Growth Recommendations

[ebbyisme]

What does everyone think of these new recommendations and what do you do with them?

I have a couple that says I have 28-60% less chance to sell then other sellers, no price recommendations, no other recommendations on what to fix.... and they have been listed 2 - 3 days... do they expect my items to sell regularly in 2 or 3 days.....

I have one where they recommend I lower the price, the one they are comparing it to was MINE that sold, and is a different item from the same category, different quality, different size, different weight.

I have another that says I am 70% less likely to sell and I've sold 4 in the last month... looking at solds I have sold the most in the last month. Once again mine is different size and quality... why wouldn't the system pick up MINE are selling so that is proof they aren't less likely to sell?

Yet another where they want me to lower my price to $13.99... because someone is selling 1 for that price..... my listing is for a lot of 20 for $29.99, I think it is even on sale right now for less. Am I supposed to sell them one at a time? or are they suggesting I sell all 20 for $13.99?

Also my "growth recommendations" have fluctuated between 3 and 27 in the last 24 hours.... little data to form a solid theory, but it seems when my "growth recommendations" are low I sell, when high no sales.... do growth recommendations hurt search placement?

[zzydny]

Frankly, I do not think that the Growth Recommendations are worthwhile.  I just click all and say that I'll look at them again in 30 days.

I have actually done some checking with some of my items, and the recommendations were way off.  Just for example, I have one item that I have priced at about $25.  A brand new model sells for more than twice that.  My item is actually new and unused but I have had it for several years so I removed it from the box and tested to make sure it works, thus I have it listed as Used.  I think that's a reasonable price.  There is only one other Used item listed--it has been used a great deal and is rather battered; the seller is asking about $10.  Growth Recommendations say that I should reduce my price to less than $10 so I can sell.  NO!  I'm not gonna do that.  I may wait longer to sell but I still own the item until I do and I'm not gonna throw it away like that.

When I got an email recommending that I reduce the price on some magazines because there was 100% chance that they would Not sell, I actually sold 6 of them within the next 2 days.  Why would I listen to the Growth Recommendations with that track record?

When I first started selling, I took the system's advice that I start my auctions at .99 cents and I lost big time.  I've grown some more sense since then, and I'm only taking advice if it's worth taking.  The Growth Recommendations are NOT.

[ebbyisme]

I opted into the Hub early and due to the glitches I opted back out.... just got forced back into it a few days ago and I didn't even know I could click on them and get rid of them.... thank you very much for that....

[odditiesandantiquities1]

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@ebbyisme wrote:

What does everyone think of these new recommendations and what do you do with them?

I have a couple that says I have 28-60% less chance to sell then other sellers, no price recommendations, no other recommendations on what to fix.... and they have been listed 2 - 3 days... do they expect my items to sell regularly in 2 or 3 days.....

I have one where they recommend I lower the price, the one they are comparing it to was MINE that sold, and is a different item from the same category, different quality, different size, different weight.

I have another that says I am 70% less likely to sell and I've sold 4 in the last month... looking at solds I have sold the most in the last month. Once again mine is different size and quality... why wouldn't the system pick up MINE are selling so that is proof they aren't less likely to sell?

Yet another where they want me to lower my price to $13.99... because someone is selling 1 for that price..... my listing is for a lot of 20 for $29.99, I think it is even on sale right now for less. Am I supposed to sell them one at a time? or are they suggesting I sell all 20 for $13.99?

Also my "growth recommendations" have fluctuated between 3 and 27 in the last 24 hours.... little data to form a solid theory, but it seems when my "growth recommendations" are low I sell, when high no sales.... do growth recommendations hurt search placement?

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I have some where they've told me to increase the price by hundreds. I'm not so sure where they are getting these ideas, but I'm not paying attention to them. I have enough work just doing what I'm doing...lol.

[threshold.sales.group]

 Given some (a lot) refinement the tool could be very useful, but at this point it's not helpful (IMO). Compares longtail / specialty items to category averages. Flags items where they there are no competitive listings (or recent competitive sales).   Trying to wade through the spam generated is frustrating and my hunch is most people give up on it because as of now its a time waster. 

[tunicaslot]

Have to agree zz - Most of my growth recommendations don't have any comparable items or suggested prices next to them. Most according to Ebay have a 100% less chance of selling than do the compeition which is not seen. Of the few with a comparable item - they are lower but charging shipping - mine are free shipping.

I'm not racing to the bottom - I may out a small markdown on them but I haven't had a problem selling them in the past.

[zzydny]

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@ebbyisme wrote:

I opted into the Hub early and due to the glitches I opted back out.... just got forced back into it a few days ago and I didn't even know I could click on them and get rid of them.... thank you very much for that....

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I've been using the Seller Hub for two years and, honestly, I really love it.  But the Growth Recommendations are just wrong.  I still check on an item or two each time eBay sends me another batch of recommendations but the advice has never been appropriate as far as I'm concerned.

It's super-easy to make those Recommendations go away for awhile--if you can't make it work for you, I'll be glad to give tips. 

[pushinpaper]

I agree.. When i look "Analyze" my listing they want me to change it shows 'Due to limited data we can not give a price recommendation.' ,but they state i have 19 listings that need changed to lower prices. The only items even CLOSE to mine are higher priced. It makes no sence at all. And does it affect our search placement. I cannot lower my prices especially with free shipping. There are FAR to many mistakes and inconsistancies on E-Bays end here lately. I have a list i have so many questons for them..

[luckythewinner]

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@ebbyisme wrote:

What does everyone think of these new recommendations and what do you do with them?

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I ignore them entirely.

[k-bar-ksaddles]

I've set my hub on the classive view. I don't need all the nonsense recommendations.  When I relist something they're bad enough - no I am NOT going to relist those branded $100.00 spur straps for auction with a starting price of 99 cents. Not just no, but heck no.  BIN, make me an offer I can't refuse, or get out.

I don't need eBay bots 'suggesting' how to grow my business or sell my goods.  That's why I do market research before I list anything.

[nawlinsron2]

Life is full of choices...an easy one is to ignore suggestions from a mindless bot whose code was written by a 3rd World Programmer.

[ersatz_sobriquet]

Growth my hiney. Besides that ebay's not so intelligent bots are picking prices that don't even compare to our items, Ebay is just trying to snag some naive vulnerable sellers to reduce their prices to rock bottom so that those buyers will hit that BIN button. Ebay doesn't want to be the ultimate garage sale? OH YES THEY DO! 

Ebay has no qualms sacrificing sellers profits to make those buyers happy! Why would they? Another seller-sucker is born every minute, listens to ebay and bam...free shipping 99 cents sale and they end up paying the buyer to take the item "off their hands".  

Ebay will never suggest pricing in YOUR best interest. Ebay wants you to price at lowest give-away price on the internet, or anywhere else for that matter. Ebay wants that cha-ching of the register. Whether or not you make a profit...they could not possibly care less. 

[dtexley3]

two words: IGNORE THEM.

I followed them when they were first added and check them from time to time.  The pricing data they use is faulty and too generalized.  many times they have a price suggestion but can't find a matching item (I did, that's how I priced mine), which brings the question of how they came up with their pricing.

They're just not worth your time.