posted on August 18, 2001 06:44:18 AM new
Ok, I haven't thought this totally through but, I think I have to disagree with the first statement.
To me, if you're attracting buyers, you're doing something right. Old, new, in between.
Maybe if you're only attracting veterans, you're setting your prices too low? It's also been stated that some folks like newbies because they have deep pockets.
posted on August 18, 2001 06:55:10 AM new
I have to agreee If you are getting many more high feed back buyer sellers on your auction you are setting your Price under the going price and these people know even with shipping they can buy to resell.
80% of all the buyers on my Auction are low or no feed back thats not to say all are newly registered to ebay some with low feed back have been registered since 1997 that buy from me.
But I find that the Item I sell does very well and I usually Keep my starting prices higher then other selling in the category, I set all my starting bids at cost pluss the profit I Need to make.
Mind you I am a small seller and not makeing a liveing at this at all but I feel I am getting fair value for my inventory even if the auction only gets one bid.
Just wanted to add with all the Deadbeat buyer commplaints out there I have had a few slow pays but no deadbeat on any of my ebay auctions dealing with lower feed back buyers.
http://www.Dman-N-Company.com
Email [email protected]
[ edited by dman3 on Aug 18, 2001 06:57 AM ]
posted on August 18, 2001 07:04:01 AM new
I've had high bidders with 1000+ feedback, for buying only. Not everyone with high feedback is a seller, or a bargain hunter.
Some are serious collectors with serious money.
posted on August 18, 2001 07:11:37 AM new
I have one really good buyer that's been with me since I started on eBay. He stays ahead of me in feedback by about 100 points. Never have been able to "catch up" with him. And he's a "buyer only".
posted on August 18, 2001 08:00:47 AM new
It also depends on what you sell. My products are geared toward people who are new to computers (not kids). It's a rare event when I get a bidder with more than a 20 or so feedback rating. At least 1/2 have a 0 rating. And I seem to have fewer problems overall than most sellers if this board is any indication. Very few deadbeats and usually around 400-500 ebaY transactions per week. I don't believe the common notion that newbies cause more problems for sellers than "seasoned" ebaY buyers. In fact (based on my personal experience and what I read here only), I believe the opposite to be true.
posted on August 18, 2001 08:04:23 AM new
Interesting question as to what the feedback composition means to the seller.
Looking at it from a different angle, I wonder if the early adaptors, say those who registered with ebay more than a year or two ago, are more savvy and sophisticated buyers than the ones ebay is signing up lately.
Like the early adaptors of dvd, who were affluent technophiles and movie connoisseurs, I believe the most early ebay buyers were sophisticated, in search of specifics, and elated that, for the first time ever, they could find the collectibles they wanted.
The dumbing down of ebay:
Then the ebay marketing geniuses went to work to recruit more bidders, and as usual went astray. The ads were off-target - husband buying the lamp that wife sold etc. - and aimed at the "mass" (shiver) market, the walmart crowd, those that know the price of everything and the value of nothing.
These ads, to bring in the correct bidders, should have focused on the incredible array of unusual items ebay has listed, and the neat values on previously owned stuff. This is what the media has shown to be of interest to their writers, and readers.
So instead, with goofy commercials, we get goofy buyers and a larger percentage of deadbeats and a decline in sales and final prices.
The dvd has now entered the mainstream, and the studios are getting lots of complaints from the mass market about the black bars on the top and bottom of the dvd wide screen picture (as originally shot by the director) , and has begun to eliminate them in favor of "pan and scan" (with 1/3 of the picture missing) as that technology gets dumbed down too.
Ebay has gone mass market, and that is why we are seeing the forays into co-branding and the like. Ebay also is focusing on high ticket items like cars, real estate and computer equipment, as profits are too hard to come by doing it a couple of dollars at a time.
The newbies ARE different from those that have been around for a while. That is why my offerings and methods have changed as well. I have to change with the times or move on to something else.
Those sellers who have been able to maintain their basic operations unchanged are fortunate indeed.
posted on August 18, 2001 09:34:27 AM newif you attract mostly newby buyers, you must be doing something wrong
Well then, I must be doing something BADLY wrong! I would say a pretty fair percentage of my customers have less than 10 feedback and probably 25% are newbies w/shades.
Doesn't matter to me whether their money is old ebay money or new ebay money, just so long as it's green and authorized by the U.S. government.
I also run about a 25% repeat rate, many of them started with me and come back again & again. I've watched one customer go from zero feedback to up in the hundreds now.
Yep, had my share of deadbeats in the newbie range but also had my share of deadbeats in the less than 100 feedback group.
My stats out of the latest batch of ending auctions are: 35% less than 10 feedback, 50% from 11-100 feedback and 25% over 100 feedback. And 25% were repeat business. That sounds, to me, like a pretty broad range of experiences.
What always amazes me is those who look down on newbie buyers. EVERYONE started at zero at some point but they've seemingly forgotten those days. I remember when it was a whole lot harder to move up to new stars because there just weren't THAT many people on ebay. Now, a volume seller can collect a few hundred feedback in a matter of days.
posted on August 18, 2001 09:54:30 AM new
I believe it depends on what you sell as well Ill take new users or regular users.
but I dont think anyone getting only new users is doing anything wrong the fact we are getting new users says we are all doing something write still drawing new buyers in...
posted on August 18, 2001 10:51:38 AM new
This week my board has five bids from newbies with a 0 feedback. It is a great compliment to me. If they choose you for their first purchase you are definitely doing something right. I believe newbie's seek sellers they feel secure buying from. New buyer's pay quickly - they are so excited about their 1st transaction.
posted on August 18, 2001 11:05:35 AM new
I can see having mostly "newby" buyers if your products are geared to new computer users.
