Listing hidden? Even with promotion?

[tthodgepodge]

I've been trying to sell a 3 piece cookie jar.  I even set the standard promotion percentage to 3% higher than recommended.  I set the first 2 words of my listing to "cookie jar" and then go to ebay and search "cookie jar".  I got to page 6 and still couldn't find my item.  I also checked my category to ensure it was in line with what category ebay was searching when I searched "cookie jar"

Does this seem right?  Do I need to increase the promotion percentage even more?  Or could this possibly be an error and I need to end and re-list?

[silver_in_seattle_by_thecollector]

Does it seem right, absolutely not. Is it correct for how the platform is currently set up? basically ya. and is something many many people are beside themselves on. I wish you luck

[dakotasnowshine]

You can't really use the search engine to gauge your items visibility. Use your Seller Hub Performance tab. Your shipping was high to me on the east coast US. I didn't check where you were. This might be part of the issue.

You can use calculated shipping and offer Parcel Select which will give the buyer the ~lowest shipping and if you want to use Priority it will be about the same cost as Parcel Select with the ebay discount. Buyer gets quicker shipping and you make a sale. 

Best.

[buyselljack2016]

37,000 cookie jar listings.

Seems key words might bring it closer to the top.

To test "promo".......... you could temp raise the price to a crazy amount, and then  temp increase the promotion to 100% to see how it does in search with just "cookie jar".

Then end the listing, as if someone looked at it, even though you reduce the price back, and the promo rate down, seems that you would pay the rate when it was viewed if someone were to purchase.

Cookie jar ark susan..............................   you show up #3 in search

[buyselljack2016]

Same for susan cookie jar.....    #3

[coolections]

Wow... you won the prize. After checking people's listings for a few years now that say their item is missing, you are the first person that actually has an item missing. I did a little digging to see the problem since there are over 37,000 of them listed. It could be the category you chose:

Yours:  -  Canisters & Jars

Others sellers: - Collectables: kitchen & home: kitchen storage & organization: canisters & jars.

Hopefully that will get you on track.

[monica-sells]

You need to inspect/review listings with an anonymous browser. There are instances where your item is not showing to YOU because....frankly....why waste the sponsored space showing the seller their own listing?

[onefootflipper]

Susan Noah Cookie jar has 47 listed and zero sold in the last 3 months.

No demand for the item.

That might tell you all you need to know. 

[2013grotz]

I successfully found your listing after a little effort.  Your problem is you're not hitting the right keywords in your title.  I finally used "susan winget noah's ark cookie jar" to see it.    Part of your problem is there's a lot of cookie jars and a lot of susan winget cookie jars and even another susan winget "Noah's Ark" cookie jar.  So you really have to find someone looking for a needle in a haystack to find your *specific* cookie jar.

Then there's people selling single pieces while you have the whole set.  You really need to say that in your listing title and figure out whatever differentiates yours from the "other" susan winget "Noah's Ark" cookie jar I see in the search results.

Finally, you really need to think about lowering your prices if you want to move the item on ebay, or find another venue.  I've talked about cleaning out my mother's ceramic stuff before, and not getting much out of any of it on resale in person.  But adding shipment to it makes it a sales killer, especially given both the weight and volume of it and I found on the time or two I did try selling ceramics that it didn't work out for me very well in the bottom line for what I had to move things for, plus shipping costs.  That said, here's Terapeak:

Mind you, these ceramics are going off the site, albeit slowly (yes this is sales for the WHOLE YEAR so far).  The catch is I can't say they go very fast or I'm encouraged at how much they go for, especially ones like yours.  Sorry for the news on that.

Anyway, I hope this is somewhat enlightening.

[tthodgepodge]

Appreciate all the feedback everyone!

This forum is the best.

[tthodgepodge]

@dakotasnowshine I'm still trying to find a good balance on the shipping.  I'm on the west coast and have noticed on most things, UPS isn't significantly more expensive for people on the East coast but can be significantly cheaper for anyone West of the Mississippi vs the alternatives.

To everyone else.  Thank you again.

[onefootflipper]

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@tthodgepodge wrote:

@dakotasnowshine I'm still trying to find a good balance on the shipping.  I'm on the west coast and have noticed on most things, UPS isn't significantly more expensive for people on the East coast but can be significantly cheaper for anyone West of the Mississippi vs the alternatives.

To everyone else.  Thank you again.

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I calculate shipping based off priority unless the item is over 10 pounds and then I calculate based off UPS. When it comes time to ship I use pirateship and just select whatever method is best between the two services.

I also end all my real items (not trading cards or postcards), once they almost hit 90 days old, and then use sell similar and reduce their price by 10 percent. It is rare for one of my items to get to the 90 day mark a second time unless it is either really bad or really waiting for that ONE BUYER. Those ONE BUYER items, like a specific replacement part for a board game that no one else has listed I tend to not reduce in price on the relist.

With your cookie jar try something like "The Entire 3 piece complete set, this is the good one" in the title. I have had a lot of success with extra wording like that to stand out. 

Also, Noah's Ark doesn't sell 4th Quarter. 4th quarter Christian related decorative items are dominated by nativity and Christmas items. Noah's Ark is more of a summer item. At least in my experience that is when Noah is most likely to show up in the sermon or as the theme of the vacation bible school. 

[2013grotz]

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@onefootflipper wrote:

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With your cookie jar try something like "The Entire 3 piece complete set, this is the good one" in the title. I have had a lot of success with extra wording like that to stand out. 

 Not a direct response but in general to @tthodgepodge as this reminds me of something I forgot to mention in my previous response.  You need to fix this part of the description.  It's a 6 piece set (the lids are pieces).

[silver_in_seattle_by_thecollector]

Hello,

So in regards to a missing listing. I had not experienced this yet until more recently and absolutely never received notification of anything to inform me. I often check my listings and stumbled upon a few now where the zip code is suddenly gone from the listing, keep in mind that the system doesn't even let you publish a listing without a zip code in place for the items location. And being that it was missing, that means those listings or items have NOT been showing up for buyers and who knows for how long. It seems to be when certain updates come thru, either some things get changed like the listings description font size has changed so many times on various listings.

I can only speculate as to why this is, however I would imagine that The Bay's engineers are way over worked and unfortunately maybe skip over some steps during an update in order to get it done faster, totally understandable if thats the case but if so, it still sucks for the users but once again it proves now more than ever that sellers need to be at attention all the time and running through their own listings.