Banner Sponsors

K Pawz GuestNov 16, 2006

Is it just me or is eBay brutal right now? My last three bears have not had a single bid, and barley any watchers either....is anyone else finding this right now, I thought with Christmas coming it would be easier to sell, or is because there are so many bear priced way under what they should be that serious artists who price their bears where they should be are being passed over? I know there was a post about this before, I just wanted to see if anyone else was finding the same thing, usually and I am not trying to brag here, but I usually don't have a problem selling my bears.

Hugs,
Krista

Tammy Nov 16, 2006

It's not you Krista.  My bear ended last night without selling too.  I was really upset , but today I told myself not to take it personally ( that's hard for me ! )  as I've noticed Ebay has been REALLY slow for most people.  There are always some that sell well no matter the season of course.

I noticed this trend last year too around this time.  My only explanation is that artists bears are bought by collectors- for themselves usually.  So, now they need their money to spend on Christmas gifts for others.  Last year  I found after Christmas  and into the spring to be much better -for me personally anyway.

Roxanne Nov 16, 2006

Man, I feel y'alls pain too   
My bunny rabbit ended last night without selling too. I have relisted him without a reserve. I will probably be kicking myself in the behind for it later.
Oh well......we will see and hope for the best for everyone that it will pick up soon.    :hug:

K Pawz GuestNov 16, 2006

Thanks guys, just needed the pick up, now I know  that it isn't just me, I won't take it as personal :hug:

hugs,
krista

clare14 Nov 16, 2006

No Krista, it's not you, definitely not with your wonderful bears!!   

I've a stock pile building up too!!  I can only sell them when I start the bidding really low, and I know you all will hate me for that  :doh: , but I need to sell some, if only for my confidence!!

I thought it would be busier in the run up to Christmas too.....   but don't lose faith, your bears will sell, I just know it!!   :hug:

Jennie Nov 16, 2006

Oh man, aren't I a happy girl (or should I say sad?) to hear that I'm not alone with this! I have had two acutions on bears this month but no bids! It really makes me loose confidence in my bears! 

So, should we just wait for better times, or is there somewhere else we can sell?
Good luck to you!!

K Pawz GuestNov 16, 2006

I am going to keep trying maybe pop one on bid4bears, as long as eBay fees racking up don't put me in the red!!!!!

Hugs,
krista

SunnieOne Nov 16, 2006

I am with you there too! I have one listed with no bids, one last week that also didn't sell, but had a bid, and one other listed with no reserve starting at $29.99, 1 bid, and I paid 23 to list it as a featured. DEPRESSING!

bearlyart Nov 16, 2006

Something that you need to remember about pre-Christmas bear sales on eBay is that the number of auctions skyrocket.  Last I looked, there were over 1000 artist bear auctions, significantly above where they normally are the rest of the year (~600-800).  More competition can = less sales, especially if you're dealing with roughly the same number of buyers as there were before.

I wouldn't take eBay too seriously in terms of success vs. failure with your bear auctions.  I've seen far too many exceptional bears sell for a pittance or not at all... and some very bad bears... well, the opposite.

Bear hugs,
Kelly

sarahjane Nov 16, 2006

It's definitely not you Krista.....My last 4 bears have gone through unsold, and for the moment I have stopped listing as while it is good advertising I can't afford to rack up untold fees...

thumperantiques Nov 16, 2006

It always the same this time of year.    This is holiday time, girls.  Your  thanksgiving is coming up, and people are starting to Xmas shop and just don't have the extra cash to spend on treats for themselves.  A couple of times, I put really exceptional bears up at Christmas and they sold, but for some of my lowest prices.  I won't do that anymore.  So, chin up, just wait until Xmas is over and it should pick up again.

                                                                hugs,

                                                                Brenda

Pijangibears Nov 16, 2006

How much do you pay Ebay - if your bear isn't sold? 

