posted on December 24, 2000 10:04:06 AM new
Now that the "holiday season" is near closing, eBay's promotion of Buy it Now is near ending. What is it going to cost? Are they going to keep it? Any news?
posted on December 24, 2000 10:25:03 AM new
Let's see... The "Buy It Now" feature allows auctions to end early, thereby removing them from the databases and freeing up storage for other auctions. This, in turn, makes everything run quicker and smoother.
Personally, I think eBay should be paying US to use the feature. But then again, I think water is wet and grass is green....
Barry
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The opinions expressed above are for comparison purposes only. Your mileage may vary....
posted on December 24, 2000 10:33:28 AM new
Barry, surely you jest. One of the biggest headaches of BIN is that the items do NOT disappear from the database, or the listings -- and now we get to click through on these closed items in order to find out they are no longer available.
In truth though, I suspect charging for BIN at this point has been a BIG IF because the purpose of the pilot program was to test the waters and ascertain just how desirable this feature is to sellers. Personally I'm not too sure though whether the Holiday Season is going to be an accurate gauge for eBay -- I know I listed some BIN items for the "quick sales appeal" that I may not have at another time of year. I've gotten to the point where I prefer to use BIN only for those items that I really just want to move -- not on anything that could potentially generate competitive bidding. If other sellers feel the same way -- eBay couldn't get away with charging more than say, .25 per item -- but then would sellers even be tempted to use it if cost them anything? The answer for me is a resounding NO. I don't see BIN as such a huge marketing advantage that I would pay one red cent for it, especially since the feature disappears with First Bid.
[ edited by Lisa_B on Dec 24, 2000 10:34 AM ]
posted on December 24, 2000 10:49:55 AM new
From the searches I have done, the BIN is only being used by a minute number of sellers, and it doesn't seem like it has gotten firmly entrenched or understood - I think eBay would be making a mistake to start charging for it at this time, as they don't have a large enough and solid enough usage of it as yet.
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posted on December 24, 2000 11:08:41 AM new
My self I have listed some BIN Items and had no interest in them relist them with out bin and I got bids not sure why but maybe some Item lend them self to a buy price better then others.
posted on December 24, 2000 01:56:09 PM newOne of the biggest headaches of BIN is that the items do NOT disappear from the database, or the listings -- and now we get to click through on these closed items in order to find out they are no longer available.
Actually, the only time you'll see closed BIN items is if you're doing a description search. They're removed from the category listings and title search indexes at the next update (2-4 hours).
posted on December 24, 2000 02:23:36 PM new
BIN's cute alright but I will not pay for it either - not one penny. Enough fees have already been implemented. To pay for one more thing just gives eBay another reason to find something else to charge for or raise the cost for the services already in place.
posted on December 24, 2000 04:03:53 PM new
Charge for BIN ???????
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !!!!!!!!!!!
Why should I spend 1 red cent to have ebay end an auction for me using Buy It Now ?
I will tell you why.
I had a "Buy It Now" feature before ebay had theirs. I listed an item for the price I would take for it, then when it got a bid I ended the auction. The bidder just did a BUY IT NOW ! HAHAHAHA
Unless ebay starts charging me to end my auctions early, I do not think I will be paying for BIN feature anytime soon.
posted on December 24, 2000 10:25:42 PM new
Well Glenda I'm not so sure about that. I do plenty of both kinds of searches, and the categories seem to be full of closed BINs. Maybe I just have rotten timing.
And CIX, presumably eBay thinks sellers will pony up for that special BIN icon next to their item. Maybe . . . . P.T. Barnum knew how to milk the crowd for more . . . .
posted on December 25, 2000 03:10:34 AM new
Personally, I like the BIN. I've used it on Yahoo successfully and was looking forward to using it on Ebay. However, Ebay gives the buyer the option of buying it now or continuing in normal auction fashion. I don't understand why there is an option. Why would someone pay the BIN and then want to continue the auction and possibly have the item sniped? (Ebay logic, I guess.) I've had buyers who thought they were buying it now, only discover they hit the wrong button in the bidding process and continued the auction as a normal auction. BIN should mean BIN, not "Maybe Buy It Now, Maybe Buy It Later."
[ edited by gk4495 on Dec 25, 2000 03:27 AM ]
