horrible, ugly ?

[retrogoodness]

Not having a having a lifetime subscription (and answering my own question above) I've had my FVF raised to 5%. Still far better than the 10 - 15% elsewhere but 60% increase in one jump is a bit harsh IMO.

Also only my opinion but if you want inventory moving over from obay, you need to get many more of the small sellers that are leaving them, heading here. The lifetime subscription (at £49.99) put many off, at £69.99 it will deter even more.

I'd also try promoting Platinum Listings (or even just make it noticeable) -- 5p to list - 5% FVF, 5 photos + paypal integrated checkout, as the stepping stone to get them here. THEN try persuading them to part with the subscription. And having SOMETHING that shows CLEARLY that there are sales here every day of the week would help as well. Like Sold items in green on the HP or a Transaction Counter for each seller on their listings. PLEASE.

I'm surprised that you havent got a lifetime subscription (?), then your FVF in your case would have went down to 2%. Yes there is an increase in the Lifetime subscription - thats business, but IMO and having experience in having an Ebay shop and paying near £100 per month to run that said shop i think its a worthwhile investment for new Obayers moving over. Luckily on Ebid there are different options to selling which is pretty good.

[theElench]

During the 70s and 80s I lived, worked and bought a house in London which I filled with mainly Art Deco Bric-a-Brac. Selling the house got very messy and I got out of a chain by selling for cash and moving back to my parents with all the Bric-a-Brac in boxes. I moved on but the boxes stayed. They are the sole reason I have been able to list 200 pieces of glass on ebid.

I still have a few boxes in my loft, say another 200, still to be listed. My current collection of perhaps another 200 pieces, fills my flat and cannot grow any bigger. I have sold about 50 - 60 items here, allow another 100 for sales on obay. Total of items that I have sold, would like to have sold or want to sell on ebid = around 500. Using Platinum Listings @ 5p each the cost is about £25 - £30. I certainly don't begrudge ebid 3 or even 5% commission on any sales.

I am better off than many sellers of larger collectables because of this stored back-log. After I have listed it all I will be in the same position as most other collectors of glass or any other collectable that can't be stored in a small space. Listing a few "redundant" items from time to time. But it is unrealistic to expect anyone starting from that position to pay £60 for the privilege of listing those few items with no guarantee of sales.

That, I believe, is a big reason why, in the six years that I have been selling here so few other refugee glass sellers have joined me. Most of the other items in the category I mostly list in have been listed by sellers of stamps, postcards etc. Some have thousands of listings in their main categories with a few collectables added on almost as an after-thought.

The biggest attraction ebid has is its low fees. Platinum listings are perfect for low volume, slow selling collectables especially in the many under-populated niche categories. There is little point in having several selling options if only one is promoted and the other viable alternative is almost invisible.

[squern]

I disagree that the subscription will put people off: I bought one some years ago, and quickly got my money back compared to the cost of ebay listings.
And here I am years later, and I can still list if I want to.
Even at the increased rate, it is still a bargain if you sel any amount of stuff.

[theElench]

Reading "if you sell any amount of stuff" to mean selling stuff in quantity, medium or large quantity. I agree with you, for those with stuff in in that sort of quantity, the subscription is good value. But what about the far larger number of people who don't have a quantity of anything in particular?

The vast majority of would-be sellers who don't have a mansion stuffed with collectables, a warehouse full of produce or even a few filing cabinets full of stamps or postcards. All those casual, part-time sellers who over time and in very small quantities would bring a vast array of inventory to the site and while doing so start buying other sellers stuff. Do they not have a place on ebid?

That sort of seller is never going to take out a subscription without any evidence that doing so is worth their while.

All I'm saying is that Platinum Listings would make a stepping-stone to get some of them on-board, if they were advertised with anything like as much enthusiasm as Seller+ is.

[Policequilts]

I'm confused and haven't got an answer on another thread, so I'll ask again here.

I don't have a lifetime subscription. I use Platinum Listings. The Home Page says "Never pay more than 3% (FVF)"

Help > FAQs > Do you have a list of different auction fees: Shows Basic listings and Platinum Listings, both for non-Seller+ sellers with a FVF of 5%.

Is this an increase from the 3% I have always payed or a mis-print??

There is an increase in lifetime membership and the fee percentages.
It look like eBid now caught all the 3% to 5%.

Agee: 5% and below is a great deal.

[theElench]

Yep, they both say 5% now.

I wonder what, if anything can be inferred from the real increase in fees for non-Seller+ members? As opposed to the potential increase for new members buying Seller+.

The implications need some thought.

[Shesawaya38485]

ahhh, memories of happier, discreet and quite attractive times.....

Attachment 62402


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IMHO, only a diehard Denver Broncos fan would love it! 12 years living in Colorado and seeing houses, cars, etc painted those colors was enough to put me off that color combination! LOL!!!

[yellerbelly]

I disagree that the subscription will put people off: I bought one some years ago, and quickly got my money back compared to the cost of ebay listings.
And here I am years later, and I can still list if I want to.
Even at the increased rate, it is still a bargain if you sel any amount of stuff.

I also bought a subscription when signing up, although I did not recoup my money quickly I have found it worth while, sales are slow here and I do agree that a sales counter for each seller would be advantageous not only for the seller but also the site as very few people leave feedback, I for one have been here since 2013 but does not look like I have sold much because my feedback is only 70 but I can list as much as I want when I want, and I could list more but holding back a bit at the moment due to the lockdown (not that it would make much difference to me for my sales)😣🙄🙄.

On another note Elench could you recommend a book about Glass please as I have collected it over the years and now need to downsize in the next few years so need to move some on and raise some funds. I only collected what I liked so did not bother about who made it but best clear it out myself as I think if my number was called anytime soon 😇😇😇 everything would be skipped to save time.

[theElench]

Oh dear!, To recommend "A" book on glass is impossible, I think. When I started trying to identify my collection I tried trawling through all the "Millers Guides" in the library and didn't find a single one of my pieces. I came to glass because of my love of the Art Deco style and, like you, bought what I liked. Any knowledge I have has been built up since 2012 when I started on-line and I only have two books on glass. One by Angela Bowie on "Bagley Glass" (that's an old edition and out of date as her research has moved on) and a US book on Bedroom and Bathroom glass (that's even older).

Glass is a huge subject. I know little enough about UK and European glass between the wars and am no expert and know next to nothing about any other type. I'm still discovering whole sub-categories of glass that most people have never heard of, yet have enthusiastic collectors, societies and web-sites devoted to them.

I'll happily try to I.D pieces if you send me pictures in Personal Messages (If that's possible). Perhaps we could throw it open to others and start a glass I.D thread in the Collectables Forum (If that's allowed). Again, if you message me I'll send you some of the websites I find most useful when trying to I.D pieces. Trying to research glass is far quicker, easier and cheaper on-line that attempting to do it by buying books.

I only started trying to I.D my collection when I started selling (see post further back) the surplus and still have many unidentified pieces. Some have baffled real experts simply because the makers have closed leaving no record of what they produced.

But beware!! If you start researching you'll fall in love with some of what you have all over again as you learn more about them and quite likely start searching for pieces you see and like even more.

[yellerbelly]

Thank you for the reply and info, I will certainly be in touch by message. I have one set which was my mothers, it is a dressing table set on a tray with the candlesticks, little dishes with lids in Pink Depression glass which I will never part with, I always loved it as a child and I think that was where my interest came from I was able to identify it by one of your listings, thank you for your offer of help and I will be in touch.