Does having a fancy auction page make any difference to sales?

[emmily121]

Thanks for replies.

I'm trying out one from Astral's free eBid Resources

http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/walk-the...-128703217.htm

Does this have any of the problems mentioned? ie is it slow to load, does it look confsing or hard to read?

If the comment about not posting outside UK was directed at me, I just prefer to keep my selling convenient, simple and easy.

[suesjools]

That one loaded quickly enough (on my puter anyhow) and it's certainly attractive, though the pink on pink is a little hard to read, (not trying to be nitpicky, and I don't have the best eyesight in the world, so you can take it for what it's worth).

I hear ya on keeping it simple, though I find offering international shipping on smalls (jewelry and books) to be rather uncomplicated using USPS Priority Mail, not sure how complicated it is on your end. I also find a good percentage of my sales are to overseas customers, which is probably why I'm big on offering international shipping within reason, (obviously large or heavy/bulky items can't be offered, as it would almost certainly be cost prohibitive).

Forgot to mention in my earlier post: as a buyer, a fancy template doesn't get my attention so much as the quality of the item for sale, (it could be a totally blah listing, but if there are even halfway decent pix and a good description and I've got the interest and the $, I'll buy it). Again, just my 2 cents...

Best wishes for many sales to all,

[FirstGreenIsGold]

If the comment about not posting outside UK was directed at me, I just prefer to keep my selling convenient, simple and easy.

Yes, sorry, I should have addressed you. But, as this is your thread, I tend to think of questions without quotes as being to the OP.

I tend to buy a lot of craft bits and pieces on-line but it seems that many eBid sellers, even of small items, aren't willing to ship overseas. (Plus not offering to ship elsewhere means that people in other countries can't see the listings unless they change the URL, so visibility is reduced.) Not that there are many sellers of that type of thing left here. After Captain Jewels left, I had to turn elsewhere. That said, I'm pretty well stocked up and I just purchased three lots elsewhere, one from a Canadian, one from an American, and one from a British seller. Once again, to each his own, and if not shipping overseas is what a seller wants to do, so be it.

[emmily121]

That one loaded quickly enough (on my puter anyhow) and it's certainly attractive, though the pink on pink is a little hard to read, (not trying to be nitpicky, and I don't have the best eyesight in the world, so you can take it for what it's worth).

I hear ya on keeping it simple, though I find offering international shipping on smalls (jewelry and books) to be rather uncomplicated using USPS Priority Mail, not sure how complicated it is on your end. I also find a good percentage of my sales are to overseas customers, which is probably why I'm big on offering international shipping within reason, (obviously large or heavy/bulky items can't be offered, as it would almost certainly be cost prohibitive).

Forgot to mention in my earlier post: as a buyer, a fancy template doesn't get my attention so much as the quality of the item for sale, (it could be a totally blah listing, but if there are even halfway decent pix and a good description and I've got the interest and the $, I'll buy it). Again, just my 2 cents...

Best wishes for many sales to all,

Glad to hear page loaded quick.

It was only the titles that were pink on pink, I managed to change the background around those words to white, then discovered I could change the colour of the text. I think the font makes them difficult to read as much, if not more than the colour, I couldn't change the font. It's all immaterial now as I have another template plan up my sleeve that's unique to me.

Posting outside Uk I will look into in the near future, apart from the odd exception I only sell items that can be posted via Large Letter, so it wouldn't be that difficult, it's the options in the dropdown on Shipping page that is confusing me.

[emmily121]

This is the one I'm going to use

http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/rspb-ena...-128723846.htm

The border was uniquely designed for me by a secret helper (you know who you are, it's brilliant, Thanks Very Much, I'll reply to email later) and I added font and colours to blend with border.

[Mandart]

Too much pink.

Can't you do it in green...?


Sorry, I'll get my coat....

[emmily121]

Too much pink.

Can't you do it in green...?


Sorry, I'll get my coat....

not much I can do about that, I chose a pink butterfly, if I'd chosen the same colour as my butterfly tattoo it would be blue. Anyway, as far as the text goes, only the titles are pink, the rest is a sort of maroon...

Oh, man up, pink is just a colour

[damian_steele]

I'm considering purchasing an auction template to improve the look of my listings, is it worth doing that?

I always prefer looking at a well designed, appropriately coloured, easy to read listing rather than a plain, boring listing.

Plain listings suggest to me that the seller couldn't be bothered to put any effort into presenting their listings - effectively their shop window - and is therefore unlikely to put any effort into looking after me as a customer

The colours and design of the listing template should be chosen to suit the item/s for sale as well as the market they are aimed at. For example, surrounding hand made craft items with butterflies should be OK, but using the same template for engine parts would look silly.

One big thing to remember when designing listings and/or templates is that just because you can add an effect, colour or fizzly tizzwas, it doesn't mean that you should.

[emmily121]

No worries Damian, I won't be listing any engine parts with or without my butterfly border.

Even the return address label I put on packages has (almost) that same pink butterfly.

[Gill]

In answer to your thread question and IMO, no.

Some sellers like a fancy template and some don't. But, I don't honestly believe that a fancy template enhances sales. Buyers on the net aren't looking at fancy borders, they are looking at the product they want to buy at a good price.

In saying that, a fancy eBid shop front maybe worth looking into for seller+ members.