How easy is it for new buyers?

[TOPticl]

I have been on ebid over a year now and in that time I have attracted about 50 customers, compared with 1200 "over there". Every buyer "over there" gets a letter with their purchase telling them about ebid - I also email them all every three months or so. But my customer base here is not expanding as I would like. My price here is lower than elsewhere as well.
Recently a customer "over there" bought about 80 items at one go, I discovered he lived locally so I did a personal delivery. Since then I have kept in touch and fed him more information regarding my products and about ebid.
I have just come back from delivering a second major purchase. Chatting on the doorstep he complained about ebid. All he wanted to do was view my items, but having registered once ebid kept "looping back" every time he wanted to see something else. In the end he gave up.

From meeting the chap I must admit he doesn't seem very computer literate (but why should he be) and as a seller here who rarely buys I can't comment on the "buying experience" on ebid.

I have seen other threads here talking about buyers who get "barred" for some minor problem with their registration.

It seems to me that making it easy for people to come an view and then buy items should be right at the top of the list as far as web design is concerned, and I have a very eager and good customer who can't and now won't use this site :-(

[iwiw60]

All he wanted to do was view my items, but having registered once ebid kept "looping back" every time he wanted to see something else. In the end he gave up.

I'm not understanding what your buyer means by "looping back" ....can you give more information???

[TOPticl]

I am afraid I can't be more specific. I was stood on his doorstep and it was raining, plus we had other things to discuss. So I didn't want to hang about.
As I say he is someone not used to computers ( I give him paper details of my products as he doesn't seem to be able to cope with email attachments) so we probably talk a different language when it comes to discussing a "user interface". But he said that having given some details to get him in to view an item, when he tried to look at another it "took him back to the top" and wanted him to start again ????

[iwiw60]

But he said that having given some details to get him in to view an item, when he tried to look at another it "took him back to the top" and wanted him to start again ????

Well, it sounds to me like he's being reverted back to the top of the page so he can put something else in the search box to view a different item...I think you're right...not too puter-literate. BTW...congrats on those great sales to the guy!

[Brunwulf]

ebid do need to do more research/feedback on the issues buyers have, My father is not computer literate and refuses to use ebid (i have tried) but can manage to navigate ebay .

I have just seen something that could be changed, the other sellers items at the bottom of listings, some times has a copy of the listing you are already viewing, therefor you can get in a loop situation.

This could be what the buyer is experiencing , it should be easy fix for ebid to remove the listing you are viewing from the array of other auction results

[iwiw60]

Good point, jimbo...makes me think you're right in your thinking that this buyer was clicking on that area and getting caught up in a loop situation.

[Brunwulf]

Good point, jimbo...makes me think you're right in your thinking that this buyer was clicking on that area and getting caught up in a loop situation.

Thanks, yes , it could just be as simple as that

Great to see you using my buyitsellit ebid graphic, i will have to make a updated purple one

[iwiw60]

Thanks, yes , it could just be as simple as that

Great to see you using my buyitsellit ebid graphic, i will have to make a updated purple one

Jimbo....YES, PLEASE make an updated one...let me know when you do!!

[deanosaur1972]

TOPticl

It would be a lot easier for your customers if you were to put your items in a shop (store) setting rather than just listing on the site. By not doing that it makes it very much more difficult to navigate around your listings. I understand what your customer means by looping as he is clicking on the images of other items below to take him to another listing but the images at the bottom of that listing will be the same as before.

Its vital for you to have a shop.......... then you could put your photographs into categories and make it really easy for buyers to find there way around, not only that but it would give you more of an 'identity'. Then you can put a nice little link at the bottom of each listing to take customers to your shop front page....

I think you are losing a hell of a lot of sales because of that - the collectables market on here is booming!

Good luck

[TOPticl]

Thanks for the tip. So tomorrow's task will be to research "shops". I had avoided them up til now as all my items fit into a single category really - either that or about 50 categories. Let's see what tomorrow brings :-)