"Watching"

[therog]

Your opinions on fixed price sales: Do you think most "watchers" are really just sellers of the same item and only want to see what the going rate is...or are these legitimate buyers who want to jump in at the end?  Just curious about what other sellers think.

[duchess-at-speakeasy]

As a seller of 20 years, I've had a total of 2 buyers tell me they were actually watching my listings. One even apologized for not buying sooner in the 30-day listing! But I seldom get watchers anyway.

As a buyer, I don't seek out "watched" listings -- I just stumble upon them in my routine searches for stuff to buy. Just mild amusement on a dreary day to outsmart the "watchers" . . . you snooze, you lose!

Someone once said that watching a fixed-price listing is like watching paint dry. I believe the OP's subject is fixed-price listings.

~~C~~

[jashina1]

I think some are shoppers just cannot make up their mind on the item. I watched jewelry and clothing items sometimes because I like the item and am considering buying it. However, sometimes it just stays in my watch list. As a seller, I now ignore watchers as they seldom purchase the item. 

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

I don't believe sellers could always see the watchcount because I remember all the posts on the boards when they started being able to. They thought it would kill sales although the watchlist had been around for several years, they just couldn't see it.

I think sellers started being able to see the watchcount within 10-15 years. Maybe other long term members can chime in

that reminds me that back in the early 2000 we had to insert our own visitor counters because it was the only way to know if our listings were being seen

[ryanrobyn]

I might get one sale out of 25 different items being watched but that's it. And the fact that Ebay keeps the same watchers on an item after it has ben relisted after a few times is crazy. They need to be purged.

[imakesugar]

I was not on eBay for 4 years and when I went to My watch list many items were still on it! There was this one doll that I liked and the price was too high to me. It was still on My list after 4 years. 

I add things to my watch list to compare prices. I add things I am thinking about buying. Later I go and purge My Watch list By that time I am no longer interested in it. Many times eBay will show me the same thing for less IF I put it on My watch list! As a Buyer, I like that!  I bet the Sellers don't though. 

[southernfriedbelle]

I think both. And like views, it depresses and stresses me out and is just one more thing I can't control and ultimately means nothing. So, as a seller, I'm trying to ignore it, and do a poor job of it.

As a buyer, I put things on my watch list that I'd like to have but can't afford right now.

As a seller, things I have to list that are similar, or that I want to see if and at what price they sell.

I too remember the good ol' days when auctions were competitive battles up until the last second and winning was a feat requiring fast fingers, a good modem, and nerves of steel. Now, THAT was when eBay was still fun, fair and friendly!

[geotouloupos]

Watcers:

1. If you sell same items with other sellers it makes sense trhat some of them are watching your item.

2. If you sell a completely different item than other sellers they  are watching to see if it will be sold and then list the same. Sellers always look for items people like. They may be seasonal or just something different.

3. Some of them are potential buyers and Some of them are just adding it to watch list with less than 1% to buy.  

4. * Some people say a watcher may be also an ebay employee.

(If you don't understand the reason.. just think why ebay would like to watch your item). 

[d-k_treasures]

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@the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth wrote:

I don't believe sellers could always see the watchcount because I remember all the posts on the boards when they started being able to. They thought it would kill sales although the watchlist had been around for several years, they just couldn't see it.

I think sellers started being able to see the watchcount within 10-15 years. Maybe other long term members can chime in

that reminds me that back in the early 2000 we had to insert our own visitor counters because it was the only way to know if our listings were being seen

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When that came up, it was because the buyers could see how many watchers there are on a listing.

[reallynicestamps]

I have things on my Watch List that I buy often, like poly envelopes and Special Effects Atomic Pink hair colour.

I find I get watchers on my occasional auctions-- which close unsold but I rarely get watchers on my Fixed Price items.

Why would I? If you want it, it's right there. You can buy it.

Views are more useful. A lot of views and no sale, means it's time to rewrite the listing or donate the item.

[luckythewinner]

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@therog wrote:

Your opinions on fixed price sales: Do you think most "watchers" are really just sellers of the same item and only want to see what the going rate is...or are these legitimate buyers who want to jump in at the end?  Just curious about what other sellers think.

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You only offered two possible options - and I do not think those are the only two options.

I am watching anywhere frrom 25 to 100 listings at any given time. And there are at least a dozen different  reasons that I watch an item.  Here are just a few:

- I am waiting for auctions to end to see if I can get it cheaper

- Not sure I want it, but bookmarking it while I decide

- I am researching the price of similar listings here

- I am researching the price of similar listings elsewhere

- It is on my wish list, and I will buy if  or when I have the money

- I'm not sure if I have it already

- I will buy it if I can raise enough money selling my own stuff

- I can't believe you are selling that and I want to show my friends

- I can't believe you are asking that much and I am curious if it sells 

- I have reported it to VERO and I'm waiting to make sure it gets taken down

[994john]

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@therog wrote:

Your opinions on fixed price sales: Do you think most "watchers" are really just sellers of the same item and only want to see what the going rate is...or are these legitimate buyers who want to jump in at the end?  Just curious about what other sellers think.

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Yes, competitors are watching only.

I never sell those items that are watched for months, but do sell random items with no watchers.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

Sorry but that's totally not how I remember it. Why would buyers be concerned that the watchlist would cause fewer bids? They already knew they had a watchlist.

In fact it was tied in with when they redesigned MyEbay. Because we started to tell complaining sellers they could turn off that column. I believe before that they could not see the number of watchers.

[d-k_treasures]

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@the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth wrote:

Sorry but that's totally not how I remember it. Why would buyers be concerned that the watchlist would cause fewer bids? They already knew they had a watchlist.

In fact it was tied in with when they redesigned MyEbay. Because we started to tell complaining sellers they could turn off that column. I believe before that they could not see the number of watchers.

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@the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth

I think we need another old-timer here to chime in - I remember when they redesigned the myebay pages and the default for the # or watchers was set to yes. That's why we told sellers they could just hide that field.

But I remember seeing the # of watchers from the start. And I remember when it started showing up on listings for all to see - that was why sellers were concerned about lower bids - if 50 people were watching something, some sellers were concerned no one would bid because there was too much interest in it.

One of us could be wrong, one of us could be right, or both of us could be wrong or both of us could be right - considering this is ebay.

[thatsallfolks]

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@the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth wrote:

Sorry but that's totally not how I remember it. Why would buyers be concerned that the watchlist would cause fewer bids? They already knew they had a watchlist.

In fact it was tied in with when they redesigned MyEbay. Because we started to tell complaining sellers they could turn off that column. I believe before that they could not see the number of watchers.

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That's not at all what d_k said. SELLERS became concerned when eBay began displaying the watch count for BUYERS. No one said buyers were concerned.

I've been checking the watch count of my items for a lot longer than a few years. Your memory is faulty.

[solarshift7]

Great question.  I try not to think much about it but occasionally the count can help me consider some things.  On one account I brought in a new item, part of an established line yet something I didn't really think would be that great of a seller.  Instead, I've seen a huge influx of watchers on this new item while sales have been promising in just a few weeks.  For something I honestly thought I'd sell out of and forget, I'm now sure I'll order more and continue to sell it...who knew? 

As others have stated I too believe watchers to be a huge mix many of which might not pan out to a sale.  Oddly enough, I have one item in particular that consistently sells yet almost never has a watcher...so ya never know....  Heck I've got a few things on my watch list that I'm not particularly watching but rather the seller for similar items he sells that I plan to check out later