posted on July 6, 2001 10:54:20 PM
OK, Dimview, as you asked so politely, I will post my $1-sale #'s
I listed 44 items,
I sold 21 items,
Total value for sales = $110.00
Average over 21 sales =$5.23
5 auctions closed at $1.00
9 auctions closed over $5.00
Since January, I have started the majority of my auctions at $1.00 without reserves. I have numerous auctions go "hot". Items do sell for $1.00, but I have many go over $5.00, and quite a few go much higher.
Not everyone keeps as detailed statistics as you do, But I am sure that many know whether or not it is working for them. It works for me, I know that others have not been as successful, and some have had no success.
Many are trying to work with the site, and not naysaying EVERY thing about it. I'm sorry if you have not had success there.
What I don't understand is why you seem to have a need to run the site down. It seems as though you want the site to fail, or start charging listing fees and become an Ebay copycat.
I do wish you success wherever you list. I am only sorry that you can't seem to find a way to help Bidville become what you think is a good auction site.
posted on July 6, 2001 11:21:20 PM
jimhow does sell many high quality items at the starting price of $1.00 , a somewhat gutsy move but he does have a loyal customer base. I wish I had his items as I'd love to see what they'd fetch on 'The' high traffic site.
posted on July 7, 2001 05:19:38 AM
The bashing just never seems to end... does it?
Since I didn't yet get to see your corrected sell-thru rate for your eBay vs. BidVille sales dimview, maybe you could post them again here. As I recall you neglected to include in your costs using eBay to sell your items. Also, I was wondering about shipping costs. Were they ALSO included as profit in your totals?
posted on July 7, 2001 06:39:52 AM
I do not care about sell-thru. I just hope to sell a few hundred dollars every month. I did that in May, the previous months, I had a few sales. February, was a good month for me. No, I am not selling what I used to sell on Yahoo, but the month of May this year, on BidVille was better than the month of May last year on Yahoo. Typically my sales totally dry up from about April to September. The only way I can do a good comparison, would be to report on my sales comparisons after the holiday season is over.
posted on July 7, 2001 08:37:38 AM
Dimview,
I am speaking interpretation, when I say that it seems you want BV to become an Ebay copycat. That is my feeling on what I read from your posts. Everyone interprets what they read. You are a person who deals deeply with numbers and wants exactness in terms, but doesn't seem to think that an admitted 75% error,(granted, the error was made using suspect data, but you were also told this data was flawed)is bad.
As far as "potential" and "contender" go, I think that BV is a contender to become the leading alternative auction site I also think it has the potential to be better than Yahoo was before the fees, if they maintain their high level of customer service.
posted on July 7, 2001 08:47:32 AM
jimhhow >
but doesn't seem to think that an admitted 75% error,(granted, the error was made using suspect data, but you were also told this data was flawed)is bad.
Error: 75%? Incorrect. It was really 42%.
Suspect Data/Flawed Data: Nope. For a Fermi Calculation, pretty darn close.
As far as "potential" and "contender" go, I think that BV is a contender to become the leading alternative auction site I also think it has the potential to be better than Yahoo was before the fees, if they maintain their high level of customer service.
Congratulations, you're the only person to actually give the definitions.
posted on July 7, 2001 09:35:17 AM
deichen >
I do not care about sell-thru.
Here's my translation:
Sell-through matters - Site charges listing fees that require auction sellers to conduct an inventory triage. Because site is largely new listings and a small percentage of one-time relistings, it has a high sell-through rate.
Sell-through does not matter - Its a "free" site so auction sellers can relist, relist, relist, and no inventory triage is necessary. Because site has some new listings but an overwhelming majority of relistings, it has a low sell-through rate.
posted on July 7, 2001 10:07:58 AM
You have been going on and on about this. YES, BidVille is a free site. You just said so, yourself. Why expect different results from a free site to a paying site. That is not the same thing. You have been comparing apples and oranges all along. BidVille is doing better (at least on my end) then Yahoo did in the beginning of their auction days. On Yahoo, in the beginning, buyers could not even leave feedback for sellers (or was it the other way around), what a stupid idea!
posted on July 7, 2001 11:28:28 AM
The Bidville-type of auction sites will always be what they are right now. The VAST majority of sellers leave the items there that they can not sell competitively on eBay or Yahoo.
