The more bids you have on your auctions, the higher your eventual sale price will be. The number of bids indicates to other bidders how popular your item is. The more popular it is, the more others tend to want that item. Here are a few proven tactics to get more bids on your auctions:
Start Your Auction at $0.99
Starting your auction at $0.99 will virtually guarantee you will get bids, especially if your item is worth significantly more. You have to have a bit of confidence to do this because often times your item won’t get bidded on until the last hour of the auction.
While starting at $0.99 can often win you more bids, it can be a trade-off. Sometimes starting lower causes people to believe your product is worth less and therefore will eventually sell for less; while at other times the extra bids drive the sales up. Test it for yourself to see what works.
Aim for Snippable Times
Many eBay buyers prefer to bid at the last minute to prevent others from seeing their bid prematurely. This practice is called “sniping.” As a seller, you want to make it as easy as possible for snipes to place their bid. Therefore, look at ending your auctions either on weekends or at nights, when people can comfortably be in front of their computers. When in doubt, take a look at when all your competitors end their auctions and time your items to be within a few hours of theirs.
Have a Unique Selling Proposition
Having a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) can really make the difference. So many sellers try to compete with one another selling basically the same item, which makes no sense. Instead, come up with something unique about your item. It can be something as simple as a free guide to the product to be included when they buy; or a small related item for free. Whatever it is, make sure you have something that sets you apart from your competition. Promote that USP shamelessly.
Clear Pictures, Description, Shipping and Refunds
Take several clear pictures of the product from all angles. Avoid using stock images or images from the manufacturer, as that is what everyone else will be using. Answer common questions in your description. Make sure your shipping and refund policies are very clear. Know what questions others frequently have about the product and answer them preemptively. Even in the competitive marketplace of eBay, there are a lot of bad listings. A lot of people just copy and paste their website into eBay. By taking the time to really answer questions, take new pictures and create a professional description, you will make your listing stand out.
If you craft your auction with clear pictures and description, have a rock-solid USP, end your auction at ideal times and start your auctions at $0.99, you’ll almost certainly get a nice flow of bids for your items.
