eBay spans the globe. They have trucks of money, high dollar management, state of the art equipment, and the best nerds in the business on the payroll. Yet for some strange reason the so called "Sunday Phenomenon" has historically eluded their ability to control. Just can't keep it up, no matter what.
Millions of new users sign up looking for a bargain. Users are market share; buyers must be present to buy in order for sellers to keep wanting to sell, so buyers rule. If new buyers (who usually have the sterling habit of bidding as soon as they see something they like) never get a bargain, they may move on. Making sure that they occasionally do hit pay dirt will lure them into returning endlessly in the future with the hopes of yet another great "buy". We've all experienced that euphoric ride, the sharp elbow jab toward the floor, "Yes!", unpreturbed by the vision of a possibly weeping seller on the other end of the transaction. It is much akin to gambling and can be just as addictive. How to hook the new user? Let them hit the jackpot.
It ain't no accident, folks. They do it on purpose.
posted on April 1, 2001 06:28:08 PM
Can't say I agree because I've found out by looking at my past auctions new bidders tend to bid higher and bid to win at whatever the cost, and that to them is the jackpot. The bargain hunters tend to be the one's with higher feedback.
posted on April 1, 2001 06:41:36 PM
Exactly my point. The experienced users generally snipe or bid just high enough to slip over the guy in front. New users act like its an auction, where you use the proxy mechanism to win for you. All the old hands who are watching something, waiting for those last few minutes to snipe or trusting software to slip in a bid in the last few seconds will get nada when the site goes down. The new user, who bid early and bid to win, will get the prize and at a fantastic price.
If this isn't true, why all the long faces over last Sundays fiasco? Everyone seems to believe that there were five more bidders just waiting to bid and run up the price past the 9.99 they had to sell it for.
I repeat, this is an manufactured event to provide bargains for new users and encourage future use.
posted on April 1, 2001 09:26:37 PM
Wow, yo, interesting thought. I'm usually pretty paranoid and I didn't even think to go there. I'm impressed yo!
I stopped my Sunday auctions a few months ago. Too much down time and my auctions are usually sniped.
How cool is that?!? I spent so many years being paranoid, that I react that way without even knowing why!
You might have something there! Even if you don't, I am in awe of your perfected paranoia!
Thanks for the enlightenment!
only ZOOMIN here
Nothing like a good conspiracy theory, eh? Seems to me, if they couldn't figure out how to plan ahead for all contingencies, if the Cheeses at eBay really considered this a problem, there would certainly be a few more eggheads in the unemployment line. Last time I checked, eBay had zero openings in that department.
posted on April 2, 2001 03:22:46 AM
"Yet for some strange reason the so called "Sunday Phenomenon" has historically eluded their ability to control. Just can't keep it up, no matter what."
It is much akin to gambling and can be just as addictive. How to hook the new user? Let them hit the jackpot.
