How to sell on eBid.

[kreativebargains]

Would someone please explain this ?
Thanks

Keywords are probably the most important element when selling on eBid. They are the words that a potential buyer is most likely to use when searching for a particular item.

For your listing '3 pcs..4 oz hot pink bugeye jig...white bucktail...' what are the keywords?
3 pcs..4 oz hot pink bugeye jig...white bucktail...

Looking at the listing it appears to be a fishing lure, so those words should be in the title. You might also want to be careful when using ... as these characters join up the words to make them a single long word with dots in. For that particular listing I might use

'3 Piece 4 oz Hot Pink Bugeye Jig White Bucktail Fishing Lure With 8/0 Forged Hook'

Forgive me if it is not a lure, just use the appropriate term. But each of those words might be searched for in Google, another search engine or on eBid, if they are there your item should then show in the search, if they are not....

[FirstGreenIsGold]

When I actively do my eBidding by listing new items regularly, revising old listings, and participating on the forums then it seems that I have some sales. If I don't work it, it doesn't work.

Create 10 day listings with 10 auto relists. If you have a large amount of listings then use the Run Until Sold feature for some of them in order to more effectively manage your listings. But always keep some on 10 day 10 relists to keep them churning up the category to improve your visibility.

Also, I ship internationally whenever I can because many of my eBid sales have been to international buyers. The mail service between the UK and Canada is good. Many times it seems faster than between the US and Canada.

I am pleased to say that I shipped two to Canadian addresses yesterday. I'm in the middle of two more transactions with Canadians. (Given the fact that eBid is not as well known on this side of the pond and that Canada's population is not large for the land area ... well I'm pleased.)

[kreativebargains]

Unfortunately there is one more tip to add to the list - respond when somebody buys your items!

Bought on eBid yesterday afternoon at 4.13pm, requested invoice at 4.18. The seller has sold and recieved feedback and last logged on 16 days ago, so I was hopeful of a response. Over 24 hours later still no response. This is for a Christmas gift so I will wait until tomorrow before informing the seller not to bother and buying from elsewhere. I will not hold this against eBid, but would a first time eBid buyer return here?

[Gill]

I like this thread but hopefully you won't mind me asking a few questions at the same time. I've been a member for nearly 5 years and as you can see from my feedback I haven't done too badly. But, I have added my questions in red after your points.

There have been a few posts recently by people who are struggling to sell on eBid, so I thought I would put things in one place for anybody in that situation. There are a few things that will greatly increase your chances of selling here.

1) They are your listings, so it is up to you to do everything possible to make them saleable.

I've tried changing the title around and with new keywords but some of my listings are on page 3 of Google rather than page 1. What am I doing wrong?

2) Listen to advice from those who do sell on eBid, there is a reason why they sell.
I'm doing that and is an ongoing read.

3) Read the appropriate forum posts, astral's help pages and anything else you can on the subject.
I've read astral's posts and will read more on my subject - thank you.

4) keywords, keywords, keywords and then make sure you use keywords.
Keywords are easy, it's getting them in the right order for Google or am I missing something?

5) Google is your friend, make sure you use it and feature high up the pages, if not find out why.
How do you find out why your listings aren't on page 1.

6) Fees are lower on eBid, so prices should be. People might not pay the same or more on eBid until it is more established.
This surely doesn't apply to handmade items.

7) RUS, if you use it, do you need to. And if you are listing using RUS and not selling, try changing it.
Never use RUS

8) Fill in your about me page, include shipping, returns, as much as you can.
Done, and has always been there.

9) Plug Your Auctions, it can help.
Yes and no. I have seen a member that sells items daily without 'plugging'.

10) Before you post saying you cannot sell, try all of the above and then anything else you can.
What is 'anything else you can?'

11) Don't forget the keywords. as per answer 4.

Will this work? It does for me and a good few others. How do I know it works? I just look at my Sold tab which currently shows 167 sales, for December 33 sales worth £616.19, for today 2 sales before 10am.
This does depend on the items you're selling.

It is possible to sell on eBid, I quite agree as I have done it too and will continue to sell, sell and sell even more once I get my backside in gear and concentrate on my listings rather than the forums!
and if all sellers put in the effort it would have a massive knock on effect on the site and everyones sales. And if the negative posters put in half the effort on their listings that they do moaning about lack of sales they might start selling. Rant over (for now), back to listing, selling and packing all those sales from over the weekend.

[kreativebargains]

Gill

I am still in the learning process myself with keywords, you can use Google Anatytics which is free to get more information on how your visitors get there. using this you can then see what keywords are working for you. This is on my New Years Resolution list.

Not sure why some would be on page 3 instead of 1, it might be that your items have similar competition and that gets more hits than yours. If this is the case then as eBid grows your listings should appear higher.

Not selling handmade items I do not know how much difference price makes, but as a buyer ov various items price is one of my first considerations. When I have found a few items that I would buy at that price I narrow down to my final selection on quality, buyer, shipping etc. The price comment though was mainly aimed at those who sell on both eBid and eBay and charge the same or at times more on eBid.

For plugging auctions I have to admit I do not do anywhere near as much as I should, just can't be bothered with social networking.

The anything else might depend on type of items, and is there just to tell people who do not sell as well as they should to look at everything and if that does not work then maybe think outside the box and do something nobody has mentioned.

Ditto for the listings, I came across another small box of stuff I can list, but the room I am confined to for listing can get a bit cold in winter, mainly due to my stuff blocking the radiator off, so at the moment I have been wimping out a bit too much.

[Gill]

Gill

I am still in the learning process myself with keywords, you can use Google Anatytics which is free to get more information on how your visitors get there. using this you can then see what keywords are working for you. This is on my New Years Resolution list.

Not sure why some would be on page 3 instead of 1, it might be that your items have similar competition and that gets more hits than yours. If this is the case then as eBid grows your listings should appear higher.

Not selling handmade items I do not know how much difference price makes, but as a buyer ov various items price is one of my first considerations. When I have found a few items that I would buy at that price I narrow down to my final selection on quality, buyer, shipping etc. The price comment though was mainly aimed at those who sell on both eBid and eBay and charge the same or at times more on eBid.

For plugging auctions I have to admit I do not do anywhere near as much as I should, just can't be bothered with social networking.

The anything else might depend on type of items, and is there just to tell people who do not sell as well as they should to look at everything and if that does not work then maybe think outside the box and do something nobody has mentioned.

Ditto for the listings, I came across another small box of stuff I can list, but the room I am confined to for listing can get a bit cold in winter, mainly due to my stuff blocking the radiator off, so at the moment I have been wimping out a bit too much.

A truthful answer kb, thank you.

Hopefully, more members will answer this thread with positive replies.

[deanosaur1972]

Keywords are always a learning process - market places are constant changing and evolving and the same applies to searchers who are getting more specific in their search keywords, that is a natural consequence to the ever expanding internet.

Gill..... I haven't forgotten about the list..... can't find the original so will have to write up another one from scratch for you and I am snowed under at the moment (but I am scribbling down ideas day by day). The list would ensure you have a good selection on page 1 (and most at number 1 on page 1) because the list is keyword specific rather than generalized keywords.

[kreativebargains]

If all this thread does is get a few more sellers to think about keywords a bit more then I will be happy.