Do a certain number of watchers usually bring a buyer?

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#46
I watch items all the time. After checking completed listings, I like to see what the "going rate" is and it also interests me why some people bid on one bag but not the same one from a different seller! It would be interesting to see what would happen if buyers ---and not just the seller--- could see how many people were watching the same items. I bet those items would be bid up or the bin would be snatched up!!!
 
#48
Black Elite said:
Isn't there something similar to a wish list? Can't you list things you want, and then sellers will send a message if they have the item you're interested in?

Anyways, I watch things ALL the time. Even when I don't plan to buy them at all. Just to get a ballpark of how much an item is or how in demand it is. Didn't know I was being such a tease! :smile1:
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I don't know, but what I meant was a tracking feature like the views and watches available now. I wish there would be a separate one for a wishlist- a one-click button for all to possibly give an idea of how many are looking to buy the item.
 
#49
in my experience, the more watchers I have, the more unlikely it is that my item will sell, or sell at a great price. most of my items sell with only 2 watchers in 6 days, one then decides to hit the BIN button. really strange.
 
#50
The one I really don't get is: the item is listed then I have two watchers and it ends without any bids. Then I relist the same item, same price, same condition, same shipping, etc.. then there aren't any watchers! But the auction that has ended still has the 2 watchers! Isn't that strange?!

And yes, I do watch and compare prices all the time; regardless if I am buying or selling.
 
#51
sixela said:
The one I really don't get is: the item is listed then I have two watchers and it ends without any bids. Then I relist the same item, same price, same condition, same shipping, etc.. then there aren't any watchers! But the auction that has ended still has the 2 watchers! Isn't that strange?!

And yes, I do watch and compare prices all the time; regardless if I am buying or selling.
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That happens to me all the time. I know it's the same ebay sellers that are selling the same designer dresses that I sell. I only sell my own CL's, LV handbags and DVF dresses on ebay. Every time I list any new items I know the same ebay resellers will watch all of my items even when they have ended or not sold. I also watch this one notorous ebay reseller. She just bought another dvf dress and just relisted it for $280.00 when she bought it used on ebay for $45.00. The worst part is she lied and said it's brand new. :nuts:
 
#52
I admit that I am a watcher and they are all items I am interested in purchasing. Sometimes, I hope for a price drop for an item that did not sell. If the item has ended and it is relisted, I will update my watched items list to reflect the relist and delete the expired listing to free up space to watch more items (200 item limit). However, many people do not delete their expired watched items - maybe hoping for a relist. As a seller, I have had watchers msg me asking for 2nd chance offers after an item sold - in the event of a NPB.
 
#53
I watch a lot of items. Some, I just want so I can look at the pictures and admire, but never bid. I watch several listings of the same item so I can see the prices and perhaps place bids. Most of the time, I wait until the end to bid. So I guess, number of watchers definitely doesn't guarantee a bid or good ending price.
 
#55
It's getting annoying. I really need the money and these stupid watchers just stare at the listing all day. I guess that's what they prefer doing that's fine. I rather consign everything to AFF so I know they're going to sell faster that way. These watchers can go suck an egg.
 
#56
I haven't sold a lot on eBay - but, a few years ago, I used to find that 10, or more, watchers, almost invariably, equalled a sale.

However, from what I read here, I don't think that is the case, anymore.
 
#57
Holy smokes, sellers telling 'watchers' to 'go suck an egg'? Really? These are people either interested or semi-interested in your product and interested in it's outcome or maybe considering bidding. OR even as a seller I'll watch someone else's auction if it's the same as what I am selling, to see how they do compared to me and what I might need to change, lower etc... Wow, I don't get why sellers are annoyed with this feature, I sell and also watch as a buyer all the time. As a buyer don't YOU appreciate being able to track something you're thinking about?? Sometimes I want to bookmark an item for comparison later if it's truly the one I want after searching around, or I want to see if it doesn't sell and gets relisted at a lower price etc... there are tons of personal reasons to 'watch' something. Sellers just need to ignore that number and list their items fairly and not let it dictate how you 'revise' or anticipate your auctions. Personally as a seller if I get a lot of watchers, that usually means I have a popular item and I do end up getting more questions and bids on it than something with no watchers. But I agree it's luck of the day or desire of the item that week. One week I had 40 watchers on a bag and no sales. I relisted it same price but the bidding war went up and up between 2 bidders (and only 9 watchers) the next time around. It sold for more that week than the opening un-bid on price earlier. Supply and demand is ever-changing. Do your research on your particular item, list it fairly and just ignore what the watching-market is doing! Sheesh it's not that big of a deal! :)
 
#58
I don't think the total number of watches has any bearing on the outcome of the listing.

I do think that the more watchers there are, the more hopeful to the point of greedy the seller becomes. Twice I've offered a generous BIN to a seller, and they've always declined, preferring to wait for the auction to end. Both times I won the auction for less than my BIN offer; the second item didn't even have any other bidders but me, so I won at the starting bid price!

Not to say that the items had a ton of watchers, but I think a higher number of watchers does affect a seller's prediction of how well the item will sell, but ends up backfiring on them.
 
#59
In answer to your thread title and question:in a depressing word, NO.
Watchers mean just that and as a seller I have had many an auction end with no buyer. As a buyer I watch tons of stuff.
 
#60
As many have said, many or even a few watchers does not a sale make. Sometimes I have many, and no bids; sometimes a few watchers, no bids; and in many cases I have someone just BIN with no watchers for days. It is an odd thing and I guess is dependent upon what you are selling and if someone really wants it.
 
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