I think that Dimview is a wishing on a star to think that the current situation can or will ever change. A major ad campaign may only encourage more sellers to bring many more difficult-to-sell items to Bidville.
We all must accept the reality of the currnt online auction alternative sites or go back to the Big E ....
posted on July 7, 2001 02:29:19 PM
bidsbids >
I think that Dimview is a wishing on a star to think that the current situation can or will ever change.
Actually, I've been trying convey that very thought. That's why I'd been waiting and waiting for some discussion on the terms "contender" and "potential" that have been thrown around. Only got a single response.
I definitely do not see Bidville evolving into an eBay-clone, nor a Yahoo!Auctions-clone, nor even a before-the-listing-fees Yahoo!Auctions-clone.
Right now Bidville has around 670,000 listings, comrpised of some 46,900 new listings and 623,100 old listings, and a sell-through rate of 1.4%. I can see Bidville doubling its numbers to 1,340,000 listings, but in the a zero sell-through rate growth environment, there will then be 93,800 new listings and a 1,246,200 old listings.
Can anyone think of anything that's going to happen to increase that sell-through rate to 5%? 10%? 15%?
posted on July 7, 2001 03:11:32 PM
I can think of something to increase the sell-through rate. Actually, you already told us - get rid of relistings. The sell-through could easily be 20-30% if the relistings were eliminated as you have incessantly reminded us about.
But, what good would that do? The "sell through" is only a number. Getting rid of old items won't make any more items sell. It would only change your denominator so you could come up with what you consider to be an acceptable sell-through. But, the actual number of items sold and therefore the financial bottom line for sellers would remain the same.
In short, you asked:
Can anyone think of anything that's going to happen to increase that sell-through rate to 5%? 10%? 15%?
The answer:
Increasing the sell-through is irrelevant and meaningless. Bidville needs more buyers who purchase more items. If that happens to change the sell-through - so be it.
posted on July 7, 2001 03:27:10 PM
Please, dimview. Step back and think for a minute. The most appropriate question should be:
What can be done to get more buyers to buy more items creating a better bottom line for most sellers at Bidville?
It is not:
What can be done to increase sell-through?
And, I believe the focus of the report was to try and shut us up. It seems like it was created as a response to these threads after my email to BV requesting a response.
posted on July 7, 2001 03:40:05 PM
The sell-through should go up given that situation. However, sell-through is the end point and is only a measurement. The goal is to sell more items, not to increase sell-through.
As I said, the sell-through can be artificially enhanced by eliminating relistings. That would be simple! Decrease the denominator and presto - sell-through increases. But, that doesn't mean any more items are being sold and sellers are making more money. It is manipulation of numbers.
I don't know how an underfunded start-up can attract more buyers. Most of them fail and BV will probably be no different.
posted on July 7, 2001 04:16:45 PM
Hi Deichen!! I miss hearing from you! I also took part in bidding at the dollar auctions at Bidville! Say I am looking for something for my daughter! The karaoke cd from the Horse Whisperer of the song "a soft place to fall" by Allison Moorer. Anyone?
>^,,^^,,^<
MEOW pft pft
posted on July 7, 2001 04:28:23 PM
An Allison Moorer, Horse Whisperer, PROMO CD, went on eBay last week. Bidding started at $3 and it closed at over $23.
You're not likely to find that CD on Bidville anytime soon.
posted on July 7, 2001 06:26:00 PM
Dimview, I believe I have been wrongly accused of being a BV cheerleader. I'm not. I just love statistics and arguing them as you do.
I do think BV has a top notch website - at least better than any other auction besides eBay. In fact, if you believe the cheerleaders, the site is actually a co-op. Not a legal one, but it sounds like many things are voted on by the sellers or at least their opinions are taken into account. If the co-op cheerleaders realize this, they could latch onto BV and help build it. Unfortunately, they haven't seen this light yet and will flounder with freebie software on freebie servers.
