Promoted Listings

[iart]

I'm trying to understand promoted listings better. We use them. The highest we will go is about 8% (we see some people up to 20% which seems bizarre).

What does the 'trending rate' mean? Is it an average or is it the highest another seller went?

If you match the trending rate will that mean you probably get on the first pages of search? If so, is it reasonable to assume that going under that rate a little bit might also get you on the first search page?

We list in a lot of categories so the trending rate can change drastically. We only know how to bulk edit ALL our promoted listing listings or one at a time. Is there a way to bulk edit items, say, that we've listed in the same category or where we've used certain keywords in our title?

Anyone have advice on how the work this promoted listing system?

Sorry for any dumb questions in there and thanks for your help.

[mynewfindstore]

I think trending rates are the "average" rate that sellers choose for that particular item. I could be wrong though because it's crazy to think that a treading rate would be above 8%. I believe this is as high as we ever go.

I think you can bulk edit through seller hub. Just go to active listings and select by keyword or however you want to search for a portion of your listings then there is a "promoted" tab where you can set a rate for those listings. Unfortunately, through this method you can only set ONE rate, you can't vary the rate on each listing. I have blocks of promoted listings ending every day so I create a new set and initially set one rate and then go through and revise certain listings since I never want to go above the trending rate, I have noticed that lately, some of the trending rates for some of the brands we sell have dropped which is good for me!

I hope that I helped you!

[calntom]

Just some various promoted listing thoughts:

Been using PL for quite some time. I never go above 1%.

What I see on most of my listings is that in most cases, it creates a duplicate listing that is supposidly promoted. That makes 2 chances for the same listing to be seen.

Perhaps they show the promoted listings on other seller's listings if the items are the same or similar.

I have certainly seen mixed results as to where a promoted listing ends up in search results.  

I would never go above 1%.

[membersinceaug2001]

Promoted listings also show on other sellers pages sometimes and other places where they put ads.

I've tried promoted but doesn't seem to make much difference in sales.  If your items are unique enough, the buyers will find them. 

[nc-daydreamer]

I agree - 1 to 2 % is more than enough. those who go higher is no more guaranteed a higher search placement than a lesser one; and when someone over-does this option - that is what increases the trending rate. If we all keep it within reason, then the rate will be better for everyone. 

And don't forget what this means - you voluntarily increase your FVF by that amount - so it is 10%/12% or whatever PLUS this extra amount. Plus it increases PayPal fees. 

Why cut into your own profits like this?  So you want to pay 18% or higher FVF's? Seriously?

[bigdeals.etc]

Since you have an eBay store, you get more functionality in managing promoted listings. If you go to that section under your Marketing tab, you'll see that you can create "campaigns" which are pretty much promoted listing profiles. Under each campaign you make, just add your same category (or whatever grouping method you want) listings to that campaign. Then you can go into it and edit the percent for all the listings within each campaign whenever you want.

When you create new listings or individually revise them, you can also attach the listing to an existing campaign within the creation or revision page.

[clu3]

I've been experimenting with 1.5% and 3% on all listings.  Using 3% puts me roughly at the same rate Amazon is charging me.  I haven't really noticed any substantial difference in impressions with the two different amounts.

I've never matched the trending rate or used the variable selection.

Of the 14 sales I had in July, just under 1/2 incurred a promoted listing fee. 

I hate how vague the "promotion" details are.  Is it just a duplicate listing and sneakily showing up in the solds?

Someone pointed out on another thread that duplicate impressions of the same item makes the listing stale faster.  i.e. the more views it has without a sale, the less favorably the listing is treated.

[bigdeals.etc]

Yea but you can't make sales without views.

I asked this question before but I'll ask it here again. What is your sales ratio goal for promoted listings? Meaning, what ratio out of your entire sales do you hope were sold via promoted listings.

That question is for everyone, but clu3 you mentioned that your ratio is just under 1/2. So for instance if your goal was actually 1/3, that means you are exceeding that goal. If that's the case for a seller then that means the seller should lower their percentage paid, right? No sense in paying more to eBay if your goal is already met, right?

[clu3]

I don't have a goal with the promoted listings.  I only have 130 listings.  Typically I don't have more than 50 to 80 but I have all these textbooks and it's back to school season.

 Having promoted everything for the month, I was actually pleased to have only 50% of them incur the added fee. 

For July my total selling costs averaged 30% (12% FVF, 4% paypal, 14% shipping labels).  

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@bigdeals.etc wrote:

Yea but you can't make sales without views.

I asked this question before but I'll ask it here again. What is your sales ratio goal for promoted listings? Meaning, what ratio out of your entire sales do you hope were sold via promoted listings.

That question is for everyone, but clu3 you mentioned that your ratio is just under 1/2. So for instance if your goal was actually 1/3, that means you are exceeding that goal. If that's the case for a seller then that means the seller should lower their percentage paid, right? No sense in paying more to eBay if your goal is already met, right?

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[clu3]

If I study the impressions based on the percentage rate I'm using in a promotion and then couple that with the total sales that incurred a promoted fee - no I don't think the higher promotion fee of 3% resulted in any real benefit.  

But it would likely depend a great deal on the category and how many are available. 

So for instance if your goal was actually 1/3, that means you are exceeding that goal. If that's the case for a seller then that means the seller should lower their percentage paid, right? No sense in paying more to eBay if your goal is already met, right?

[femmefan1946]

I definitely see more views with Promoted Listings.

I won't pay more than one percent though. 

I don't see more sales, but my books tend to be slow moving in any case.

I have seen some postage lots I sell on another ID that have sold with PL while similar lots sell fewer.

I like that I only pay if something sells.

I hope that anyone looking at a Promoted Listing will also browse in my Stores.  I have a link to my Store on each listing.

[xua-68]

I think advertising will help increase the number of viewers. The chance for you to sell goods will be higher, but your item must also match the buyer's requirements. Proportional trend guarantee will help you appear on the first page of search, because I am a trend buyer.

[m60driver]

I have been experimenting with promoted listings for a few months now.  The only noticeable advantage seems to be with items that have significant competition.  My vintage and ooak items, not worth the effort.  

I imagine trending rate is invented by biased algorithms based on category.  It can be ignored.  I look at amount, not percentage.

And I track my promoted listing by having them end in .98 vs .99 cents.