Those of us who sell on ebay are doubtless aware that they're running another free listings promotion. This time though, instead of auctions, it's for fixed price Buy It Now listings (with Best Offer, if you want it) - tomorrow (Saturday 28) is the last day.

Well, this suited me just fine - our house move is looming ever closer and the chance to list a bunch of crap for 30 days duration in the hope that somebody would offer me something, anything, for it was too good to miss - especially because with 30 day listings I'd free up time to do all the other stuff I need to do.

So, here's the educational part. I've typically just done auction style listings and, even though it's common knowledge that not every watcher is a potential buyer, I would obsessively keep an eye on the number of watchers. With "Best Offer" listings, there's no need for buyers to watch - they can just offer what they want to pay and get a prompt reply.

But my listings are garnering an ever increasing number of watchers - which tells me that I've been underestimating the number of other sellers who watch people's items to figure out the current market value prior to listing and, also, that I should stop obsessing over it.

Perhaps that, but more likely ppl that have the same item, and are simply curious as to current "market value".

Some months back, I had a Regency TR-1 listed, and there must have been 25 watchers. When it sold, however, I don't think there were half a dozen bidders, nor did I see many TR-1's listed in the months that followed. Just the usual, one here, one there.

That's a fair point and probably quite accurate. I just need to quit obsessing on the number of watchers, don't I?

One more day of intense listing today. My strategy for getting the most out of the promotion is to list everything with just one picture and if in any doubt to describe it as not working, for parts or repair. Once the promo is over, I'll go back and add more pictures and amend the description to be more accurate.

If I watch but not bid, usually it is just to see what the item goes for. If I track a fixed price item, it is usually because I am waffling on buying it, and do not want to have to search for it again if I change my mind and decide to buy. Or am researching the item. And in most cases, I don't buy anyway.

I sell 78's on the 'bay and have the $50/month store so at 5 cents per listing I am not saving much in the BIN format. I don't even pay attention to watchers of my listings that have a BIN which is around 1400 listings. I do auctions on some rarer stuff and have one 78 with 9 watchers w/no bids with 3 days left and a hard to find manual typewriter has 15 watchers and ends Sunday night. Most watchers I've ever had was 35 on a 78 last year that ended up selling for $360 in a bidding frenzy that ran up $300 in 90 seconds.

Just do a BIN or Fixed listing for 5 days. Don't know why people even run auctions for 7 days, as for the most part the serious bidders wait to the last moment and swoop in.

That's often true (though auctions ain't what they used to be on ebay) but the purpose of giving it 7 days is to allow time for more serious bidders to notice it.

I'm currently trying a new (to me) tactic of listing everything for 30 days, with "best offer" turned on. That way, I get a whole month for somebody to make me an offer that I can live with...


That makes sense. I don't have a store, because it's just an occasional thing for me. So, if I can manage to list 100 items, that's $50 I've saved, at 50c a pop.