Co-op'ers - find a site that works and try to work with the owners!! Take your pick, ePier, BV, 321gone, auctionaddict, auctionweiser.
posted on July 7, 2001 08:03:17 PM
Dimview, my sales fall between $1 and $10 on BidVille. I could give you better stats than that but I'm too tired right now, LOL.
My personal sell-thru rate is about 20% (not including $1-sale items which would raise that substantially).
-----------------------------------
posted on July 7, 2001 08:03:57 PM
"As I said, the sell-through can be artificially enhanced by eliminating relistings."
Dimview, I know that you did not say this, gottaknow88 did. However, that is the point I was trying to make by figuring sell through based on new listings, even though I realize that leaves a lot of room for error due to the relistings.
I guess either way leaves room for errors or interpretation.
posted on July 8, 2001 12:56:29 AM
I've only been able to move very low cost items on BV. That's OK because I wouldn't want to pay fees at the big sites for these (though I would group them in $9.99 lots to list at e or Y.) I have sold 71 items at BV with the highest ones going for $3 each. I almost never get views on anything over $3 there. Now $3+ items only get a quick test run before moving to other sites. I did not participate in the $1 sale...but I see I still can!
Dimview
"Bidville has around 670,000 listings, comprised of some 46,900 new listings and 623,100 old listings"
How can you tell actual new ads? I run most ads a week or two then leave them closed to try again later. When I relist them they are given a new auction # but they certainly aren't "new", they are just back in rotation.
"Makes me wonder why the "sell-through rate" is *the* focus of Bidville's own weekly report."
IMO the figures were released to sell Premier memberships. The Prez didn't say "here are the figures", he remarked on your figures and posted this marketing ploy:
"My own interpretation of the data is simple: spend one penny on a gallery listing and your sell through increases 7 times. Spend 50 cents on a featured item and your sell through increases 40 times."
Now the first item on the Trakpal page is a link to become a Premier member. Second link is to see the sales chart which has a pitch underneath for Premier Membership. I'd only noticed the PM link on the listing form prior to a few days ago. If the Prez's post was not meant as a clever marketing ploy then I'd be disappointed in his business sense.
"what if anything *is* going to happen to increase the number of buyers?"
Now that the $1 "limited time special sale" appears to be permanent credibility for another promo suffers. Rather like my local store that's been having a "going out of business sale" every week for years. Customers might rush in the first time they hear about it but when they figure out it's routine they know they can stroll in whenever for the same deals so it's no big deal. OTOH if BV were to advertise a new promo offsite they might be able to draw new buyers.
Wallypog
I'm sorry to see you resigned as organizer of any future promotions but I understand. The lack of cooperation from the sellers who refuse to close coupled with the ridiculous accusations that you seek to control them are a heck of a thank you for your efforts. Your efforts were amazing and I commend you for stepping out so gracefully, you are a class act. (As you may have guessed, I would not have been so gracious.)
posted on July 8, 2001 06:17:14 AM
updatetool>
How can you tell actual new ads?
By checking the item numbers of a listing that is about to close and another that has just opened. The easiest way is right on the homepage, the featured auctions.
IMO the figures were released to sell Premier memberships.
Maybe. Aside from AuctionWatch, was the "announcement" posted elsewhere?
I'm sorry to see you [wallypog] resigned as organizer of any future promotions but I understand.
WHAT?!!!!!
fixed UBB.
[ edited by dimview on Jul 8, 2001 07:31 AM ]
[ edited by dimview on Jul 8, 2001 07:33 AM ]
posted on July 8, 2001 07:27:47 AM
Can't a "new" auction simply be a "relisted" auction that was not automatically relisted for a few days or weeks? Many users rotate their stock.
posted on July 8, 2001 08:50:52 AM
bidsbids >
Can't a "new" auction simply be a "relisted" auction that was not automatically relisted for a few days or weeks? Many users rotate their stock.
That's why taking a look at the soon-to-end and newly-listed featured auctions is a good indicator of the number of "first time" appearances.
"Many users" rotate listings, but "most" users probably continuously relist.
(As you may have guessed, I would not have been so gracious.)