Watchers.....grrrr

oldagetraveller

Last summer I listed a car bonnet - free to the first person to contact and collect. It did go but until then there were 10 watchers!!!!!??????

empfun

Watchers don't mean a thing. Bidders are what counts. You learn this from experience or from others.

greenstreetprince

yup, never rely on watchers, like mentioned earlier, many are just checkin on how much their own items may go for, or they may wait to be outbid on another item before turning to yours, and then there's those who forget to 'un-watch' you if no longer interested.

bobbarley

I watch things sometimes because i want to see how much they go for, either because I'm thinking of buying something similar soon, or because I'm going to sell something similar.

glossy123

I can understand all the comments re watchers on auctions, but what I can't understand is why you can have so many watchers for a BIN item?

Surely 30 people can't all be thinking to come back later then not bother?

This is on an item that peeps literally cannot get anywhere else - I make it, sell it, own it, know where every one goes! Maybe they are short of cash and hope for a miracle before the sale ends.......

What to peeps think?

Avoriaz

Sellers should ignore the number of watchers. Watching is often meaningless, possibly the ebay equivalent of window shopping.

I watch far more items than I ever bid on, let alone end up buying.

Apart from the obvious reasons mentioned above I also watch items that are listed by sellers local to me. If they don’t sell, I then ebay the seller and make an offer or ask if I can come and see it and pay cash if I want it. This will save the seller relisting fees and Paypal fees etc.

Some emails are just ignored, but a few have responded and I have bought some good bargains.

One seller was selling an old guitar he had found in his attic with a starting bid of 99p. He didn’t get any bids and, when I emailed him he emailed me back and told me I could have it for nothing. I collected it next time I was passing his house so zero cost to me. I will clean it up and re sell it for about £30.:D

Crazychik

pennylane99 wrote:

I often watch items just curious to see how much they go for...

totally agree with this, especially in recent weeks when OH has been looking for a cheap run-around car. At times, we've watched at least up to 20 vehicles.
Basicly interested to see what the prices are these days!

But as a seller, yes - it is annoying

FloFlo

I'm thinking of petitioning Ebay to change the rules regarding watching items:

1. If you click on watch this item then you are obliged to bid at least once during the auction.

2. If you click to watch a BIN item then you have bought the item.

Of course these rules would not apply to me.:T

demonicangel

I have often watched BINs because i want to check the item is still available.

I can only purchase things on a tuesday so i will have a look about for what i want and then watch it, if its still available come tuesday then i will most likely buy it.

I mainly buy cloth nappies on ebay so they dont go for loads.

frivolous_fay

oldagetraveller wrote:

Last summer I listed a car bonnet - free to the first person to contact and collect. It did go but until then there were 10 watchers!!!!!??????

Try freecycle