Lets Get Noticed More

[MagnetsAndHangers]

Most people do something else during the ads, even if it's a quick channel switch.

<blush>

(sometimes twice)

[MagnetsAndHangers]

It's an unfortunate sign of our times I'm afraid, and all started by the greediest bunch of 'em all, those irksome little bankers!!!

Love the typo!
(or did you really mean to say bankers?)

[paintinglemonjane]

Love the typo!
(or did you really mean to say bankers?)

PMSL Oh you are naughty,

[Rubysafira]

<blush>

(sometimes twice)

change channels twice or ...um, never mind LOL Just Kidding!!

[rethreads]

Many good suggestions have been made about how to draw more buyers. I have 125 items listed, not one sale to date. I have 8 listed on the-site-we-do-not-name, 3 others have sold in as many days. Those are the facts.
From what I've gathered over the last couple weeks, many sellers here are, like me, actual or would-be escapees from the other site, and all seem to agree that this is a seller-friendly site, which is a good thing. But until it's also a buyer-friendly site, the fact that it's seller-friendly will be irrelevant. And I think that's something management is going to have to consider.
I received what was chronologically my second purchase today, terrific items from a very professional seller. My first purchase is now a Paypal claim for non-receipt made from a "cut and run" seller who apparently decamped without bothering to end his listings.
We've been asked to bring over our former buyers, and I'm trying to do that. But what happens when my formerly happy customer runs up against a situation like this? I'll tell you what happens: word of mouth happens. If it's the best advertizing as some have suggested, it's also a double-edged sword. If buyers see the site as unprofessional and risky, or they're asked to jump through hoops they're not asked to jump through elsewhere (such as asking the seller a question just to see if he's still around! Raise your hand if you've ever felt the need to contact L.L. Bean or Walmart to make sure an item they have for sale is really for sale.), they're going to go right back and shop where they're comfortable.
I can send out flyers till I'm blue in the face. But as long as there are items listed on this site that are not available from sellers who are not here, it's going to reflect on all of us and will not inspire confidence in new buyers.
Management, I hope you're reading this.

[bestassets]

Many good suggestions have been made about how to draw more buyers. I have 125 items listed, not one sale to date. I have 8 listed on the-site-we-do-not-name, 3 others have sold in as many days. Those are the facts.
From what I've gathered over the last couple weeks, many sellers here are, like me, actual or would-be escapees from the other site, and all seem to agree that this is a seller-friendly site, which is a good thing. But until it's also a buyer-friendly site, the fact that it's seller-friendly will be irrelevant. And I think that's something management is going to have to consider.
I received what was chronologically my second purchase today, terrific items from a very professional seller. My first purchase is now a Paypal claim for non-receipt made from a "cut and run" seller who apparently decamped without bothering to end his listings.
We've been asked to bring over our former buyers, and I'm trying to do that. But what happens when my formerly happy customer runs up against a situation like this? I'll tell you what happens: word of mouth happens. If it's the best advertizing as some have suggested, it's also a double-edged sword. If buyers see the site as unprofessional and risky, or they're asked to jump through hoops they're not asked to jump through elsewhere (such as asking the seller a question just to see if he's still around! Raise your hand if you've ever felt the need to contact L.L. Bean or Walmart to make sure an item they have for sale is really for sale.), they're going to go right back and shop where they're comfortable.
I can send out flyers till I'm blue in the face. But as long as there are items listed on this site that are not available from sellers who are not here, it's going to reflect on all of us and will not inspire confidence in new buyers.
Management, I hope you're reading this.

Wow, -we actually agree
We're back on here after many problems (NPBs & loss of access)

After a great start, & promoting the site to everyone that would listen, here there & everywhere, the above happened & the sales dried up....

We've started listing again, we've made our 1st sale since then,

We've just trimmed our prices again, to try & get sales moving. We sell @ a range of prices, but the more well known brand items are now way before the equivalent BINs on the other site...

