mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999
Ebay has made a new announcement that can be very useful for some sellers. For those of us that use the OOS function on our inventory.
We’re changing how long an item can be out-of-stock for.
The out-of-stock option allows your Good ‘Til Canceled listings to be hidden from search results when the quantity is 0. As soon as you increase the quantity again, the listing will reappear in searches.
Normally, listings are automatically ended if they have been out of stock for 90 consecutive days.
To help you retain your sales history longer, from now on we will keep your out-of-stock listings active for 180 consecutive days before ending them automatically. You may be eligible for an insertion fee credit. Learn more.
Please note that if listings have been out-of-stock for an extended period of time, you may want to use other eBay tools and features (i.e.: Providing recommended item specifics, using negotiation tools such as best offer or offers to buyers, volume pricing and/or promoted listings) to help kick-start sales when you restock.
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Announcements/Changes-to-the-out-of-stock-duration/ba-p/30799024
@coffeebean832 wrote:I like the not-so-subtle reminder that after 180 days you'll be dead last in search so you better give the algorithm a reason to give you a boost.
There is nothing that prevents a seller from ending the listing and then when they get more stock in they can relist it if it has been less than 90 days from ending the listing. Or course that is dependent upon getting that new stock in within 90 days before the listing goes poof. But you could wait until day 89 or something. End it and then that buys you more time.
@coffeebean832 wrote:The point of the extension to 180 days is to retain the sales history so I'm not sure why you're suggesting to end listings early. Is it because I brought up the loss of search placement? The solution to that issue was provided in the announcement. I said I liked the reminder about giving your listing a boost- I wasn't being sarcastic if that's what you were thinking.
When you Relist [not sell similar] a listing, the sales history does follow the listing even though you can't see it. It follows for 90ish days. This is the major difference between Relist and Sell Similar functions.
@coffeebean832 wrote:I was referring to the visible sales history.
I don't know how important that is to anyone but maybe the seller. As long as the sales history is considered in the placement of the listing in search returns, to me at least, that is what matters.
What I described above may not be an alternative for everyone, in fact that is likely a guarantee. But for some it may be helpful.
@bar-29368 wrote:
Yes. world of difference between a mythical invisible selling history retained by ebay and a selling history users can actually see.
"Mythical" is not an accurate word to use in this case. It isn't mythical or magical. It is just what a relisted listing does. That is a fact.
Post 32
@coffeebean832 wrote:Can you please let us know where you got "90ish days" from as mentioned in your post above? That hasn't been my experience and even in the post you linked Trinton gave a vague "soon" as a time frame. One can argue that 90 days is soon in eBay speak when it comes to dealing with tech issues or making site improvements- but I don't think that extended definition of soon applies with sales history following relists.
The invisible behind the scenes sales history follows a relist for the initial placement- but if the listing doesn't perform well with buyer engagement within a week then it loses that placement and starts to drop.*
*One week is an educated assumption based on eBay adding forced to Best Offer to listings that don't perform well within 8 days and also based on info from the post you linked where Trinton said the first relist retains a similar search spot only for the initial placement.
I still believe that visible sales history is important as it instills confidence with buyers.
I think the timing of this announcement is in part due to so many of us not able to restock from our suppliers during the current crisis.
Dang, my bad. I thought that was the one, but you are right he doesn't say that there. I don't seem to find the post where it was expanded upon. Sorry.
I am NOT trying to argue with you on what you feel is important and what isn't. That wasn't my point at all. I'm a firm believer that we each get to decide what is best for our little businesses. If you have a preference on how you handle your listings, then that is what you should continue doing. I only offered up an alternative. Nothing more. Some may find it useful and the others than don't can simply ignore it as it isn't something important for them.
@bar-29368 wrote:
@mam98031 wrote:
@bar-29368 wrote:
Yes. world of difference between a mythical invisible selling history retained by ebay and a selling history users can actually see."Mythical" is not an accurate word to use in this case. It isn't mythical or magical. It is just what a relisted listing does. That is a fact.
Post 32
If users can't see the selling history it may as well be mythical as we only have someone's 'word' for it.
Btw just because you believe something to be true does not make it a fact, but that is a fact.
Like I said to Coffee. I only offered an alternative that may work for some and not for others. You are absolutely welcome to do whatever you feel is best for you.
I don't agree however that the number sold is that important to buyers. Maybe for some, but I think most are just looking for whatever it is they are searching for at a price they are willing to pay. How many people have bought the same thing before them is likely not to be that important. But again, just my opinion.
