not seeing the store items. I "walk" into many eBay stores and grab items sitting there collecting dust when I would have paid more at auction.
Response:
Yahoo Reach 300,000 per million Yahoo Auctions 2% (.02 X 300,000) 6,000 per million Ebay Reach 36,000 per million Ebay Stores 3% (.03 X 36,000) 1,080 per million $15/month, 3 cents listing fees, 8%FVFs for 3% of eBay’s Total Traffic. Looks like eBay has done it again.
Done what? I don’t care what the total traffic is — two serious bidders per auction is all I need. I seem to find them on eBay and not on Yahoo.
Response:
Yahoo Reach 300,000 per million Yahoo Auctions 2% (.02 X 300,000) 6,000 per million Ebay Reach 36,000 per million Ebay Stores 3% (.03 X 36,000) 1,080 per million $15/month, 3 cents listing fees, 8%FVFs for 3% of eBay’s Total Traffic. Looks like eBay has done it again. Done what? I don’t care what the total traffic is — two serious bidders per auction is all I need. I seem to find them on eBay and not on Yahoo.
Have you tried eBay Stores? Some sellers havn’t seen two buyers all month. Sellers are paying $15/mo and listing fees for the eBay name without eBay’s traffic.
Response:
Have you tried eBay Stores? Some sellers havn’t seen two buyers all month. Sellers are paying $15/mo and listing fees for the eBay name without eBay’s traffic.
You’ll find moron sellers who don’t know how to market in any venue, eBay or Yahoo. Sellers who get only two buyers in a month deserve what they get. The techniques for driving traffic to an eBay store are so laughably simple that it’s ridiculous to suggest that it’s eBay’s fault, rather than store owners too stupid to attract business. Anyone who thinks that business will magically appear because of the venue you happen to be using is naive beyond belief. Anyone can throw auctions out there on eBay or Yahoo and make some sales. Real success calls for rudimentary knowledge of marketing. Having or not having an eBay store, or using eBay or Yahoo or Amazon makes little difference if you don’t know what you’re doing. Everything I know, and then some: http://www.auctionmyths.com
Response:
You’ll find moron sellers who don’t know how to market in any venue, eBay or Yahoo. Sellers who get only two buyers in a month deserve what they get. The techniques for driving traffic to an eBay store are so laughably simple that it’s ridiculous to suggest that it’s eBay’s fault, rather than store owners too stupid to attract business. Anyone who thinks that business will magically appear because of the venue you happen to be using is naive beyond belief. Anyone can throw auctions out there on eBay or Yahoo and make some sales. Real success calls for rudimentary knowledge of marketing. Having or not having an eBay store, or using eBay or Yahoo or Amazon makes little difference if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Well said. Or the other avenue is to pick and sell merchandise that sells itself. The major problem is most sellers list crap that nobody wants and should be crushed. If nobody wants it, why continually list it in hopes of finding a sucker? If it doesn’t sell after two listings it should be sold locally for whatever you can get or it should be crushed. Rita
Response:
You’ll find moron sellers who don’t know how to market in any venue, eBay or Yahoo. Sellers who get only two buyers in a month deserve what they get. The techniques for driving traffic to an eBay store are so laughably simple that it’s ridiculous to suggest that it’s eBay’s fault, rather than store owners too stupid to attract business.
In the short period of a few weeks I have agreed with both you and Ed Mars. I am icing down some hemlock as I type. It is a good vintage at least.
Response:
Well said. Or the other avenue is to pick and sell merchandise that sells itself. The major problem is most sellers list crap that nobody wants and should be crushed. If nobody wants it, why continually list it in hopes of finding a sucker? If it doesn’t sell after two listings it should be sold locally for whatever you can get or it should be crushed.
