posted on January 11, 2008 02:23:41 PM new
If you're looking to shake up your approach to eBay selling, here's a technique you might try:
Tell a story.
Here's an auction where the seller has a backstory. Note her cutesy eBay id, the misspellings, the poor grammar, the vagueness about certain details and the tantalizing promise of more goodies to come.
She does very, very well. Read this and a few of her other auctions, then give me your comments.
posted on January 11, 2008 02:59:33 PM new
Other than the seller's name, I usually hate that kind of stuff, unless it's one of the rare incredibly funny ones.
Just tell me what it is, any special shipment or payment instructions, and leave me alone. And while you're at it, don't give me migraines with the colors and UPPERCASE and center-aligned.
posted on January 11, 2008 03:07:39 PM new
Claude: You're not typical. Nor am I.
I can tell you that I tried the folksy storytelling approach under another ID, selling mass-market stuff like books, CDs and DVDs and charging shipping far higher than my nearest competitor. I was amazed that I made so many sales, because various entities tell us that buying decisions are made on a rational basis. The seller with the lowest overall price should prevail, right?
It doesn't happen that way. I believe that for most people, buying decisions are made on emotion, not logic.
posted on January 11, 2008 04:00:28 PM new
Her auction even upset my cat,one look is enough. Her pictures would drive you up the wall, yours look so much better.
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posted on January 11, 2008 04:03:47 PM new
Fluffy,
You're right, we're not typical. I am as susceptible to emotion as anyone; my kids even laugh at me for crying at the corniest movies. I know when the music swells that I'm in for it. I don't like being manipulated, but there's nothing wrong with crying at a sad movie. OTOH, I hate to be manipulated into buying something by someone cynically trying to be homespun, and unless it's well done, I resist.
I saw a great auction once for a violin. The writeup was along the lines of "I found this in the barn. I don't know if its good or not, the paper insid is very britle and old. It says Stradivarus or sumthing like that." [sic all over]
Anyway, the coot did quite well with the auction. It was, without a doubt, an old copy of a Strad; it might even have sounded okay.
posted on January 11, 2008 04:36:38 PM new
My sales mentor (Ron Popeil reminds me of him) taught me you can sell anything if you deliver it with a story - not a lie, but a story. How we happened to acquire the merchandise, what we looked for - why we thought it was special, etc. Worked for fishing boats, tractors, microwave ovens, rug shampooers, you name it! I go into Starbucks and see their stories on brochures and signs. A marketing tactic not apt to go out of style anytime soon.
posted on January 11, 2008 05:33:00 PM new
oldcrapola is full of, you know, old crapola. She has had a lot of people kick the bucket. I probably would have shot myself if I was related to her. She probably gabs on and on just like in her auction.
posted on January 11, 2008 06:47:49 PM new
Fluff,
Interesting thread. There is a guy that sells Antique bottles on Ebay who is a bit of a character and always has lots of Anecdotal info on historical background, how he came by the bottle, if he digs them, stories about how and where he found them. Most of the bottles are fairly common and are often listed by others with no bids but when he lists them, they sell, sometimes for way more than I would expect. It’s something to think about.
posted on January 11, 2008 09:26:19 PM new
I just don't like the description - at all. For one thing, I distrust her story about "his mother's stuff" and the safe and the safe-deposit boxes, etc. etc. etc. I'm sure there are those who would fall for all that and bid, and more power to them. Just not my cup of tea.
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posted on January 12, 2008 07:40:05 AM new
Fluffy,
Do you still use the folksy story telling approach? If not, why did you stop? It seems to be very successful.
For a while I was watching a seller who in every auction mentioned that she was a single stay at home mom. I don't remember the details of her stories anymore, but she seemed to do very well.
posted on January 12, 2008 07:51:20 AM new
This person's story is getting old and not very engaging, IMHO, she has JUST opened that safe for quite awhile if you look back at her closed auctions.
posted on January 12, 2008 08:12:22 AM new
cherished,
I've just started using it again under another selling ID, not the clearance*clarence one. I'd rather not share the story/theme here. It happens to be true from one perspective.
It's hard to maintain any kind of creativity when you're trying to put up 50 auctions a day. I agree that "O.C." needs to freshen up her routine and add some spontaneity.
posted on January 12, 2008 11:57:07 AM new
While I also don't like OCs auctions - I couldn't even make myself read the whole thing, She seems to be doing very well with her sales. So it seems there's no real incentive for her to change her story.
posted on January 12, 2008 07:51:44 PM new
Everything but the "chocker" necklace has multiple bids, but nothing I'd be interested in. Annoying auction.
posted on January 12, 2008 08:24:43 PM new
It's not gold-plated. The prongs are platinum, which isn't unusual for a diamond ring. Platinum is more durable than gold.
I agree that she could have left out 2/3rds of the pictures.
