eBay Tests New Approaches to Promoted Listings Ads

by: scrapsmusic

I wish that my comment would address all of the negative comments that I've read about promoted listings. I felt that I was forced to use the PL's or otherwise I was going to have to file bankruptcy. I agree with many of the comments that buyers should get the opportunity to buy from the best sellers and that should be eBay's push, but my situation was not even close. I sell collectible vintage and antique sheet music and had become a top-plus seller about 6 months after I started selling on eBay. Did my top rated plus seller status help me with my sales? No. Did filling out all of the item specifics and even adding additional item specifics help with sales? No. Did free shipping? Did 12 images? Did thorough condition information or descriptions? Did having the best possible sheet music on the eBay market help? Did my 100% feedback? or any number of other things, such as my providing the best packaging help....none of those things even seemed to matter to eBay. Because regardless of having every possible keyword in my titles for the searches, eBay was rarely showing my listings in a manner that was visible to buyers who browsed the category where a great deal of anyone's new business comes from. I was constantly having to compete with seasoned sellers who were always getting the top spots, right along with all of the new sellers. Anyone in the middle of that, such as myself, would get the shaft when it came to placement. I jumped through every possible hoop that was available, keeping myself continually stressed out wondering how I was going to even pay my supply bill or having additional money for investments. Thank God for good credit, but of course I'm in major debt after dealing with such a farce as "Best Placement." Nonetheless, I do pay the most possible amount of money that I can afford for placement ads for ALL of my items. But even though I had to raise my prices, which were probably to low to begin with, it has not cost me buyers and my sales have gone up. I have now had items sell that were listed forever and ever, that I thought were never going to sell. I've got more followers now and my feedback is 110%+. even if that's not possible. I have buyers who are coming from other sellers, paying my prices, because they are happy with what they receive. They are no longer buying trash from the sellers that eBay was promoting based on whatever lying algorithm they claimed existed. I chose the 2-day shipping time-frame to reduce stress, which certainly has not hurt my sales any. I actually can do an even better job than I was prior to that in my specialized detailed packaging. I say, for all of those who complain about the costs, don't pay to play. Other sellers will not miss you, they will be glad you are not there. We live in a "Pay to Play" market when it comes to online sales, so once you figure that out and recognize that it's just another tax deduction than whoever you are that does all the complaining will become players. As far as GTC listings, I cycle my listings through whereas every day a percentage becomes a new "sell similar" listing, so that I'm back on top again instead of wallowing at the bottom. It takes a few minutes, but is worth every bit of it if I'm going to make any money whatsoever. I am totally against eBay having managed payments, but that is another day....

by: purpleiris

"Pay to Play" does not equate to "Fair Trade", so, yes, people are going to keep complaining until something is done about those who are robbing us blind and ruining fair trade with their pay-to-play models.

by: purpleiris

I should add that it's one thing if a site is solely for advertising people's products, like the social media sites are being used for. However, I don't think one should be hidden completely simply because they're not paying to be featured in prime spots, like FB does to business pages.

It's a whole other thing when the site is a mall where small to medium-sized business owners can sell their wares. You don't see B&M businesses paying extra money every month in the hopes of getting the best spot in the mall. They have a shop they pay a set rent rate for and maybe pay for advertising spots around the mall. They don't advertise for all the other shops within their own shop or anywhere near their entrance, either.

Business is business no matter where it's being conducted. It is illegal for anyone to intrude on the business of another and that's exactly what these sites are doing. They claim they have the right to just because it's in their TOS, which changes frequently, often unknowingly to users, which they also claim they have the right to do. Does that sound legal to you?

by: purpleiris

Nor is it legal for states to require marketplace owners (mall owners) to be responsible for the business of a tenant. While marketplace sites like to claim they have no responsibility, they sure don't mind the leverage for taking control of their tenants' businesses.