Or our approach. Two listing cycles two weeks apart. Doesn’t sell, price it at 75% of retail and put it in the store for three cents a month. Highlight that it is locally tested, warranted and overnight shipping is available. Who gives a shit if it is three or four months before somebody’s data center goes tits up in the middle of the night and you get the urgent "can you ship overnight" email. The four or five of those we get a month are a great boost to the day to day trade. Holding inventory for profitable sale is something called business. We sold one piece last month for twenty times the prices it was available for in current auctions if you could wait five or six days and risk the "came from a working environment" and "seems to power up but we aren’t equipped to test it further" crap. After they got back up in two days they ordered another one for backup for next time. Full price again. And those cross promotions do work. You just have to invest the labor to make sure that complementary items are what show up with a particular listing. Working for a living. What a concept.
Response:
Or our approach. Two listing cycles two weeks apart. Doesn’t sell, price it at 75% of retail and put it in the store for three cents a month. Highlight that it is locally tested, warranted and overnight shipping is available. Who gives a shit if it is three or four months before somebody’s data center goes tits up in the middle of the night and you get the urgent "can you ship overnight" email. The four or five of those we get a month are a great boost to the day to day trade. Holding inventory for profitable sale is something called business.
Yes, that does work extremely well if you have a small supply of inventory or unlimited storage space. I find it advantageous to move the stuff as quickly as possible. For instance, I get skids of rack-mounted fans (Kooltronics) that I sell locally to a specific customer for $35 each untested. It would be foolish for me to list them on eBay since I generally don’t list items under $100 and sit on them for weeks when they disappear as quickly as I can get them off the truck. I’ve made it a rule to never get emotionally attached to my merchandise. We sold one piece last month for twenty times the prices it was available for in current auctions if you could wait five or six days and risk the "came from a working environment" and "seems to power up but we aren’t equipped to test it further" crap. After they got back up in two days they ordered another one for backup for next time. Full price again.
Yeah, that works great as well. These items generally go to people that know it’s true value and are willing to take a risk to repair/salvage the piece. And those cross promotions do work. You just have to invest the labor to make sure that complementary items are what show up with a particular listing.
Doing anything to move the merchandise is the name of the game. Working for a living. What a concept.
Yes, and everyone thinks eBay is a free ride. Put a little blood and sweat into it and you’ll be amazed how quickly things go your way. Rita
Response:
Yahoo Reach 300,000 per million Yahoo Auctions 2% (.02 X 300,000) 6,000 per million Ebay Reach 36,000 per million Ebay Stores 3% (.03 X 36,000) 1,080 per million $15/month, 3 cents listing fees, 8%FVFs for 3% of eBay’s Total Traffic. Looks like eBay has done it again.
Response:
Yahoo Reach 300,000 per million Yahoo Auctions 2% (.02 X 300,000) 6,000 per million Ebay Reach 36,000 per million Ebay Stores 3% (.03 X 36,000) 1,080 per million $15/month, 3 cents listing fees, 8%FVFs for 3% of eBay’s Total Traffic. Looks like eBay has done it again.
Bogus, because the overwhelming seller dollar value of eBay store sales takes place OFF of eBay when the customer says "I’ll take them all". We are doing quite well with eBay stores. The service is ridiculously underpriced. — Many thanks, Don Lancaster Synergetics 3860 West First Street Box 809 Thatcher, AZ 85552 Please visit my GURU’s LAIR web site at http://www.tinaja.com
Response:
Yahoo Reach 300,000 per million Yahoo Auctions 2% (.02 X 300,000) 6,000 per million Ebay Reach 36,000 per million Ebay Stores 3% (.03 X 36,000) 1,080 per million $15/month, 3 cents listing fees, 8%FVFs for 3% of eBay’s Total Traffic.
What was % of eBay’s Total Traffic before the $15/month, 8%FVF increase? DanlK, FYI Services Collectibles www.FYIS.org
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Yahoo Reach 300,000 per million Yahoo Auctions 2% (.02 X 300,000) 6,000 per million Ebay Reach 36,000 per million Ebay Stores 3% (.03 X 36,000) 1,080 per million $15/month, 3 cents listing fees, 8%FVFs for 3% of eBay’s Total Traffic. What was % of eBay’s Total Traffic before the $15/month, 8%FVF increase? DanlK, FYI Services Collectibles www.FYIS.org
Factoring in the bogus fantasies from Don and the fee hikes? About the same.
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