auctions and multiples of item
As far as I can tell you can't do the old Dutch auctions for multiples of an item. You also can't have multiple auction listings for the same thing. Am I missing an approach? I have a number of plates I may want to sell singly. I can't tell how someone could buy more than one when I use the auction format. If someone won one at auction and wanted more I could always create a fixed price listing at the agreed-upon price and give them the item number. But should I put this in the auction listing?
Yes, I could just use Fixed Price from the beginning but I want to use the auction format to encourage a quick sale. If I already had a buyer lined up for more at Fixed Price that is not the same as having the stuff sit in my store for an unknown amount of time (I don't have the space).
buyselljack2016
·2 years agoFixed price.
Listing that purchase is for one (1)
Shown in the first photo. (1) dish.
Quantity available ( X)
Buyer can purchase as many as they want, from (1) to (X)
No waiting.
Use the "out of stock" (OOS) option for the listing if you initially list the quantity for less than you have. Like if you have 20 but start the fixed price listing with just 6, (or even just one) and they all sell the listing stays active, but unseen until you increase the quantity.
keziak
OP2 years agothank you. I am going to think about whether to try the FP option. I have already explained a few times why I use auctions though.
hollysfinds
·2 years agoI don't use auctions at all so I can't speak to that.
I use only buy it now.
If something is a popular pattern that sells really well I list it in groups, dinner plates together, cereal bowls together, etc.
I don't usually do singles of anything.
If it's not a good selling pattern then, if I have a set, I usually list it as a set.
Auctions are not my preference, but to each his own.
That's the only wisdom I have to offer.
I do this as more of a hobby so.......
keziak
OP2 years agoThank you for posting. I love your listings. How do you get that effect on the red background?
hollysfinds
·2 years agoThank you, I responded to your PM.
hollysfinds
·2 years agoI was reading back and I saw your post about packing and shipping
My husband does all the packing and shipping.
He does a fantastic job.
If you look at my feedback you can see what the buyers think.
If you PM me I could give you his tips for packing china if you want any.
In all our years of selling we've only had 2 times that anything broke.
wastingtime101
·2 years agoYou can, but the second listing won't appear in search until the first has a bid.
Plates as in dishes? Dinner plates? I have friends that sell dishes. I'm told they're notoriously long-tail items and auction format is not the best approach. From what I recall, both @penguins_dont_fly and @hollysfinds sell dishes so perhaps they will chime in with advice on listing format.
List a lot, not singles.
Will also add: listing fixed price allows you to offer combined shipping by weight - something appealing to people buying dishes. With auction format and all the changes eBay is testing on auto-pay, you may find combined shipping a challenge.
penguins_dont_fly
·2 years ago@keziak
@wastingtime101 is correct, China and Crystal is ALL that I sell.
What buyers are looking for is replacement pieces for sets that they already have. Whole sets are a rarity (unless they are the high-end unicorns that are highly sought after)
Auction for dishes just does not work. They aren't "Highly sought after" unless they are 1 or 2 specific high-end brands (in certain patterns). Buyers do not want to wait for an auction to end. They broke a dish and want to replace it now.
They are definitely long-tail items.
Check the comps. Higher-end should be listed as multi-qty of 1 each. Mid-range should be listed as multi-qty of 2 each. Lower-end ... do 4 or more each.
Set up a Volume/Order Discount - I have buy 2 get 5% off / buy 3 get 10% off / buy 6 get 15% Off and buy 9 get 20% off. I have that set up as 4 different Order Discounts (because Volume Pricing only allows for 2 at x% / 3 at x% / 4 at x%.
If you list in separate listings by piece type, The Order Discount can be used across listings to buy, for example 1 Dinner Plate, 1 Salad Plate and 1 Cup +Saucer Set (from different listings) and the buyer gets Discount of 10% on the order.
If you are OK with Volume pricing, then go that way. But definitely do something to make buying more than 1 attractive.
Set up your combined shipping rules for calculated shipping - Mine is "Combine all items and subtract 8 oz" . I list with item weight + 1lb (it takes a whole lotta packing materials and sturdy boxes to ship dishes.) For example, the item weight is 1.5 lbs, I list at 2.5 lbs. and if a buyer buys more than 1 ... it charges the first at 2.5 lbs and then subtracts 8 oz on the 2nd and over.
With the new payment things, The key to this is to tell buyers in the listing to "Add to Cart" when combining items. The buyer does not have to wait for an adjustment or a refund.
Some will not read that LOL but I only have to adjust shipping a few times a year.
I know that is a lot to take in but it is the winning formula for me. If you have any questions about selling and shipping dishes, PM me 🙂
nobody*s_perfect
·2 years agoOr set it up so there's no discount on the price for multiple items, but "additional pieces ship for free." Potential buyers might find that more enticing and easier to understand.
penguins_dont_fly
·2 years ago@nobody*s_perfect
Dishes are HEAVY. Free shipping for 2 or more will usually end up being a loss. Especially if you end up shipping to Zone 8.
Say you have a stoneware dinner plate. They can weigh up to 1.5 lbs each (and sometimes more).
