Some ideas for ebid - No 5 - Drop some things

[burgyeb]

Wishing isn't enough - you have to do something about it.

Like I said earlier, I'm planning to list a lot more items, and broaden my scope. I've just been and bought some items to do that.
I even have knitting patterns!

I know how many listing I have now, how many I need to replace through sales, and how many more I have to find to reach my target of 200%. It's called having a plan. I now have some new items to photograph and list, as part of that plan.

"To fail to plan, is to plan to fail"

How do you get more people to list more? - You can't. They have to want to do it, in order to promote their own business. Individually, we can all do a bit, but if someone isn't interested enough in their own business to actually work at it, i don't see how anyone else can make them interested.

Julie, you say "I wish IT was doing better" - there is no "IT" - IT is us, the sellers and buyers. If we want to do better, we have to do something to make that happen.

So, rather than blaming aspects of eBid's platform, or dreaming up excuses for our lack of action, let's just do it.

I've made a start.

"Fine words butter no parsnips".

Listing more and listing consistently is a plan I had initiated some time ago, and then it moved to the back burner. I started again yesterday by listing approximately 4% of my existing listings. I estimated if I increased my listings at least by that 4% level each week, I would increase by 201% within 52 weeks (1 year).

Some people can list daily, or several times a week. Time does not allow me to do that, so at least once a week for listing, is probably a reasonable enough goal for me at this time. But as you were saying, the point is "to do something" "just do it". This requires some time away from the forum setting. It becomes a bit clumsy to be communicating in the forums all day long, and work on listings at the same time. My new listings are up for the week. So I can chat a bit without feeling I need "to just do something".

I need to pull up my old thread and formally revisit my goals, once I have gotten a consistent routine established. This can help with the "start stop syndrome". Like you said, just have a plan........even a modest plan of action is better than no plan at all.

[adruml]

Pink - I'm glad you can sell without much effort - that does not apply to the majority -
.

[B]
I consider myself one of the small guys, yet I can make sales here almost without trying.

I also cut & Paste them to other sites when I want quick cash so that I can have my fix of a fishing trip.

Hmmmm.

[Pink_Panther]

Hmmmm.

HMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm???????????????? ??????????????

[adruml]

HMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm???????????????? ??????????????

What??

[olivia8143]

Hmmmm.

If you tell me the tune, I'll hum along

[adruml]

If you tell me the tune, I'll hum along

Led Zeppelin -- Communication Breakdown

[Pink_Panther]

What??

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzz

[bringinitback4less]

I agree with these sentiments.






I consider myself one of the small guys, yet I can make sales here almost without trying.
<certainly without tearing my hair out and going all Rabid on ebid owners>
I sell a "WIDE VARIETY" of stuff at realistic prices.
I park my listings on ebid (where some sell) I also cut & Paste them to other sites when I want quick cash so that I can have my fix of a fishing trip.

If you wan't more exposure, then you need to list more, list competitively and take advice from the forums.
That's it really.

Ok so even you admit when you want to sell quick you cut and paste the listings and place them elsewhere.

I really like ebid. I like the concept. I like the low fees. I am stamp collector so I love the selection of great priced stamps. I am a cheerleader for ebid. I tell others about the site every opportunity that arises.

I need sales, I need money, therefore, I will list my stuff where it sells, Where they point customers at my goods, where basic requirements for sellers are in place (I have bought on ebid and never recd my item or a reply from the seller). I dont think this is good for Ebid but, its not my job to bring customers/shoppers here. Sure I should assist I should try to bring people to ebid primarily though this should be the job of those running the site.

I want to list, sell, ship, provide customer service and then have my payment ready at the end of the month this should be my job as a seller. Maybe this means ebid will not work for me, I can accept that, I still enjoy the little time I spend here.

The reason I post suggestions on improving ebid or point out things I think need changing is because I see so much potential for this site (please do not tell me if i know how to run an auction site then start my own I simply dont have the resources or the knowledge to do so) I can observe what is working elsewhere, I can go to sold listings here and see that whats going on isnt working. There is room for improvement.

Pink I agree to list more would help but without sales I am simply not motivated to do so.
(Friends Please dont go buy something from me for a pity sale pity sales dont help anyone)

[Pink_Panther]

Ok so even you admit when you want to sell quick you cut and paste the listings and place them elsewhere.

I really like ebid. I like the concept. I like the low fees. I am stamp collector so I love the selection of great priced stamps. I am a cheerleader for ebid. I tell others about the site every opportunity that arises.

I need sales, I need money, therefore, I will list my stuff where it sells, Where they point customers at my goods, where basic requirements for sellers are in place (I have bought on ebid and never recd my item or a reply from the seller). I dont think this is good for Ebid but, its not my job to bring customers/shoppers here. Sure I should assist I should try to bring people to ebid primarily though this should be the job of those running the site.

I want to list, sell, ship, provide customer service and then have my payment ready at the end of the month this should be my job as a seller. Maybe this means ebid will not work for me, I can accept that, I still enjoy the little time I spend here.

The reason I post suggestions on improving ebid or point out things I think need changing is because I see so much potential for this site (please do not tell me if i know how to run an auction site then start my own I simply dont have the resources or the knowledge to do so) I can observe what is working elsewhere, I can go to sold listings here and see that whats going on isnt working. There is room for improvement.

Pink I agree to list more would help but without sales I am simply not motivated to do so.
(Friends Please dont go buy something from me for a pity sale pity sales dont help anyone)

I get my sales by listing a wide variety of useful and collectible items at competitive prices.
I've had a lot of sales come through Google search or shopping.


My items are not obscure, They can appeal to the ordinary person as well as the collector.
Whether it's vintage pyrex, fine bone china or crystal glasses I find that it's quality that counts.

I'm not a full time seller, I do it for the pennies which I spend on hobbies.

I don't keep all my eggs in one basket either, but use a variety of sites.
Though I do get sales on ebid, I list here to sell and to be able to cut and paste quickly and easily from those listings when the need arises.

[squern]

I agree with these sentiments.

As for Julie being "Layed into" as you put it , Julie posted her opinions without researching the facts; A lot of people found her argument very provocative and ill thought out.
The YDC auctions being a case in point. These auctions do a lot of good for large & small charities. It is run by members and not by ebid.
<YDC'rs got very upset by this>

When Julie got acquainted with the facts she modified her post. So now she only has two out of three points to campaign on.

<With some already alienated and angry people in her audience>

On the two other points there is some difference of opinion, but nothing major, not worth the effort even to write the thread.

I consider myself one of the small guys, yet I can make sales here almost without trying.
<certainly without tearing my hair out and going all Rabid on ebid owners>
I sell a "WIDE VARIETY" of stuff at realistic prices.
I park my listings on ebid (where some sell) I also cut & Paste them to other sites when I want quick cash so that I can have my fix of a fishing trip.

If you wan't more exposure, then you need to list more, list competitively and take advice from the forums.
That's it really.

It would be a great shame if Julie felt that she had been "laid into". And if anyone else was reticent about posting because they thought that might happen (This isn't eBay!).

We might not agree with Julie's views, but she has every right to express them. We might disagree, but that should be done politely and with support, for someone who is only trying to make things better

The reference to the number of listings is unfortunate - either one is a paid-up member or not, and the amount of one's listings are not a measure of the worth of a comment.

Although I have not agreed with much of what Julie has posted, I have tried to counter with positive suggestions. So, if nothing else she has made us think and may well provoke actions which will benefit all of the site.

So, keep 'em coming Julie, and remember - they laughed at Marconi!