Manufacturer, Retailer, Survey and Consumer Feedback - My first Ebay Sell ad. How did I do?

This is the first time I have sold anything on ebay. Just looking for your thoughts about the ad and what could be done better.

Thanks

http://cgi.ebay.com/Litespeed-Appalachian-Blue-Ridge-Titantium-Bike-/320557114181?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Road_Bikes&hash=item4aa2b16345

I have no idea what this is worth, but a high starting price can kill a sale. Either you get no bid or just one bid. Starting at .99 can
get a lot more people interested.

On the other hand, you have to stomach the ride competing snip bids to the end which isn't for everyone.

Also, photobucket or flickr photos can really help.

+1 for .99 starting price.

Small print, hard to read on my screen. Deceptive ad, showing things that are not for sale. Typical lawyer BS (Big surprise), IMO. Bet it doesn't sell as it stands.

51 cm fitting pant inseam sizing? What a crock. That's not a measurement. 51 cm equates to about 5'6"off the top of my head, but who would ever argue with your bike fit techniques?:rolleyes:

Dump the eBay-hosted photos, embed your own in the auction description with HTML and a reliable, free, picture hosting service.

-Kurt

You misspelled "titanium" in your title, which will make it get overlooked by lots of searches.

Neal

Small print, hard to read on my screen. Deceptive ad, showing things that are not for sale. Typical lawyer BS (Big surprise), IMO. Bet it doesn't sell as it stands.

51 cm fitting pant inseam sizing? What a crock. That's not a measurement. 51 cm equates to about 5'6"off the top of my head, but who would ever argue with your bike fit techniques?:rolleyes:

+1

I'll leave it at that.

Cool bike though. Hope you do well.

You really did not do too bad. Good looking bike too!

But at the $800 price point, and since you are seeking comments, here goes:

1. You need to host pictures on another site, and then plant full size pics into your ad. Its cheaper for you (no additional picture fees), and it is MUCH better for the potential bidders.

2. Starting bid is too high, way too high. Getting the starting price just right can be difficult. On items I know will get a lot of response, I always start at 99 cents. 99 cents maximizes the interest, and minimizes your posting fees with ebay. (Part of the game of selling anything on ebay is managing/minimizing the fees.) On items where I doubt there is going to be much response, I will start higher. Regardless, I would not start that high, and I would never use a reserve.

3. Spelling is critical, particularly in the title, otherwise searches won't pick up the bike.

4. A lot of your wording is fluff. Less is really more. "may be the best bike produced during the David Lynskey era of this great, innovative bicycle company. It certainly is the most versatile – road, cyclocross, and loaded touring......it is the perfect adventure, do-it-all bike." "Now I am sharing my good fortune with you. Ride on." I would delete all of this commentary. Someone looking for a Lightspeed Ti bike will already be sold on it, someone not looking for one, will not be convinced by this commentary.

5. Consider your target market. To me, it is a small rider (51cm frame size), that wants a Ti bike. Thats great, as small frames sell at a premium. (Its not for someone with a 31 inch inseam). They will already be searching for terms like Ti, Titanium, and Lightspeed. A search for Lightspeed will pick up your bike, the other two searches won't. To me a title more like: Lightspeed Ti Titanium Appalachian XS Road Bike Light Speed".

6. Don't take pictures of the bike with items not included in the auction. How long does it take to change the seat? If you had put a generic seat on the bike before taking the picture, then the whole discussion of "you aren't getting the pictured seat" is avoided. Its like selling a house with rare antique light fixtures. Remove them prior to the sale, and no one will ask for them. Try to exclude them later? Tough.

7. General picture staging: lower the seat, neutral background, etc.

8. Need closeups of the rim damage you mentioned. Its good that you are disclosing it, but if I was a potential bidder, I would now want closeups of the defects.

Get rid of the peacockery in the ad -- let the bike blow its own smoke.

You really did not do too bad. Good looking bike too!

But at the $800 price point, and since you are seeking comments, here goes:

1. You need to host pictures on another site, and then plant full size pics into your ad. Its cheaper for you (no additional picture fees), and it is MUCH better for the potential bidders.

