Variable Listings, Algorithms, and Maximizing Your Store

[theresalecouple]

Hello everyone,

I had trouble finding an exact answer I was looking for.  I am wondering if I could get some answer as I am considering restructuring our store. My hang ups are due to hearing people talk about "Post X times a day to improve rankins" So, i'd like to pose a few questions.  Please keep in mind I often sell collectable figures.

First, how does the algorithm treat variable listings?  If I post 1 listing with 100 variations i'm confident that looks like i posted once today.  However, how does that change if I were to "revise listing" to add variations i have bought that I didn't have before?  Do 10 new variations count as 10 new transactions to the algorithm?

Second, with the above scenario. Does the "revise listing" count as a post for the day?

Third, how does the same variable listing potentially becoming a year+ old (assuming I keep selling these figures and finding new ones) affect my search ranking? I remember hearing that if a listing gets 3 months+ old it tends to drop off search results.

I hope i've been clear in my questions.  If you need more clarity I will be happy to give more.  Thank you everyone for your help and have a wonderful evening.

[mam98031]

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@theresalecouple wrote:

So, a few of my items i see as "lead lossers"  to continue to offer free shipping.  Most of the items i have up for 4.93 I bought for 0.25.

Just this weekend one individual bought 35 figures.  The shipping was just under $9.  So, now on the entire purchase i'm quite positive (due to some other large orders i had a few months ago).  On the more specifics of the purchases i lose just a bit of money on one 4.93 figure.  However, if they buy a second i'm up to a $3 profit due them being so light, and that is assuming its two 4.93 figures not a more expensive of the figures.  That is also why I offer the "Buy 3 get 1 Free" on all my figures.  I'm actually thinking of going to "Buy 2 get 1 free" to put more pressure on my competition. 

I like to keep the cheaper ones up too because maybe they buy two from me because I have one the competition doesn't.  So, they buy multiples from me.  It is a bit of a risk.  If you have more questions or want more specifics I'm happy to share.

That is part of the reason i've thought about going to the variation listing to help incentivize the purchase of more than one figure.  

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I get that you have to purchase the inventory for a low price, otherwise you couldn't sell them for 4.93.  But still it kind of works out like this.

4.93

-.25 Product

-.65 13.25 FVF

-4.13 FC 1-4 oz shipping, considering the most expensive zone.

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-.10  Loss on the item

I understanding selling at an inexpensive amount in the hopes to draw in people that will buy multiple items.  I have a couple items I do that with, however I do not sell them individually at a loss.  My above numbers do not take into consideration that the buyer may pay sales tax.  But if we were to add 8% sales tax to the item you would then pay 5 cents in FVF so you would then be at a loss of 15 cents per item sold.

[mam98031]

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@coolections wrote:

@theresalecouple   

$5.40 shipping

$0.95 ebay fee

$6.35 cost to sell

$4.93 asking price

$1.42 loose on every one sold

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I don't thing shipping would be that high.  They should be able to ship FC package 1-4 oz for 4.13 in the most expensive zone.  As of July 9th, this method of shipment will be know as Ground Advantage.

[mam98031]

The sales tax rate is NOT driven by where you are shipping from but by where the buyer is having it shipped to.  It is never about the seller's address, always the buyer.

[theresalecouple]

Ah you are right.  My bad.  Either way gives us a good ball park.  

[theresalecouple]

I get not wanting to sell individual items at a loss.  Part of it is too i need to learn the coupons and basically the entire promotions section better.  There is probably a way for me to build in something where if they buy 1 they pay $3 in shipping but if they buy 2+ its free or something like that.  

But, as i said i don't know that section well.  I need to get better educated on that.  Right now as a whole i'm staying positive in my purchases (meaning if i buy a lot of figures i make money on the whole purchase even selling some at a loss).  But, i should be better about protecting losses. 

[mam98031]

The place to start is make sure you don't lose money on a one off sale.  There is no good reason that you need to do that.  You may think you do to sell others, but you don't.  Just be reasonable.  Check what other sellers of similar items are doing.  That can give you some ideas.  I don't mean for you to follow what they do as you need to be your own seller, but it can give you some insight and ideas.

[theresalecouple]

I appreciate that.  I usually look up every item and undercut by a few cents TBH.  These common characters just aren't that valuable.  Maybe i should just say if figures don't sell for X profit i won't sell them.  It may thin my inventory but keeps more profitable in the long run?

I just struggle cause i've had multiple sales of 6+ figures and Ebay always make the cheapest item the free one.  I can't set which one is free.  So, by the end they end up getting that figure for free but in the long run i'm still MORE profitable than selling them individually due to saving on shipping.  I know i'm fighting your feedback a bit i don't mean to sound defensive.  

Just feeling a little stuck.  I'm still doing this very part time but wanting to grow and trying to make decisions to help me long term.  I DO really appreciate your input so thank you.