posted on June 25, 2000 03:37:03 PM new
Is there any way to veiw a history of closed auctions on Yahoo? Ebay allows you to view a history of closed auctions for the last 30 days and also lets you watch any seller's closed auctions for 30 days. This is how I learned how to sell on Ebay (what to buy, how much to pay for it, a fair opening bid, etc). I would like to be able to do the same on Yahoo because the Yahoo and Ebay markets are vastly different. It seems to me that Yahoo has a bigger learning curve.
Thanks for your help.
[ edited by feistyone on Jun 25, 2000 03:37 PM ]
posted on June 25, 2000 03:45:23 PM new
There are actually a large number of advantages to having NO record of past auctions.
For instance, no one has a clue if something is commonly available.
When sellers hit on a good product with decent sales they have no fear that all their hard work and research can all be retrieved by anybody with a click of a mouse, and simply copied.
I really appreciated this aspect of Yahoo! cuz when I was selling at amazon last summer, really, I was selling like I had the one pop stand at Jones Beach or something --- It's just *fine* with me if my auctions going right under others' magnifying glasses.
posted on June 25, 2000 04:45:44 PM new
feistyone - there is no history. Research on ebay to determine price on Yahoo. The markets are not different at all.
I put up a widget today for 10 days, no reserve. There was one of these in the ebay solds, and I started my auction at the price the one on ebay sold for. It was bid within 2 hours and I have 9 days to go. Voila!
What makes you think ebay is different than Yahoo? Are people on Yahoo dum and so they only pay less or does than mean they are dum so they pay more? Do they like dum things because they may not like ebay, or are they more intelligent and net savvy? See what I mean? Most things have a value than can be approximated. List things with the expectation that they will sell for their approximate value and it'll work.
Find the value on ebay, but do it quick because it is gonna cost to search there eventually (they hope).
<<<There are actually a large number of advantages to having NO record of past auctions. For instance, no one has a clue if something is commonly available. >>>
That is a good point. I could agree with that one.
<<<they have no fear that all their hard work and research can all be retrieved by anybody with a click of a mouse, and simply copied.>>>
If someone wanted to ripoff (copy) someones hard work that would be easy enough to do on currently running auctions.
<<<The best purpose their completed search serves is to research the shills...>>>
I would have to disagree with this one. I basically use past auction history this way. I find an item (brand name, etc) for say $10 at a thrift store. I am not sure if it will sell for that much on the auction site. I search completed auctions and find out that item commonly sells for $35. I can then feel confident to return to that store and purchase the item. The probability is high that the item will sell for around 3 times what I pay for it. However if the market value on Ebay is only $7.50 I don't purchase it. I also watch hot sellers, power sellers, or what ever you want to call them to get tips on what I might do to increase sales. It's called market research. If sellers don't do a certain amount of research they simply will not sell their items and will lose money.
Note: The purpose of this thread is not to say which site is better. I don't really care about that. I would just like to increase our sales on Yahoo. The free listings are nice!!
posted on June 26, 2000 12:52:28 AM new
VeryModern
<<<What makes you think ebay is different than Yahoo?>>>
For example: I list a nice Escada sweater on Ebay. Start the bidding at $24.99. It gets bid up to say $68. I put the same or similar sweater on yahoo for the same starting bid. It cycles through for a month without selling. I list a nice non-designer dress on Ebay and it isn't touched. I list it on Yahoo and someone bids the buy price on the first time through.
I'm not sure why the market is different, but in my experience it is. I'm sure that there is some items sell equally well on both sites. What I want to get a feel for is which items are hot on Yahoo and how much they are selling for so I can concentrate on listing those particular items there and find the best price to list them for. If you do a First bid takes it auction and list an item for $10 and people are paying as high as $15-$20 then you are selling yourself short.
<<<Are people on Yahoo dum and so they only pay less or does than mean they are dum so they pay more? Do they like dum things because they may not like ebay, or are they more intelligent and net savvy?>>>
I don't think this is an issue...
I'm not going to insult the mental abilities of Yahoo or Ebay users by comparing one to the other.
posted on June 26, 2000 05:22:36 AM new
And I think that both groups are so vast that there is no difference at all.
The sweater might have just had a bad week on Yahoo and a good one on Ebay. Your sampling is not large enough to get a good read.
I am really not meaning to be rude. We have just found that *everything* can be sold on Yahoo if you are patient and your price is realistic. We have turned our inventory over and over and over, some things selling faster than others, just like you would expect. I just hate to read a blanket statement like ____ does noy sell on Yahoo, because it does sell, just as soon as the buyer shows up. The Yahoo audience is too big to characterize.
I say, if you can't wait, put things on Ebay pay your money and take your chances. If you can wait, well then YAHOOOOO is for you. I DO YAHOO!
