topic Re: AUCTION VS GTC !!?? in Selling

AUCTION VS GTC !!??

5kazam — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 07:09:24 GMT

Currently, I am more than pleased that all BINS are now GTC. I have sold more pieces on AUCTION in the last few weeks than I think I sold the previous 12 months. (Australian Pottery for those who don’t have a need to take a squiz at what I have listed.)

It seems that Auctions are now getting a look in. I list for 7 days, no auto relist (to take advantage of the $1 weekend promotion – how long that goes for is anyone’s guess!!)

The whole GTC thing reminds me of when I was super naïve about how eBay worked (now I’m only naïve).

I used to have FREIGHT on all my listings, as I didn’t know which part of Australia my items would be going to, so figured I couldn’t put a post cost up there, as they were all different shapes, sizes and weights. (eg. Vic cheap, WA dear, NT horrendous, and I’ve sent to all those places, still do).

One day I bored myself stupid by going through all the listings on Australian Pottery – and hey! FINALLY found my listings on pages 98-99 of 100 pages. (Instant learning curve there!!)

So I’m wondering if my former FREIGHT option is now effectively the same as GTC.

It’s the only thing I can think of as to why I’ve suddenly sold so many ‘stale’ items recently, and why a lot of you are saying sales are dead.

Just putting a thought out there.

(I hope I haven’t put the mozz on myself with this post)

Re: AUCTION VS GTC !!??

kitschkoven — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 08:05:16 GMT

I can't really offer an opinion here but I too have made a few sales lately which puzzles me TBH (not that I'm complaining). I'm sure this time last year I was flatlining.

I put something up for auction last week that I was sure would net me $80+, as someone else sold the same item for that amount the previous week (there was a bidding war)... only to find that no-one even bidded (bid?) on mine. The flippin' 'eck? Typical Ebay I suppose.

Good on you for making some sales! 🙂

Re: AUCTION VS GTC !!??

5kazam — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 08:15:06 GMT

Thank you for your congrats.

Re your item didn't get a bid - I once listed a pair of collectable Swagman Pottery S&P's. Started at around $25 (from memory). Sold for $225. Found another pair a few years later, and thought, okay....!!!! Made a bit eventually, but sold for $50.

I really think that comes down to right buyer, right time. Not necessarily an eBay thing.

Re: AUCTION VS GTC !!??

5kazam — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 08:20:09 GMT

Oh, and I used to have a good run up to Christmas, last one.....zilch. Then I used to also have a good January (after people had sorted their CC's after Christmas...... this year zilch.

It's only since GTC has come in that I've had so many sales.

But I'm certainly not whinging. Freeing up a lot of storage space in the garage.

Re: AUCTION VS GTC !!??

kopenhagen5 — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 08:24:17 GMT

Good on you.

I agree, I have put a few on auction and they have sold as opposed to BIN.

Admittedly I reduced the price for the auctions but some have gone over the initial BIN.

BTW, do you ever see any Vagn Nykel pottery ?

Re: AUCTION VS GTC !!??

5kazam — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 08:27:34 GMT

Thank you.

And I do see it occasionally. I'll keep you in mind when I find the next piece.

Re: AUCTION VS GTC !!??

5kazam — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 08:49:00 GMT

Sorry for the short reply before. The Nykel bit got me.

You are getting my drift though, that things are selling on auction - where they haven't been for soooo long.

Re: AUCTION VS GTC !!??

kopenhagen5 — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 08:56:09 GMT

No, I appreciate succinct replies. All good.

And yes perhaps the whole GTC thing has lit the fire under auctions again.

We wanted to market a product V. Nykel produced in the 1980's when we imported Scandinavian giftware.

Be nice if I can get a couple.

They were a coffee cup on a little stand that can accommodate a tea candle underneath.

I know it's a long shot but if you do see anything let me know. Cheers.

Re: AUCTION VS GTC !!??

5kazam — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 08:57:33 GMT

Eyes are now peeled.

Re: AUCTION VS GTC !!??

bright.ton42 — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 09:46:09 GMT

Um, what is GTC?

Re: AUCTION VS GTC !!??

digital*ghost — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 10:03:54 GMT

@5kazam wrote:

I used to have FREIGHT on all my listings, as I didn’t know which part of Australia my items would be going to, so figured I couldn’t put a post cost up there, as they were all different shapes, sizes and weights. (eg. Vic cheap, WA dear, NT horrendous, and I’ve sent to all those places, still do).

One day I bored myself stupid by going through all the listings on Australian Pottery – and hey! FINALLY found my listings on pages 98-99 of 100 pages. (Instant learning curve there!!)

So I’m wondering if my former FREIGHT option is now effectively the same as GTC.

Freight means no postage cost specified.

Listings with no postage cost specified always appear after all listings with postage costs, at least in the majority of sort orders, (newly listed or ending soonest and they'll be in the correct position, but they are given very low priority in best match, and will appear after all other listings in a price + postage, lowest first order; which is arguably the most common used aside from best match).

A lot of buyers like to know postage costs up front - people will pay $2.50 to use an ATM that doesn't belong to their branch, rather than walk 100m to an ATM they can use for free, and they'll pay a higher price to not have to buy and be surprised by post costs, or go through the rigamarole of messaging to find out, if another seller has something that compares with all costs specified up front.

Freight should be avoided wherever possible, and either calculated postge or rate tables used instead.

Re: AUCTION VS GTC !!??

kopenhagen5 — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 10:14:34 GMT

@bright.ton42 wrote:
Um, what is GTC?

Good Til Cancelled. Automatically roll over each month.

Buy it now listings had 30 days or less as an option but now all BIN listings are GTC.

That means sellers with more listings than their allocated free listings need to be careful because GTC means each month they will relist and automatically take away from the freebies.

So sellers are reverting to a mix of auctions and BIN listings.

Seems auctions are now attracting more sales than before the change.

Re: AUCTION VS GTC !!??

5kazam — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 10:16:43 GMT

I woke up to that after I did the boring 'have a look and see where your listings are'.

But that was a few years ago, and I agree NEVER use freight as your post option.

That's why I'm thinking that GTC is now, possibly, relegated to the equivalent of freight.

Re: AUCTION VS GTC !!??

digital*ghost — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 10:19:38 GMT

The age of a listing definitely plays a part in its best match ranking, which affects GTC listings more than auctions or the previously available 30-day BINs.

Every time a listing is returned in a search result (whether the buyer claps eyes on it or not) it counts as an impression.

Listings that accrue impressions but don't sell lose ranking.

Re: AUCTION VS GTC !!??

5kazam — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 10:29:28 GMT

Chat on that one tomorrow. Long day.

Re: AUCTION VS GTC !!??

casbit33 — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 03:31:17 GMT

It seems that Auctions are now getting a look in. I list for 7 days, no auto relist (to take advantage of the $1 weekend promotion – how long that goes for is anyone’s guess!!)

The whole GTC thing reminds me of when I was super naïve about how eBay worked (now I’m only naïve).

One day I bored myself stupid by going through all the listings on Australian Pottery – and hey! FINALLY found my listings on pages 98-99 of 100 pages. (Instant learning curve there!!)

So I’m wondering if my former FREIGHT option is now effectively the same as GTC.

It’s the only thing I can think of as to why I’ve suddenly sold so many ‘stale’ items recently, and why a lot of you are saying sales are dead.

Just putting a thought out there.

(I hope I haven’t put the mozz on myself with this post)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

I have changed all my listings over to auction with a buy-it-now option. 10 days plus auto relists give me 90 days without worrying.

I can't believe how many sales I am getting on all my accounts.

most are bidding with the odd buy-it-now.

The only down-side is when the auction finishes some people are slow to pay, which you don't usually get with BIN.

I won't be going to GTC any time.

Re: AUCTION VS GTC !!??

5kazam — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 04:11:21 GMT

Re slower payment on Auction.

I have the opposite situation. Email from eBay 'Sale Confirmed'. Within 5 minutes PP notification of 'Instant Payment made'. But I do wish they would wait for an invoice.

In a few situations, I've refunded money to the buyer's PP a/c as they have overpaid because they purchased more than one item (combined post). In another one recently, I asked the buyer if courier was an option (yes, please), I was in a position of being able to refund around 40% of the post paid. And as I only list/sell on the $1 weekends, didn't have to go through any hassle of getting a credit back from eBay.

* And another 3 sales happening ATM - definitely a happy Jan.

Re: AUCTION VS GTC !!??

springyzone — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 22:03:40 GMT

Well done!

I would not have thought to look at your items but had a quick glance after you mentioned them & I suspect they are the type of items best suited to auctions.

With my buyer's hat on: If I see a collectable with a set price on it, I might tend to think that must be pretty much what the market value is, unless I have prior knowledge to say otherwise. Set prices are for your run of the mill products.

But when it is on auction, I see it as the 'starting price' and know it may go for much more. Then of course if one or two other people bid on it, it can confirm that I was right, it's an item worth having.

Psychological thing I guess. But (for me) it applies mainly to collectables or one offs, so your items fit right into that category.

I also agree that having a set or known price for postage is what buyers prefer.

Re: AUCTION VS GTC !!??

chameleon54 — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 22:08:47 GMT

I ran 28 auctions in the last few days. Only 3 sales, all at the starting bid. Listed the items as BINS once auctions had finished and sold 2 more immediately. All up it was a fairly disappointing result, as these should have been red hot sellers.

My regular store sales are still going very well, but I suspect buyers are becoming very shy about discretionary spending, which could account for the disappointing auction results.

Re: AUCTION VS GTC !!??

chameleon54 — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 22:14:15 GMT

@ springyzone - The items I put to auctions where rare collectables in a specialist ( and popular ) field. I did an advanced search of completed listings before listing mine and did note that very few had been offered or sold recently. I,m not sure what all that means, but its trying to tell us something.