Continuous listings

[oddsandendsoz]

Hi all, I hope your store is fairing OK given the state of things at the moment.

I was just wondering, over the years many have recommended that in order to try to increase sales it is a good idea to do a few of the following;

1) Create new listings regularly

2) Edit old and tired listings from time to time

3) Bulk edit to make listing appear 'new again'.

4) continuously check your pricing

I have found that these do appear to work to an extent, with the creating new listings by far the greatest success. Obviously this is hard to do forever because you end up being a bigger store than you want, can afford, or run out of storage/resources. In an attempt to keep that going I have tended to buy low value items to keep the listings trickling but even that in this economy is not easy to maintain.

Just wondering if anyone has any ideas that they have found worked? I wondered if you end older listings and say wait a day or two and then 'sell similar' would this count as an new listing in eBay's algorithms or is it solely on the number of listings overall increasing?

[oddsandendsoz]

Thanks p9! Some excellent pointers and sound advice. I believe I am offering all the things you mention so the foundations are there. I totally get your point about the algorithms and the fact that they should be a secondary consideration. I think given the foundations are in place, I am now looking at the other aspects that I can sort of control like the algorithms, especially in the current economic climate.

Appreciate the input and the inspiration you have provided.

[oddsandendsoz]

I agree. I fell for the eBay 'suggestion' in the past but all it does is make your items seem even more expensive and as you and others suggest, it does not help when buyers purchase multiple items. I now mainly charge the postage separately. I have noticed little difference either way.

[davewil1964]

Consistent.

I increased listing by about 50% when the 250k came in. My sales rose by about 20% (excluding Covid when they rose 300%) and have been fairly consistent.

[oddsandendsoz]

Thanks Dave. Those figures are somewhat consistent with my own observations, in that increasing listings had a similar impact. It seems the only way to increase sales is to list more, or obviously in an ideal world stumble across items that are more desirable.

I am wondering if anyone who has been selling here for a long time has completely shifted their focus on what they once sold and now sell? I have two accounts, one more specialized and the other very much general, some things obviously sell better so it is a learning curve of course.

[sugar249]

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@oddsandendsoz wrote:

I am wondering if anyone who has been selling here for a long time has completely shifted their focus on what they once sold and now sell? I have two accounts, one more specialized and the other very much general, some things obviously sell better so it is a learning curve of course.

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Kind off,  I started on one stream of sales,  which is still going strong,  but whilst at a product fare found some totally different goods,  which I purchased a few different types, found they sold well, and after about 6 months split them of to a 2nd store which is doing as well if not better at times, as the first.  So yes I have shifted focus,  but kept the same focus as well.

I use the same packaging and Mypost accounts so get definite cost savings benefits.

[contact.-50]

One idea is to end older listings and then use the 'sell similar' option after a day or two. This can refresh the listings and might work with eBay's algorithms. Has anyone else tried this or found other effective strategies?

[oddsandendsoz]

Thanks sugar! It is weird how as you go along you stumble on some items that sell really well that you would not expect.

One of the mistakes I made in the beginning was to buy anything that I knew I could make a profit on, regardless of the size of the item. This has been a big learning curve because they often don't sell fast, are restricted to pick up only,  and take up so much space. Obviously disregard all the previous if you can find something that sells really well and is in demand. I am trying to do like you, get a range of products that are simpler to pack, the irregular sizes can be a nightmare to find/make packaging, especially to make cost effective but packaged well.

[brickworksmarket]

How did you go and did anything improve. I have started listing regularly to see if that improves traffic but so far nothing but then its only been a week. I doubt it will make a difference but then it costs nothing to do it this way.