I have returned to find that selling here is rare as hen's teeth.

[theElench]

Thank you for taking the time to do that, it's good to know that my stuff can be found on other google sites. I've concentrated on Google Shopping because that's where ebid uploads our ads. too. Just attempting to get a clue to how that works is enough for me, so haven't even tried looking at google or its image site. Even at two clicks away to be shown on google (main site) must be a help in the visibility stakes.

As what everything I've written has been about Google Shopping specifically, can I ask you to look at Google Shopping and what you see if you search for "Art Deco Glass" or "Bagley Glass" please ?

If I'm going to summarise the GS thread, I think it has to be very focused. Saying basically what I found when I started looking at it. What I did to get it looking the way I (and you as independent observer) see it now and what I did to make it change.

After many hours of searching, clicking and counting I think that getting the "Ebid" name on the side-bar may not be too difficult, especially in smaller niche searches and something that many ebid sellers can do with a bit of effort. Admittedly I think that it works only for one specific search at a time, perhaps with a few closely related searches as a 'ripple' effect.

But if enough ebid sellers get Ebid - (and their name) on enough searches a lot more buyers searching GS will at least see Ebid on the side-bar. Ticking the box gets them to this site, one particular seller and if what I've seen is generally true, introduces other ebid sellers on their coat-tails.

[pastime]

Hi Elench,
Your established eBid reference does seem that the steps you have taken does work - the only thing I'm not sure of, and hopefully, older sellers will comment on, is that when I first joined it was said NOT to click on an eBid listing because it would cost eBid money/charge - does anyone know if that is still the case? If so, how does the cost to eBid weigh up against making a sale/getting eBid seen?

After my post on here I checked out just one of your photos on Google image: I choose a not well known AD item, just a small green glass dish. Google brought up your dish as the first item followed by other similar green dishes on the left-hand side. I then clicked on 'the source' button and 2 images came up - both yours with a link to eBid (as did the first photo search).

Assume that Image Search is the reason that Google has changed Shopping to Products as another way of finding items, but the problem is that you have to input the image to find them. That means it can be a good tool for research but it is hard to see how that can help with selling unless images can be easily found. That should mean Pinterest should be a good avenue to being found, but it seem as though Pinterest doesn't always link directly to the listing. I spent some time trying to work out how it works now but it is confusing and unclear.

Got fed-up with spending so much time searching Google/Pinterest and Facebook that I stopped to concentrate on listing more. However, despite now over 500 listing that show, some daily views, sales are not happening. So the best thing seems to be to try and combine both.

[FrogBearCreations]

I was surprised to see my store name on the side bar - never in a million years would that have happened with the bonz site without paying a 30% fee for GS on top of a listing fee

[theElench]

That's great!

But from what I've found, if you don't keep 'nudging' GS it will forget you and you'll be replaced by someone else who uses GS more often or who gets more views on their ads.

I've kept my name and Ebid on the "Art Deco Glass" search since October '22 by using GS when searching for stuff to buy and viewing a couple of my items twice a week. Regular listing might also help if date/age of listings comes into the GS ad. selection process. I list one new item each Sunday, have been for several years. So have many different dates and listing ages for GS to pick from.

[theElench]

Good morning Pastime,

I did think about the possible cost to ebid and either on the "GS" thread or another I mentioned this and inviting The Management to comment. They didn't, so I assumed that any cost would be insignificant, perhaps even zero. Any comments by other sellers are welcome.

I know nothing about how GS would charge but have noted what goes-on on obay with their Promoted Listings. It started with "Pay per sale", if the extra visibility resulted in a sale the seller paid the extra fee. As always with obay, they've refined how to fleece the seller and there are now other options like "Pay per click" (whether there's a sale or not) and bidding on Key-Words (no idea how that works).

Surely, knowing more about the true level of sales on ebid, The Management would have chosen an option like "Pay per sale"? And taken any extra cost into account when setting the requirement for an ad. to be uploaded to GS, that it should have a BIN price of £2.50 or more? So that the FVF covers the charge by GS?

I would welcome any comment by Gazza or Support on the potential costs to ebid. I'm trying to raise the site's profile, get more sales and revenue for sellers and the site, not bankrupt it by encouraging thousands of sellers to click on every ebid ad. they can find.

One reason I list one item a week and not batches at less regular intervals is that I think listing does get tiring and tedious. One a week fits my life-style. Find a pattern that suits yours, one a day, five over a week-end, whatever fits into your schedule without getting boring or tedious.