Giving free shipping on the second might be close or just a bit over ... but 3 or more is getting into loss territory.
toomuchstuffagain35
·2 years agoIn addition to what penguins said, be careful if you have chargers or platters larger than the usual 10 or so inches. Finding suitable boxes can be a challenge.
Except for the rare set that's too good to pass up, I mainly look for serving pieces. Even when I buy a set, the serving pieces always go first then the rest are long tail replacements.
keziak
OP2 years agoYes that is a lot but I am going to think about this. Dishes are an experiment for me. I am not spending a lot for them and if it doesn't pan out, well, some thrift store will benefit. I do research on ebay before I buy anything. But as I've said a few times I am not set up to have a store full of bulky FP items that need storing somewhere for who knows how long. That may end up being why it's not a good fit for me. I'd just like to not depend solely on books.
lisa5768
·2 years ago@keziak
You can have multiple identical auctions for the same thing, however they will not all be visible immediately. When you create the auctions they must follow the duplicate listings policy below. The first one will be visible and once it gets a bid the next will then become visible. Once that one gets a bid the next will then be visible and so on until all have bids.
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/listing-policies/duplicate-listings-policy?id=4255&st=3&pos=1&query=Duplicate%20listings%20policy&intent=duplicate&lucenceai=lucenceai&docId=HELP1251
keziak
OP2 years agowould I put in the listing to watch for additional items to come up?
lisa5768
·2 years ago@keziak Yes you can add a note to the description to watch for more items to be listed soon.
keziak
OP2 years agoThat makes sense. Thanks.
kensgiftshop
·2 years agoWouldn't it be quicker to list as a fixed price so the buyer could buy now and not have to wait a week?
keziak
OP2 years agoI do not find FP listings inherently faster for selling. Lots of people just watch. But the issue is moot because around here I have shelving for single books and precious little room to store "lots" and these dishes in my ebay Store. I sell quite a lot of auctions. With these plates I am thinking about whether to just list one at a time or go ahead and lot them up if I can't find a way to have buyers tell me how many they want. I guess I could just ask the winning bidder if they want more.
youn2240
·2 years agorun a small amount at auction and see what types of prices you're getting for them and the interest they generate. if you're getting a lot of bidders watchers and views price them a little bit more as fixed price and you'll get sales just about as fast with a little more money. doesn't always work but usually does.
keziak
OP2 years agoI really am just interested in getting $X, a reasonable price based on current and sold listings, and move them along. I don't count on bidding up. Auctions more or less as a rule garner smaller prices than FB but given my set-up I have to be pragmatic about selling for less in order to move stuff along versus storing them. I have to factor this in when deciding about picking up inventory.
As for dishes, as a person with basically no experience packing them for shipment I might be better off selling them in singles or small lots anyway. I don't want to get in over my head and pack a heavy box of dishes that end up not surviving the mail.
nobody*s_perfect
·2 years agoIndeed, the format known as "dutch auction" is long gone. It was just too confusing!
I suspect that fixed price is at least as good for encouraging a quick sale, since it will attract buyers who don't want to wait a week to see if they won the item. And you're more likely to find a buyer if you put up a fixed price listing which shows your total quantity available, at an "each" price, if that buyer wants more than one. If you set up an auction for a single item, your explanation in the description might never be seen by buyers who want to purchase multiples.
a_c_green
·2 years agoOh, Gawd, yes. When was that: 2006 maybe?
@keziak: If they're virtually identical, I would do that. You could even offer a slight discount when buying more than one.
If you think an auction will bring out collectors and competitive bidding, list the first one by itself, and you can then send a Second Chance Offer to one or more runners-up, depending of course on how many identical examples you have, and how the bidding went. Your second-place bidder's offer will be no more than one bidding increment below your winner, for starters.
Definitely check past sales of your plate design first, to see how the pricing goes. If you don't know the pattern name, you may be able to identify it at Replacements.com, which will enable much more accurate pricing and sale research. Good luck.
keziak
OP2 years agoI love the concept of Second Chance Offer but my track record of getting buyers that way is dismal and I don't know why.
jonathanbrightlight
·2 years agoIf they're different in any notable way, just title them differently and you're good. Otherwise, consider lots, or fixed price. Auction format doesn't encourage a quick sale, quite the opposite. People who want it quick filter out auctions, because they usually run for 7 days, and as the "old saying" goes: "Ain't nobody got time for that!"
keziak
OP2 years agoI like auctions for some things. I sell a lot that way.
mam98031
·2 years agoYou can run an auction for the same thing as you have a fixed price listing for. You could do both.
pjcdn2005
·2 years agoAnd if the best offer function was on the fixed price listing, the buyer who won the original auction could make the same offer on the fixed price listing.
mam98031
·2 years agoYes they could.
keziak
OP2 years agoI"m going to think about how to do that. I am not sure what price I would put on the FP items, the same as the opening bid?
mam98031
·2 years agoIf the price you are considering for the FP listing is the same as the starting price of your auction, something isn't right. Either your starting price on the auction is too high or the FB listing is too low.
They should NEVER be the same. The FP listing should always be higher than the auction by at a minimum of 10%.