posted on December 20, 2000 08:48:53 AM new
Just in case anyone from Ebay reads these boards, I would like to ask why they always offer free listing day a few days BEFORE Christmas?
The majority of my day - and I don't mean just 8 to 5 -- all year long is taken up with Ebay. Between listings, emails, trips to the post office, auctions, etc. The week before Christmas I would love to just spend thinking about and getting ready for Christmas! Last year I went ahead and listed on free day anyway, but this year I am going to resist and continue my Christmas preparations.
However, if Ebay really wanted to reward it's sellers, it would offer this the week after Christmas! Then we could all enjoy it!
Of course that is just my opinion, and it usually doesn't count for much. Good luck to all of you who are out there listing away! I keep resisting the urge to sit down and madly work until midnight which always leaves me so tired I can't get anything done the next day anyway, and then I have lost two days out of my favorite week of the year!
posted on December 20, 2000 09:02:35 AM new
I'm not from ebay but I can provide an explanation. The bulk of ebay's listings have closed. People who were listing for Christmas are done and hopefully have their items shipped. Nobody is going to start searching ebay now through Christmas for Christmas gifts.
Sellers are quite aware of this and end their auctions with enough time to ship. Since selling and bidding is down right now, this is when ebay offers free listing to bulk up their numbers which would otherwise be in a lull. If 50% of those free listings get bids then that is money for them which would not have ordinarily been seen. It keeps their numbers looking good and some extra income. So, they lost a little off the front end but they get you in the end.
Most seasoned sellers prepare for free listing because they know its coming. The only question is when. I use software which posts for me. My auctions are ready to launch this evening. I'd rather have auctions end on a Saturday than a Friday so I post 10 day starting tonight.
posted on December 20, 2000 09:18:14 AM new
I agree with avaloncourt in that they do it to boost the sagging listings.
They are very clever on the day they do it too, on Wednesday. A 3 day will end on Saturday (the day before Christmas Eve )
a 5 day will end on Christmas and the 10 day will end on a Saturday.
All of those are days that a lot of people will have to make a special effert to be on the computer if they bid at the end of an auction, with the exception of Saturday.
And the last 2 "free listing days" at the end of the auctions ebay crashed anyway and bids couldn't get through.
I am not falling for it this year either, already in the catagories I search daily there are pages and pages of JUNK, because everyone is listing every thing, sometimes it looks like they are listing 2 or 3 times, ( I know one person's junk is another's treasure, but trust me here, this stuff doesn't sell normally. )
I am sticking to my normal plan of having auctions end on Tuesday and Wednesday, that way people have the weekend to peruse the auctions, and a lot of Christmas money to spend.
You will always get the people that say "It is free! ", but the effort (time) is not worth what the payoff has been for me.
That worked very well for me last year.
~Not barrelracer on ebay, don't pick on them!~
posted on December 20, 2000 10:20:52 AM new
Ebay really wanted to reward it's sellers, it would offer this the week after Christmas! Then we could all enjoy it! >>
I like it before Christmas I can list my auctions breather easy that I am not preraring for it and just relax!! Most of Mine or listed for ten days. I plan to sit around this weekend on my butt watch some movies visit some friends and just put it all aside until next Wenesday. I think the idea of doing it after Christmas well I don't like it.
posted on December 20, 2000 11:05:36 AM new
I am a "seasoned" Ebayer with over 1,000 feedbacks and been selling for over a year. Luckily, I sell most of my items the first time around, so "saving" them for free listing just isn't worth it. I work hard to make the ads and prepare the photos. Once I have done that it just seems pointless to let them sit around when i know they will sell the next week. Therefore, I always have to start from scratch each week whether it is a free day or not.
Also, I am a Grandmother with a family who all gathers at my house on Christmas (Thank Goodness!). For that reason, I am especially busy this time of the year. Again, last year I killed myself getting things out on "free" listing day. I did save nearly $100, but it just wasn't worth the price I paid in time.
It is so much nicer to just pop in and read the boards to see what is going on! I guess there is never a time that would please everyone, but I still think there are a lot of us who have better things to do than list auctions the week before Christmas!
Please don't respond with anger, as I was just making a point and I am sure this time works out great for a large number of people. It just isn't worth it to me!
posted on December 20, 2000 01:30:52 PM new
like much that has to do with eBay, it all depends on what you sell.
If you sell items 1st time up for fairly healthy amounts, then free listing day doesn't seem worth it, especially if you start the bidding low to begin with.
BUT
I sell postcards, (a competitive category), and they usually go for only $3-$5. They're pretty easy to list once the pictures are up there, and it's not unusal to see them not sell 1st time out - the one person who wants it might not have checked ebay that week. For me, free listing day means something since the 25c saving is a significant proportion of my 'overhead', much more so than the labor involved in listing.
Autionsubmit is the key here. I stopped relisting items back in november. Last night just after midnight I pressed the button to submit 250 auctions - and then went to bed while the computer did the work.
posted on December 20, 2000 01:55:57 PM newLast night just after midnight I pressed the button to submit 250 auctions - and then went to bed while the computer did the work.
I hope you're on the West Coast, because that's where Ebay is. For those of us in the Eastern Time Zone free listing day began at 3AM (midnight Pacific Time).
posted on December 20, 2000 02:29:15 PM new
eBay's listings have dropped from over 6 million a few days ago to about 3 million yesterday. That is why there is a free listing day now.