Eventer, it looks like you have a "good mix" of buyers. Pretty much a mix like mine.
who registered with ebay more than a year or two ago, are more savvy and sophisticated buyers than the ones ebay is signing up lately.
I would think so. This is what got me to wondering if looking at it meant much, and if you could some how "fine tune" if you where getting mostly "newbees", or mostly "vets". I want all the bidders I can get.
posted on August 18, 2001 11:28:13 AM newTwisted logic:
Maybe if you're only attracting veterans, you're setting your prices too low?
More of the same...
I have to agreee If you are getting many more high feed back buyer sellers on your auction you are setting your Price under the going price and these people know even with shipping they can buy to resell.
Does THAT make ANY sense?
Of course not. NO user, new or old, is going to be more attracted to HIGHER prices than lower prices. That's absurd. If only vets are bidding on an item, I doubt it's because they feel, as a rule, that THEY can resell it in the SAME MARKETPLACE for more money.
I know it does go on, but, as a rule, it can very easily be a losing proposition.
posted on August 18, 2001 11:34:19 AM new
I believe everyone gets their share of Newbies these days-and thats not a bad thing- A sale is a sale. I do see a problem with the FB system becomming useless.New users dont understand what a negative will do to ones rating. Retalitory Neg's can destroy a good sellers profile. Most sellers will stop giving accurate fb. There needs to be a safe guard to allow truithful FB without fear of a Retalitory Neg. That would make it easier to deal with worst case inexperienced Users.
posted on August 18, 2001 03:25:12 PM newRetaliatory Feedbacl:
Like it or not, the feedback system is as good as it's ever going to be---UNLESS Ebay can find a crystal ball with which to see who in a transaction is lying and who is telling the truth.
I am so tired of people complaining about Ebay NOT PREVENTING retaliatory feedback. It shows a total lack of understanding of the fundamental elements involved in determining fault in a matter--that is short of an in-depth, no holds barred investigation.
As far as newbies quick on the neg trigger, deadbeats leaving negs, or any other feedback circumstance....it all comes out in the wash eventually. The good guys are relatively easy to spot, as are the problem users.
I defy ANYONE to come up with a BETTER system. And save me the irritation of saying, "well, they should prevent the other user from leaving feedback once a neg is left", because that tells me you didn't understand what I wrote above. Read it again, and you'll see that this system, to Ebay's credit, IS as good as it will ever be.
posted on August 18, 2001 05:31:11 PM new
I'm glad when I don't get high-feedback bidders-I figure I must be listing things appropriately and high feedback bidders feel they won't make a profit.
I've been really lucky as far as retaliatory negs go-I post negs for ALL deadbeat bidders and haven't gotten one retaliatory <knock wood>. However, I wait until just before filing for FVF refund to post negs. Seems like about half the time they end up NARUed and unable to post a neg for me. I also don't call people names, I just say "Never sent payment." Sometimes I even add a . LOL. Gets the job done.
posted on August 18, 2001 06:06:20 PM newI doubt it's because they feel, as a rule, that THEY can resell it in the SAME MARKETPLACE for more money.
That's a good point. I do have dealers in areas that have a higher "local"(B&M) market than I do, and they can buy at what is "retail" in my area, and still make a profit. I'm happy to sell to them. I'm happier yet when a couple of retail buyers from these area get in a war over one of my auctions.
posted on August 19, 2001 10:24:07 AM new
Im just saying, IT might make more Sense to allow new users to get a bit of experience before they get to use the "Big Gun Neg". Similar to the way Dutch Auctions are handled- Min 10 rating before you get to do one. They could still file a NPB if probs happen- Ive even had someone use the fb option to ask a question about the auction they just won. Theres always room for improvement.
Koplah
RE: Original-
Like it or not, the feedback system is as good as it's ever going to be...........
posted on August 19, 2001 10:34:10 AM new
Think it through:
You cannot prohibit anyone from leaving feedback based on their low feedback rating. This would essentially mean "open season" on the under 10 feedback people. Not exactly fair, is it?
Your comment about Dutch auctions as they relate to your hypothesis is like comparing apples to oranges. Dutch auctions require that the SELLER has a certain amount of feedback, and that's just a minimal attempt to make sure someone has had SOME record before they blast out an auction selling to perhaps hundreds of users in one shot.
posted on August 19, 2001 11:01:00 AM new
I have found that many (not all) new buyers are more generous when it comes to leaving feedback, and do wish old-timers would would take a hint..
As to new buyers paying HIGHER prices, I do not find it to be the rule...
As mentionned already, it all depends on what ones sells. What I DO find though, it that buyers who purchase for Resale DO wait until an item is re-listed many times, waiting for the price to hit bottom ...then they ALL want it...which can drive the price HIGHER,or only attract ONE bid...
The whole thing of buying/selling is a big gamble anyway...No true set rules...at leat in MHO.
posted on August 19, 2001 11:17:50 AM new
Everyones entitled to their own thoughts and mine are that systems have to change and adapt to meet new conditions and remain viable. Ebay changes updates and adapts constantly - smart people - they want to be around so They will update the FB system when it starts to slip badly enough.
. LOL. Gets the job done.
...then they ALL want it...which can drive the price HIGHER,or only attract ONE bid...