Hello & Advice

[debsknicksknacks]

Hi Everyone
April was a pretty good month on Ebid. I had 14 sales but 2 did not pay. All in all I was feeling pretty good and have worked hard to get my number of items up over 350. Now, in May I have not had one sale. My feedback is good, items are reasonably priced, shipping is free or reasonable (no handling costs) and yet, no sales. Is anyone else having similar problems? Any suggestions? I was hoping to leave feepay totally this summer but cannot do so with the type of turn around.
Deb

[Gill]

Welcome to eBid Deb.

This may help Atrals knowledge base

Also eBid is a little slower than the auction site you are talking about but don't give up - those sales WILL come.

Also, try putting a signature on your posts so that us nosey lot can have a peek. Astrals knowledge base tells you how to do this.

Good Luck.

[debsknicksknacks]

I think I got the signature. Thanks for the referral.
Deb

[KAYS6912]

I would have been absolutely lost without ASTRAL'S KNOWLEDGE BASE! I STILL refer to it - and I've got it bookmarked to keep it handy!

[deltadelta48]

This time of year is not a top time for online sales. Any holiday slows things down a bit, and we just had Mother's Day and Memorial Day is coming up next weekend. In Wisconsin the universities are graduating this week, lower grade kids are finishing up classes which end on the 27th. Everyone is really busy planning for family vacations etc. And that shows in our sales.

Now is a good time to look up all the forums hints, and to get the listings
in order for the sales to come. i.e. You will find that free shipping is not that popular here. Buyers coming off of google are a separate group (not feebay people) who like to buy multiples. If they see your item priced at opening of $5 with free shipping and they know it costs $2 to ship, they do the math. That item is only worth $3. So if they see ten items they might want, they sure as heck are not going to spend $50 to get items worth only $30, to get free shipping.

Best to charge fair shipping, give them a good discount for multiples and price your items more accurately. If it is worth $3, put that as a opening. Put BIN at $4. Don't put big gap in between. On a 7 day auction, who in their right mind will BIN for $12.99 when opening bid is $3.99. They will wait and save $9!

Check to see if you come up on google searches, add link to stores on forums, contact old customers and think up some clever marketing ideas for your items too. It all helps. Good luck.

[debsknicksknacks]

I will take you advice and use this time. I have actually had one BIN sale - I guess the person did not want to wait 7 days. There are times I do the same, if I need something.
I see what you mean on the free shipping. Although it looks as if about 1/3 of my sales here have included the free shipping, it may just be that they want that particular item.
I do google my items and have found them so I guess it is just the slow time and I will be prepared when buying picks up.
Thanks
Deb

[deltadelta48]

I will take you advice and use this time. I have actually had one BIN sale - I guess the person did not want to wait 7 days. There are times I do the same, if I need something.
I see what you mean on the free shipping. Although it looks as if about 1/3 of my sales here have included the free shipping, it may just be that they want that particular item.
I do google my items and have found them so I guess it is just the slow time and I will be prepared when buying picks up.
Thanks
Deb

Good plan, its a balancing act. Tweak it, see if that works, tweak some else again. Reward is to get "discovered" by a few shoppers who start to buy regularily.

Make it worth buyer's while to buy more. On first items I give no discount. On 2nd item they get free shipping and discount % off. On 3rd item get 5% higher and further discount. Above that, it it can squeeze into a flat rate priority, that is all they pay, even if they buy 15 items.

Try things to see if they work for you. If I have a very expensive item, I will not charge full shipping. That may get my item sold faster. I would rather "lose" $2.99 on the shipping, but make a $50 sale than have item sit for months unsold.

Good luck, keep us posted.

[FirstGreenIsGold]

I think that we are getting into a time of year when people don't shop on-line as much. Many people vacation or camp or have summer activities that take them away from their computers and out of doors. They might spend less time on their collections or crafts than they do once the weather is cold.

With free listings though, a seller can get things in order during the slower times.

As a buyer, there are times when I'll use BIN and other times when I enjoy a good bidding war on a collectable that I want. I miss that. I haven't found a good bidding war since the 'old' days on another auction site that should not be named. .... lo

[debsknicksknacks]

Thank you for all the information. I also miss a good bidding war. I no longer, for any reason purchase anything on that other site. As eBid grows I am sure we'll have more buyers actively bidding on products and we can all join the fun.
Deb