posted on September 2, 2000 12:45:03 AM new
Hey All! Reading over 9/1 entries impressed me how knowledgable you all are about Yahoo and only having done auctions for 2 weeks now, I am intent on soaking up all the info I can get. These boards really help. SOOO....let me pick your brains. Here's the deal. I list on eBay and Yahoo and Amazon. Also several smaller sites only cuz they're free but I don't expect much from them - as much as I do the BIG THREE. Of these 3, only eBay gets me consistent bidding and even some healthy bidding wars! It's been great. At the same time, I have had not one sale on the other two. I've tried changing categories, doing bold face, etc, no difference. My items are garden related, handmade and unique for $14.95 and they sell elsewhere thru retailers and catalogs for upwards of $70.00 so they are quite a bargain here. I just don't get it. The pagehits seem decent, equal to eBay. What's going on? Same is true of Amazon.Any help from you veterens would be greatly appreciated. Bif
posted on September 2, 2000 01:16:31 AM new
Scroll through earlier Yahoo threads with tips for new sellers, and try using the "buy price" and "first bid wins" strategies. Many Yahoo buyers want to make instant purchases rather than waiting a week for an auction to end.
Bidding's been pretty quiet on Yahoo lately, and they're implementing new software changes, which has had listings chaotic and jumbled this week (hadn't you noticed???). Don't pay for bold titles---they're a waste of money...but featuring the last day or two might do some good. Just spend some time and read back over threads from the last few weeks for GREAT suggestions.
posted on September 2, 2000 08:54:19 AM new
one of the problems with not selling on yahoo is the Items your selling are very narrow.
frist hand made gradening tools area great item but they are aimed at gradeners and those buying this type of gift and are only thought about in most of the USA dureing gradening season
also two weeks is not long enough on yahoo to judge auctions yahoo is a very laid back slow pace one week you might get swamped with bids and orders for a month little to none.
Another thing I can tell no one how to run there auctions or why but you say you list on all these little sights not that you expect much but because there free.
Time is our most valuable Item.
I list on ebay and yahoo not because they are free or because they cost money but because I know I will get a return for my time.
you make gradening tools you know your items are worth $XX.XX .
ok let me put it like this if I took 20 or 40 hours building a new computer from the ground up , cost $1500 includes everything.
Now I want to sell this computer so I make a picture or to write up a listing and I list my computer on yahoo never intending to make much on it but just because yahoo was there its free.
it sits there for a month unsold yet with time and cost I have over $2000 invested .
I know that I could have sold the computer better and faster at yahoo or even in the local news paper.
see Addidtude is evrything even if your a casual seller. see remember the story we heard as a kid about the little train that though he could it works it really works.
point is never invest time effort and money in anything you dont beleave in weather its the tools you make or the listing you make for them.
if you dont beleave tools will sell some where dont list them there. find another niche market you can sell in that auction site and beleave in what you sell.
also Remember your additude about your sales in each site even when you do get a sale will show up to your customers you do sell to there.
watch the ebay message board here for exsamples one week sales are booming and the seller like oh yes happy dance sales are crazy im makeing a bizzlion dollars.
two weeks later same buyer God im so depressed I list 40 items they didnt sell out in fact I only had 5 sales just barely paid for listing if ebay doesnt pick up im gonna give up and die some one come cheer me up let me know there sales are bad too and 20 people come to the rescue with bash ebay threads.
Not only does this additude come off to there buyers in this time in the way of ads that are as goos sellers but it comes out in there EOAs to there costumers many will be down and incress TOS on auctions also many of there buyers read these boards and see this additude who wants to place a bid with someone whos saying I cant sell im loseing money im gonna not list to hell with auctions they think if there not gonna be around im not gonna buy
and all the ebay sucks thread and look I found shill seller threads and so on do they really help build there business I kinda doubt it very much Buyer and seller read these boards snippers read alot of them and ebay sales sometime get dependent on sniper bid not so much yahoo.
posted on September 2, 2000 02:42:11 PM new
Hey dman! Speaking of valuable time, yours is as valuable as mine and the fact that you took some of it to respond to me is very much appreciated. You have very strong opinions and I respect that.
I'm not new to business (just auctions)and I know that there are ups and downs in every aspect of it. It's good to be reminded of that! For me, being so new, I feel it is in my best interest to allow alot of venues to show me what they can do for me, rather than just one at a time for a long period of time. In this way, I can get alot of info at once, watch the trends and make an informed decision. That's why I try alot of venues. As I grow and educate myself about all this I can better decide where my "niche" is.
You are right in attitude. It is everything. We must treat our customers very well. I know thats what I look for when Im the customer. In fact, thats pretty much how I do most of my marketing and approaches to customers. I always ask myself"How would I like to be treated if the tables were turned" or "Would I be attracted to this ad?" and "What would make me want to come back to a seller and become "loyal" to them."
You are a very loyal auctioner to your venues , it is apparent.
I will take your wisdom and think hard about what you've said.
Thank you for your encouragement and again, for your time. Bif
