Best Day and Time to End an Auction? Survey

by: NetWatch

Traditional wisdom for years has tagged Sunday night as peak audience for most online auction sites. For other days of the week, I've noticed increased sales for items ending after 8 p.m. CST (9 EST) at night, and suggest having items end all the way up to about 11 p.m.

by: elpereles

Just looking my latest sales in eBay. It is from Thursday to Sunday. From 6PM (EST) to 12AM. Also in that hour range I had more Domestic sales.  

by: Marie

For me, it is similar to elpereles.  Thursday through Sunday.  However I start posting auctions between 3PM and 6 PM PST.  I do this so they don't end too late for most people in other time zones.

But this article makes me think that really that may not be as important as it once was.  Before we would often have multiple bidders, so you wanted to make sure you timed your listings for the best chance of them being around.  Anymore we are happy with one bidder.  So maybe, with the current climate, there are better ways of doing this.  I look forward to seeing the results of the survey.

by: spinner

Monday morning. saturday is dead

by: Marie

@spinner

Monday morning in what time zone?

by: Puck

End 'em like the flood of new sellers eBay says are standing in line to supplant the old timers.

Whenever you think the hammer prices will be too low without regard to the day.

by: Tula

I try to have at least one or two items ending every day so it will draw attention to all of my listings. I've seen it happen quite often where I have an auction ending and shortly thereafter sell something else I had listed at fixed price or BIN. That said, Sunday evenings seem to be good, but Thursday evening are, as well. Payday, maybe?  

by: BackInBlack

I've always had good luck with the traditional Sunday evening endings, but my local eBay Education Specialist, who also works full-time at a local radio station, swears he does well ending his on Friday nights; then he has all weekend to ship before his work-week starts on Monday.

by: DonC

Sunday ~ 7 pm PST

by: Jerseylass

Completely agree with Spinner - Saturday is the worse day to end an auction on.  Sometimes I've mistakenly ended auctions on Saturday and all of them never sold for more than opening bid, if at all.

by: macsbaby

Sunday....9pm EST to 10pm

by: dpnyc

ya know, i really don't think it matters. since the internet is worldwide, there are always potential buyers online. years ago, i established what i thought was a scientifically sound auction posting/ending rule, which i followed religiously. but when my schedule changed and i couldn't follow it any longer, i discovered that it really made no difference! one less pressure. but then again, i seldom use the auction format and opt for BUY IT NOW.

by: Damariscotta

Best time to end an eBay auction?
About six years ago.

by: Mr. Me

eBays "best time" to end auctions was 2008

by: jawarrior

Sunday evening at 9pm or 10pm PST so the suction ends after dinner and before bedtime across entire U.S.

by: jawarrior

Typo.  I meant auction.  Ha!

by: Don Wagner

A lot of sellers do not let auctions end over a holiday weekend, to the point where there are holiday windows with almost nothing good for sale at auction. I have had some really great bidding action on the three-day weekends, because I am the only game out there, and plan to do some more experimenting in this area.