posted on October 31, 2000 07:30:37 PM
I've noticed over time that my sales are usually to buyers with feedback less than 100, or at least less than 300. You would think that as time goes on there would be more and more old-time buyers with relatively high feedback.
I'm wondering... do buyers find ebay, participate for awhile and then disappear? Why? Could ebay start to actually *shrink*?
posted on October 31, 2000 07:47:48 PM
Well, I think most buyers get what they were looking for, fill out their collections and slow down or quit eventually. Not all certainly, but probably most.
We need those newbies! All the time, the more the merrier.
I don't know about shrinking. Let's hope not. But remember one old time illustrious poster here (to remain un-named because he was suspended)? He maintained that ebay was a fad and would slow down eventually.
Haven't seen much sign of that yet. Knock on wood.
A good question. The plain fact is that most folks both buy and sell on eBay ... probably at least half if not closer to 3/4. Another 10-15 percent are primarily sellers. Those who haven't sold at least something, well they're definitely in the minority.
We all know that folks typically build their user IDs buy buying first and then, once their reputation is established, they change to sellers.
Probably what is occuring is that many of the folks you report simply split their id's from a combination buyer-seller ID to a separate seller ID and a buyer ID.
The buyer IDs are typically going to be smaller but that makes little difference. Why? Well, you can pretty much start out as a buyer with zip and it doesn't make much of a difference.
The use of low-feedback buyer IDs' also gives the user more flexibility when it comes to asserting their "consumer rights." without fear of negative feedback on their more precious "seller IDs".
Finally, if there is a little larceny in the individual's heart, they may choose to build three or four buyer ID's with 100 or so positive feedbacks so that if their main selling ID is NARU'd, they may be able switch selling activity to one of these "insurance" ID's.
posted on October 31, 2000 09:00:41 PM
As a seller with a four year history on ebay and 8,000+ transactions I recently wondered the same thing. I went back to my earliest feedbacks and checked some of my buyers, I found in 80% of the cases that my buyers had become sellers! I don't know when they became sellers, probably after they ran out of room for all the stuff they bought. Once in a while I will get a buyer with a high feedback rating, but not too often. I think with the vast number of sellers that they get dispersed to the winds so we don't see those high numbers too often individually.
Another factor to consider is that while ebay might (and notice, I said "might" be losing it's "fad" status in the U.S., the rest of the world is fast coming on-line & that provides those who sell internationally with a HUGE potential market.
Most of my sales are U.S. based, but I've started to receive more international bids & winners. Once we start to explore & master the intracies of dealing w/customs, shipping alternatives & currencies, it could provide a huge market for years to come. Thanks to on-line opportunities for payment, it's becoming easier every day.
I know find myself thinking about what might interest an international customer in sales, not just what might sell here in the U.S.
posted on October 31, 2000 09:07:21 PMProbably what is occuring is that many of the folks you report simply split their id's from a combination buyer-seller ID to a separate seller ID and a buyer ID.
This is what I've done. As for myself, I don't care who bids against me- even a seller I regularly buy from- but I'm not so sure everybody would feel the same. Besides, I like to snipe, and I'd hate to pi$$ off one of my buyers by sniping an item out from under him.
posted on November 1, 2000 02:54:47 AM
I'm with neomax & mrpotatoheadd- I recently switched to using a separate ID for bidding. It has all of 10 feedbacks, so I look like a total newbie.
be losing it's "fad" status in the U.S., the rest of the world is fast coming on-line & that provides those who sell internationally with a HUGE potential market.