Experienced ebayers, deconstruct these two listings for me, please!

[AgonyBeetle]

I'm trying to get a handle on what makes a good listing.

So here we have the identical coat (different sizes, admittedly). Both experienced sellers with 100% feedback.

This one sold for £100

This one sold for £42.

What made the difference? I'd really appreciate any thoughts. So far I've come up with:

The photos are better in the first listing (though not that much better). The second lister hasn't chosen the best of her photos for the preview shot (imo). And it would have been better without the background of her cluttered study or bedroom or whatever that is.

Otoh, the £100 listing finished just before 7pm on a Tuesday, which you wouldn't think would be a particularly good time. The other finished on a Sunday primetime, just before 9pm. Which tends to contradict the received wisdom about the importance of finishing at a good time.

Interestingly, the £100 was a 99p start, the £42 started at £24.99. I know there are arguments both ways, but I find I get more interest with a lower start, and these listings would tend to confirm my hunch.

Any other ideas?

[bumpybecky]

I think the size might explain it.

Either that or the wording in the second listing ('pit to pit'!) just put people off?!

[AgonyBeetle]

Yes, I was a bit at the 'pit to pit' description also! But surely if you liked a coat you wouldn't let that put you off?

Do you really think size 16 is that much more popular than size 12? 60 quid's worth of more popular?

[AliceWyrld]

The photos in the first are not just a bit better, they are waaaay better.

[AliceWyrld]

I wouldn't be interested in the coat in the 2nd one, the first one looks lovely.

[FIFIBEBE]

£100 is a lot of money for a Boden coat which is not pristine. Perhaps it was simply a case of 2 people really wanting the size 16. I find if I begin listings at 99p they find their level, whereas listings at £5.99 for example usually just get the 1 bid. I would never write pit to pit!

[AgonyBeetle]

But can you not see it's the same coat? If I was looking for that style of Boden coat I'd make allowances for the crap photography.

I'm not arguing with you btw, I'm just trying to work it out. (And yes I have a vested interest, since I have a similar coat to list).

[tabulahrasa]

But you'd not be comparing those two listings if you were looking to buy a coat - you'd not look at a 12 and a 16, you'd only see one

and the 16 looks like a nice coat, the 12 looks like an elf costume

[ragged]

Agree about size difference; Not as many people wear size 12 coat.

The Sunday night auction (tea time) sold for less than Tues eve (after tea time).
I am tracking a particular set of products on Ebay and Sundays do worse than other evenings, I think. And there are more auctions listed on Sundays, too, so more bargains to be had, in theory.

The 100 quid sale has brighter photos, and very cheery and enthusiastic blurb in nicer looking, easier to read text font "This is a lovely product statements!" Also sounded like it's in slightly better condition.

[fergoose]

i agree first photos are way better

i don't think Sunday is a good night to end listings to be honest - I think Mon or Tues is way better. I think you have a better chance of bidders being home and bored on those nights.

[fergoose]

Also 2nd pics - house doesn't look immaculate - I don't want to see someone's house (or family members) in the photos - I just want the item with a plain background, not laid out on a bed or floor. Just on a hanger on a plain background is fine.

[Quodlibet]

Photos are way better - if you were browsing for a coat, not one particular Boden coat, you wouldn't give the second coat a look in, it looks quite vile in the photo.

[AgonyBeetle]

[snigger] at elf costume! You are of course right.

Interesting about the Sunday night thing, though. The £100 one is laid out on a sheet, and she's arranged it quite carefully not to look sack-like (and they do look a bit sack-like on the hanger, I think).

It can be quite hard to get the colour right when photographing, though -- to much flash and it looks bleached, not enough and it looks crumpled and dark. [dilemma] She must have had good natural light for the first set of photos, I think.

[AliceWyrld]

Going back a bit to reply, but no not sure I would think they were the same coat. Depends how I was looking ie if I was looking for that specific coat I would know, but if I was generally looking for a green or a Boden coat I'm not sure I would know they were the same.

[AgonyBeetle]

Thanks Alice, that's helpful. I think when you're looking at specific things and know what you're looking for, you sometimes forget how it appears to people who are coming to it fresh.

I'm also quite good at looking past detail like poor photos to get a bargain on something I want, but I guess not everybody sees it that way.

[AliceWyrld]

Yeh I generally can't be arsed and get easily frustrated with buying stuff like that. So would prob skip a bad pic even though it might cost me more, I value my time more iyswim.

[DinosaursHateUnderpants]

I think the £100 coat has much, much better photos - they look kind of stylish and not personal - more professional.

But I think the key thing is her wording - lots of facts and personal honesty with plenty of descriptions of the 'faults' whereas the other has few which are almost dismissed.

In short the first one is honest and polished and the second one seems to be getting away with bare minimum and more unprofessional.

The start price makes a big difference when you search and then sort your result by price - only one of these would have appeared at the top of listings and coincidentally it was also the best looking one.

I bet that the person who bought it found both coats one weekend but the lowest starting price coat got her interest soonest, because of photos, description and price.

IME there's not much to choose between a Sunday or Monday evening listing either.

[notcitrus]

Size 16 and 18 clothes are much scarcer than smaller sizes like 12 or 14.
So go for about twice as much on Ebay (just bought a size 18 maternity coat...)

But basically the second photo is crap, the coat looks like pond slime, and the description of the velvet suggests it might be quite manky. The first one I didn't realise was velvet until re-reading the title, as it's so bright and cheerful.

There's always an element of randomness though as well - you only need two enthusiastic bidders for a bidding war.

[Mspontipine]

I dislike "pit to pit"
I also however dislike sellers who write "no returns"
If we had a problem eg item not as described would seller try to get out of accepting return in this case?

[Henrythehappyhelicopter]

Always start an item that you know is sought after at 99p. With more people in the auction you get the bidding war you are looking for.

There were 25 bids on the £100 coat and only 7 on the other.

[Fiendishlie]

the X Factor was on when the cheapest one finished, people were watching the tv!

[wheresmywaist]

I start all my items at 99p no reserve (even items worth a lot of money!), it makes a big difference - things pretty much go for what they are worth.

[ninedragons]

I suspect the larger you are, the more likely you are to shop for clothes online.

If you wear a size 12 overcoat, the high street is your oyster. If you wear a size 16, it all gets a little dispiriting when you discover that some marketing muppet somewhere has decreed that all fat ladies shall wear purple, all the time.

[DinosaursHateUnderpants]

I think that Fiendishlie has also mentioned a pretty vital factor here!

[ragged]

That's funny, I think that the colour is vile in both sets of photos! And the coat looks too long and impractical (dry clean only? Velvet?).
Also, I get the feeling that's a coat that appeals to ladies of a certain age (except for sporty old scruff bags like me, naturally). Anyway, if you're size 12 you're probably under 20 and that isn't a coat for under 20s...

[maxybrown]

I think size plays a large factor. I list my things ending on a sunday and never have any problems with the price I get. Also have bidded on things ending on sunday and they have gone for high price