Is There Something in the Water Cooler?

[hartungcards]

An awful lot of people seem to be leaving eBay today.  Has anyone else noticed this?

[gurlcat]

Do you cross-list all items to all platforms, or list each item on only whichever platform it is most suited?  If the former, when an item sells, does the software automatically remove the listing from the other platforms, or do you have to remember to go in and manually remove it?    EDIT: I realize I'm thinking of one-of-a-kind items, not >1 stock items.  But even with that, does the sale of one unit reduce the total available by 1, on all the platforms? 

[tobaccocardyahoo]

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@gurlcat wrote:

Do you cross-list all items to all platforms, or list each item on only whichever platform it is most suited?  If the former, when an item sells, does the software automatically remove the listing from the other platforms, or do you have to remember to go in and manually remove it?    EDIT: I realize I'm thinking of one-of-a-kind items, not >1 stock items.  But even with that, does the sale of one unit reduce the total available by 1, on all the platforms? 

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There is a fundamental race condition associated with each item listed on multiple platforms. How long the period of the race is differs with the software you use to manage inventory across multiple platforms. Some is better than others. Cost of the software is not necessarily a predictor.

It is safest to not simultaneously list the same single unit item on multiple platforms, which limits the benefits somewhat.

When I had multiple platforms running, I did not list the same item on multiple platforms. But the differences between sales on different platforms told me which was the winner at that time.

Today's winner can be next month or next year's loser.

[gurlcat]

Huh?  What is a "fundamental race condition"???  
And you said you started using multiple platforms running since 3 years ago, now it sounds like you don't do it anymore.  I'm confused. 

[adkhighker]

Maybe the ones who come here to say they're leaving never really do leave, but you can bank on it that there has been a mass exodus of sellers from here, only those sellers who are really leaving don't feel the need to broadcast it. They just leave. 

Of the longtime eBay sellers that I have personally known over the years, I would say that at least 75% of them have left for good and are selling their stuff through platforms that are working out much better and with none of the typical eBay hassles, such as through the any of the countless B&M auction houses that have switched to online bidding only.  That and the other venues that are available.

[eburtonlab]

What is a "fundamental race condition"?

A "race condition" occurs when a sequential system is dependent on the timing and order of asynchronous inputs.

If the two inputs change at the same time -- for instance if two buyers buy the same item on different platforms -- the system may not handle it gracefully.

If the same item is listed in two places, no matter how the software is set up and connected, there is the possibility of two orders being accepted for the same item.

[sakic92710]

Yes!  My prices are so ridiculously high that I've had 6 straight days of sales on Marketplace.  Something that did not happen all year on eBay.

[tobaccocardyahoo]

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@eburtonlab wrote:

What is a "fundamental race condition"?

A "race condition" occurs when a sequential system is dependent on the timing and order of asynchronous inputs.

If the two inputs change at the same time -- for instance if two buyers buy the same item on different platforms -- the system may not handle it gracefully.

If the same item is listed in two places, no matter how the software is set up and connected, there is the possibility of two orders being accepted for the same item.

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An excellent explanation.

The reason different inventory management software matters is that this class of problem is magnified based on how the software identifies a sale has been made and how long it takes to remove the inventory from other platforms - a latency period.

[downunder-61]

Here is my 5c for what it is worth.

I think a lot of people who post they are LEAVING FOR GOOD,  think it is a threat to eBay, they think eBay may read here and see the issues some outline and a magical fix will be announced..........

These people are dreamers, but dreams are at least free 😎

[gurlcat]

But how much latency period do you see, using the software you've chosen, between the various platform listings you have up?   I know you said your listing software made it simple but does it leave your cross-listed items up for seconds, minutes, hours, days ...? when someone buys the item from one of the platforms?  That's all I wanted to know when I asked.  I don't really need the tech jargon, lol.