I used to like Pinterest and used it a lot when ID'ing glass, but when it changed and started the "Sign-up, Sign-up - give us your email" and just showed me half a screen of random images, I lost interest. I don't use it at all these days which is sad because some of the pictures were wonderful.

Anyway as you confirmed that what I've been doing has the right result and everyone who duplicates my search will see my name and ebids's on GS, I'll do a summary for the "Ways to promote " board.

If The Management find that it causes their GS fees to increase to un-manageable levels they can always delete the threads.

[FortesMentum]

I am posting an update, for anybody interested in my attempt to migrate from Fleabay back to here. I put a lot of effort into ensuring I was visible on Google shopping - listed over 600 items, all in store categories. I linked my stores to social media sites too. After several months: Nothing! Zero sales, no interest shown, no messages, just dead as a Dodo, and this despite my prices being 25% lower than on Fleabay. Yesterday I relisted everything back on Fleabay, and within 24 hours, loads of watchers, and 4 sales so far.

This is all very sad. I really don't see a future on Ebid, unless the site owners advertise and revamp what is looking like a very tired shopping experience.

Comments welcome.

[theElench]

Yes I agree, it is sad and all I can say is Don't despair just yet. You've been back several months, after a lengthy(?) time away, why not try a weekly PYA thread to let more people know you're back and what you're selling (it's free!)

Did you find any of your ads. on GS? I've noticed that GS seems to prefer my older ebid ads. and rarely shows my newer listings, perhaps it will take a while for GS to show yours?

I think it also has to be said that obay prefers new listings (hence the advice there is constant re-listing as 'Sell Similar' to fool the search into thinking your ads. are always 'new'. Obay used to work for me, if I kept listing new items for a month or two and then rotating them. But not any more since they are now more interested in PL fees than selling anything, especially if your items sell slowly. Just wait until you start to build a profile of non-selling listings or regular re-lists. I would bet that your sales will come to a shuddering halt again and you'll be back to square-one -- devoid of sales.

Perhaps try using both sites at once? Build your RUS numbers alongside your auctions. RUS to help GS notice you (at least you won't have the regular re-listing chore as on obay). Auctions to get visibility in more crowded categories. With an occasional bunch of ads. on obay until they run out of steam and stop selling.

It probably hasn't helped your migration back that after several years of regular sales on ebid and falling sales on obay, I've just had nearly three months here without a sale (despite the best start to any year I've been selling on ebid). I think it safe to say that retail sales in the UK have been in the doldrums for months, because so many people are being squeezed and are hard-up.

I won't be selling on obay much longer, sick of their money-making search games and putting-in far too much effort to only sell 3 items in 6 months.

[mb300e4m]

I am in the USA, and I have not sold anything in 10 years. So much for the bigger market, I think not. When I ask buyers, sellers and friends if they know about eBid, I get the 'deer in the headlight' reaction.
eBid needs to hire a marketing team and GET BUSY.
Many EBAY sellers are whining about the rediculous FEES and lousy customer service.
If eBid would get off their rears and do something, I would can my eBay account in a heartbeat.
'Dissapointed' and living in Florida

[theElench]

Yet your Feedback shows that you sold 1 item in 2020, all the rest was imported.
I looked at your listings, all 11 of them and viewed 3, first, last and one near the middle. I found all three were listed in June '24.

With respect, perhaps it's you that needs to get busy and list more items.

You could also buy an "Ebid" car window sticker, if there are any still available, to help spread the name in the US and get yourself some recent feedback.

From time-to-time, usually when I'm having a 'dry' sales period, I look at the Home Page to see what is selling on ebid. Amazingly stuff is selling every day of the week as is shown on the "Sold Listings" strip near the bottom.

[Policequilts]

I am in the USA, and I have not sold anything in 10 years. So much for the bigger market, I think not. When I ask buyers, sellers and friends if they know about eBid, I get the 'deer in the headlight' reaction.
eBid needs to hire a marketing team and GET BUSY.
Many EBAY sellers are whining about the rediculous FEES and lousy customer service.
If eBid would get off their rears and do something, I would can my eBay account in a heartbeat.
'Dissapointed' and living in Florida

@mb300e4m
One of your biggest problems :
* You have your listings RUS / Run Until Sold. This drops your listings in the search.
It's not that hard to have your items on auto-list for 10 days or 30 days or ? and then edit the posting time again.
* You need to promote yourself on whatever social media.
* Also: read and reread the HELP section. All the help sections. You will be surprise that they do tell you that it is best not to use RUS/ Run until Sold.

There is a seller that sells trains on the USA side and I see his items being sold on the front page.