2. Starting bid is too high, way too high. Getting the starting price just right can be difficult. On items I know will get a lot of response, I always start at 99 cents. 99 cents maximizes the interest, and minimizes your posting fees with ebay. (Part of the game of selling anything on ebay is managing/minimizing the fees.) On items where I doubt there is going to be much response, I will start higher. Regardless, I would not start that high, and I would never use a reserve.

3. Spelling is critical, particularly in the title, otherwise searches won't pick up the bike.

4. A lot of your wording is fluff. Less is really more. "may be the best bike produced during the David Lynskey era of this great, innovative bicycle company. It certainly is the most versatile – road, cyclocross, and loaded touring......it is the perfect adventure, do-it-all bike." "Now I am sharing my good fortune with you. Ride on." I would delete all of this commentary. Someone looking for a Lightspeed Ti bike will already be sold on it, someone not looking for one, will not be convinced by this commentary.

5. Consider your target market. To me, it is a small rider (51cm frame size), that wants a Ti bike. Thats great, as small frames sell at a premium. (Its not for someone with a 31 inch inseam). They will already be searching for terms like Ti, Titanium, and Lightspeed. A search for Lightspeed will pick up your bike, the other two searches won't. To me a title more like: Lightspeed Ti Titanium Appalachian XS Road Bike Light Speed".

6. Don't take pictures of the bike with items not included in the auction. How long does it take to change the seat? If you had put a generic seat on the bike before taking the picture, then the whole discussion of "you aren't getting the pictured seat" is avoided. Its like selling a house with rare antique light fixtures. Remove them prior to the sale, and no one will ask for them. Try to exclude them later? Tough.

7. General picture staging: lower the seat, neutral background, etc.

8. Need closeups of the rim damage you mentioned. Its good that you are disclosing it, but if I was a potential bidder, I would now want closeups of the defects.


Excellent advice. Thx

BTW, I tried to correct the title, but ebay wouldn't allow it because there was already one bid. The only option was to end and start again. I would prefer not to do that for fairness reasons. We'll see how it goes.

I think it looks good as it is. Good luck, man!

Dump the eBay-hosted photos, embed your own in the auction description with HTML and a reliable, free, picture hosting service.

-Kurt
How is this done, exactly?

You've got a bid, that's the main thing! Now hopefully you will get a second bid (it takes two to really have some ebay fun as a seller). Good luck on your auction!

Although I've not yet sold bike items on eBay I have sold lots of others and usually do this:

- Decide what I'd like for the item being realistic, set that price as a buy-it-now.
- Set the initial bid at half that unless I'm into it for very little, then I'll start lower.

I have yet to have an eBay item go unsold, most by the buy-it-now I set. Yeah, sure, I miss out on some frenzy bidding that way but it has always worked for me. I protect myself with a reasonable starting price, I give bidders a chance to jump on a reasonable BIN should they so choose, and, if bidding begins, buyers can get a deal if the bidding stays low. I don't believe in the .99 cent starting price. eBay is too much of a wild, wild, west. I don't know how many times I look for something and when I check out completed there's always a completed auction on which I would have bid more.

In the case of the above. Maybe the OP wants $1000. I would have started it at $500 with a $1000 BIN to test the waters. Maybe it goes the first 15 minutes, maybe not. If for some chance the auction doesn't complete then I've tested the waters under my own terms and then can adjust my expectations accordingly.

He's received an at least $800 bid but unfortunately the bidder has a BIG history of bid retractions.

I think your font could be bigger.

as for the bike, is that fork still made? I have been looking for a 700c suspension fork but I need a 1" steerer.

.... I don't believe in the .99 cent starting price. eBay is too much of a wild, wild, west. I don't know how many times I look for something and when I check out completed there's always a completed auction on which I would have bid more...
.

+1
If you post it for .99 without a reserve, it may sell for .99.

Well, whatever the negative feedback from the group ,your ad, judging from the final value, was a winner.

Most e-bay buyers know what they are looking for and can see past any errors in ad composition in order to get what they want. I don't see the 'bay as a place where you sell anyone on an item..you just offer an item that they already know about at the lowest possible price.

Mike