posted on October 25, 2000 02:09:42 PM new
I have been selling on Ebay for the past two+ years and have, begrudgingly, resigned myself to their all-too-frequent outages and revenue-draining fees for the simple reason that I sell Antiques & Collectibles. Since I cannot increase my sales by multiple listings on Yahoo, I must plod along submissively with Ebay.
If there are any other Yahoo Antiquers out there, I would Greatly appreciate your sharing your experiences and advice. I'd love to tell Ebay to place it in a "never sees the sun" spot, but a guy has to make a living. Ebay's huge audience seems like the only place for selling antiques and collectibles.
posted on October 25, 2000 02:47:15 PM new
harmonygrove - the best thing to do is to go to "search" then "advanced" and search for things you want to sell and you will see the prices others have gleaned.
Be aware that this search will only pull up SOLDS, and not auctions that closed without bids, or with unmet reserves.
Poke around, and you'll have your answer. If you do not see anything in the vein where you specialize, then this is probably the best news of all because then you are free to make the market. Am I kidding? No.
It is simply a myth that Ebay has "all the bidders, most of the bidders, the good bidders, etc." Yahoo has more PEOPLE than any site on the Internet, and guess what? Some of them like to shop antiques.
Ask yourself this.
In the real world, does a person who shops antiques shop only one store, when there is another around the corner?
[ edited by VeryModern on Oct 25, 2000 03:12 PM ]
posted on October 25, 2000 03:16:15 PM new
Hi Verymodern: Thank you very much for the information. I've got to get out from under the jaws of Ebay.
sejohns
posted on October 25, 2000 04:16:11 PM new
Also selling collectibles, and I'm in the process of moving all my "inventory" to Yahoo! I see a lot of potential, but it is a different ball game, and I'm learning that a lot of it is overcoming that "eBay mindset". It doesn't cost to list to Yahoo!, and you can resubmit continually. It's kind of like having your merchandise out in the mall. If you want, you can set a "take it price" and sell immediately when someone offers that much, or list with the option to end early, if you get your minimum bid and that's an acceptable selling price for you. I'm seeing a LOT more page hits over there than I was on Ebay, but bids have been slow--I'm sure that my being (new) is partially responsible for that. I'm going to give it some time, and keep listing on eBay while I learn the ropes.
always pickersangel everywhere
posted on October 25, 2000 08:21:20 PM new
Yes, you can! I have given up Ebay completely and am very pleased with Yahoo-I seriously doubt they could lure me back.
I sell only antiques and collectibles, and they may stay listed for 3 months (not usually, though) until the person who is looking for that particular object finds your auction. Think what that would cost at Ebay!! And I am finding that the buyers are for the most part, friendlier, better about paying, and not so 'serious' as the Ebayers.
List everything you have, since you've got 1000 auctions, and keep them listed. they will sell, and it won't cost you anything!
posted on October 26, 2000 06:11:45 AM new
Thanks to all you loyal Yahooers for the good advice and words of encouragement.
I did some searching on closed Yahoo auctions and, yes, it is definitely more akin to an online store than an auction since most items only got one bid. I'll have to stick my toe in the Yahoo waters and try listing a few items at my selling price. Normally on Ebay, I would list items starting at my purchase price and hope for the best. Yahoo definitely is a great avenue for sales...just with a different twist.
posted on October 29, 2000 06:58:17 AM new
harmonygrove
When I am seeking and checking out a new auction site I USE TO CHECK THE BIDS AND SALES - but discovered that doesn't always tell you what is really happening on a site - YAHOO is a good example.
If you do a search of closed auctions on Yahoo, you don't pick up any of the thousands of auctions that closed on a 1ST BID WINS - so it is hard to judge how much is really selling using that approach.
I know we sell tons of items on Yahoo, all on 1ST BID WINS, but one could never see those sales on a search.
posted on October 31, 2000 08:12:20 AM new
While I'm still just getting started on YAHOO selling in any volume I have used an approach for some higher priced new items ($150.00 range)that might be useful for antiques.
One complaint I've heard is that the starting price for items are too high. I think sellers feel that they may only get one bid and have to protect themselves. If that's the case, why not just use 1st Bid Wins/Buy Price and side step the extended time involved in the auction process.
With the new item, which had identical product being offered by other sellers as regular auctions, I just listed using 1st Bid Wins at a dollar less than the lowest price of completed sales.
While my inventory lasted I was often able to sell two or three a week. I think people searched, saw the market and choose to complete a deal rather than wait out the auctions. This happened even when some other listings started at a dollar with a reserve. I even had cases of people contacting me and buying two or three units at the same time.
While this is more easily done with new products I've wondered if the 1st Bid Wins approach might not attract sales among more common Antiques and Collectibles.
It is a retail listing mixed in among auctions and cuts off the potential for a bidding war but it does move product.
As my number of listings increase with some range of similar products available (for example vintage, unsmoked pipes) I'm also experiencing buyers ordering several items at the same time.
It's certainly different than the auction experience at ebay. I'm starting to think of my YAHOO auctions as equal to a listing of items on a seperate web site.
I use the feature auction credits from my eBay feedback to highlight a number of items and emphasize in each listing that I have a number of similar items and invite the customer to view all my listings. I also mention reduced s/h for combined purchases. I need to set-up a YAHOO storefront and include a link in each listing but that's just another item on the "to do" list which is slowly working itself towards the top.
I also feature a one cent auction each week to attract visits and hopefully have customers look at my entire list of offerings.
I do ship internationally and find more and more of the sales are out of the US. It does take more work what with payment and shipping issues but I believe that is the nature and future of online sales and I just have to learn how to make it work.
The YAHOO pace is so different I also think of it as a quiet place to go hid out when that other site gets too crazy for me.
Things went dead for me right after the change over to credit cards but the last three weeks have been much better. I see YAHOO as a long term supplement to eBay auctions which seem to be getting better while eBay just gets harder and more frustrating.
I feel that YAHOO has promise for my future which is not the way I feel about eBay.
