posted on January 6, 2000 11:04:28 AM new
I would like some feed back on anyone who is running an auction on 2 or more of the larger auctions?We sell on Yahoo and are doing ok but I think we would like to go on to another auction.I just want to know pro or con of this .Any help would be great.
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posted on January 10, 2000 02:29:07 PM new
I personally don't like Yahoo.. but maybe it's because I'm not AS familar with it.
Here's what I do... If I've got something to sell.. Then I search ALL the big auction sites to see which one is commanding the most bids, most money for my particular item.. Then I list with them!
posted on January 11, 2000 07:24:00 AM new
Antiquelady2:
I think it is always a good idea to list and indeed shop on more than one auction. The reason for this is simple.
Online auctions are changing and getting better every day. Some offer this service or that innovation and if you lock yourself into a single venue, you not only are cloistered, but you may miss out on some good buys.
Your personal effort to find bidders for your item may actually create greater demand for your item on any venue. Afterall, the best auction action happens when you have two truely interested buyers vying for a particular item.
posted on January 11, 2000 07:36:31 AM new
Hi SGRogers:
Your comment about checking several auctions and choosing the one that gets the most bids for a particular type of merchandise sounds good on the surface.
However, if this type of research were foolproof, no one would be selling stuff on the online auctions because everyone would make a million on the stock market.
The point is the online auction market is not only "as fickle" as the stock market, but because of the gross lack of regulation, is becoming even more fickle.
For instance, you have this item.
You do the research you suggest and find that similar items were presented 20 times on auction A and got an aggregate 60 bids. You study a second auction and found that similar items sold 2 times on auction B and only got four bids.
Using your methodology, you confirm that auction A is the one for you when you notice that the high price the item sold for was $80 on auction A and the best price on auction B was $50 (but both sold for that amount).
A no-brainer, right?
Wrong. Looking further you see that fewer than half of the items on auction A sold for $50 including one that sold for $25. That of course meant also that almost half of the items on Auction A had ending values of over $50.
What your research didn't show -- because you didn't probe deep enough -- was that Seller Z on Auction A sold all but two of the items with a closing bid over $50.
And, you cursory research also didn't show that Seller Z was a very adept and practiced shill bidder. However, he wasn't so practiced that every one of those $50+ sales was real... Indeed his shills were the high bidders on four of the six items he sold and were actually "bogus" examples.
The reality as well was that the highest of the bids were actually Seller Z's shills who ran up the price on a couple of competitors items so Seller Z's items would be more attractively priced regarding that competition.
Finally, most of the legitimate sales were in the $50 range -- because that is the actual value of the item being sold -- except for the one that sold for $25.
That one went so low because the system failed for almost 2 hours before the end of the auction making it impossible for the snipe bidders to make their last minute bids and bring the price up to $50.
Obviously, this is nothing but conjecture but there is growing evidence that shenanigans such as described here are happening more and more often. This corrupts the data and could well make the system on which you rely subject to further corruption.
Bottom line, your idea on how to select a site, while emminently logical, is flawed by the flaws that exist on some of the online auction systems.
As a rule, you should know the relative value of the items you sell and set the opening bid at the price you need. Any increase in value due to legitimate bidding activity is gravy. That can happen anywhere.
Finally, we see people everyday on auctions.com that sell their merchandise at top dollar and sell most every item they place at auction (90%+) Their success is based on their taking taking the time to promote the sale of their goods directly to consumers and using our auction as the vehicle for those sales.
You can do this too. I encourage folks to promote their item via newsgroups that draw an audience of interested potential buyers ... and other Internet and non-internet posting areas where ads are allowed. That to me would insure better success than just depending on the research that may or may not reflect truth.
posted on January 11, 2000 10:50:30 AM new
Thank you to all that did take the time to help me out.I think it is just what we get used to and that determines what auction we like the best.I do very well on Yahoo but I have some items that I think would do better on another auction site.I will keep checking in to get idea's from everyone else but the most important thing I have learned is to be honest and fair and that is why my feedback is great. This is great to be able to learn from other successful people on the auction sites. Thanks again
Antiquelady2
posted on January 25, 2000 09:42:26 AM new
I'm trying to launch my Dutch auction through auctionwatch onto ebay. i keep getting error message stating that i have not properly designated this as a dutch auction. where do i do this
You would have better luck getting an answer to your question in either the Ebay Outlook or the Image Hosting forum. This forum is for discussions about the Auctions.Com auction site and unfortunately the My AuctionWatch service for listing auctions doesn't work with Auctions.Com.
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Auctions.com ID: [email protected] http://www.magikworlds.com
posted on February 4, 2000 05:38:16 PM new
I thank all that have helped me out on running 2 or more auctions.I have done so well on Yahoo it is now time to venture on to the the world of Ebay.I really do not understand how you can say Yahoo STINKS.Sorry but I guess all of my buyers have class they are just some really nice people who are just like us looking for that one special item.I have bought on Ebay to build up my feed back.One thing I want to say about Yahoo is they are now charging to highlight your auction and what a difference in sales for us.I have also one thing to say about the NEW PEOPLE you are all so afraid of I just had 3 OVER $200 sales guess what from new people***Sorry but I love Yahoo and I agree just wait give them a year and we will have this chat and see how things go.I really Thank all of you for your serious help and I think I will give Ebay a try but still will maintain my Yahoo client base.The one thing that bothers me is someone who bad mouths an auction house that sure knows more then all of us they are making the $$$.
Sure wish I created this little auction site.