Dilu Nov 16, 2006

[size=24]Honey it can be my fault your bears didn't sell if it can be your fault the gollies aren't selling [/size] :crackup:  :crackup:

It isn't you,

Regardless of what the talking heads are telling us , how wonderful the economy is, there is a real big reason why Walmart has slashed its prices for the Holiday season.

 
                                                       

Dont get too dissappointed or depressed, love, figure that you can use the time to try out new techniques, build up a surplus of bears ready to go.....try something totally new for a change of pace.

It'll get better. 

it will.

if it doesn't I'm up to my eyeballs in gollies stuff......

[size=20]YIKES!!![/size] :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:

Densteds Nov 17, 2006

Hi Krista, seems like there's a heap of us in that rocky ebay boat....my last bear has been through twice and didn't sell, it was crazy the first time around almost 500 lookers & over 20 watchers, I was really getting my hopes up.....but zilch bids!! The ebay fees are a killer especially if you use the featured option...so now I'm down over $40AU and nothing to show for it..
It's very disheartening and too much hard work goes into making them to sell for peanuts.......just hope it improves in the new year or I might quit, gees! I'm having a real down in the dumps day, sorry girls!!....

Delartful Bears Nov 17, 2006

Oh Denise, I am so sorry  :hug:   Don't feel like that your bears are amazing!

Same goes for you Krista.  Lots of bears aren't selling, I would say much more than half of the bears (at least on eBay Australia)  So, you're not alone, your bears are gorgeous. Hang in there, it'll pick up again soon !!

Danni

gotobedbears Nov 17, 2006

Don't feel too disheartened with eBay Krista and everyone else..........it's just one of those annoying things. But boy does it hurt when you have paid a lot of money to list your bear/critter and it does'nt even get a bid. It happened to me the other week so i know what it's like to wave bye-bye to hard earned money.
How often have we seen some bears sell and others, which are often better (just in my opinion) not even get a bid - and this happens all year round.
As many have said already, people are battening down the hatches getting ready for Christmas and maybe don't have the spare cash to spend on indulging themselves.

Nil Desperandum as the Romans used to say - don't give up girls  :hug:

Penny 

All Bear Nov 17, 2006

I took a peek at the one of a kind category a couple of times recently and was surprised to see how little of quality was being sold.  I don't know much about Ebay but my guess is that some collectors may have sensed a general downturn in work on offer and are taking a breather from bidding.  I'm sure it will pick back up again ... it's just one of those 'peaks and troughs' things.

Amanda Nov 17, 2006

I would agree that collectors are saving money for presents, one has told me this. I found after Christmas was good, around late January when the bills have been sorted. You might find it picks up just before christmas when hubby says 'what do you want for christmas?' that kind of thing. I don't think about what I want until late on.....then I go and buy it myself in the sales!

Laurie Nov 17, 2006

I found last year that I sold quite a few bears from September to end of October and then it seemed to slow right up the nearer it got to Xmas when you think that your sales should be at their best.I agree with Tammy that collectors are out buying xmas presents and not spending money on themselves but you would think that there are plenty of people that would be buying them for presents.We try not take it to heart when a bear does not sell but then I know if I had a lot more money I would buy more bears than I do now and there are probably a lot of people in the same position.I think that when sales are slow it is a good time to try out new things the only thing is I need to sell a few bears so I can do my own xmas shopping.
Laurie :hug:

TeddyTyke Nov 17, 2006

I bought some mohair from a bear artist recently and just last night went to look at her bears online. They were lovely bears - but I couldn't believe that she had 0 bids or just 1 bid on them, and such low starting prices. It's quite disheartening to someone like me who's just starting out bear making but has a little hope that maybe in a year or two, I might make  bears of saleable quality! Could be my imagination but I think the sales on vintage teddies look much healthier.

