posted on November 16, 2000 05:25:34 PM
Well...I just checked on my auctions ending tonight and there is only ONE BID on ONE ITEM out of 10 auctions!
There is only 2 hrs left..so I anticipated SOME kind of activity...sigh...
I feel like a DEFLATED BALLOON...I'm just a disabled homemaker...been using my own money buying to resell...have about $2000 invested in product I was SURE would sell...especially now during the holidays...
I know for the FIRST time I put the price I wanted out of the item...even put a RESERVE(had too many auctions NOT bid up...can't afford to keep loosing money)price on some...
I am sooooooooo discouraged...my dear hubby thought i was FOOLISH to buy all this stuff(we can't afford)..now I have to eat crow and live with the guilt of 'investing' so much money(he is a disabled vet)..
posted on November 16, 2000 05:32:58 PM
I think for anyone to try to help you we'd have to know more about what you bought and/or what you are trying to sell.
Did you buy wholesale or retail? Have you ever sold anything before? Did you survey the market before buying? Are your items priced comparable to similar items on the auction? Are your ads attractive? Do you use important key words in your title?
There are tons of things which can effect an auction.
posted on November 16, 2000 05:38:47 PM
If it's any consolation, this spring I shelled out for some items I thought would do really well and was very excited over - (fortunately only paid a dime a piece and bought 100, but it's the same principle) and they tanked. Finally got the last of 'em out of my workroom last week, more than 6 months after I first listed 'em. Now mind you, I am a fanatical market researcher and if only 80% of my listings sell the first time around, I feel like I've failed, so you can imagine how I felt about THIS lot! Maybe (like so many of us) the best that can come out of this is to act as a lesson for other folks. Hindsight's 20-20, of course, but might I ask how you were "sure" this product would sell?
Sounds like at this point you'd be delighted with breaking even. If that's the case, you may want to open at 75% of your cost (or even the dreaded 99 cents), and see what happens. This is one reason clothing stores have those huuuuuuge end-of-season sales. Even if they do nothing better than break even, or even take a loss, at least their capital isn't tied up with stock that's just sitting there depreciating.
Any chance you could sell "lots" on this stuff, instead of individual items? I've become such a cheapskate that unless I know I'm getting a truly obscene bargain, I won't bid unless I can figure the shipping as 20% or less of my total outlay. So I'll bid on a boxlot well before I'll bid on individual items. I don't know if I'm the normal bidder (yeah, sure) but this may be the fastest way to recoup your investment.
posted on November 16, 2000 05:52:34 PM
Well you are committed with this batch of things. I would say you should seek some advise on the specific auctions. Show a couple of them here after they close and ask the AW crew how to improve. You may get advise on wording appearance and price - how good your pics are and the timing.
Some of it may be eBay right now. They have had a lot of disfunction.
You might try listing some items on Yahoo where you do not have the expense of a listing fee. The things I sell do not do well on Yahoo but some other people have much success.
I am selling on eBay because I am physically unable to work the same as I could two years ago so I understand.
Two thousand is abviously a lot of money to you so if you buy a lot of one kind of item perhaps you can do more testing before commiting to that much next time. It would be good if you can diversify a bit.
I am sure others will add more...
posted on November 16, 2000 06:19:26 PM
Well, the items won't sell if they are not listed. Until you figure out when/how you might improve the bidding on eBay why not try listing some of the merchandise on a free auction site such as Yahoo. Set the minimum price to at least break even if the item sells.
If the item doesn't sell, at least you won't lose anything except the time it takes you to list. On Yahoo, for example, you can choose 10 day auctions with 2 automatic relists. That way your listing will only expire after 30 days.
If the item sells, even at little or no profit, at least you will be feeling less depressed than you are now.
posted on November 16, 2000 07:12:32 PM
Boy you have a good memory about the bracelets! I decided to take them back to the store..so I got a refund today.
(Now I have money to buy a coat for myself..brrr).
I sell a variety...calendars...tweety stuff..stickers...new and used children clothes...
Tried selling JUSTIN BOOTS (used) and didn't get a single bid...sigh...
I have a wonderful PRECIOUS MOMENTS doll pushing a carriage...I still have to list that.
I bought some 'sericels' and they haven't gotten a single bid...course it's really hard to take a picture of.
The way I KNOW if something will sell is totally unscientific...if I LIKE IT...and would buy it for myself..then I list it for the price I would pay for it.
Sometimes I check out completed auctions to see what is selling...and if I find a good deal I'll buy that to sell.
posted on November 17, 2000 12:45:51 AM
I have bought complete boxs of items at auction or the contents of storeage lockers and when I lited everything there was no pattern at all to what sold as far as my personal like of the item. Things that I would not give $1.00 for sell for $10 and $15.
I have been selling things that people need instead of want like decorative items and the sales have been better when things are salow and the deadbeat level is lower.
posted on November 17, 2000 03:32:30 AM
ok here is the low down. DO NOT USE RESERVES EVER !!!! List an item for the absolute lowest you will take for it and let it go. This way every bid after that on that item will only make you feel better. I buy all kinds of stuff to sell on ebay, but I never spend more than a few bucks every weekend. If I spend $2,000 on anything, I guarantee I will make at least $10,000 on it. I buy stuff for a dollar and sell it for $10. Might not sound like much, but 100 items a week for $10 an item, although not all my auctions get bid on first time around, I am happy with my 30-40% return.
posted on November 17, 2000 04:30:07 AMif I LIKE IT...and would buy it for myself..then I list it for the price I would pay for it.
You're right. As you've seen, that IS grossly unscientific.
Although I firmly believe you should "sell what you love," I think that applies to a category (comic books, widgets, postage stamps), not a particular item. You have to temper that with a really informed knowledge of what the market wants. With your system, you bought what you liked - and now you get to keep it.
Buying without any market research (which is pretty much idiotproof to do, all you need is to search completed auctions) makes as much sense as stocking a clothing store with your favorite colors or your personal size. You're reducing the pool of potential buyers to people who share your exact taste.
As to starting the bidding at what you'd pay for it - again, what if your standards are different from the bidders', or your competition is starting bidding at 50% below yours?
The kind of approach to sales you've described makes sense if you want to sell only to those who like what you like and damn the competition, but is suicide if you actually need to make any money with your investment.
Clear out your inventory any way you can (lots of good suggestions here), then spend some time RESEARCHING the areas you're interested in. I spend probably 5 hours a week surfing my sales areas to spot trends, and I think that time has done me good.
posted on November 17, 2000 10:29:39 AM
It can be discouraging sometimes! Have you tried different catagories for your things? I like to search on eBay and see what catagory items similar to what I'm listing get the most bids--searching on the completed auctions is a good way to do this. For instance, those Justin boots might do really well in Everything Else Equestrian Western instead of a clothing catagory.
posted on November 17, 2000 10:34:44 AM
Thanks for all of your suggestions.
I have a real problem in the area of 'what to research...how to research...etc...
Is there anyone who would email me HOW to accomplish this?
(Now when it comes to organizational skills...boy do I LACK there...sigh...)
