Over the last few weeks I have been studying eBay description titles . If you want to attract people to look at your item then you have to choose the right set of words in the title.
This coupled with a quality photo and a saleable item should attract the hits ...a little like the goods in the shop window , if you see something you like then into the shop you go.
After people are in then it is all about the copy ( the description) and the price that the item is being offered for .... more about this in a later posting ..
Today though I was a little discouraged by one of my items ( click here to see which one ) . For some reason the title description and the photo are not attracting the hits( to date only five ebayers have taken a look) and its been on for a couple of days ...they are not coming in the shop ..... Why ? . I thought the title was quite catchy.. " Shaftesbury Studio London Stoneware Vase Fine Example " ... I admit the photos is not brilliant ...but only five views:-(
I have been over to "The Discussers "and have asked for the wisdom of the experts ...If you have any views then let me know ...we can all learn together and hopefully I will be able to sell onwhat is a quality vase ...
12 comments:
My two cents.
Your ad looks nice.
Possible pointers:
1.)Counters are for you not your bidders. A low counter looks crappy and may actually drive bidders away. I keep mine hidden for my review purposes only.
2.) High starting bid - This is tricky, and comes with experiece. A high starting bid could be discouragin that first bid which attracts other bidders.
3.)I'm not a Pottery person so I don't know if the word "example" has some inside Pottery meaning. If it doesn't I'd lose itin your title - No one will search on it.You might want to replace that word with "Pottery"
You can use wordtracker or Yahoo Overture to get other search terms relating to your item.
4.)Catagory - I see lots of sub catagories under Pottery. A different catagory might to better. Who knows why it just might. Maybe putting it in the general Pottery catagory {if that's possible) might be better.
5.) You might describe what you've used your vase for to give would be buyers ideas to inspire them to purchase.
6.) Ever thought of using "Auctiva"?. It's a free service and offers a "gallery" feature. All your items appear at the bottom of each item your listing. This helps drive bidders to your other auctions.
Sometimes you do everything right and no one wants to look at it. Then it's time to "Not Sell" that type of item again.
Good luck.
Mark
Thank for the advice Mark
Rob
Rob, all of Mark's suggestions are excellent. I did google research on Jenny Browne, and found her listed as Jennifer Browne (is this the same?); and, after doing market research on eBay, I found none of her items listed for the past 3 months.
As far as your title - if this is a signed vase, that should be prominently mentioned. For instance, Hand thrown, handpainted vase signed by jenny browne...(by the way Jennifer Brown's pottery mark is JB) does your vase have that mark?
The title is all so important because many searchers will only enter search criteria for the title, and not the description.
I was trying to determine the artistic style of this vase, and the best I could come up with is art noveau - hold on, there's a point to all my ramblings - assuming that this vase is signed and/or you can authenticate that it's handmade by Jenny Brown, and the artistic stye is art noveau, your title might look something like this:
Handpainted & signed Jenny Browne stoneware vase in art noveau style.
(my disclaimer - in the above title, I'm making a lot of assumptions for the sake of developing a title that might draw interest. If it isn't signed, you, of course, should not use that term)
A couple of words in this title should attract interest - "handpainted," "signed", and "art noveau"...
You can use your description to flesh out the points such as this is a fine example of Jenny Browne's work done at the Shaftsbury studio, etc...
As Mark said, the counters are for your review, but like you I keep mine open.
Good luck with ...this really is a pretty vase.
Linda
Linda ...brilliant advice and you are spot on with Jennifer Browne ...It is marked JB on the base ... I am humbled by your wisdom....did you google to find the info ?
Can I change the title halfway through the auction ?
Rob
Hey Mark,
Yep - you can change your auction title and/or description as long as it has no bids. Once a bid is made though, you can't change it. I did google it..and just made a small leap that Jennifer Browne is your Jenny Brown because Jennifer is a potter. Here's a web site that tells a bit about her: http://www.nzpotters.com/PottersPages/Potter.cfm?memberID=664®ionName=Wellington&action=list
She's really an attractive lady - didn't read everything about her but there's quite a bit of info there, and perhaps you can use some of this in your descriptions.
Linda
One last thought Rob..try to know as much about your piece as is possible before listing it. Google is a good tool, and checking eBay's completed listings is a good source too.
This will do two things for you:
1. Arm you with solid knowledge so that you can develop titles and descriptions that let people know that you know what you have and can stand by it.
2. May help you determine what the piece might be worth. This will help you in setting your start price and/or buy it now or reserve price. I tend to shy away from reserves though because prospective bidders shy away from them. They don't know what that magic number is and will often just pass it by - not even look at something with a reserve.
I pay for eBay's Marketplace Research...but, that's not really necessary. Although this is an exceptionally good tool. I think a lot of people forget that the eBay market is not your ordinary auction house, or retail store. Simply put - even though an item may be listed in a book at a certain appraised value, the market at eBay doesn't follow that model for value. eBayers are looking for bargains.
Of course, if you have something that is so unique and so precious, then the eBay market can explode in a bidding war that drives the price up unbelievably high. The trick is finding those kinds of pieces.
I noticed that Buttons has received a few look-sees...and that's probably because of the bids. Once something is bid on, human nature makes people curious enough to see what it is that's warranted a bid or two.
Linda
Ooopps sorry..Rob, I referred to you as Mark..getting my names mixed up.
Linda
Linda ...my Guru ...you star ...I have taken your advice and changed the listing ... 4 days left to make an impact
Thank you very very much
Big Hug to you
Rob
A few comments about your listing. Your title space should be devoted to keywords that buyers are likely to be searching. It is doubtful that people actually search the words "Fine Example" I do not know anything about Pottery and therefore cannot comment about your other keywords.
I see that you have changed your title based on other suggestions. The changes you have made will likely gain you more hits by potential buyers. Again, I don't know pottery, but are a potter's mark and a potter's signature the same thing? If so, you're fine. If not, and the vase does not have a signature, then I would remove the word "signed" from the listing title. You would be misleading people who might be looking for a piece actually signed by this artist.
My guess is that "Art Nouveau" is more searchable than "handpainted" or "signed". Personally, if this were my piece and I were to use the keywords you currently have in your title and subtitle, I'd change it to read "Jennifer Browne Stoneware Vase
Classic Art Noveau Style" as long as that fits the 55 space limitation imposed on title length. Then I'd put "Handpainted and signed by the artist" in my subtitle if I used one. Remember that subtitles are searchable only when a person searches titles and descriptions and that a vast majority of people who search use the default format which is title only. Use your best keywords in the title.
One final comment: I love the fact that you provide your dimensions in both standard and metric measurements. Most Americans have never mastered the metric system and have no idea of dimensions displayed using it.
Good luck!
Pamela
Thanks Pamela .... very helpful stuff ...you might be right about the signature thing
Thanks again
Rob
Darn...I really hoped this vase would sell.
Linda
I Know ...but as the old Japanese proverb goes ... " Fall down seven times stand up Eight "
At least it attracted the hits ...I'll probably offer it up again in a few weeks
Thanks Linda
Rob
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