eBay Selling Advice

[stephen_rockefeller]

It will always be fine shipping to an unconfirmed address..........until it's not.

[thoroakenfelder]

I just do not understand the search algorithms on Ebay. I have listings up for a set that I have parted out 76067 Tanker Truck Takedown. I have the set without minifigures, Then listings for Spider-Man, Hawkeye, and Vision. Today I did a search for LEGO 76067 and it returned 33 listings. Of those listings, only 1 was mine. I had to add an additional search keyword to find each of the other listings. It seems like it should have returned a larger number of search results based upon the fewer keywords.

[ISO8T0]

pm me a link to one of the figs.

[ravenb99]

57 minutes ago, thoroakenfelder said:

I just do not understand the search algorithms on Ebay. I have listings up for a set that I have parted out 76067 Tanker Truck Takedown. I have the set without minifigures, Then listings for Spider-Man, Hawkeye, and Vision. Today I did a search for LEGO 76067 and it returned 33 listings. Of those listings, only 1 was mine. I had to add an additional search keyword to find each of the other listings. It seems like it should have returned a larger number of search results based upon the fewer keywords.

just simplify your listing, you have to many words in title that don't need to be there just for sake of using the characters.  You can put them down in the body if you want as it will still search from there but for title keep it simple.  Look at the figures that do pull up in LEGO 76067 and you can see they are briefer than yours.

The other figures that are pulling up are because they are in sets category instead of minifigures so LEGO 76067 is pulling them into that search as it associates that with a set.

Honestly the sets is what is pulling the others up the most for that reason though with just those 2 words used as search criteria.

Then when you try LEGO 76067 Minifigure it pulls up 37 listings and the top listings of those are ones listed in the minifigure category and it bumps the ones listed in the sets category to bottom.  You are towards the bottom of the ones in the minifigures category though which reflects back on title and sales.  Obviously sales will bump it up highest but improved titles can bump it up as well.

 

[thoroakenfelder]

Thank you @ravenb99 I'll take that into account and see what I can do. I guess I just miss the days when the ebay search actually returned all matching listings with a keyword(s) and didn't return non-matching listings. I get tired of seeing a bunch of stuff that is similar to, but not the item I am searching for and does not contain the keyword or words I am searching for.

[ravenb99]

4 minutes ago, thoroakenfelder said:

Thank you @ravenb99 I'll take that into account and see what I can do. I guess I just miss the days when the ebay search actually returned all matching listings with a keyword(s) and didn't return non-matching listings. I get tired of seeing a bunch of stuff that is similar to, but not the item I am searching for and does not contain the keyword or words I am searching for.

yeah it is a lot different now.  It used to be get as much into title that related to it to pull it up versus nowadays being specific and cross referencing the keywords used in title versus categories etc.

Best bet is always copy a title in the top few listings that you like as it is already up in the search and the algorithm likes it.  

Price, Shipping, handling time, feedback are all primary in getting the listing up higher.  Then concise titles that give enough but not to much help in where it pulls up.

Also stuff like centering text and using other colors in your description lowers it as well.  

Sell through though from experience is the most important.  They don't want items that are not selling near the top as it doesn't do them any good.  They are apt to push a listing higher that has a higher chance of selling.

Also have experimented of late with quantity.  If you have a hot selling item it seems better to raise the quantity higher then keep it running low as the algorithm sees the potential of sales especially if a hot selling item.  Tried it recently with a few products that were very hot that I had a lot of and instead of keeping my quantity at 25 or so raised to actually what I had of like 150 and sold 65 in a day as it got main promotion through all the search engines.  Which makes sense that if 2 people have the same item and 1 has 100 and the other 10, they stand to make way more fees from the guy with 100.

I know your question was more specific of pulling up in search then placement but they do go hand in hand in some aspects.

 

[thoroakenfelder]

6 minutes ago, ravenb99 said:

I know your question was more specific of pulling up in search then placement but they do go hand in hand in some aspects.

 

Yes and no. In this case, my initial question/complaint is more along the lines of "Why is Ebay filtering my searches and eliminating items that should be returned based upon my search keywords?"

[Forsaker]

Is there any risk for me as a seller if someone wants to etransfert money to my paypal account and once I get the money I send the package? A Kijiji/ebay buyer is offering me this to save on ebay fees?

[Tgnmonster]

This is a fairly common con done with stolen accounts.

[KShine]

10 minutes ago, Forsaker said:

Is there any risk for me as a seller if someone wants to etransfert money to my paypal account and once I get the money I send the package? A Kijiji/ebay buyer is offering me this to save on ebay fees?

Yes, you certainly won't have any ebay protection, and although it may be unlikely, you can be banned.

And if there is such a thing as karma - it might just come to get you.

Edited April 22, 2017 by KShine

[Forsaker]

Actually, never contacted the buyer on ebay. Just through kijijji. Any other risk? Doesn't an etransfer confirmation on Paypal insure me I get the money?