[ edited by VeryModern on Jun 26, 2000 05:55 AM ]
posted on June 26, 2000 10:20:29 AM new
VeryModern
<<because it does sell, just as soon as the buyer shows up>>
You do have a point there. I have had stuff sell that we have relisted for months. It always comes as a pleasant surprise when someone bids the buy price after the item has been sitting there for a month or two.
I think it really depends on what people are looking for. Speaking as a buyer. I've noticed when I search Yahoo for a certain item or brand, I may find only a couple of listings for that particular item and a lot of times it is listed for a high opening bid. When I search Ebay I find several pages of listings and the opening bids vary from very low to very high. Since I am looking for a bargain I would shop on Ebay for that item. There's more selection. For other items that I am looking for the Yahoo listings may be plentiful and I can probably find a better bargain there because I can just bid the buy price where it gets bid up on Ebay past what I am willing to pay.
VeryModern: although I have no statistics to substantiate this, I've got a sneakin' suspicion that there may be a great difference between the two audiences.
How so?
I have a strong hunch that lots of buyers are coming to the Yahoo! Auctions direct from Yahoo Shopping, and although they, like everyone else, have heard of eBay, that they are not interested in eBay or even in online auctions, but are more strictly shoppers, lookin' for specific items. (Now.)
Since I believe they would follow The.Shopper.Profile, as opposed to A.Collector.Profile -- I think they are gonna play right into your hands with your instant buy tactic of 1st Bid Wins.
I'm certain that serious collectors who frequent eBay also check out Yahoo auctions, and indeed, probably subscribe to all sortsa universal search engines, but I really seriously doubt that the same is true of Yahoo! Shoppers.
This is not meant to be argumentative, rather a pure and simple chatty observation, which of course has no basis in any hard facts, so its relation to reality may be tenuous, at best.
posted on June 26, 2000 01:49:25 PM new
radh - I agree with your thinking on this - that a lot of people get to Yahoo auctions via Yahoo shopping, since that is the path I take. But I also think that the audience is so vast that it is virtually impossible to characterize. They come from everywhere.
One thing I have seen repeatedly when I list something reeeeally tasty (not typical Yahoo fodder) is this. Someone sees it right away. (I am watching the stats) They might "send this to a friend" or "watch" or whatever and over a day or two these numbers climb (SLOWLY). 2 or 3 or 4.
Day 4 someone snaps the thing up. I really think that the more adventurous mail their more housebound e-friends.
Nah, really, now... thank YOU, thank you, thanky, thanky, thanky....for you answered me a question that I cannot possibly ask upon a public board, ya know?
posted on June 26, 2000 02:50:20 PM new
Seriously, in a messagethread over on the eBay's Outlook, entitled, I think, something like "[the] eBay aquiring Half.com" about the recent acquisition of 1/2.com by the eBay, I posed a very serious question of whether there was ANY selling price, even a dime or a nickel or a penny, by which the eBay would actually looooooooose money by having the item listed upon 1/2.com -- but no mathematical geniuses came to my huuuuuu, beck, & cry.
hmmmmmmmmmmm....
I am starting to glimmer that there *may* be things about Yahoo! Auctions that *might* serve to tickle my funnee bone ...... speaking in in terms of strict strategic tactical manuveurs, lol.
posted on June 26, 2000 04:57:04 PM new
Okay - I really don't get it radh.
The only thing I can think of is that you think I am doing the emailing of people, but I am not. In fact, if would defeat my entire purpose which is to sell online with as little stress as possible.
My whole idea here is to put the stuff in the "window" and have faith that someone will pass by and purchase. To (passively) encourage this, I offer people the option of buying immediately.
I do this because I have a background in sales (does it show??) and know for sure that this is the best and most profitable way to sell most things.
It is tasty to the buyer for the no shill/no snipe/instant gratification reason, but just as important in making the sale, is the incentive provided to the buyer who knows that someone else may buy if they hesitate. I am not ToysRus with an endless supply of Jar Jar Binks here, when it is gone, it's gone. If price is fair and the seasoned buyer knows good and well (as I do) that someone WILL buy, so if you want it, better get it, and you better get it now.
As for bottom feeding or something similar, if that is what your thinking, enticing people to my auctions, that strikes me as a poor way to spend my time. I would lose strength every time I hit "send". Makes more sense to keep my power and let them find me.
posted on June 26, 2000 05:34:21 PM new
heavens! No, i didn't think you emailed ANYBODY!|
Nope!
I was *teasing* ya, (and please forgive the mis-communication,) as it felt that you are way way way ahead of my thinking, all the liddle ideas I've had lately for effective merchandising at a venue like Yahoo.
Basically, effective merchandising is contingent upon having a desirable OBJECT for sale.
