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?

I think Fiendishlie and ninedragons have hit the nail on the head.

Best bit of ebay advice ever given to me was to start at 99p to get people interested. Stuff does find its own price in most cases.

I think it's a combination of

• the photos are far better for the first one. The colour looks brighter, the coat seems to have more shape, and you can see the lining in the first photo. The second one does indeed look like an elf costume. The seller on the second listing even says that she knows the photographs aren't good.
• the size. Size 16 Boden doesn't seem to come up that often on eBay whereas the popular stuff appears to come up all the time in a 10 or a 12.
• the low starting price.

How not to list a coat

I'm assuming that's a mannequin rather than an actual person, but still.

Blimey, there are some shocking listings, makes you wonder why they bothered.

I think this one disproves the theory that items in large sizes will always go for more.

Wow.

It fetched more than the other one, mind you...

(cross post with your second example)

Why can so many sellers not manage to rotate a picture. Even if you have no editing software, you right-click on it and select "rotate picture". It's not hard.

Well hopefully I've managed to incorporate most of your good advice!

It had 4 watchers within about 15 mins of the listing going live, so fingers crossed...

Well done, agonybeetle, that looks like a fantastic listing. I am even tempted to bid on it myself now. I am sure you will fetch a high price.

Nice - listing looks lovely - love the pictures and not a "pit to pit" in sight!!! So many views and bidding already.
Will be watching with interest (so one of your watchers is me :) )

Looks great AgonyBeetle, as do your other listings (must not bid on lego, must not bid on lego). Very interesting to compare completed items - I usually only have a quick look at the sold prices before I put my own stuff on, but definitely worth checking what makes a successful listing. Just shows you the difference a bit of effort makes, although agree that luck does come into it too.

Also at 'pit to pit' - nothing like putting the thought of other people's sweat into the minds of your potential bidders! They'll be describing the inside leg measurement as 'fanjo to floor' next ...

Ooooh it's going very well :)

I'm keeping my fingers crossed! It has a lot of watchers. It's timed to finish just before Downton Abbey, I figured my target market were more likely to be watching Downton than X-factor. Time will tell...

Good listing. I think that doing up the buttons makes a significant difference to the look of the coat and most people wear them open anyway.

I have 97 watchers on that coat. I don't think I've ever had that many watchers before, I'm intrigued to see if it can go past 100.

I've never gone past 20 on anything.

101, currently!

It's finishing tonight - hope there's a flurry of bidders at the end :)

Mine sold for £84 in the end! Not bad considering I was selling a coat in the middle of the biggest autumn heatwave since records began.

Congratulations AgonyBeetle - not bad at all!! Well done for timing it to finish before Downton. I had an auction ending 10 minutes before the first (extended) episode finished. (Had no idea when I did the listing that Downton was about to start) Had tons of watchers and very excited high hopes for a good sale. Item went to 1st bidder for min amount. No-one else turned up - I swear I could see them all sat comfy on their settees indulging in chocolate and that first lovely episode!!

Well done