I respect all of the opinions here, and I agree with almost all of the facts expressed. I just want to ad my pet peeve. Bad photos!! It would have to be an incredible deal for me to look twice at a listing with out of focus, improperly lit, or badly exposed photos. Aside from the lack of information conveyed, it speaks to me of the quality of the seller. And I follow my own persuasion about that in everything I list. I always use a tripod, rarely a flash, and if it doesn't come out properly it never leaves my camera.
Completely agree. As a seller, my photos have to be good or I re-shoot. I try to have multiple photos in my listing. As a buyer. I won't buy from a seller with poor photos. If they have poor photos, there is usually something else missing from the listing. It just doesn't feel right, so I don't bid.
From my perspective, sloppy work with the photos implies a sloppy person. Therefore I fear how well they've kept the item, how decently described, etc. I won't bid.
Most of this has been said, but just my 2 cents... I have run an online (non model) biz for over a decade. What I have learned, is that people behave like herds... For no rhyme or reason, they will buy nothing one month, then flood you the next. So timing can have a big effect, but it is still not predictable, because the timing does not typically coincide with any time-frame. And as said... Things are far from the way they were 15-20 years ago. I use to have a bunch of N stuff back then, which I had collected since I was a kid. I would periodically put batches of cars and other stuff up, and it would sell for almost original retail or considerably better. The last time I put up a batch of stuff was a few years ago, and it didn't sell at all, after three tries. There's all kinds of things to blame for this, but I think one problem is that eBay simply doesn't attract as many quality buyers anymore. Back when the "buy it now" was introduced, it basically turned the site into a clearing house for cheap junk, that wannabe business start-ups try and unload. Then add the host of scammers and nuts... and a lot of decent people with money just don't want to bother anymore. Case in point... Twice I have caught this guy taking old RR photos off a site I have... printing them out, then selling them as "prints" on eBay. When stuff like that goes on, it turns people away from the site in droves. If you're not in a hurry, maybe list stuff individually as a 'buy it now', for the price you really want... and just wait. It might be a while though.
Okay, here is my take on the Ebay thing. I only go there when I can't find it anywhere else, on-line or locally. I am not into playing games. I have been with them since 1999 and have a 94 rating, no negative responses. I ALSO, will not buy from someone who does not provide CLEAR & ACCURATE photos. (Cellphone photos don't do it for me.) ALSO, most of the time, there is almost something missing in the description. IF you can't spell, use Spellcheck! It's kind of like, "It was owned by a little old lady who only drove it to church and to the grocery store." But they won't say is her grandson, used it at Lion's Dragstrip, the other 6 days of the week. Also, look around at the other listings. If an item is listed for $10.00 in the USA, and you list your identical product for $25.00, I'll roll right on buy yours. You want to sell something, then make the price competitive. Dont waste my time telling me it's "one of a kind", when I can look it up on Ebay or Google, and make a liar out of you. 1. I always look for FREE shipping. (Yeah, I know the price is more than likely a little higher. BUT not always. AND-I like not having to hassle paying seperate shipping.) 2. I only shop IN THE USA. 3. I only select BUY IT NOW. I don't want to play those silly a$$ed games. Did I win, didn't I win, WHY NOT? Whaa. Enough of that crap. BUY IT NOW, only! 4. I watch things for MONTHS. Sometimes they get re-posted, sometimes not. My take on this is, "Oh well, you snooze you loose." and I move on Eventually the price may drop? Or someone else will buy it for the listed price. If that is the case, then I will pay that price, also. That's how I deal with Ebay, and that's my 2 cents worth.
