eBay Motors Commercials during MLB Playoffs???

[mr_lincoln]

I have seen a couple of eBay Motors commercials during the Phillies MLB Playoff game ... WHY isn't the main eBay site being advertised???  

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

Because eBay really only markets the focus categories, and not the site as a whole. This was all explained at eBay open, and it is by design. eBay is convinced that the focus category advertising brings in people who buy in the focus categories, and those same people then buy in non-focus categories, in short, eBay believes that those of us who do not sell in the focus categories, should be thankful for the crumbs that fall from the focus category table.

[2013grotz]

It's pretty frustrating to see, honestly.  Especially since for the media I've consumed that ebay is basically advertising at spam levels.  For the uninitiated, one would think that automotive parts is all ebay handles these days.

[simba6]

There are some ads on the radio too. Again only for eBay motors.  I do know over fifteen years ago there were TV ads and snail mail ads for all of eBay.   They send out a catalog that featured items from the site. Not actual auctions or item just items like them.  And of course you could not purchase from that " catalog".  They only did it once.

[mr_lincoln]

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@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:

Because eBay really only markets the focus categories, and not the site as a whole. This was all explained at eBay open, and it is by design. eBay is convinced that the focus category advertising brings in people who buy in the focus categories, and those same people then buy in non-focus categories, in short, eBay believes that those of us who do not sell in the focus categories, should be thankful for the crumbs that fall from the focus category table.

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@my-cottage-books-and-antiques 

-words like convinced and believes to me means they are guessing and hoping ... I have heard eBay Motors radio commercials locally for a very, very long time yet my sales continue to decline ... eBay is clueless

[mr_lincoln]

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@2013grotz wrote:

It's pretty frustrating to see, honestly.  Especially since for the media I've consumed that ebay is basically advertising at spam levels.  For the uninitiated, one would think that automotive parts is all ebay handles these days.

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@2013grotz   Yes, that is the impression I get ... 

[mr_lincoln]

@simba6   I have been hearing the radio commercials for a very very long time ... and every time I here it they have the same number of parts for sale on eBay motors ... over a million ... if that is one of their flagship categories it seems odd considering they have published 1.7 BILLION listings on the site .... 8.3 % if my math is right ... kind of a small part of the big picture to spend all that advertising money on.

[reallynicestamps]

Someone showed eBay reason to believe that sportsball fans buy cars but not toy trains or stamps or books or designer purses.

And because the guys buying ad space for eBay buy cars but not toy trains or stamps or books or designer purses, that made sense to them. 

[reallynicestamps]

I do know over fifteen years ago there were TV ads and snail mail ads for all of eBay. They send out a catalog that featured items from the site.

I remember broadcast TV. But I prefer streaming - currently watching Loot on AmazonPrime and Sort Of on CBC Gem.  I didn't know radio still had commercials at all.

I see eBay ads on FaceBook, in spite of my AdBlock Plus.

I'm 77.

[hollysfinds]

Ebay doesn't care about the small sellers. 

If I ever saw an ebay ad highlighting vintage or discontinued or collectible items I think I'd fall off my chair. 

[mr_lincoln]

@reallynicestamps , @hollysfinds , @simba6 , @my-cottage-books-and-antiques , @2013grotz 

The sad part is that they could have some REALLY creative ads about antique, vintage and collectible items.

I can think of a ton of them with this type of basic theme:

-A mom keeps peeking out the window to see if the mail was delivered and finally sees the eBay box on the porch.  She brings the box in and her daughter says, "mommy, what's in the box?"  The mom opens it and pulls out the classic Pyrex 404 Yellow mixing bowl ... and tells here daughter that HER mom had one just like it and they used it to mix cookie dough together, then asks here daughter, "do you want to bake some cookies?" ... the next scene is mom and daughter in the kitchen mixing cookie dough

-A dad gets home from work and asks his wife if "the package" arrived?  She smiles and says yes.  The next scene he has the box and finds his son and says, "hey, I got something for us."  They open the box together and pull out an old toy electric train and the dad explains that HIS father had one of them when he was a kid and they use to set it up at Christmas time ... next scene, yep you guessed it, father and son running the electric train around the Christmas tree.

An you can do the same type thing with a million and one other antique, vintage and collectible items creating some nice down to earth commercials ... 

[comicbooknirvana]

Ebay doesn't care about us small sellers anymore, not worth their time in the (according to them) small amount of fees they collect from us.  I know this past six months my business has been destroyed by whatever they did to change the algorithm.  I went from 9 grand a month at the first of the year to 3 grand currently.  The past three weeks I have been capped at $3,000 hard.  Doesn't matter what I do I am unable to get over $3,000.   I have been promoting anywhere from 10% to 20% and none of it works.  All the other best practices I have cultivated over time to get sales has zero affect anymore.  It's frustrating and I'm about to give up.

[luckythewinner]

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

I have seen a couple of eBay Motors commercials during the Phillies MLB Playoff game ... WHY isn't the main eBay site being advertised???  

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eBay has run many ad campaigns over the years that promoted the main site.

eBay has also run many ad campaigns over the years that promoted specific aspects of the site, like designer fashion and Motors.

I have no doubt that eBay analyzed the cost effectiveness of those campaigns and that analysis informed their decisions about advertising.

[jerseyboymusic]

Small... mmmm... small....

Stupid commercial...

I also see lots of the same commercial about the Ebay Authenticity Guarantee...

I also think it's time for Ebay to get back to the meat and potatoes small sellers that made the site what it was

[joels-retrocade]

Easy toss ups for holiday advertising; great ideas; eBay hire this guy lol. 

Good luck getting any of the execs with their massive bloated salaries to have a heart or care anything about the average person lol.  They'll just continue with the verticals slowly falling on their own sword.  Sad.