auctions and multiples of item

[keziak]

As far as I can tell you can't do the old Dutch auctions for multiples of an item. You also can't have multiple auction listings for the same thing.  Am I missing an approach? I have a number of plates I may want to sell singly. I can't tell how someone could buy more than one when I use the auction format. If someone won one at auction and wanted more I could always create a fixed price listing at the agreed-upon price and give them the item number.  But should I put this in the auction listing?

Yes, I could just use Fixed Price from the beginning but I want to use the auction format to encourage  a quick sale. If I already had a buyer lined up for more at Fixed Price that is not the same as having the stuff sit in my store for an unknown amount of time (I don't have the space).

[jonathanbrightlight]

If they're different in any notable way, just title them differently and you're good.  Otherwise, consider lots, or fixed price.  Auction format doesn't encourage a quick sale, quite the opposite.  People who want it quick filter out auctions, because they usually run for 7 days, and as the "old saying" goes: "Ain't nobody got time for that!"

[nobody*s_perfect]

Indeed, the format known as "dutch auction" is long gone. It was just too confusing!

I suspect that fixed price is at least as good for encouraging a quick sale, since it will attract buyers who don't want to wait a week to see if they won the item. And you're more likely to find a buyer if you put up a fixed price listing which shows your total quantity available, at an "each" price, if that buyer wants more than one. If you set up an auction for a single item, your explanation in the description might never be seen by buyers who want to purchase multiples.

[kensgiftshop]

Wouldn't it be quicker to list as a fixed price so the buyer could buy now and not have to wait a week?

[keziak]

I like auctions for some things. I sell a lot that way. 

[keziak]

I do not find FP listings inherently faster for selling.  Lots of people just watch. But the issue is moot because around here I have shelving for single books and precious little room to store "lots" and these dishes in my ebay Store. I sell quite a lot of auctions. With these plates I am thinking about whether to just list one at a time or go ahead and lot them up if I can't find a way to have buyers tell me how  many they want. I guess I could just ask the winning bidder if they want more. 

[mam98031]

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@keziak wrote:

I like auctions for some things. I sell a lot that way. 

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You can run an auction for the same thing as you have a fixed price listing for.  You could do both.

[lisa5768]

@keziak 

You can have multiple identical auctions for the same thing, however they will not all be visible immediately. When you create the auctions they must follow the duplicate listings policy below. The first one will be visible and once it gets a bid the next will then become visible. Once that one gets a bid the next will then be visible and so on until all have bids.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/listing-policies/duplicate-listings-policy?id=4255&st=3&pos=1&que...

[a_c_green]

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@nobody*s_perfect wrote:

Indeed, the format known as "dutch auction" is long gone. It was just too confusing!

 Oh, Gawd, yes. When was that: 2006 maybe?

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@nobody*s_perfect wrote:

I suspect that fixed price is at least as good for encouraging a quick sale, since it will attract buyers who don't want to wait a week to see if they won the item. And you're more likely to find a buyer if you put up a fixed price listing which shows your total quantity available, at an "each" price, if that buyer wants more than one.

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@keziak: If they're virtually identical, I would do that. You could even offer a slight discount when buying more than one.

If you think an auction will bring out collectors and competitive bidding, list the first one by itself, and you can then send a Second Chance Offer to one or more runners-up, depending of course on how many identical examples you have, and how the bidding went. Your second-place bidder's offer will be no more than one bidding increment below your winner, for starters.

Definitely check past sales of your plate design first, to see how the pricing goes. If you don't know the pattern name, you may be able to identify it at Replacements.com, which will enable much more accurate pricing and sale research. Good luck.

[pjcdn2005]

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@mam98031 wrote:

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@keziak wrote:

I like auctions for some things. I sell a lot that way. 

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You can run an auction for the same thing as you have a fixed price listing for.  You could do both.

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And if the best offer function was on the fixed price listing, the buyer who won the original auction could make the same offer on the fixed price listing.

[wastingtime101]

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@keziak wrote:

You also can't have multiple auction listings for the same thing.

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You can, but the second listing won't appear in search until the first has a bid.

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@keziak wrote:

I have a number of plates I may want to sell singly.

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Plates as in dishes? Dinner plates? I have friends that sell dishes. I'm told they're notoriously long-tail items and auction format is not the best approach. From what I recall, both @penguins_dont_fly and @hollysfinds sell dishes so perhaps they will chime in with advice on listing format.

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@keziak wrote:

I can't tell how someone could buy more than one when I use the auction format.

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List a lot, not singles.

Will also add: listing fixed price allows you to offer combined shipping by weight - something appealing to people buying dishes. With auction format and all the changes eBay is testing on auto-pay, you may find combined shipping a challenge.

[mam98031]

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@pjcdn2005 wrote:

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@mam98031 wrote:

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@keziak wrote:

I like auctions for some things. I sell a lot that way. 

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You can run an auction for the same thing as you have a fixed price listing for.  You could do both.

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And if the best offer function was on the fixed price listing, the buyer who won the original auction could make the same offer on the fixed price listing.

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Yes they could.

[youn2240]

run a small amount at auction and see what types of prices you're getting for them and the interest they generate. if you're getting a lot of bidders watchers and views price them a little bit more as fixed price and you'll get sales just about as fast with a little more money. doesn't always work but usually does. 

[keziak]

I"m going to think about how to do that. I am not sure what price I would put on the FP items, the same as the opening bid?

[keziak]

would I put in the listing to watch for additional items to come up?