more ebay seller ideas for great results Thanks for all the great input, its very helpful as I go through this process. A few observations (open end) for ebay sellers: Where to List?: Locos and rolling stock got the most page views when listed in: Toys & Hobbies > Model Railroads & trains > N Scale > manufacturer name However, buildings got more views when listed in: Toys & Hobbies > Model Railroads & trains > N Scale > Buildings A bidder bought some psgr cars thinking they were HO. He didn't read the header as shown above. So now I always include "N Scale" somewhere within the body of the description. Not effective. Each time I did, I got ONE bid, usually at the end of the auction, and that was it. I set my opening bids very low, so you can't afford NOT to bid if you want it. This puts my item on your ebay opening page, and greatly increases the chance you will re-bid before the auction ends. If an auction has watchers and no bidders, I'll reduce the opening bid. That often turns watchers into bidders, so an item "doesn't get away too cheap". A seller really has to believe in the allure of an open auction to draw bids up to the item's value, but it has worked well for me. As long as an item is getting lots of page views, I trust it will sell for what its really worth. I agree 100%. When I start an item at a very low opening bid, I can't offer free shipping at that price point. Bidders don't like surprises. After a few early goofs, now I only quote flat rate for shipping that may cover my postage cost:Say, $2.00 for a single car or $3 for a pair of cars. No complaints so far. I never add handling fees, or recapture of ebay or paypal fees! Great advice! Flat rate priority is convenient and offers free boxes, but works best for heavy items, not train cars & buildings. Glad I'm not the only one recycling boxes! PACKING: Use corrugated cardboard boxes only. Boxes of one-layer "shirt cardboard" have no burst strength and dont hold up. The only return I had was when I used a box that checks came in to send a car. It arrived damaged. Furniture wrapping foam works best, and bubble wrap is fine. No one likes getting a boxful of foam packing peanuts. HERE's the SECRET to inexpensive shipping: Make your package weigh 13oz or less: USPS 13oz First Class package: $3.47 .. USPS 14oz package rate: $6.73 .. USPS Small Priority Mail Flat Rate Box: $5.80 .. choose wisely. One N scale car can be mailed for $2.04 using ebay's online discounted shipping. COMMUNICATION SKILLS: Buyers don't like surprises, and email is free. I send one when I get paid, when the item is boxed and ready to ship, and when its been dropped off at the post office. If I list something similar, I'll email the underbidders to let them know there's another one up for bid. Hope some of this is helpful, or at least food for thought. I've moved over $1,000 in model RR items in December and again in January, with more to come. As always, comments and suggestions are most welcome. Thanks! My ebay ID is: 200*MPH (don't forget the *)
I have seen many an occasion during my tenure with that site, where situations such as this show up. Plenty of times, a $25.00 price was very fair or even better. Then someone comes in with a lowball or simply dumping it undercut price of $10.00. This does not mean the $25.00 seller did even the slightest thing wrong. Or that the $10.00 offering is actually better. So reality is the $25.00 seller does not have an obligation to bleed themselves in an attempt to be "more competitive." Yes, you may certainly pass it by. But the $25.00 seller may already be losing enough. Thus giving it away to be competitive, is simply taking it in the shorts, for no good reason.
No, still don't agree. Setting a lowball price may result in getting exactly that lowball price. I've had some people tell me that they will throw stuff away (perfectly good stuff, not the garbage we frequently discuss here) rather than net two or three bucks for an item. And that's what some people want to pay, and they want free shipping via transporter beam and they won't bother to leave feedback. It's hard for me to argue with that point of view. In theory, years ago, one would have been safer with low price point start, because there would be action from multiple bidders. Not as true now. It really depends on what's being sold-- sometimes. (And as I buyer I have benefitted from this.) I think much of the eBay audience has gone away... some of it is eBay specific and some of it is just more global conditions (and that's as far as I will go on that).
I'll agree somewhat to the above post. Ebay benefits me now much more as a buyer as opposed to a seller because most buyers are more savvy, and the sellers know it. So, if I know what I want and I'm patient, I'll get a good deal. Man, in the early days, I used to love selling stuff and watch the feeding frenzy. Doesn't seem to happen as much any more.
Been there, done that, had those exact results too many times. Great for the buyer, however wasting my precious time, and losing of money is no benefit for me. I can see why items get tossed, and why many people I know have stopped listing altogether. Not just model RR, but railroadiana, automobilia, petroliana, sports collectibles, electronics and more. Packed back away, or sold via other non-'Net venues unavailable to most of us. In their very earliest days, that site was totally different. After more than sixteen and a half years aboard, I can see how it has evolved. (Devolved?) I agree with George about the audience.
