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Marketplace Search: "You may also be interested in"

 
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elpereles



Posts: 3427

PostPosted: Fri Jan 29, 2021 3:01 pm    Post subject: Marketplace Search: "You may also be interested in" Reply with quote

Greetings all:

I was checking items around in the eCrater Marketplace. I noticed that if you search and press any item of the results. In the bottom after the description the suggested items are random. But they are "You may also be interested in:" and not the "Other Products from seller (View All)".

In the past I remember that if you made a search. The view of "You may also be interested in:" was available only for sellers that doesn't have enough items to fill those previews for that specific category.
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pickychicky



Posts: 1552

PostPosted: Fri Jan 29, 2021 3:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I remember Sheila explaining it that way, too.
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MoonwishesStore
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Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Sat Jan 30, 2021 8:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
The view of "You may also be interested in:" was available only for sellers that doesn't have enough items to fill those previews for that specific category.


It sounds like you need a good bunch of items in each of your categories so that buyers aren't taken away from your store. But if someone clicks on your one and only today, then the buyers will see more toys for sale from other sellers.
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SheilaDeesPostcards
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Posts: 4614

PostPosted: Sat Jan 30, 2021 9:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, I think it did work that way at one time, but it doesn't work that way today. I just went to the marketplace and did a search for Misses Sewing Pattern. I checked one of Moonwishes patterns and the item page displayed the 10 items at the bottom with the statement "You may also be interested in:". None of the 10 items were Moonwishes and she has close to 5000 that matched the search. I would say she really has "a good bunch of items" in that category. Laughing
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elpereles



Posts: 3427

PostPosted: Sat Jan 30, 2021 10:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can understand the "change" was a move to eCrater to allow other sellers get visibility. But it works like a double edge, if the category or related search is populated with items from ghost stores. You are sending potential buyers away.

I took a random item form each store of everyone already commented in this topic. If you aren't one of the top inventory sellers in your category. It refers to other sellers.

I have like 1000+ and maybe like 900+ are in the category of Collectibles > Nonsports Trading Cards. That specific category has like 6000+ items. I can see a lot of my items because I have a lot of items in the category.

I tried with a Moonwishes random item. The result have a lot of sellers and maybe 1 item from her.
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pickychicky



Posts: 1552

PostPosted: Sat Jan 30, 2021 11:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

@elperes, I totally agree. I do understand the reason behind the change, but it has a tendency to work against a seller more than it does for a seller. The only thing that should be displayed in my shop and on my listings are MY listings. My shop does NOT advertise for anyone but ME. I have to wonder if this is the very reason my sales suddenly dropped off. It has me competing against lowballers for the same items, so customers click out and buy the cheaper product.

I will be bringing this up to Dimitar because that's simply not right. You should never expect a business owner to advertise for competitors...PERIOD! Tell me, what do you think an owner of a store in a mall would do if the landlord came and placed an ad for their cheaper competitor right on their front door? I think they'd be filing charges with their state or even federal agencies against the landlord for their anti-competitive behavior.

All this crapola is just ticking me off more and more. You can't even try setting up a business online without getting treated totally different than a business should. With no recourse? PFFT! There are already laws in place to protect us, but lawmakers seemingly want to treat us differently? It doesn't work that way. A business is a business.
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MoonwishesStore
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Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Sun Jan 31, 2021 1:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I would say she really has "a good bunch of items" in that category. Laughing


One of the big reasons I try to promote my store as many months 50% or more of all my sales came by way of my promoting my store and the rest via the marketplace. I think one of the things about doing searches to find others stores, could be laid on the type of search that the person is doing. I just did a search at the marketplace for a misses pattern. The first 10 results all were from one seller that has 79 Misses Patterns while I have 5365 patterns in that category. HMMM. The next listed has 99 patterns in that category. The next seller had 640. The next 214. The next 207. The next 555. Then on the 5th line in last place is one of my patterns and as I mentioned I have more Misses Patterns than all those other sellers put together.

Putting together a specific search Butterick 6601, my copy is in 2nd place, but please look at the rest of the page. There are ads for this pattern for sale on etsy as well as an eBay ad!!!

It looks as if the bottom of all searches show ads for places others can go to so that they can purchase the same things that we are selling. Most likely a way to support this website, but it does seem to be a Catch 22 as those ads can drive buyers away and thus lose FVF for eCRATER as an eCRATER seller missed a sale. These ads do not show up on our pages inside our stores, at least I don't see them on mine.

I have had very busy year, but I do think I need to do some more promoting again as I have been behind on doing that. I've been behind on everything.
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elpereles



Posts: 3427

PostPosted: Sun Jan 31, 2021 6:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

pickychicky, just to be clear. In the store view, the search is only the seller items unless they are suspended.

Not sure is somebody has the "Similar Items" as a trademark. But I believe the phrase can be more appropriate. If you want to add similar items from different sellers.

MoonwishesStore, agree with you. The only way to break the "Marketplace" sales is promoting items. One great tool still available is the Google Analytics. The moment you break the "source" of traffic from the marketplace to direct links. It will be reflected in direct sales. Years ago, I did it and it worked. It was reflected in some buyers contacting me directly with a list because they don't understand eCrater.