We are about to email all our recent customers on the other site pointing at our listings here, but still have a few concerns. You hope it might be a benefit to the whole community on here.... but in the end, if they have problems then it reflects on us as the person(s) that recommended it?

We've always gone along with the word of mouth argument for promotion, but the lack of activity now makes us feel that eBid themselves need to do a bit more self promotion to back this up.

The danger is that the site hasn't reached "critical mass" - yes - borrowed that analogy from someone else.... There is a real danger that the other site is waking up to at least some of the awful decisions they have made ( but unsurpisingly continue to make more )

The sort of people that have been prepared to "walk" from eB*y, having made a move, are more likely to move again?

It's difficult trading anywhere at the moment so we continue to keep our options open

[rethreads]

Exactly. I have made some cost-cutting changes over there, but certainly have not stopped listing altogether.
And it's not just about promoting, regardless of who's doing it. You have to have something TO promote that you can stand behind. eBid, God love 'em, have appealed to sellers with their minimal-to-no fees. I appreciate that (even though, having paid for the seller + lifetime, I feel I HAVE paid listing fees, which is okay). But as you know from being on the other site, they also have the "good until cancelled" option for fixed-price store listings. The difference is that they charge sellers that monthly store subscription plus the few pennies per item per month. Are they greedy? Maybe, probably. But the flip side of that is that they're much less likely to have people bailing and leaving their flotsam behind. Consider that over there, if you have the basic subscription, $17./mo. I think, and 100 "good until cancelled" listings at 3 cents per, that's $20. going on your credit card every month. If people are paying out of their pockets, they're less likely to be careless.
I know from reading other posts that some people like and use the "run until sold" option. Not to be obvious, but those people posting clearly are here to monitor their operations. Just as clearly, others are not.
If eBid does not want to charge listing fees for those items, that's okay. But some measure needs to be implemented to prevent this kind of thing. Perhaps sellers should be required to sign in at regular intervals (if a seller is conscientious, he'll be around anyway). But whatever is done must make the site more buyer-friendly.
You may be a wonderful, reliable, honest seller. But if Susie Q comes over here with a background of secure shopping experiences (not just e*bay, but any decent online merchent) and runs into a problem like this, not only will she be gone, but you know she's going to tell all her friends about her hideous experience.
I've gone to a lot of time and trouble to set up listings here, but like you, I now have some reservations about trumpeting that fact. It's not just "Build it and they will come." It's also "Build a better mousetrap."

[MagnetsAndHangers]

If eBid does not want to charge listing fees for those items, that's okay. But some measure needs to be implemented to prevent this kind of thing. Perhaps sellers should be required to sign in at regular intervals (if a seller is conscientious, he'll be around anyway). But whatever is done must make the site more buyer-friendly.

Agree with your post, but the above in red has been brought up on 10, 20, maybe more, occasions.
Ebid have not commented once on it unfortunately.

I am still more than convinced that it would improve the buying experience on ebid.
Unfortunately, killing off the dead wood would also knock down the number of listings substantially.

As someone else said recently - isnt a site with 1.5 million reliable listings better than a site with 1.5 million reliable listings + 1 million deadwood.

I know which I think.

[deltadelta48]

Many good suggestions have been made about how to draw more buyers. I have 125 items listed, not one sale to date. I have 8 listed on the-site-we-do-not-name, 3 others have sold in as many days. Those are the facts.
From what I've gathered over the last couple weeks, many sellers here are, like me, actual or would-be escapees from the other site, and all seem to agree that this is a seller-friendly site, which is a good thing. But until it's also a buyer-friendly site, the fact that it's seller-friendly will be irrelevant. And I think that's something management is going to have to consider.
I received what was chronologically my second purchase today, terrific items from a very professional seller. My first purchase is now a Paypal claim for non-receipt made from a "cut and run" seller who apparently decamped without bothering to end his listings.
We've been asked to bring over our former buyers, and I'm trying to do that. But what happens when my formerly happy customer runs up against a situation like this? I'll tell you what happens: word of mouth happens. If it's the best advertizing as some have suggested, it's also a double-edged sword. If buyers see the site as unprofessional and risky, or they're asked to jump through hoops they're not asked to jump through elsewhere (such as asking the seller a question just to see if he's still around! Raise your hand if you've ever felt the need to contact L.L. Bean or Walmart to make sure an item they have for sale is really for sale.), they're going to go right back and shop where they're comfortable.
I can send out flyers till I'm blue in the face. But as long as there are items listed on this site that are not available from sellers who are not here, it's going to reflect on all of us and will not inspire confidence in new buyers.
Management, I hope you're reading this.