Well, not everyone has a $500 + camera that make's professional photo's . So far I have not had any complaints about the photo's from my $100 camera and no I'm not sloppy because of my cheap camera . I guess I rather spend money on my train hobby than camera's but if you have the extra money to buy the good camera's good for you. One thing that gets me when I put a buy it now or best offer ,why do people offer half the price .If I wanted half the price I would start it at half price. I guess it is worth a shot for them. Maybe I should start the item at twice what I want .Then half would be fine, I may have to try that. As for when to end them ,to me any more any time will work. In the past Sunday night was the best time but seems like anymore it is not. Oh well ,this is a interesting thread. Thanks for starting it. Rick PS. I think my reply is a little messy ,must be the camera. ; )
A decent camera is very affordable today. There are high megapixel, auto focusing, auto light adjusting 'point & shoot' on sale all the time, many well under $100. Better than the blurry quick grab by a cell phone camera.
Some of the current smart phones actually have very good cameras in them. Part of the reason that the smaller digital cameras have gotten so cheap is because demand / sales for them is WAY down, in part because of the cameras in the smart phones. And yes, good photos are really important. I have a few items listed this week if anyone is interested in seeing. http://www.ebay.com/sch/nscalestation/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from= I feel that we (railroader modelers) have a better than average quality of folks in our community both on ebay and outside of ebay. I’ve never had a problem with a buyer on any of my N scale auctions but have had a few on the R/C items. Brad Myers Peninsula Ntrak / AsiaNrail My Blogs: http://www.n-scale-dcc.blogspot.com/ http://www.palisadecanyonrr.blogspot.com/ http://tokyo-in-nscale.blogspot.com/
Maybe they watch too much TV….the offer half the price tactic is what they do on those pawn shop TV series.
Yes, that's true. I think the aim was to disallow "advertising" on the photo directly (like, for example a website outside of eBay) but of course there are unintended consequences...
Hi All Really interesting thread! I know the last post was a while back, but I thought I'd add my own experiences. No doubt eBay has changed over the years and I've traded since 1999 with multiple accounts (simply reflecting major differences in products) and traded on ebay USA as well as here at home in Australia. The most consistent thing I found is that Sunday ending auctions are the best. Start Sunday for 7 days. Time of day is almost irrelevant for global appeal items. However, I rarely auction these days and run stores with BiN pricing set at what I think it is worth with a best offer option. Yes, I get stupid offers, but I try to respond with a 'polite thanks, but no'. The things I have noted for sellers with sufficient volumes, is that 300+ listings gets you some difference in the ebay search results, we simply get more frequent sales and offers and conversations. Drop to 250 or less and things seem to dry up. I can only figure that ebay looks at the numbers or fees or some statistic that gives us a boost. This also seems to tie in with the fickle market concept, where you get nothing for months on an item or item type, and then you get a rush like you are the only game in town. Funny thing with offers, if you get an offer, do not jump on it, I generally wait out the couple of days and sometimes I get a second offer from another buyer, and all too often the item sells at full asking price, within the wait time of the first offer. Again, I think it may be as much eBay search results actively promoting ads to the top of a list on a periodic cycle rather than the co-incidence of multiple buyers suddenly all looking for the same item. OK, that's enough of my waffle. Thanks to all the other posters in this thread for an interesting and informative read. cheers Tony
Speaking of burning sellers on shipping, I did that once.. I seen a pair of aiwa speakers with built in subs and the starting bid was $5 something and shipping was $10. I won it for $15 and some change- it cost her $40 and change to send. I had to open a case on her due to no communication after the auction ended. I got her phone number from eBay and when I called her she hung up on me. So I was happy she got burnt. If she was smart she coulda just gave me a refund-no harm no foul- but she ended up biting the bullet and sending them to me. God bless inexperienced sellers . This is why if I go to sell something on there I will only sell small light in weight things. Or atleast do my homework on shipping charges from the carrier.
Most folks, in the days of "free shipping" proclaimed all over the planet on TV, have no clue as to what it actually costs to ship an item. I do the IT for a bunch of retail websites that ship perishable items, which require overnight or two day air shipments, and customers actually expect a ten dollar item to ship across the US overnight for free or almost nothing. No wonder Amazon.com lost 4.1 Billion Dollars in actual shipping costs vs. what customers actually paid. And then there are the enumerable "if it fits, it ships" ads from USPS, of course they don't mention what the shipping cost is, nor that it must fit in their specific boxes. Either way, most consumers have no clue as to the real cost of shipping, so your seller's reaction is quite comprehensible. Best, Bill
