Auction/Classified Sites - Automation Facts, Listing Tips, and More!
Thu Apr 14, 2011
Author: Doug McDonald
There are many auction and classified sites on the internet. These sites can be a powerful tool to your dealership if used properly. eBay and craigslist are two of the most popular sites for internet listings. eBay is an auction/store web site that will help you sell items and craigslist is a free classifieds web site. There are sites and companies out there that will help you post listings to these platforms. Todays article will focus on tips for posting a successful listing and things to be aware of when using a 3rd party program to post.
eBay Listing Tips:
Automate your auctions with an auction management service. eBay has a wonderful API that allows for the creation of listing tools. Find a company that provides a way to easily post your inventory to eBay. These automated listings should include all pertinent information and images.
Use keywords in your auction headline and description. Most eBay bidders find what they are looking for by using the search function. Carefully chose keywords in your title and description. eBay gives you 55 characters in your title, use all of them. Good keywords include the brand, color, size, and model number.
eBay Store listing fees are lower than non-stores listing fees. The listing will show up in the main search results just like any other listing.
Make your item description as complete as possible. Include all relevant details: condition, size, weight, age, and any short-comings or defects.
Start and end your auctions at peak traffic periods when traffic is the heaviest. Sunday and Monday evenings between 5 and 7 PM. Saturday and Sunday mornings are also good times. Remember eBay uses pacific time.
Make sure you have top quality photos. Specify if you are using photos that are not pictures of the actual item for sale.
Try not to use a reserve they scare away bidding wars.
People usually skim, put all of the main points as bullets. People will sometimes use the pictures more than the listing.
craigslist Listing Tips:
Be wary of automated posting tools for craigslist. Item 8 in craigslist terms of use states: A "Posting Agent" is a third-party agent, service, or intermediary that offers to post Content to the Service on behalf of others. To moderate demands on craigslist's resources, you may not use a Posting Agent to post Content to the Service without express permission or license from craigslist. Correspondingly, Posting Agents are not permitted to post Content on behalf of others, to cause Content to be so posted, or otherwise access the Service to facilitate posting Content on behalf of others, except with express permission or license from craigslist.
Item 19a states: If you are a Posting Agent that uses the Service in violation of the TOU, in addition to any liquidated damages under clause (d), you agree to pay craigslist one hundred dollars ($100) for each and every Item you post in violation of the TOU. A Posting Agent will also be deemed an agent of the party engaging the Posting Agent to access the Service (the "Principal"), and the Principal (by engaging the Posting Agent in violation of the TOU) agrees to pay craigslist an additional one hundred dollars ($100) for each Item posted by the Posting Agent on behalf of the Principal in violation of the TOU.
If a company advertises automated craigslist posting it is against craigslist policy and you can be held responsible for using such a program. There are companies out there that offer applications and web services that will aid you in posting to craigslist. These only help in getting the information to craigslist where you then use their interface to complete the listing. Using such a tool can greatly speed up the process of making listings.
You should change the ads title and description each time you post to avoid "similar posting" error and auto deletion (popularly known as "ghosting").
Use images in the description or upload images during ad posting. Using images increases responses.
Always include a phone number and contact information other than the standard craigslist email.
Choose the appropriate category. Do not post to non-related sections.
Avoid using hyperlinks to a website. Put the domain name as text without www. or put it into an image.
Use a QR code image to link to your website.
