Power Sellers Unite

psunite · Joined: 27 Jan 2005 Posts: 6213 Location: Columbus OH

Many eBay users are familiar with sellers who use a low-price/high-shipping strategy to manipulate eBay search results. But less well known is the technique of listing 1-cent eBooks with zero shipping charges. In fact, it would appear at first glance to be a money-losing strategy, since eBay charges a minimum 5-cent listing fee for Stores (and 20 cents for core listings). But sellers employing the strategy offer multiple quantities of the items in each listing.
more.. link to news article

Patty00 · Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 1018

Knowing Ebay and the way it operates, these penny listings must be grinding out revenue for them or they wouldn't be allowed! Also, having been on one of their community watch teams I can say its maddening how many times you would report violations only to see them go on and on and the seller merely got a "talking to". Until they honestly want to put some muscle behind their talk this will go on and on...bringing the site down and down. They really aren't concerned about their reputation. As a seller there, I fear that more than anything else they do because the more they become disreputable the less buyers come to buy.

Daikon · Joined: 08 Aug 2006 Posts: 949

One such listing posted on September 20 netted the seller close to 1,000 feedback points in a 4-day period.

This alone should raise flags and ring alarm bells automatically in eBay's auction monitoring system. Apparently it doesn't.

Patty00 · Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 1018

It doesn't because they don't really care. I'm sure they can do away with penny auctions all at one time if they wanted to.

brianthesnale · Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 7:33 pm Post subject:

It's just a way to build feedback prior to scamming buyers! The fact eBay does nothing about it says it all!

Patty00 · Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 1018

Many people were not with ebay way back when. In the beginning, feedback was not tied to a transaction and people would just give each other feedbacks. It was a giant step tying them to a transaction but they stopped there. They need to completely revamp the feedback system. unfortunately, it doesn't get them any more revenue so they really don't care.

Cherished Heart · Joined: 31 Aug 2006 Posts: 8

I hate these 1 cent auctions for ebooks. I recently had planned to start selling quality ebooks and ebook packages on ebay and these penny auctions and low priced 99 cent ones are blowing it for everyone. I have books that should sell for 10.00 or more. packages which are required to be sold at $28. But sellers are loading up ebay with junky stuff and stuff for pennies what they are worth or should be sold for by the publisher's requirements.

I personally bought a few to see what's up with them. 99% of them went into my recyle bin.

It's messing up the feedback system I'm sure.

sewbest · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 62

Could it be that Ebay leaves those 1 cent auctions up because they make it look like the core listings are wayyyy up???

In other words,if Ebay pulled the gazillion 1 cent auctions,
the auction count chart would show a he** of a dive!

just a thought.

Cherished Heart · Joined: 31 Aug 2006 Posts: 8

I think from the experiences I've heard from others on Ebay...IT's all about the money...ebay still makes money off of ppl listing these 1 cent wonders. What really stinks is that there are some on there that don't even sell anything..one recipe, one email of 3 paragraphs of info etc. They are just for ppl to be power sellers.