A rather negative viewpoint which puts the blame on ebid, which seems to be what new sellers like to do all the time. However, I have been here 9 months, a feebay refugee, and have had well over 400 sales. First few were from feebay buyers I BOUGHT OVER. I did not blame ebid for no sales, slow sales, etc, I get my rear in gear and started to work on it. There is a recession on, it is a slow time traditionally for selling before holiday rush, and you are brand new to the site. Sales will be slow.

AND as we tell people time and time again, don't rest on your laurels, because the same selling tactics do not work here. The buyers, even those coming over from feebay do NOT engage in bidding wars, nor to they watch auctions closely.They like BIN, they ask few questions, if info is not in listing, they pass it by. That is a reality, and once you pick up on that, and make sure your selling skills are in top order, you will have sales.

Another common negative comment from new sellers who can't decide to stay is the one you made: why share your customers? Maybe they will not like it here. Maybe they will get cheated? Maybe they will not find what they want here. Well that is a feebay attitude 100%. Do not help other sellers. Do not give out any info to anyone. Do not cooperate. Here at ebid, we work together, sellers, buyers and administration. Everyone is equal (i.e. can give any kind of feedback, can offer suggestions,etc). You will find sellers helping newbies to polish their listings and make sales, running links to OTHER SELLER'S EBID STORES from their OWN websites, and much more. Because when anyone succeeds on ebid, we all succeed. That keeps sellers here and brings buyers in too.

Your comments on the wondres of feebay are real interesting, stay there if you like but your stay will not be a long one. Recent announcements such as big changes due in Sept (more new item selling, less collectables), GM selling cars on feebay bypassing dealerships, and the new policies pressuring sellers to provide free shipping and buyers now being ALLOWED TO KEEP ITEMS THEY FEEL ARE NOT UP TO SNUFF OR DESCRIBED WRONG, OR FAKE. No questions asked. Enjoy that kind of selling on feebay. Within six months, all smaller sellers will be out of there per feebay administration, and the big box stores like GM, Best Buy, etc, will take your place. That is not my opinion, that is the industry opinion and where feebay is headed. Many of us were caught in their massive and puzzling suspensions over last year, we knew something was coming. Now it is almost here.

As others have said, if you want to succeed on ebid, you will have to polish your selling skills. No unsearchable titles, no vague descriptions/no descriptions, no run until solds, no high shipping costs, no high prices, no missing bio pages, the list goes on and on. If you stay, you will learn how to sell here and learn the ins and outs of selling, things you never learned on feebay.

The decision to stay here is yours. And I believe the decision to NOT retain the smaller sellers has already been made on feebay. Some of the smaller feebay sellers like you just don't know it yet. When it happens to you, are you going to take selling on ebid seriously and quit blaming ebid for slow sales?

[deltadelta48]

PS: I took a look at your listings and bio page and can tell you just what is wrong. I know of what I speak. You are too negative and have used the bio to post a huge list of all your rules rather than tell us about you. You use your description area to repost the same rules and have almost no description. You do not allow returns, you give only 3 days to pay or person will be reported, you will issue negatives quickly, if you bid you agree to terms, etc etc etc. This is a typical feebay listing and bio page.

I ask, is this potential poor treatment of ebid buyers good for ebid? Do buyers need threats to buy and pay?