Why does ebid not have main stream advertising

[baconbuttyman]

Well, in a manner of speaking. My final summary is that sellers who come here and simply want to "list some items and see them sell" will be very disappointed. That's what I tried to do, back in 2011. EPIC fail.

This time around I intend to build each of my (3) Ebid shops to maybe 500 items, much like I were building a shop on my own web site, and then I will promote my shop, as an adjunct to TOS. I can do this because no listing fees allows me to (a) build a substantial stock without having to worry about a "fee clock" ticking and (b) I can list all those lower priced items that are not financially viable "over there," and (c) I can list viable but "thinly traded" stock (something stamp sellers often face) again without having to worry about a "fee clock" ticking.

Julie, it's conscious choice. You choose the low fees/no frills site (Ebid) you have to bring your own traffic. You choose the high fees/built-in traffic site (TOS) you pay dearly but make lots of sales without having to do much. Choices have consequences. But don't look under the hood of your Ford Fiesta and start complaining because there's not a Mercedes engine in there... why WOULD there be? Did you PAY for a Mercedes engine?



Depends on who has them. I deal with collectibles, so I can generate "likes" through twitter, niche blogs, forums and more. How someone else does something will depend on the degree to which they have-- and participate in-- a "community" related to what they sell. If you sell camping gear, are you a member of any camping/hiking groups online? If you sell vintage dolls, are you part of collectors' associations for doll collectors? And so forth, and so on.

Cheers,
Peter

again, your post indicates that you believe ebid is for pro traders, thats not what ebid bortayes it's self as, it portrays that of a market place and auction site does it not?? I understand what your methods are, how ever, what about the sellers who sell all sorts, are they to find relevent forums for all items they sell, thats a lot of work in my book, I get the feeling the traders who are actually doing specialist lines who are able to find those niche forums etc which is working for them, DONT want Ebid to advertise and is could mean an end to low low fee's, I would have assume any one would welcome and encourage ebid to advertise,

[squern]

I don't agree that Cancelcollector's post implies that eBid is for pro traders - just the opposite.

What he is saying is that the site responds to the individual efforts of sellers, large or small.
If you want to list and snooze, you can. But if you want more, you have to put some work in to get the results. A bit like life.

One of the many advantages of eBid is that you can do your own thing. You can build a business, if you want to, in a way that suits you.
You can trade as much or as little as you want. There is no pressure to perform from the site owners.

That's a big plus.

[Posbear]

I don't agree that Cancelcollector's post implies that eBid is for pro traders - just the opposite.

What he is saying is that the site responds to the individual efforts of sellers, large or small.
If you want to list and snooze, you can. But if you want more, you have to put some work in to get the results. A bit like life.

One of the many advantages of eBid is that you can do your own thing. You can build a business, if you want to, in a way that suits you.
You can trade as much or as little as you want. There is no pressure to perform from the site owners.

That's a big plus.

How true, personally, I have done with being pressurised by needing to perform. I became self-employed many years ago due to the pressure of needing to attain targets for someone elses benefit. I then created several sources of self-generated income, including selling on TOS, which I did very well on until I realised I was back in a results orientated scenario with TOS.
I am all but retired now and I can do things at my own pace on eBid.
Not saying that's true for everyone, but for me it's fine.

[lofty100e]

One thing that has not been mentioned is that eBid do already advertise on one of the most relevant places I can think of - Google Shopping. Although of course people who do not bother to read the forums probably would not discover this, or how to tailor their listings to qualify for this.

I agree with the poster who said that eBid should be compared to it's equivalent sites rather than the market leader. When the smart car launched they did not try to compare it to Porsche or Lotus?

[adruml]

Al, that is why I said new members should read Cancel's post, If they are aware of the major difference between the 2 sites (advertising) then maybe it could stop a lot of future posts about not making lots of sales because they listed, sat back and waited.
At the moment the fact is that the majority of items listed will not sell but just go into the merry-go-round of countless re-lists or buried as run-until-sold.

Even if eBid did advertise, sellers should also self-promote wherever they can from day one, even if it's just telling custemers from TOS about their move here.

TOS is the giant impersonal supermarket, eBid is the friendly corner shop.
Somewhere in between the two would be good

Members should read the post. Before they make the decision to become a member.

[squern]

Some of the sweeping statements made in this post, all unsupported by evidence:

"sales are stagnant (sic), always have been,


The ONLY reason Ebid wouldnt do this is cos they are scared to fail maybe

ebid have locked themselves in by promising seller + members free listings and only 2% fvf fees.

If ebid had 10 million in the bank I am pretty sure they would spend some of that on main stream advertising.

some sellers so dead set against advertising

most new sellers just want to come here, list some items and see them sell.

the majority of items listed will not sell but just go into the merry-go-round of countless re-lists or buried as run-until-sold.

the traders who are actually doing specialist lines who are able to find those niche forums etc which is working for them, DONT want Ebid to advertise".

Do they help?

[johnwash1]

Brilliant piece by Peter. Long, justifiably long, yet so worth reading.

If I regard eBid as an ecommerce platform, then their submissions to Google are already far more advertising than I could reasonably expect.

I'm not slow to criticise (sorry, I mean contribute positive suggestions) when it comes to web site design and usability. But when it's about advertising we should all "mind our own businesses" and let eBid mind theirs.

[adruml]

again, your post indicates that you believe ebid is for pro traders, thats not what ebid bortayes it's self as, it portrays that of a market place and auction site does it not?? I understand what your methods are, how ever, what about the sellers who sell all sorts, are they to find relevent forums for all items they sell, thats a lot of work in my book, I get the feeling the traders who are actually doing specialist lines who are able to find those niche forums etc which is working for them, DONT want Ebid to advertise and is could mean an end to low low fee's, I would have assume any one would welcome and encourage ebid to advertise,

Reading all the advice in the forums over the years it appears the eBid bandwagon remains unchanged. Worded differently year to year but the same.
Folks want a place they can park hundreds or thousands if items at little to no cost and eBid is the place for that.
If eBid is the auction site/selling platform as every in the forums describe, why then is it not presented that way prior to signing up? Instead eBid taunts itself as an alternative to ebay.
Was ebid's original intention to be eBay's alternate but didn't turn out that way?
Did eBid just count on disgruntled ebayers to come here due to frustration and bring the buyers with them?
eBid needs to present to prospective new members what this site is and not what they want them to believe what it is.
I'm not trying to post as negative just plain and simple. The same promote yourself, use proper keywords for Google exposure, send ebid's promotion letters to previous customers and let everyone know about eBid. It's not working and really hasn't for fifteen years. It is time for something different.
I do realize Google hasn't been around for fifteen years but folks were selling a bit before Google.

[MPS16]

.... It's not working and really hasn't for fifteen years........

If it does not work for you, as you keep saying then the logical thing to do, given that you do not control the eBid platform is to move on to some where that is a better fit for your own selling methods,

And stop moaning.

[bluebedouin]

....
If eBid is the auction site/selling platform as every in the forums describe, why then is it not presented that way prior to signing up? .....

It is,very clearly in the Terms & Conditions that everyone confirms they've read before signing up.
"eBid is only a Venue.
Our site acts as the venue for sellers to conduct sales and for bidders to buy, offer or bid on sellers' listings."