DARK!!!

[nsta8654]

 I told you so! Your auction is in the dark unless you PAY!!!

[soh.maryl]

Speaking of "in the dark", who are you addressing here and are you sure they will read your message?  

[krazzykats]

Here I was hoping it was about a new feature...sigh...

[ten_o_nine]

That's why I use it to store all my items, they require a dark dry warehouse.😃

[southern*sweet*tea]

So don't pay to promote an auction.

I would imagine MOST auction buyers will search by ending soonest, so using a promoted listing for an auction would be quite useless for the seller, but a real money maker for eBay.

[inhawaii]

I must notify ebay right away.

I don't pay for promoted listings yet somehow people are able to find a purchase my items.

What's going on?

[monroe67]

Seems to me . . . . . .
that 52% more views of promoted listings of auctions . . . . . .
that the seller may choose -- not need -- to pay for . . . . . . . . .

results in a loss of money if the auction gets no bids.  

My selling ID, with only 17 current listings, has a certain active auction listing that ends in about an hour.  
I did not use the Promoted Listing option on it.  
It has received 25 views in the last 4 days and 23 hours.  That's a lot, in my recent experience.
It even has two watchers.  
But NO bids.  Not yet.  And if it does not get any bids in the next hour, I have lost no money.  

"Gee, I wonder if I really should try this Promoted Listing thing!"  NOPE! 
YMMV, of course.   

[monica-sells]

undeniable proof....solid evidence....

problem is, I have not used it yet and my auctions work just fine

[mam98031]

It is called puffing @nsta8654 .  When someone is trying to sell you something they speak really highly of whatever it is they are selling.  It is nothing more than that.  It is a choice to use promoted listings or not.  I personally have never used them all the years I've been selling.  I'm sure it works great for some and then not for others.  It is just a choice.