Please can we have a sales counter ?

[JaBek1]

Alas! The only problem that I see with having a counter to show the number of sales made on the site is that it could lead potential users to believe that the rumors that nothing sells here are true. If such a counter does not show a steady increase in sales, it could backfire. So it could be something of a double edged sword.

Frankly, I've never been fond of the challenge to compare the site to eBay. Nor am I fond of displaying a total value of the items listed since such a figure is a meaningless estimate. In addition, I've never been fond of importing feedback from other sites since it gives a false impression of the actual history of the seller's activity on this site. Of course, even including imported feedback doesn't show those transactions where the other party doesn't leave feedback.

Naturally, there are more than the few items mentioned that sell here. Unfortunately, it is an impression that potential buyer's have gotten and so they fail to look on eBid for other things. Of course, seller's don't want to spend time listing if buyers aren't looking.

The specialization of the site might not be a bad thing. However, that would have to be determined and would probably limit the site's overall growth potential.

One thing that might be a bit more beneficial than the addition of a counter would be a reorganization of the category list. There isn't, in my opinion, anything worse than having a list of categories devoid of items in them.

[theElench]

I have to disagree with you about it being a double-edged sword. You have been here longer than I have and have about the same number of FBs. But how many sales have you really made, over the years? If, like me, less than 50% of your buyers bothered to leave FB you would benefit from the true number being shown to buyers. I wonder how many others have been here for years, slowly making sales, rarely getting FB and so giving browsers a false impression of how much they have actually sold.

I ask myself what would a buyer be looking for if they could see the true figure? We both sell in niche areas. Would buyers be expecting to see regular sales? Or would they be trying to assure themselves that here is a seller that can be relied on to deliver what they are buying. Taken in conjunction with your FB (which I haven't looked at) hopefully they will see that you are.


I'm sure most buyers know that ebid is smaller and will be able to work out that this will in itself produce less sales. IMO a counter will give visitors extra re-assurance about the seller and the confidence they need to part with their money. Anything that does that can only be a plus.


On another thread I mentioned that I now buy on a craft site. My first purchase was a £40+ figurine, from a seller with only a handful of "reviews". What gave me the confidence to make that purchase was the counter that said they had been involved in over one hundred successful transactions.

[BigKidsAttic]

I have to disagree with you about it being a double-edged sword. You have been here longer than I have and have about the same number of FBs. But how many sales have you really made, over the years? If, like me, less than 50% of your buyers bothered to leave FB you would benefit from the true number being shown to buyers. I wonder how many others have been here for years, slowly making sales, rarely getting FB and so giving browsers a false impression of how much they have actually sold.

I ask myself what would a buyer be looking for if they could see the true figure? We both sell in niche areas. Would buyers be expecting to see regular sales? Or would they be trying to assure themselves that here is a seller that can be relied on to deliver what they are buying. Taken in conjunction with your FB (which I haven't looked at) hopefully they will see that you are.


I'm sure most buyers know that ebid is smaller and will be able to work out that this will in itself produce less sales. IMO a counter will give visitors extra re-assurance about the seller and the confidence they need to part with their money. Anything that does that can only be a plus.


On another thread I mentioned that I now buy on a craft site. My first purchase was a £40+ figurine, from a seller with only a handful of "reviews". What gave me the confidence to make that purchase was the counter that said they had been involved in over one hundred successful transactions.

That's the problem with suggestions, they are good for one person, but not for another.

For myself and most other comic/toy/postcard/stamp/knitting pattern sellers who have thousands of listings, it's probably a very good thing due to the volume of items we sell.

However, for those that don't sell very many due to being in a niche market with few items for sale, it could look bad. That seller might have 50 items listed and sell maybe 10 a year, and get maybe 3 FB.
Therefore in my opinion the sales counter is not hugely relevant/helpfull in those terms as the potential customer would see, for new sellers (less than a year old), a small number of sales made.

Of course I could be wrong in my opinion.

Jason

[theElench]

You're right, any opinion can be wrong including mine. But consider that it took me over a year to get my first FB and if I remember correctly it was left by my third buyer. Which would look better during that first year, zero FB or two completed transactions. Admitted, neither looks great but IMO one looks better than the other simply because it is positive. No-one can take them away and each is a step upwards towards the next.

Again looking at the craft site, if they have boards did the same discussions take place there? I would guess that the number of sellers and listings started to take off in the glass area I look at after they introduced a counter. They certainly didn't inspire me to visit regularly when I first heard about them, something must have caused the take-off. Something that this site doesn't have as refugees from elsewhere missed ebid and set up shop there instead. I ask myself what else could it be? Whatever it is, it certainly seemed to work for them.


Part of what they had, or rather didn't have is the tale that nothing ever sells on ebid. Repeated so often it has become accepted by many as a fact, when a moments thought would show it to be so obviously wrong. If a counter did exist here, every day it would make it more difficult to repeat the lie and have it go unchallenged. It would make a vast difference IMO if it just became accepted that sales may be slow on ebid but that they do occur every day, somewhere on the site. Nothing succeeds like success and the more visible that success is the sooner it's likely to start.

[JaBek1]

Admittedly, it is somewhat frustrating when people don't leave feedback. Of course, I was under the impression that the counter would be for the total sales made on the site rather than total sales by seller. Either way, it could still have two sides to the it.

Naturally sellers with thousands of listings would have the advantage of having the potential for more finished transactions merely because they have more things for sale. So if it was simply a count for individual sellers it probably would work if any potential buyers took the time to compare the number of listings to the number of completed sales. However, my fear is that on the whole site level it might turn off those unfamiliar with the site and merely looking at it for the first time. If the number showed a low number of completed sales it might tend to put some of them off.

Being US based it appears that eBid isn't as well known here as it is in the UK. Of course, I do suspect that the high cost of international shipping is a contributing factor to low sales performance.

[theElench]

[QUOTE=JaBek1;1706060][SIZE=2]
So if it was simply a count for individual sellers it probably would work if any potential buyers took the time to compare the number of listings to the number of completed sales. However, my fear is that on the whole site level it might turn off those unfamiliar with the site and merely looking at it for the first time. If the number showed a low number of completed sales it might tend to put some of them off.

I can see what you mean, although IMO that wasn't the case on the craft site. I think I can safely say that as no-one has voiced any opinions to the contrary.

I find it rather astonishing that after two weeks the subject has managed to get a total of twenty-five replies from fifteen members. Probably the most pertinent being #8.


I suppose it's only to be expected, the minority for whom the site works well as it is aren't interested in anything that changes it. The majority have come to accept that they will only ever get the odd sale so don't waste their time reading, let alone posting here.

[cornishmaid1961]

Admittedly, it is somewhat frustrating when people don't leave feedback. Of course, I was under the impression that the counter would be for the total sales made on the site rather than total sales by seller. Either way, it could still have two sides to the it.

No, I'm talking about a sales counter for individual sellers, like Etsy have, so if you don't get a feedback at least the sale is recorded for you.

[sheffieldtony]

No, I'm talking about a sales counter for individual sellers, like Etsy have, so if you don't get a feedback at least the sale is recorded for you.

Good Idea Cornish. They have the same problem with feedback, but you can see how many sales a seller has had

[tony41]

I suppose it's only to be expected, the minority for whom the site works well as it is aren't interested in anything that changes it. The majority have come to accept that they will only ever get the odd sale so don't waste their time reading, let alone posting here.

I think this is a cheap remark. If you look at those who have replied I think you will find a number of sellers for whom the site might be said to work, including the person who started the thread.

[theElench]

I think this is a cheap remark. If you look at those who have replied I think you will find a number of sellers for whom the site might be said to work, including the person who started the thread.

It's not cheap at all, if you read it again in the context of the whole post it is obviously referring to the thousands who have not replied, rather than the tiny number that have. Of that tiny number I've replied to the points raised and not commented on the person at all.