Date / Time last seen

[TiasTreasures]

I would also like to see when sellers have logged in as it would speed up sales.

If a seller doesn't have a shop and no recent feedback then I always end up having to ask a question to see if they are still around and then wait for a reply. I'm sure a lot of buyers wouldn't be that patient and if they are unsure about the seller they would just move on.

I think this is a very important point. I'll admit I'm an impatient buyer, and I don't have a wonderful memory. If I have any doubts about a seller, I may send a query if I really, really want the item. But if I don't get a reply I'll probably forget all about it.

The reason I think support should be taking an interest in this: In October (our best month so far on eBid) all except one of our buyers was a new eBid member. I checked their feedback, and several of them returned to buy from other sellers. If their first attempt to buy here had failed, I'm sure we would never have heard from them again.

eBid is working hard to keep the sellers happy, but it's equally important to protect the buyers . . . and especially new members who aren't aware of this problem.

[PetBazaar]

I think this is an appalling idea. Why does it matter how often I do or don't log in? I'm not a dump and run seller, I've been around here for more than 7 years, but even if I don't log in for months, I have something called EMAIL.

I think that it matters more than you'd believe. Look at it from a buyers point of view...

I see your item from a random google search, I come to eBid.
Hmm it's a run until sold, not overly keen on them but I'll have a closer look.
Hmm, it was listed over a year ago, I wonder if it's even still available?
I'll check your feedback. Hmmm, last feedback in 2008 eh, maybe I'll give it a miss, the seller is obviously gone.

Except that you're not gone. You're here and you're a long term active seller, but to a buyer who's perhaps visiting eBid for the first time, who may have never heard of it before they arrived from google it doesn't fill them with confidence.

I could email you, or send you a message. But then again, I could just wander off and try to get it from somewhere that I'm familiar with.

But then I notice that actually, you were logged in yesterday or last week. You must have been checking your auctions were up to date. Maybe I will risk sending you some money afterall.

[astral276]

But then I notice that actually, you were logged in yesterday or last week. You must have been checking your auctions were up to date. Maybe I will risk sending you some money afterall.

I believe what he was saying was that he does not log into eBid but leaves it up to emails to keep him appraised of what is happening in his account. So while not 'dump and run' he is 'dump and sit back and wait'.

I really do not think it is too much to ask sellers to log in occasionally - even simply to indicate they are still alive. How long does it take? Around 5 seconds maximum. I don't see why anyone cannot manage that at least once a month.

[florida33549]

I really do not think it is too much to ask sellers to log in occasionally - even simply to indicate they are still alive. How long does it take? Around 5 seconds maximum. I don't see why anyone cannot manage that at least once a month.

Totally agree. I have to do this on other sites to keep my account active....though I think the timeframe is 60 days. If I have not logged in, I get an email from the site to log in or my account will become inactive. So, I log in.

[cornishmaid1961]

I believe what he was saying was that he does not log into eBid but leaves it up to emails to keep him appraised of what is happening in his account. So while not 'dump and run' he is 'dump and sit back and wait'.

I really do not think it is too much to ask sellers to log in occasionally - even simply to indicate they are still alive. How long does it take? Around 5 seconds maximum. I don't see why anyone cannot manage that at least once a month.

I agree too. Buyers can check on people with shops (if they can figure out how to do it now it's been hidden away !!! ) so why shouldn't they be able to check on sellers without shops ? Seems a weird system that needs updating. If all sellers checked in at least once a month, and buyers could see that, then I'm sure it would really help sales here.

[PetBazaar]

I believe what he was saying was that he does not log into eBid but leaves it up to emails to keep him appraised of what is happening in his account. So while not 'dump and run' he is 'dump and sit back and wait'.

Maybe that's why he finds the idea appalling, because it is indicative of a dump and run seller.

I was just describing the usefullness of it from a buyers point of view. Without wanting to pick on johnwash1, as there are undoubtedly 100s of sellers working to a similar scenario. To me, right up until the point of spotting the currently not existent "last seen" date, there would be nothing that indicates that this seller is active. If it were visible it would go some way to indicating which sellers were active and serious about selling their items and as such would help to build buyer confidence. And lets face it, 10 seconds of effort every couple of weeks to build buyer confidence surely isn't too much for anyone. If nothing else it would demonstrate that you were making an effort.

Sorry if I seem to be picking on johnwash1, I'm in no way saying that I think he's dodgy but as I was told a long, long time ago... It's all about perception.

As for your other point, agreed 100%. Sellers should be required to log in, even if it's once every 60 days or similar. I'd go even further and suggest that maybe after a 60 day no show some sort of "are you still selling" reminder should be sent to them, and if after another 30 days they still haven't logged in all of their auctions should be closed.

[dardonboi]

Checking in at least once a month should be a condition of using this venue. Without some sort of way to keep sellers from dumping and running we as buyers have no way to know about the reliability of sellers.

[suesjools]

Checking in at least once a month should be a condition of using this venue. Without some sort of way to keep sellers from dumping and running we as buyers have no way to know about the reliability of sellers.

Agree 110%, there should be a required check in time (once a month is certainly reasonable) and also a way to see when all members were last active on-site, not just those with stores.

Best wishes for many sales to all,

[luvintage]

Here's the question, though: How do we convince adminsitration that we really need this-it's not a whim-it's something that will really help buyers to make a safe transaction.

I hear what johnwash is saying, but for every sale you make though, how many are you turning away because the buyer is scared?

There's responsibility to the site and to each other to let our buyers know we are available and they shouldn't have to dig to find that out.

Every buyer who turns away is going to tell a friend who is going to tell a friend who is going to tell . . . . . . .

I'd rather they tell their friends that they can feel safe on this site.

[dardonboi]

I think that this subject has been brought up many times. I do not believe that it will ever be addressed because the biggest abusers have tons of listings and if they are taken off our numbers will drop dramatically. Somehow convincing the administration that this is hurting all of us falls on deaf ears.