zian
|
posted on November 10, 2000 03:14:19 AM
Hi,
It's getting harder and harder to sell these days and i am looking into every way possible to get and keep the bidders I have.
I have posted to some strings (threads?) about "spam" and probably voiced some unpopuler opinions (whats new).
I would like to know if folks have used and had succsess e-mailing past customers with new sales info, "how have you been" or "did/do you trust me enough to bid again?" type e-mails.
I am not talking spam (in my mind) and I would only send these to any customers that TELL ME they would like this info or the ones that say "keep me in mind if you find more.....".
I'm not to concerned about what some think about spam (except my bidders) and if they consider this spamming........can't please um all.
I am looking for folks that have done this, how they did/do it, if it worked and if they still do it.
I figure if folks ask for the info and you keep a trusted name/good auction experiance/nice service/clickable links all inside there head it sure will not do harm.
Also would like any ideas to entice folks to "do it again" maybe free shipping, discounts, "coupons" etc etc
I'm so excited........the possablities are endless 
Ian
PS....There are no permanant obsticals
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/zian/
|
pickersangel
|
posted on November 10, 2000 03:48:01 AM
eBay specifically says it's OK to email customers who have requested that you do so when you have certain items available, and it wouldn't be considered spam (which is unsolicited). The customers want you to contact them, or they wouldn't have asked, right? I'd say "Go for it!"
I've done this a few times, but I've never had a repeat winning bidder on those items, so I can't say that it's been very effective for me. My repeats have all managed to find my other items on their own.
always pickersangel everywhere
|
abacaxi
|
posted on November 10, 2000 03:49:15 AM
"I would like to know if folks have used and had succsess e-mailing past customers with new sales info, "how have you been" or "did/do you trust me enough to bid again?" type e-mails."
Every seller who does this WITHOUT MY EXPLICIT PERMISSION BEFORE SENDING THE ADS, is reported to eBay as a spammer. Period. It does not matter if I have bought from them before ... it's UCE (Unsolicited Commercial Email) and that's spam.
If you had the foresight to ASK in the end of auction emails if they wanted to be notified of similar auctions, and IF they said "yes", it's not UCE. But you better have kept the reply where they said "yes", because if months pass before you send anad to them, they tend to forget they opted in.
|
zian
|
posted on November 10, 2000 03:54:07 AM
I'm not to concerned about what some think about spam (except my bidders) and if they consider this spamming........can't please um all.
I am looking for folks that have done this, how they did/do it, if it worked and if they still do it.
All opinions read
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/zian/
|
HartCottageQuilts
|
posted on November 10, 2000 04:30:33 AM
I think my system goes one better (at least it looks that way, from repeat bidders).
In my auction listings I include a clickable link to my webpage (I sell my own quilts). On that webpage are pix of my ebay offerings, past and present. Every time I add a new item to ebay, I also add it to my webpage. There's a button on the page which viewers can click to receive an automatic email each time my webpage is updated - and that way they learn about my new ebay offerings. I don't have to keep an email database, and recipients get an easy way to see my new work up for bids.
|
zian
|
posted on November 10, 2000 04:36:29 AM
Quilts.......thats a great idea. Thats what made me think of this.
I believe i saw a friends sale made at/with Andela.com and they offered a link for a mailing list.
If you come back and don't mind me asking.
Do many clcik and sign up?
could you post a url so i can see your site?
(it is mighty cold here in MI too)
Thanks again.
Ian
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/zian/
|
twelvepole
|
posted on November 10, 2000 05:25:59 AM
I'm not to concerned about what some think about spam (except my bidders) and if they consider this spamming........can't please um all.
If enough of the " can't please um all" crowed report you to eBay, you won't have to worry about bidders, you'll be Naru'd.
Be better off doing as some suggested, getting a web page and be able to have bidders click there. That way you could list your upcoming auctions and anything else that strikes your fancy.
Ain't Life Grand...
|
zian
|
posted on November 10, 2000 05:29:59 AM
How can I make this clear?
I'M NOT TALKING SPAM!!!
so keep those ideas comming.