[Migration]

Actually, never contacted the buyer on ebay. Just through kijijji. Any other risk? Doesn't an etransfer confirmation on Paypal insure me I get the money?

You'll get hit with a cc chargeback.

[KShine]

5 minutes ago, Forsaker said:

Actually, never contacted the buyer on ebay. Just through kijijji. Any other risk? Doesn't an etransfer confirmation on Paypal insure me I get the money?

Yes, that is certainly fine (and still covered by paypal, but as mentioned below - still no guarantee).

2 minutes ago, Migration said:

You'll get hit with a cc chargeback.

Wouldn't that make most any transaction suspect?

Edited April 22, 2017 by KShine

[Forsaker]

So he sends his etransfer money, I get confirmation of reception. I send the item with a tracking number, and a few days/weeks afterwards he hits me with a cc chargeback and regains his money unless I put up a good fight?

[Forsaker]

Wouldn't that make most any transaction suspect?

Funny thing is kijjiji suggests to their buyers to pay through Paypal even when meating the seller in person. So any kijijji transaction could have that cc chargeback in that case....

[scatttcat]

Quick question, 

For used sets you have parted out fully and confirmed all pieces. Do you all prefer eBay or Bricklink?

Also, I am sure this depends on the set, but is it generally more successful to sell minifigs on there own, and then the set on it's own.

Or is it better to keep them all together if you can 100% the set?

 

Thanks!

[LegoMan1212]

2 minutes ago, scatttcat said:

Quick question, 

For used sets you have parted out fully and confirmed all pieces. Do you all prefer eBay or Bricklink?

Also, I am sure this depends on the set, but is it generally more successful to sell minifigs on there own, and then the set on it's own.

Or is it better to keep them all together if you can 100% the set?

 

Thanks!

Limited experience but here's my advice:

Used Sets - Ebay:  Why, more people fighting over it, more views, and it gets sold

Mini-figures:  The Used set will sell higher with mini's included obviously.  You can usually get a "tad" bit more return if you part them out but then you also have to move them still and price competitively on Bricklink.  

Speed = Ebay.  Wait and see = Bricklink

Open to discussion though as again my experience is limited.

[scatttcat]

Limited experience but here's my advice:
Used Sets - Ebay:  Why, more people fighting over it, more views, and it gets sold
Mini-figures:  The Used set will sell higher with mini's included obviously.  You can usually get a "tad" bit more return if you part them out but then you also have to move them still and price competitively on Bricklink.  
Speed = Ebay.  Wait and see = Bricklink
Open to discussion though as again my experience is limited.

Thanks! I'm very interested to hear others thoughts on this also! But that's a great starting point! Of all your stuff what would you say you put on eBay vs bricklink? 50/50? 60/40?

[mizeur]

There's really no harm in listing everything everywhere as long as you track inventory and price according to the market.

[gregpj]

 

Funny thing is kijjiji suggests to their buyers to pay through Paypal even when meating the seller in person. So any kijijji transaction could have that cc chargeback in that case....

 

I do cash only for local Kijiji sales because it's not worth the hassle.

 

There is a reason eBay says to do cash sales for local pickup. You get no seller protection from PayPal.

 

The correct way to get seller protection for a Kijiji sale is to have a business account and send an invoice to that customer. They pay the invoice and include a shipping address. If you ship to that address with tracking you'll get the same seller protection as with an eBay sale. HOWEVER.. we all know their protection is suspect when users file SNAD cases. For Kijiji they can do CC charge backs claiming they never got the product, etc. The credit card company contacts PayPal and PayPal will contact you .. you can argue the case but the chances of winning are slim.

 

The correct way to do a long distance Kijiji sale is bank interac e-transfer transfer. There is NO WAY for them to scam you after the fact. Interac e-transfers are final. Banks won't reverse them. The risk is for the buyer because you can scam them (hence Kijiji is really telling buyers to use PayPal) by not sending the product. But if they want it bad enough... they'll etransfer it!

 

*edit to clarify interac e-transfer*

[Guest TabbyBoy]

Just swallow the fees for eBay/PayPal, is it worth the risk otherwise? If you're still making a good profit, just stay safe and don't be greedy. If something's trying to bite you on the arse when you cut corners, it will ;-)

[FM]

I'm not sure if this is the correct forum, and this is out there, but here it goes...  I had an eBay "buyer" message me about an item.  It this a scam?  What's going on here?  Is the buyer 8 years old?  Buyer since Oct 2016, Has bought 1 item on eBay, Follows only sellers of lifelike silicone babies.!?!?  Here's the exchange...

Buyer: Hey I'm very interested in this Lego City xxx xxx set.

Me: Hello and thank you for your message. How can I help you?  Best regards, Me

Buyer: I want this beautiful lego city fire department because I'm into building Legos collecting them to.

 

[ISO8T0]

You should have fun with it.

[Scatterbug]

Perhaps they don't know how to place a bid or click the 'Buy it now' button? Politely point them in the right direction in order to acquire your 'beautiful' set.

[Migration]

Or block them.