About the Ads. Time, ago I saw strange things and understand the site need this money to run. I use Firtefox with Adblocker. So I do not see ads. Now I check with Edge. Waooo! I saw an add from Alibaba.com. Rolling Eyes

And the ones in the bottom of the Non Sport Category category. Some of them use "word trap" and even a direct to eBay on top of the items. Laughing
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pickychicky



Posts: 1552

PostPosted: Sun Jan 31, 2021 7:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MoonwishesStore wrote:
...but please look at the rest of the page. There are ads for this pattern for sale on etsy as well as an eBay ad!!!


These are the kinds of things we want to avoid. eCrater needs to make money, too, and if we're not paying them a service fee on every transaction, then you get the kinds of things you're seeing...other revenue streams for eCrater that directly compete with our own. You can't expect a site to just cater to you for free. It costs money.

No wonder I'm not getting much in views and even less in sales. This is what irks me to no end. Those wanting something for nothing cost business owners like me who know that the site will be needing money from somewhere -- like posting competitor ads on our listings or becoming an affiliate for THEIR OWN competitors.

Folks need to look at the big picture. There's a lot more beyond that porch of yours to consider. Do you really think eCrater will ever grow if they're leading all of our shoppers to competitor sites? For that matter, how could you expect to grow here?

This was one of the big beefs I had with Bonanza. Here, I can't blame eCrater for doing what they do because they're in it to make money, too. However, at Bonz, I was paying $10+ a month for my shop, so I was actually paying for that virtual real estate they were plastering competitor ads all over. That was just blatant greed.
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pickychicky



Posts: 1552

PostPosted: Sun Jan 31, 2021 8:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You know, I just had a thought. There are all sorts of individual businesses out there that have affiliate programs -- or would love to be a part of one. So, why do these sites have to pick competitor ads rather than something completely different than or complimentary to what's on the site? Broaden the selection and you broaden the number of keywords searched for.

For example, you have JCP's curtains and bedding (although, the bedding might be a competitor for our N. American sellers). What about Best Buy and all the products they have? Gosh...Home Depot (with Sears' Craftsman products, power fools, etc.)...Lowe's, small kitchen appliances and essentials (or other typically registered gifts) from JCP or wherever, products that compliment what's already on the site (ie, curtain rods for curtains or CD cabinets to store all those movies and CDs they can buy here)...the list is rather long and varied.

ETA: Might I add, we could use some good American-made competition. Wink

P.S. -- I think I'll forward that idea to Dimitar. Wink -- DONE! Very Happy


Last edited by pickychicky on Sun Jan 31, 2021 8:57 pm; edited 1 time in total
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elpereles



Posts: 3427

PostPosted: Sun Jan 31, 2021 8:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was testing with Edge in eBay. It has ads in the bottom of the items, but they are like random not all word related. I did not see any add to Amazon. Laughing
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MoonwishesStore
moderator


Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 9:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
You can't expect a site to just cater to you for free. It costs money.


I don't expect anyone to cater to me. I not only promote my own things here, but I also promote eCRATER as a site all over the internet. I fully understand that eCRATER needs to make money somehow.


Quote:
There's a lot more beyond that porch of yours to consider.


You do realize that I don't have a porch? Or why you keep implying that I am the village idiot and don't understand business in any way shape, or form? I have sold close to a quarter-million dollars worth of gross sales from all venues in my years of selling. Those numbers don't include my first three years as my computer died taking that bookwork with it other than the printed stuff I had done for taxes. On eCRATER with over 5700 sales, I have made almost $100,000 gross sales. Not saying this to brag, but to let you know that I do know something about online selling. And it is possible to have sales here. I just do things differently than you and that doesn't make you right and me wrong or the other way around. It is called marching to the beat of a different drummer. Whatever I am doing, it is working. If I had more energy physically, I could have probably done twice to three times as much.
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pickychicky



Posts: 1552

PostPosted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 9:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

MoonwishesStore wrote:
Quote:
You can't expect a site to just cater to you for free. It costs money.


I don't expect anyone to cater to me. I not only promote my own things here, but I also promote eCRATER as a site all over the internet. I fully understand that eCRATER needs to make money somehow.


Quote:
There's a lot more beyond that porch of yours to consider.


You do realize that I don't have a porch? Or why you keep implying that I am the village idiot and don't understand business in any way shape, or form? I have sold close to a quarter-million dollars worth of gross sales from all venues in my years of selling. Those numbers don't include my first three years as my computer died taking that bookwork with it other than the printed stuff I had done for taxes. On eCRATER with over 5700 sales, I have made almost $100,000 gross sales. Not saying this to brag, but to let you know that I do know something about online selling. And it is possible to have sales here. I just do things differently than you and that doesn't make you right and me wrong or the other way around. It is called marching to the beat of a different drummer. Whatever I am doing, it is working. If I had more energy physically, I could have probably done twice to three times as much.

Sorry, but I have been dealing with nausea and vomiting for days and don't have the patience for anyone's stupidity today. So, you go ahead and put your ridiculous spin on things because I'm not biting.
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