P.S: Just occured to me... I had a bad experience last month, being outbid in the final second - and in the last 30 seconds, bids going so fast I realised someone had an automated system. My son since told me there's pirate software people are getting that bids for them in the final seconds of an auction. Put me off using ebay - and I've been on for years. Now I've read in a UK teddy magazine about the same thing happening to someone else. If other folk are having these negative experiences being outbid by folk with illegal software they too will be put off bidding. I watch far more auctions than I bid on, and currently I'm only bidding in the final few minutes, when I do, because otherwise you're racking up the cost pointlessly. Maybe that's why less folk are bidding right now?

bearlyart Nov 17, 2006

TeddyTyke, I think that's sniping software you're talking about.  And sorry to say, but it's perfectly legal.   

Kelly

Jodi Falk Nov 18, 2006

Boy I am glad I am not the only one not selling right now. I was beginning to think that it was my bears not being good enough. I thought about lowering prices but I already take 20 to 30 dollars off the retail price. So I am not sure what to do. But I like allot of you keep racking up the ebay bill.But it is cheep advertising, like someone else said. Ummmmmmmmmmmm I may just lower some of my older designs just to bring in some money. Who knows ..... But what a bummer if I lower and they still don't sell !!! Bad for the ego !!!! Not that I am puffed up but it makes me not even want to sew or design, my inspiration dies.

Thanks for being honest guys, we are all in this rocky boat together.

chris009av Nov 18, 2006

Oh Dear, what an opportunaty you girls are missing out on.
If Ebay is in the slumps right now, you should be thinking about stocking up on your bear stocks and hitting the shows as traders 
Instead of slowing down you should be gearing up for next years shows.
If you think you will have too many bears, take another table 
Think ahead and support the bear shows I say 

lulubears Nov 18, 2006

I've been watching this thread for a day or so now, and thought I'd offer what I look for when perusing e-Bay.  This is strictly my own opinion, and no intent is made to hurt anyone's feelings.  I've never sold my bears on e-Bay, and my comments are based on being a buyer (or potential buyer) of others bears.

Early every morning, I go through the e-Bay listings for bear-making supplies and OOAK Artist Bears.  Research shows that when at a bear or trade show, you basically hav 15 seconds to capture someone's attention to your table.  That is an inordinate short amount of time!  E-bay listings, in my opinion, don't allow you even that much time.  You have a mere 1 or 2 seconds to capture someone's attention or they move on.  At least at a show, you may have a second opportunity to see the customer as they go around the room.  They may or may not go back on e-Bay.  Having said that, the tiny photo that is displayed in the listing has to be one that will INSTANTLY capture their attention, which is no easy feat, given how small the photos are.  I went through the OOAK Artist Bear listings this morning, picked some at random, and here are some things that instantly came to my attention  that would deter me from even bidding.

If I see a jumbled photo, and have to work out what it MIGHT be, I move on.  Chances are, from my experience, that once I've clicked on the auction, the other photos will be just as jumbled and I feel I've wasted time.  If you're not good with taking photos, find someone who is!  Your photos are what will sell your items.

Reserve prices - It's perfectly okay to list your pieces with a reserve, but if you want to sell it - tell it!  Put the reserve price in the listing description somewhere.  Some buyers watch a lot of items, and if they have to e-mail to find out what the reserve is, they have to wait for an answer, which may or may not ever come.  This may cost you a sale.  You obviously aren't going to sell it for less than the reserve anyway - so what's the harm in telling what you really want for it?

Descriptions - I like to read a clear-concise description of the piece I'm looking at.  If I have to scroll and scroll and scroll through text and graphics, I lose interest.  Give the pertinent info about the piece, and perhaps a bit about yourself.    I read one listing this morning that went on and on about all the awards they had won, how many times they'd been published, all the shows they were at, etc.  I forgot about the bear.  Basic info about you is good, but don't let it overwhelm the bear you are listing.  Set up an "About Me" page!  People will click on it if they want to know more about you.

Reason for listing - I get depressed reading about how many times a bear has been listed, how sad they are that no one wants them, how much it's cost to list with e-Bay, and how badly you need money to pay bills, tuition, vet fees, etc.  We all have money issues at some point or another, but perhaps we shouldn't emphasize them on an e-Bay listing.  The chat groups and forums are great support for that.  We know from the beginning that we have to pay those fees to e-Bay and Paypal whether the bear sells or not.  Take that into consideration when listing.  If a bear has been re-listed 3 times, stop!  Figure out what you need to do to make sell.

