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What\'s the deal with eBay?????

2K views 23 replies 14 participants last post by  PhatFalcon 
#1 ·
Some time back there was a "Z" bar for a big block merc, so I listed mine. His went for $300.00, mine got no bids
I listed my show car, got tons of questions, a worse resto got a higher bid & mine went to $4000.00 & wasn't close to the reserve. Now, I put on a C-6 Mustang crossmember at $40, had 10 people watch the auction, no bids... but the other one, not as nice, went for $53.00
Is it me???
 
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#2 ·
Happens to me "all the time!"!


I have a couple of the same things I see go for a mint but when I put them on they get "NIL"!

I have been looking at the listing categories and the words used in the listings now and am starting to get a heads up. A lot of items are listed with unusual key words in the title and getting lots of people to look!

I've started doing that, and researching the piece more before listing...

Good Luck in the future!
 
#3 ·
Same here! Sometimes the less info in the description seems to work better too I noticed. Had a switch that I didn't know what it went to. Put as best a description I could give with out opening the sealed box and didn't sell. Another one with same part number sold and basically no description. So next time I only put DelcoRemy part #blah blah and it sold. Just makes no sense at all.

Deb
 
#6 ·
I've never had a problem. Take a lot of pictures and describe it as it is. 100+ 100% positive feedback is a big seller in itself. I start all my auctions at $0.01 and that gets many people interrested instead of starting the bid high which turns off many prospects. Get them in a bidding war.
 
#7 ·
Ebay bidders can be hard to understand. I've had items get zero bids the first time listed, and then get several bids the second time around. You just have to have it listed when the right people are looking.

Here's a little, kind of underhanded, trick you can try. If you have an item to sell, search to see if someone else already has the same thing listed. Watch that auction until there's one day left. List your item using simular wording at a lower starting price. You're basicly stealing his bidders. This works best with "rare" items.

I did this with a '69 Olds sport steering wheel (I guess they're pretty rare). His sold for $300. Mine sold for $756!
Most of my bidders also had bid on his.

Greg
 
#8 ·
I have listed things on Ebay for over 3 years now with great success. These are the things I have learned:
1. Take great pictures.
2. Describe the item fully.
3. List any defects
4.Make sure you clean the part properly, sandblasting is even better if you can.
5. Have a nice background.
6.Answer all e mails.
7. Have a subject line that is as eye catching as possible, for example an FE oil filter mount should read: FE Ford Cobra Jet 427 Side Oiler 390 428 Oil Filter Mount. Even if it is not a Cobra Jet mount, it is an eye catcher, and you can say what it actually is in the description.
 
#9 ·
Better key words and a .01 starting price will get a lot more people into biding on your item. And great pictures are worth more than a thousand words. Never write too much.


I too have send things go for more than worth, but most times its because the bidder as bought mulitipul items from the seller and doesnt mind out bidding someone else to combine shipping or they leave in the same area and are driving to pick up it.
 
#10 ·
On 2004-11-01 21:50, F15Falcon wrote:
7. Have a subject line that is as eye catching as possible, for example an FE oil filter mount should read: FE Ford Cobra Jet 427 Side Oiler 390 428 Oil Filter Mount. Even if it is not a Cobra Jet mount, it is an eye catcher, and you can say what it actually is in the description.
Um, I think they call that bait and switch, and I for one get really pissed off when Im searching for something and come up with the wrong parts. I could be looking for a factory ford tach and waste my time loading a page for a broken sunpro or something.
 
#11 ·
I agree the good 100% positive feedback is a killer little "ace in the hole."

If folks feel confident they can trust you they seem to fall in line.

I list things with that in mind ...

I've sold some pieces where I had NO pictures and in the descritption I simply stated that anyone intersted in the item already knows what it is and a PIC would only serve to make the piece look better than it is.

And I also realize there are items you would never want to do that with.

I too have had a few items sell for $1.50 and the buyer has occasionally remarked how they were surprised I actually followed through to complete the transaction ...

Another thing I usually do is send the item right away ... I can't tell you how many buyers I have had email me to tell me they received the item and hadn't sent payment yet ... I figure in most cases their money is worth more to them than my Item is to me ... and it gets you some great feedback as well

Anyway, I'm not trying to imply that if an item sells low it's because of the seller's poor integrity ... I'm just saying I value that a lot and for anyone getting started on ebay ... it's a big deal ...

Or so it seems to me.
_________________


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: MonsterMach on 11/2/04 11:40am ]</font>
 
#12 ·
A lot of times people bid on there own auctions with anther name, or get a friend to run up the bid. I just about quit buying and selling on ebay. I can't tell you how many deadbeat bidders i've run into. I just sold a car and the guy acted like he was going to buy it for a week, then all of a sudden I didn't hear anything from him. It sucks having to spend 40 somthing dollars to keep relisting an item b/c a loser can't follow through on there end of the deal.
 
#13 ·
On 2004-11-01 23:23, Luv70sFords wrote:
On 2004-11-01 21:50, F15Falcon wrote:
7. Have a subject line that is as eye catching as possible, for example an FE oil filter mount should read: FE Ford Cobra Jet 427 Side Oiler 390 428 Oil Filter Mount. Even if it is not a Cobra Jet mount, it is an eye catcher, and you can say what it actually is in the description.
Um, I think they call that bait and switch, and I for one get really pissed off when Im searching for something and come up with the wrong parts. I could be looking for a factory ford tach and waste my time loading a page for a broken sunpro or something.
I am not saying to bait and switch anything, I only use a catchy title to get attention. For example, I always list a part that is the same for a Mustang and a Shelby as Mustang/Shelby whatever. Shelby gets alot more attention than '66 Mustang coupe does. Someone who lists a a Sun Pro tach as a factory tach is trying to bait and switch, not me. I do have 99.8% positive feedback, and I am an Ebay Power Seller so I am doing something right.
 
#14 ·
I'm at 234 and 100% feedback. I have refused the Power Seller offer for 2 years. I don't want to seem like a commercial business to bidders, just a private seller. It does make a difference. Over half my feedback is from buyers. I know I haven't recieved feedback at least 50% of the time whether I'm a buyer or a seller.
 
#15 ·
On 2004-11-01 21:50, F15Falcon wrote:
I have listed things on Ebay for over 3 years now with great success. These are the things I have learned:
1. Take great pictures.
2. Describe the item fully.
3. List any defects
4.Make sure you clean the part properly, sandblasting is even better if you can.
5. Have a nice background.
6.Answer all e mails.
7. Have a subject line that is as eye catching as possible, for example an FE oil filter mount should read: FE Ford Cobra Jet 427 Side Oiler 390 428 Oil Filter Mount. Even if it is not a Cobra Jet mount, it is an eye catcher, and you can say what it actually is in the description.
Ooooh, I've done it like this but constantly get holler'd at by other people saying it's BS for doing it....

Oh well.
 
#16 ·
Just list everything as Boss / Pinto / Falcon / Maverick / ...

I've been real selective in what I buy on eBay. I've been lucky so far, I guess. All the sellers I've dealt with have good feed back and listed things straight up without any of that over the top crap. I need to unload some stuff so you guys are bummin' me out.
 
#17 ·
Okay would some of you ebay experts critique my two little auctions and tell me how to generate bids? They aren't much but I see the same things sell regularly, so I figure I'm doing something wrong -

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7931220284&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7931220905&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT



_________________
'73 Gran Torino Sport, 460 & C6


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: tim1859 on 11/3/04 3:00am ]</font>
 
#18 ·
Try this...

In the Engine tag listing, use the Cubes man, go Edit your Title and put in 406 with 355 hp at 4000rpm etc...

Use what's in it to sell it!

That tag is cool! Let everyone know that it's a 406 with all that HP and TQ. and anything else that loos neat on the tag.

For the covers...

Tell them how you got the paint off and that they were in really nice shape bb4 you took it off but you wanted a diffrent color instead...

Hope that helps!


Also when you list don't forget to place a "Free Andale Counter" in your auction. It's easier to tell howmany people have actually looked.
 
#19 ·
"'71 Lincoln engine tag. Lightly pitted but in good shape. A must have for a correct resoration or to hang on the wall. These are gettin rare as most throughout the years have been thrown away."

or something like that
 
#21 ·
The valve covers you should also list at 1 penny. Let the people decide how much they are worth since you can buy new chrome valve covers for $10 used ones are difficult to sell unless they are the '60-'65 small block valve covers which are unique.
 
#23 ·
I've decided if no one wants to buy this stuff as soon as I get a nice day I'll turn it into Chinese steel & just haul it to the scrap yard! It's getting really old trying to save people money & sell something cheap. I have 8 people watching my C-6 crossmember as I speak!
 
#24 ·
After some less than stellar results from my last sales on ebay, the comments on these posts make sense. I dropped the starting price on an item wiht no bids 2 days before it was up and got 3 bids right away.
I suspect that there is some bid shilling on certain items, but having a big feedback number with 99-100% positive as a seller next to your name counts too.
It's all in the odds as to when certain items are "hot" and who's looking and bidding. I had an old steel toy up for auction and had 24 watchers with only 10 bidders. Popular items will probably have more watchers anyway, but I suspect there are lots of folks with similar or identical items watching to see how you do.
If I didn't get it for free or ridiculously low price, it don't go on ebay.
 
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