Question on Promoted Listings
Summary: mon949 raised concerns about eBay's promoted listings, noting that while they can boost visibility, they significantly reduce profits. fm2000 suggested raising prices slightly and consistently using promotions in saturated categories like clothing. Others such as 12345jamesstamps shared mixed results from using eBay's suggested promotion rates. mam98031 and tobaccocardyahoo emphasized the importance of effective merchandise selection and testing promotions based on individual business needs. Many participants debated the necessity and effectiveness of promotions, with several agreeing that it ultimately depends on the product and market conditions.
When I list, eBay keeps telling me that others have these types of items promoted. They want me to promote my listings. Sometimes I do, but they take so much out of my profit that it does not seem worth it. These promotions really eat into my already tiny profit.
If I do not promote my items, it seems it takes forever to make any sales. They do not show my items. My prices are already as low as I can afford.
Do others use promotions, and do you think it is worth it? I would like to hear what other sellers think of this.
Thanks!!
arraus
·1 month ago · Edited@mon949
I use them.
I think they are worth it.
WITH CAVEATS (my opinion):
eBay's recommended rate is roughly 2x's more than I would ever pay.
The recommendation is what eBay WISHES we would pay, not what other sellers are spending.
Setting 2.1% to 7.3% is my range, but that depends on Category, item, competition, price relative to competition, sales history, etc..
I don't promote things that are in demand AND hardly anyone else offers.
No need to promote those at all. I'd be giving money away.
christworks
·1 month ago@mon949 There is no absolute answer when it comes to promoting. Of course, eBay would love for you to promote.
It honestly sounds to me like you need better quality inventory to sell or buy your current inventory for less than what you pay now. The former will get you more sales without promoting. The latter will give you more margin so you can promote. There isn't a wrong way except to promote items you already have a tiny profit on and to keep doing that expecting something will change.
I've posted my promoting stratgedy on other threads and you can search for it if you'd like. It has worked very well for me. I am paying less overall in promotions and my sales have gone up.
arraus
·1 month ago@christworks Hi! I'm very interested in reading your posted promoting strategy. Always looking to learn more about that mine field.
I searched through 2 pages of Posts on your profile. Couldn't find. Can you share link?
Also... LOVE LOVE LOVE your profile. I'll have to follow your writings. :-)
Makes me smile!! Thanks
albertabrightalberta
·1 month agoI don't bite just because ebay recommends something. Promoting your items is totally optional. Just ignore the suggestions!
simba6
·1 month agoI have never used any extra cost options.
tobaccocardyahoo
·1 month agoSome categories and some merchandise require promotion and benefit from promotion.
Same merchandise does not benefit from promotion.
Some merchandise is too inexpensive to promote, as you are discovering. Selling inexpensive merchandise which requires promotion is a bad business decision for sellers who do not do enough volume to meet their profit goals on short margin sales.
Merchandise selection is one of the most important skills you need to succeed. For many years, a department store buyer was a well compensated, god-like figure.
Many years ago, a friend who was a department store buyer was snatched up by Puss-In-Boots cat food to be the Product Line Manager. The skills of being a buyer made him a very valuable hire.
Many, many sellers fail to realize all of the effects of their merchandise selection. The often base their selection solely upon the appeal and style of the product, not any of the other elements required for them to meet their profit goals.
kabilab
·1 month agoMy primary reason for listing on e-Bay is to liquidate product I have failed to sell out of my store. In addition, I am 83 and my time constraints are different than if I were 1/2 my age.
I list with a 2% promotion. In the past 90 days, I have sold 63% non-promoted. For my situation, promotion is acceptable.
hartungcards
·1 month agoYou lost me at, "They do not show my items."
participatrophy
·1 month agoWell I mean yeah, that's pretty much the point
nigel_paul_wright7557
·1 month agoWhat i find annoying is the promoted listings often get stuck at the top of results that aren't relevant or only partially relevant.
Its often better to just find the cheapest rather than look at the mostly more expensive promoted items.
mam98031
·1 month agoPromoting listings is an OPTION for sellers. If you do regular Promoted Listings, the SELLER decides what percentage they are willing to pay in order to get a sale. You are in control of that percentage. The minimum is 2%. If you feel you are paying too much, lower the rate or stop promoting if you don't feel you are getting a good return on your money.
There is Dynamic Promoted Listings too, but that one is likely to be far more expensive because the seller gives Ebay the right to change the promoted rate to match what is happening as an average on that type of product.
squinkercat59
·1 month agoI've always wondered, if there are, for example, a hundred of an item, and every one of them is promoted, then what? Is there any advantage for any of them?
12345jamesstamps
·1 month agoThat would be my category...LOL.
I think the big sellers can promote very highly...list their item so much more than other sellers and their more expensive items get notice.
It makes sense...the same exact item cost more...so naturally a company prefers the higher item to sell vs. the cheaper exact item...a bigger fee.
mam98031
·1 month agoMy feelings too. Almost half the active listings on Ebay are being promoted. Ebay has over 2.5 BILLION active listings. Half of that is still a whole lot of listings. I personally do not use promoted listings. I've tested it before, but it didn't really help. But I've know sellers that do use promoted listings and they have had good success with it.
So it simply is up to each of us to test it and see what works best for us.
mozartbach1971
·1 month agoYou would just have to promote a higher percentage.
mam98031
·1 month ago@mozartbach1971 What if there are 100's or 1000's of listings / seller promoting the same thing at the same rate as you are using for Promoted Listings? Even if you raise your percentage of fees you are willing to pay, the same issue may exist. Maybe not a problem if you have enough profit built into the product price to cover high double digit percentage fees on top of regular fees.
mozartbach1971
·1 month agoI promote almost all my auctions at the suggested rate, however there's no way of telling if it helps as most of my items are unique.
annadryl
·1 month agoThe need to promote items is when they are NOT unique. If they're in a sea of identical items then promoting them might boost them. It also might not matter at all.
mozartbach1971
·1 month agoI think I need to promote regardless, because there are other sellers selling similar items although not exactly similar.
12345jamesstamps
·1 month agoI did a study on promotions...I have everything at 2.5% promoted.
But thenthe other day I listed what eBay suggested rate for a number of items WHICH are the same as other sellers but my items are most cheaper and nice expensive sets.
None of the ones I listed at eBay suggested rate showed up as 'sponsor' under the same identical sets of other sellers which these sellers were selling for so much more.
The last few days I have had only 'repeat buyers' purchases.
AND...I have 4 different sales going on in my store.
I think you have to promote the promoted of the promoted to see increases in promoting.
fm2000
·1 month agoYou sell in clothing, a supersaturated category. Promoting may be a necessary evil for them to be seen. It may be worth it to increase your prices a bit and put a small promotion on all of your clothing items. Without editorializing, it is what it is.
mam98031
·1 month agoYes and no. But certainly worth testing. Keep in mind, or at least I'm of the opinion that most buyers will search using the option of lowest to highest. Promoted listings are not consideration in that type of search. The downside is your listings [not promoted] won't clutter up a listing a buyer goes in to view and consider. I'm sure lots of sales come from those.