Photos - I clicked on three separate listings this morning and waited and waited and waited for the photos to download.  One listing had over 25 photos and took 13 minutes to download!  Another took 7 minutes, and the third 11 minutes.  Not everyone is on high speed!  List one or two good photos and offer to e-mail more if they are interested.  As I am on dial-up, I would usually never wait that long.  I waited this morning just to see how long it would actually take.   Time is money, and I wasted half an hour waiting for items I wasn't even interested in to download.

Threats - When I see threats regarding negative feedback, no responsibility for lost packages, being reported to e-Bay for non-payment and telling me not to bid if I'm not going to pay - I move on!    Know the e-Bay rules.  Suggest that payment is appreciated within 3 days, but KNOW that e-Bay gives them 7 to pay.  While insurance is always optional, it is the seller's responsibility to make sure the package arrive to the buyer.  Insurance covers the seller - not the buyer!   Use delivery confirmation to cover yourself.  People who are not going to pay don't care if you report them.  Don't warn them - DO IT!  Give them negative feedback, as well as a strike, file for your listing fees to be refunded and re-list the bear once you have blocked the deadbeat bidder.  You always have the opportunity to offer a second chance to someone else.

Listing times - I usually watch auctions that are on for 3 days.  I usually forget about a bear that I have to watch for 7 - 10 days, and find something else that is on a shorter listing.  Once the 7 - 10 days is over, I than have to wait for them to receive payment, and another week for the package to arrive.  Two to three weeks have now passed.  I saw a bear yesterday that I was VERY interested in, but had a question.  It was a one day auction, and because the seller was in another country, there was no way to send her an e-mail and get a response in time to bid.  This cost her the sale, and the bear went unsold.

Shipping - Some of the listings ask for you to e-mail for a "guesstimate" of shipping costs.  If they send you an estimate of $10, and you win the auction and the shipping actually end up being $30 - you have to pay it.  Not a good idea to go with guesstimates in my opinion.

Conversions - People from all walks of life are on e-Bay and not everyone knows the conversion rates.  I will sometimes look up the conversion rates for listings, but not always.  Again, it takes time to go to another site and figure out the dimensions, price, etc., if they are listing is a currency or measurement other than the one the buyer is accustomed to using.  It's your job to list the information that may be crucial to the sale.

It irritates me to see people list bears in categories that they don't belong in.  If I see items listed in the wrong category, I see that as a desperate attempt to draw attention to sell their piece.  I'm talking about blatant listings in wrong categories, ie OOAK artist bears in a Pincushion listing.

Lastly -If a bear obviously needs a doll stand in order to be properly displayed or photographed, photograph it with one and include in with the bear.  If a buyer purchases your bear and then finds that they have to go out and buy a doll stand or a chair to be able to enjoy their new purchase, it kind of take the shine off of it.  Doll stands are inexpensive and a $2 item may make the difference.

I know I've rambled on, and hopefully, these observations will be taken as constructive, and hopefully improve sales for those that list and those that buy.

Hugs,
Luann

WildThyme Nov 18, 2006

Sniping is really becoming a common place tactic to win actions... and Yes, kelly is 100% right, it is absolutely legal.....  Some folks use software or a sniping service to do it, and other folks simply use the "fast finger" method. 

Here's one of the services that some people use...

http://www.auctionsniper.com/

Though most of the people whom I've talked to actually do it "by hand."  I'm sure it can be incredibly frustrustrating for some bidders to loose in the last 5 seconds of an auction, however, it is completely legit.  I know there is a lot of sniping in the last 10 seconds of my auctions, and I certainly wouldn't want anyone to think that  those bidders were doing something "wrong."

Thanks for that Buyer's POV Luann.  I rarely bid on eBay, and it's nice to get a view of what it looks like "on the other side!"    :dance: 

Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals