Question
I got this survey in email yesterday evening, and opened it up today, thinking it was going to be the one about fee based support... but
The first 4 questions were basic demographics (how long have you sold on eBay, etc.)
Sometimes a buyer may contact you directly to negotiate the sale of an item. We would like to learn more about these offers and would appreciate your feedback for the following questions. Your answers are completely anonymous (this survey's purpose is only to learn more about this process to improve products).
5. As a seller, have buyers ever contacted you to negotiate the sale of an item directly (off eBay)? For example, offering to buy the item directly and end the listing early, offering to purchase an item after the auction has closed, offering to buy an item at a lower price than your starting bid or Buy-It Now price?
Yes
No
6. On average, how many offers do you receive per item/listing?
< 1 offer per item (i.e., I do not receive offers on every item)
2-3 offers per item
4-5 offers per item
6-10 offers per item
11-25 offers per item
More than 25 offers per item
7. How do buyers contact you to negotiate on your items? (check all that apply)
Emails
Phone calls
In person offers
Other
8. How often do you counter an offer you receive from a buyer?
I always respond to buyers when they want to negotiate during the listing
Often (I respond to more than 75% of the offers I receive
Sometimes (I respond to about 50% to 75% of the offers I receive)
Rarely (I respond to less than half of the offers I receive)
I never respond to offers I receive from buyers
9. How often does the negotiation end in a successful sale?
All of the negotiations have ended successfully
Often (more than 75% of the negotiations)
Sometimes (about 50-75% of the negotiations)
Rarely (less than half of the negotiations)
None of the negotiations have ended successfully
10. When do you usually receive offers on your listings? (Check all that apply)
The first 2 days of the listing
The first 3-6 days of the listing
Within the last 12-24 hours of the listing ending
Within the last 11 hours of the listing ending
After the listing has ended
11. When do you receive the majority of offers on your listings?
The first 2 days of the listing
The first 3-6 days of the listing
Within the last 12-24 hours of the listing ending
Within the last 11 hours of the listing ending
After the listing has ended
No preference
12. What do the buyers typically want to negotiate on your items? (Select your top 3)
The shipping price or shipping method used for an item
Offer to purchase an item I have sold in the past
The price of an item that didn't sell successfully
A higher price offer than the final/winning bid from another buyer after the listing has ended
A discount for purchasing multiple items from me
The price of an item I am currently selling
Request to use a particular payment method (i.e. PayPal)
Request to bundle additional accessories with the item I am selling
Request to use an escrow service
Other
13. What are the all the factors that weigh in your decision on whether to accept a direct offer from a buyer to purchase the item immediately?
How quickly I want/need to sell the item
Whether or not I have multiple items of the same type
Number of other offers I've received
Value of the item versus the amount offered
The amount of time until the auction ends
How much profit I'll make from the offer
Location of the buyer
If the buyer offers to pay using my preferred payment method
Feedback number and/or rating of the buyer
Market demand for the item
Other items the buyer has purchased or bid on Other
14. What is the primary factor that weighs in your decision on whether to accept a direct offer from a buyer to purchase the item immediately?
Number of other offers I've received
How much profit I'll make from the offer
Whether or not I have multiple items of the same type
Location of the buyer
Value of the item versus the amount offered
Market demand for the item
Other items the buyer has purchased or bid on
If the buyer offers to pay using my preferred payment method
The amount of time until the auction ends
Feedback number and/or rating of the buyer
How quickly I want/need to sell the item
Other
15. Would you like to block buyers from making offers on your items?
Yes, I would like to block buyers from making offers on all my items
Sometimes, I would like to block buyers from making offers in some cases
No, I do not want to block any buyers from making offers on my items
I am not sure
16. Would you like to publish all buyers' offers on your listing?
Yes
No
I don't know
17. What information regarding the offer would you like to publish on your listing? (Check all that apply)
Amount of each offer
Seller's response to each offer
Number of offers
The buyer's userid
Other
18. Do you ever include a Buy It Now price on your auctions?
Yes
No
19. Do you offer an incentive for buyers who buy the item at the Buy It Now price?
Yes
No
20. What incentives do you offer for buyers who select your Buy It Now price? (check all that apply)
Discounted/Upgraded shipping
Free shipping
Free gift
Gift wrapping
Other
21. How often do you visit eBay?
Several times a day
Once a day
Several times a week
Once a week
Several times a month
Once a month
Several times a year
Once a year
22. How many items have you BOUGHT on eBay within the last 12 months?
0
1 - 3
4 - 10
11 - 50
51 - 100
101 - 500
501 - 1000
Over 1001
23. Are you male or female?
Male
Female
Prefer not to answer
Answer
I didn't send it in. There wasn't a box for "I think this whole idea sucks canned tamales"!
Answer
First thought that popped into my mind while reading the questions was, "What a handy way for eBay to "monitor" emails from respondants."
(Ok, I admit it - I'm jaded.)
Answer
I agree with Bobby, this survey is scarey! And another step in the direction of no direct emails between buyer and seller.
There is a scenario that is not taken into account, those buyers who want you to end an auction early for them and you respond that you will not.
Most of the time when I am contact by a buyer it is because the auction ended without any bidders and they "forgot" to bid. When that happens, I just stick it in my store for 2¢ and let them buy it from there. I like going through eBay when possible because it protects me as well as the buyer.
Answer
Here's what I think eBay is going to do...
The "ask seller a question" will ONLY be able to happen ON eBay, posted in the auction for all to see. Yahoo has this functionality right now, and has for a long time. A buyer won't be able to contact a seller via email until after the end of the auction. Email address exclusion filtering will be added to both the listing page and the question/answer page during the listing.
Buyers will also be able to make lower than opening bid/fixed price offers on items, and the lower offers will be viewable on the listing. That will result in overall lower prices on eBay, but increased sell through (which benefits eBay).
That's what I think we will see, and probably by late September.
Answer
Considering how badly eBay have been with implementation of new features, why should anyone answer their surveys. eBay does not listen. They do what they want. It seems the less eBay knows about our business, the better off we are.
Answer
7. How do buyers contact you to negotiate on your items? (check all that apply)
Emails
Phone calls
In person offers
Other
If everyone just answered Phone Calls and In Person Offers, that would really rattle them....
Like all of Ebay's surveys there is almost no opportunity to give constructive answers. For instance I do "respond" to every offer I receive, but I neither counter offer nor negotiate a sale - I always let the auction run it's course.
And... umm, like a survey sent in email is going to be anonymous.... (Reminds me of Homer Simpson claiming his boat at the police station).
Cheers, Kevin
Answer
Originally Posted by Toy Ranch
Here's what I think eBay is going to do...
The "ask seller a question" will ONLY be able to happen ON eBay, posted in the auction for all to see. Yahoo has this functionality right now, and has for a long time. A buyer won't be able to contact a seller via email until after the end of the auction. Email address exclusion filtering will be added to both the listing page and the question/answer page during the listing.
Buyers will also be able to make lower than opening bid/fixed price offers on items, and the lower offers will be viewable on the listing. That will result in overall lower prices on eBay, but increased sell through (which benefits eBay).
That's what I think we will see, and probably by late September.
I can easily see this happening. The timeline might be slightly different though ...maybe end of October, right when Christmas selling is really starting to roll. eBay has done that before - 2 (?) years ago, and I think last year, but it totally escapes me as to what was going on.
Answer
WHEN I do eBay I would just as soon have all my sales OFF site.
Paid by check.
Ebay's 'protections' are a myth. READ THE FINE PRINT!!
Answer
OH...
Many bidders do indeed 'forget' to bid.
I do it all the time.
I've got a nice sniping program, but if I forget to set it up that day, I'll email the seller and usually offer the opening bid price.
Screw ebay.