eBay selling method comparison

[savem0ney811]

For security purposes I will not use my primary ebay id on the discussion board.

As a 2 year seller, I noticed that people are more likely to buy a certain item from a listing with an existing selling history than a listing with fewer transactions. For example, if I already decided to buy an headphone, after the search result displayed in front of me once I type in the keywords, assuming the price between different listings are very similar, Im more likely to click on the advertisement with “xxx sold” under the title than others with “xx sold” or no such line at all(probably due to less than 10 existing transactions)

So what I did was just create such listing with high volume selling record in the first place and start doing real business afterwards. I only tried this method on a part of my listings so that I can compare the effectiveness. According to my selling record, once the listing evolved from “0-10 sold” to “400 sold”, the selling speed can increase 4-5 times instantly compare to their previous selling speed when I made no change at all, plus the speed will grow even faster with the selling record booming. My point is that there is a distinctive difference between creating popularity and doing nothing.

I admit that what I did seems a bit “unorthodox”, but given big players like futu online are also manipulating the system to lure as many customers as possible, I have to do something to take a cut from their share. So far this type of action didn’t raise any flag in ebay system so I guess legitimacy is not a problem, for now. Any advice is appreciated.

[digital*ghost]

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@savem0ney811 wrote:

 Any advice is appreciated.

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Advice about what, tho? 

Listings that have high sales probably sell more because (aside from the increased Best Match ranking) it gives the impression the seller is reliable and can be trusted, and that the product is good quality due to having established a good record of selling that item with (presumably) no issues that are evident. In other words, the sales records act as a form of testimony, even though they only suggest something rather than outright claim it.

I don't have any advice because honestly, I can't condone manipulation of the site, or buyers, to get sales. I'm sure there are plenty of sellers who do so, but that's the difference between me and my competitors, and a lot of my buyers realise that. 

[savem0ney811]

Tks for your reply digital ghost.

It was never my intention to manipulate the system or my customers. In fact, I got a lot of positive feedback from my customers because Im doing business for real.

I only tried to "promote" my items in the first place because it seems too long to wait for the selling record increase by itself.

Once the ball is rolling, my listing will "give the impression the seller is reliable and can be trusted" just like you mentioned.

[collect247]

Yep the rich get richer and the poor have to start from scratch 

[aussie-picker]

 As a 2 year seller,

Whoopy Doo , Congrats Mate 

[maranock]

I have never looked at the number sold, let alone made a decision to buy based on that. Bit of a black sheep, me, lol

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

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@maranock wrote:

I have never looked at the number sold, let alone made a decision to buy based on that. Bit of a black sheep, me, lol

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maranock, you are not alone.

I place more importance on seller feedback.  What point is there buying an item with a large sale history if the seller has dozens of negs for the high selling item?

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

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@savem0ney811 wrote:

For security purposes I will not use my primary ebay id on the discussion board.

As a 2 year seller, I noticed that people are more likely to buy a certain item from a listing with an existing selling history than a listing with fewer transactions. For example, if I already decided to buy an headphone, after the search result displayed in front of me once I type in the keywords, assuming the price between different listings are very similar, Im more likely to click on the advertisement with “xxx sold” under the title than others with “xx sold” or no such line at all(probably due to less than 10 existing transactions)

So what I did was just create such listing with high volume selling record in the first place and start doing real business afterwards. I only tried this method on a part of my listings so that I can compare the effectiveness. According to my selling record, once the listing evolved from “0-10 sold” to “400 sold”, the selling speed can increase 4-5 times instantly compare to their previous selling speed when I made no change at all, plus the speed will grow even faster with the selling record booming. My point is that there is a distinctive difference between creating popularity and doing nothing.

I admit that what I did seems a bit “unorthodox”, but given big players like futu online are also manipulating the system to lure as many customers as possible, I have to do something to take a cut from their share. So far this type of action didn’t raise any flag in ebay system so I guess legitimacy is not a problem, for now. Any advice is appreciated.

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So what I did was just create such listing with high volume selling record in the first place and start doing real business afterwards

This statement of yours is open to interpretation, so what I am going to say next is just supposition and NOT a judgement on you or your selling, especially since we don’t know your selling ID or what it is you are exactly alluding to have done.

The way I read your statement is that you found a way to create or fast track the gaining of a selling history for an item.  My first thought was buying Buy-Now listings from yourself using another ID.  Whilst technically not shilling, it is manipulating the eBay system.  Members are allowed to sell Buy-Now items to their family and friends, it is bidding at auction by family and friends that is a no-no on eBay.

Then, I read your statement as saying that once you built up that sales history you then did real business from then on i.e. stopped buying from yourself through family and friends or alternate IDs.

If I suspected a seller had manipulated the eBay process to inflate sales history on an item I wanted I would not buy from them.  It is, in my opinion, unethical.

Edit: how does this happen?

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

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@savem0ney811 wrote:

Tks for your reply digital ghost.

It was never my intention to manipulate the system or my customers. In fact, I got a lot of positive feedback from my customers because Im doing business for real.

I only tried to "promote" my items in the first place because it seems too long to wait for the selling record increase by itself.

Once the ball is rolling, my listing will "give the impression the seller is reliable and can be trusted" just like you mentioned.

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sounds a lot like what I discussed in my previous post.

About the NARU’d ID, maybe the OP just needed to use these boards as a confessional because they know that they have done something wrong.

[digital*ghost]

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@k1ooo-slr-sales wrote:

I place more importance on seller feedback.  What point is there buying an item with a large sale history if the seller has dozens of negs for the high selling item?

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That's what I meant by no issues being evident - i.e. the seller has 100% pos feedback, or near enough to it, possibly even a couple of good product reviews, and no negs for that specific item. Impressions can influence a purchase decsion subconsciously, IMHO. And so can the apparent experience of the seller. I mean, if I saw a seller had sold 1000 of something for example, and there was a newer seller who hadn't sold any, while there may be other factors that would influence my decision, I could choose the more experienced seller even if they are more expensive (and have done in the past). It's the same reason I buy from a particular seller I always buy from, even though they're not always the cheapest - I know they will post extremely fast and there will be 0 product issues, and that on the odd chance something goes wrong, they will provide optimum customer support. Sales history coupled with exemplary FB is suggestive (perhaps subconsciously) of these kinds of factors. 

I hit 10k feedback last year, and eBay started putting "Experienced seller" as one of the slogans in the box at the top, and I won't lie - I am infinitely happier when that appears there rather than "over 50% sold" or some such, for similar reasons.

I do get how hard it is to become an established seller on eBay these days, a lot harder than it was for me several years ago, and even then it took me a long time to be where I am now, but I have always been a fan of the slow burn method anyway. Learning as you go, keeping pace with the business as it grows, and building a long-standing reputation that hopefully one day completely transcends eBay and all their little slogans etc.