Ian wont "spam"
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/zian/
|
twelvepole
|
posted on November 10, 2000 05:32:49 AM
But you are, IF you send an email talking about SELLING then it is SPAM. and you can be reported.
Is that clear enough?
Ain't Life Grand...
|
zian
|
posted on November 10, 2000 05:39:42 AM
I'll edit for you.
"I am not talking spam and I would only send these to any customers that TELL ME
they would like this info or the ones that say "keep me in mind if you find more....."."
These are the ones.
Is that spam? (don'r bother awnsering)
Like i said I don't much care about what some folks think.
I'll walk the line with eBay. Take care of my customers. And try anything to make more money/get more bids.
Any ideas on good software or systems to use?
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/zian/
|
eventer
|
posted on November 10, 2000 05:53:02 AM
If I understand Zian correctly, he would ONLY mail this to people who have ALREADY told him they wanted to be contacted if he locates something new.
If a past customer has indicated in writing to him they want to be contacted, I don't really see where this could be called SPAM.
Now, if he contacts any past buyer who has NOT told him in writing they want to be contacted, that WOULD be SPAM.
|
HartCottageQuilts
|
posted on November 10, 2000 05:53:48 AM
Here's my webpage:
http://www.fortunecity.com/victorian/cheyne/1205/id20.htm
(Hope that's OK by CGs.)
There's no way (that I know of) for me to keep track of who "clicks", but I can tell you that virtually everybody who's been high bidder has replied to my EOA that they visited my webpage, and I've got a high number of repeat bidders. I can't, therefore, say for sure, but I can't see that it hurts
|
zian
|
posted on November 10, 2000 06:01:06 AM
HartCottageQuilts
Thanks very much.
That is a very nice site by the way.
powered by NetMind..........Hummm?
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/zian/
|
RainyBear
|
posted on November 10, 2000 08:27:52 AM
Some web hosts offer mailing list capabilities. Interested people can sign up for your list by sending a "subscribe" message by email, and they can also send an "unsubscribe" message to get off the list. It's done automatically by sending those and other commands to a specific email address associated with the list.
If you maintained a list like that you'd have to keep it interesting enough for people to want to stay on it, of course.
I use dzones.com for web hosting and they offer mailing lists. I've never used them at dzones, though I've managed a couple of lists at work.
|
poton
|
posted on November 10, 2000 08:42:49 AM
Zian, in every email you send, put your website or ebay link as your signature.
Poton.
|
dman3
|
posted on November 10, 2000 08:57:05 AM
also what might help gain repeat buyers is to add a small descirpton of items comeing to your auction in the next week maybe even have the picture allready on your website.
Just be sure not to price these Items if they should happen to Email you with a privite bid all the better .
http://www.Dman-N-Company.com
|
Glenda
|
posted on November 10, 2000 09:13:47 AM
HartCottageQuilts: There's no way (that I know of) for me to keep track of who "clicks"
Go here:
http://www.extreme-dm.com/tracking/
Basically, you install a little button on your webpage. You can then go to their site for a report that will tell you which webpage (including which auction) they accessed your site from, the date/time, and much more.
I've had one on my husband's AboutMe page since April 1999: he told me that "nobody ever visits those things" so I set out to prove him wrong: he gets an average of 5 visitors/day to his AboutMe page.
ExtremeTracking is one of several web trackers available to anybody who has a web page.
|
zian
|
posted on November 10, 2000 09:14:32 AM
Poton.....
I'm so silly........Duh......what have i been thinking?
Thanks a bunch thats a great idea.
Rainy and Dman........Thank you both too.
Keep um comming please......I can feel the cash register rummbling....
Now we are getting some where.
Ian
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/zian/
|
zian
|
posted on November 10, 2000 09:17:40 AM
Glenda.........
It's a good thing some folks don't/won't take peoples word for what others do/don't do, what works and what don't and what can be done and what can't.
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/zian/
|
reddeer
|
posted on November 10, 2000 09:48:15 AM
Glenda ..... Thanks for that link!
|