However, given the nature of the world wide ca$h regi$ter, with all the brickzNclickz merchants, much less the eBay, it seems like one has to present that, albeit desirable, OBJECT with a liddle more panasche than the resta the herd.
What you have been sharing with me, is many months of marketing research, that obviously word-of-mouth-emails about your offerings, by others to their friends, family or fellow collectors, is probably a significant number of your successful sales, and that your market is not simply contingent upon clicks from Yahoo!Shopping.
This is very interesting to me.
Very!
In my mind's eye, over the past few days, in thinking along similar lines, I could see a good market, from simply making sure to NOT ever clog one's listing with the bane of online auctions, to wit: the eBay reject. Browsing bidders don't like to slog through pages of zero-bid eBay rejects, and the free online auctions do have their share of this type of inherently "unpopular" merchandise.
I am feeling a liddle widdle bit mischievious..... and every once in a while, I do seriously wonder what would transpire were I, along with a number of friends who also haven't been listing any merchandise.......... what would happen if a huge slew of okaY-items, at reasonable "take-it-NOW" prices were listed, ah......., but along with a similar slew of the better one-of-a-kind items at ridiculously LOW starting bids..........
Just a few thoughts.......
I mean what would happen if alla sudden some Yahoo categories suddenly had dozens upon dozens of items which were NOT eBay-rejects, but rather, very reasonably priced, say, at-or-below "wholesale", and among those simply typical bargain-listings were also sprinkled a whole variety of "penny-type-auctions"?
Your explanations, you see, have set off a cascade of endorphins in my cranium, for you see....... the idea of this word-of-mouth, "Hey, guess what I saw at Yahoo!, which fits U to a 'T'"........ this is a very werry important piece of info, which I hadn't been aware of, and which variable might be very valuable to know.......
U see, VeryMo, since, U see, it has occured to me to have a big bash, with a nice big bonfire, fueled 100% by my inventory..... well, since that has seriously occured to me as a possble way to get real "worth" outta all this stock I got packed away, well, then, you maybe understand now that my primary concern is not with PROFIT, nowadays, as I am very reality-based, I do know the market has bottomed out for the items I have, and I do know that I cannot compete against the behometh corporate conglomerates who wish to have ecommerce strictly in their own hands...... And I do know that I could make sales even simply putting up my items at half/retail, don't mind putting em up at five bucks, and actually find the idea of pennies both humorous and abit appealing...
However, at the time these ideas were blossoming in my mind, I had not been aware of the market in the way you describe it.......
So, NO, no way, VeryModern, was I thinking you were doing anything remotely "fishy", much less anything remotely spammable, it's just you opened my eye to a before-you-mentioned-it unknown VARIABLE ........ the "grapevine."
"But I also think that the audience is so vast that it is virtually impossible to characterize. They come from everywhere."
ah........ they come from everywhere, hey?
and:
"there is a blah blah blah over on Yahoo for.." "Oh. I don't Yahoo."
Yeah, right, they don't Yahoo now, but the second a desirable object appears, with a buy-it-now price, no lesssssss, let's just see them, not Yahoo!! LOL
posted on June 26, 2000 06:02:09 PM new
oh wee-weif!
Okay.
Yes.
The grapevine exists and is effective. All you need to do is lose the Ebay/bid/auction/frenzy mindset and replace it with patience.
Best thing is that once they see it, buy it, pay for it (paypal) and have it ship the same day (stamps.com), AND get a nice comment on their feedback (Yahoo emails you when someone leaves fb) all within an hour, they are hooked. Yes they will be back for more because it is a damned fine way to trade.
Another little bit of info, when a bidder bookmarks a seller the mails that notify when they have listed something have THUMBNAILS that pop up.
Thank you Yahoo for marketing my stuff so well......!
Compare to ebay exploiting sellers left and right and overnight. Who do you want to deal with?
VeryModern: I forgot to formally APOLOGIZE to you, pleeeeeeeeeeZ forgive me!
I'm really sorry I didn't even see ZIP of the mis-communication; I'm not used to so much freepfloating serotonin, nowadays, and w@w the endorphin-rush from some of the discussions around here have simply been VERY werry stimulating -- which believe me, is a shock, lol, to my system..... particularly the whole idea of actually forming and following some type of real strategy.
posted on June 26, 2000 06:24:26 PM new
radh - your bonfire idea just reminded me of something...
I once bought a widget on Ebay. The guy (0 fb) wrote "I have had this since 1970 when I was a small boy. If you do not buy it, I guess I will have to burn it."
I bought it.
Turned out he lived in my city and I met him to get the thing and I can tell you without a doubt, he was serious.
posted on June 26, 2000 06:26:43 PM new
about the groups of buyers on Yahoo vs buyers on any other site.
About six months ago DH and I were engaged in one of our frenzied instantaneous research quests to determine what exactly do buyers want to buy... we'd been looking at the list of top search terms posted monthly on TIAS, and felt their list of search terms were probably fairly representative of serious collectors buying on EBay. It was quite instructive and informative although somewhat unscientific.
shortly thereafter we had a chance to talk to someone who works with my DH. He and his wife maintain a Yahoo storefront and as part of their monthly fee they receive a top one hundred (can't remember exact number) list of items searched for on Yahoo, including both auctions and stores. He shared the info with us and it blew me away! The lists were completely different from the TIAS lists. I remember a few search terms in the top 20, Pokemon, Barbie, animation cels, watches (very big), various music groups and fashion designers were big too. Very different desires in this group of people. Of course this could change over time and may already be changing.
Personally Radh I think your plan is a good one, nay, great one. I am already anticipating similar actions over the next few months, should start listing again there this week. Stir it up Radh!
posted on June 26, 2000 07:35:09 PM new
Although the Yahoo homepage also prominently features YahooShopping!, there's plenty of times I download it where the AUCTIONS are keynoted and hightlighted, the whole major theme of the homepage being, "Bid, Buy or Sell at YahooAuctions!"
VeryMod: PleeeeeeeZ, for a good laff, go on over to http://www.yahoo.com and in the search field at the top of the page, simply type in: eBay
VeryModern cautioned, "All you need to do is lose the Ebay/bid/auction/frenzy mindset and replace it with patience."
Sounds g@@d!
I don't like that frenzied bit, one bit, at all!
What I gotta git a handle on is a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-0 understanding of how one deals with the deadbeats, if one is daring enuff to engage in penny-type auctions.
I mean, really, the deliberate auction sabotage thrust upon me in the past -- I don't have the health, the time, the inclination for it.
I realize that one loses NO ca$h, as there are no listing or FVFs --- however, the auction saboteurs were not mere conventional deadbeats who never paid, but rather sent dozens of emails with elaborate queries and even dashed off shipping addies to me, no kidding -- that's the area I don't wanna re-experience, which was why HALF.com so impressed me, my business associates and friends, acquaintances, & family.
Course I been observing e-commerce way toooooo long, so never listed substantially at 1/2.com, as I "knew" that something HEALTHY - safe, anonymous, and PRIVATE didn't have a chance in this landscape, that it would be bought up fast by a competitor.
posted on June 26, 2000 08:05:11 PM new
LL: Last summer, I decided to try amazon, and yikes, suddenly reality transposed and I awoke in the Garden of Heavenly Delights, whenst I could list NO wrong, and so help me, ALL my books were receiving multiple bids, and final bids were wonderful and all was g@@d and scary, so I actually went out and bought a whole buncha UNSELLABLE~bound~paperpulp, so I could list such unsellable titles, too, so that my great success would not be sooooooo noticable. dh took one look at the box, and thought I'd had a stroke, or something --- and I said, "No, I'm fine, but we need us some *decoys*, lol".
Abandon all Hope, Ye who seek to sell at the turn of the Millenium...
posted on June 26, 2000 08:40:18 PM new
Email spamming
Another area where Yahoo & eBay differ greatly. If you send the following question to both, these are their answers
Q: I'm sure a past bidder would be interested in a new item I just listed. Can I send them an email to alert them?
eBay's answer: Absolutely not, it is against the rules and considered spam. The bidder will likely report you to Safeharbor and they will issue you a warning.
Yahoo's answer: Of course you can, don't just send a plain email. Sign up for a free Yahoo mail account which also entitles you to Yahoo's selection of free Greeting Cards. Be sure to use the cards to Thank your customers after the sale and in the future to announce your new listings & invite them to take a look.
The big difference is Yahoo makes their money from page hits. Whether it's viewing auctions, using email and cards, posting feedback, clicking the map to the seller location, emailing your own ad to anyone etc. They want people doing as much as possible to bring others to any and all of Yahoo's services.
posted on June 26, 2000 09:35:08 PM new
I took the plunge and listed a CD on Yahoo tonight. Will be listing more there this week, starting to spread it around.
posted on June 27, 2000 05:25:05 AM new
and radh - no need to apologize, are you kidding? You are a source (as opposed to a sink) if ever there was one.
VeryModern: Thanks for being so understanding, I think you maybe understand that initially I was basing my mosta my thoughts about YahooAuctions, upon the basis of stray hits from the YahooShopping crew, but YIKES -- you might even be gettin' some of your hits from AltaVista, no less, which has AW featured at TheAuction place -- have you ever checked the AW universal search to determine if it is successfully pickin' up your merchandise and properly displaying it in the search results?
