eBay Keyword Rant

[JBpatches]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/JEREMY-KERLEY-AUTO-NON-JERSEY-PATCH-2011-PANINI-CERTIFIED-NEW-YORK-JETS-250-RC-/260910834593?pt=US_Football&hash=item3cbf7f63a1

Ever notice how some sellers on eBay list a jersey card and call it a "patch", or say it's a "non-auto" or "no auto"?

This is keyword manipulation in order to get more views.

It's not a big deal but it can get annoying when you are searching for a specific thing and you have to go through countless junk auctions because of these guys.

IF IT'S JUST A JERSEY, DON'T CALL IT A PATCH!

IF THERE'S NO AUTOGRAPH, YOU DON'T NEED TO TELL US.. WE KNOW!

Your $1 card won't sell for much more with your keyword manipulation.. quite trying to squeeze a few extra pennies out of eBay!

[bangsportscards]

Hey JBpatches,

Yeah it's not the best idea to list on eBay this way.

Sorry to hear of your frustration.

Brian

[angel0430]

That is called good marketing...you are trying to get as much people as you can to see your items. This does not bother me at all.

[geoffyb]

While it is good marketing in my opinion as well, it will make some buyers such as myself not even bother to look at their items just for that reason.

[sschind]

Is it really good marketing if you are making people mad and causing them to ignore all your auctions? If I am searching for Aaron Rodgers autographs and I see a guy pulling this stunt by listing Rodgers cards with NO AUTO I'm going to block his auctions. Now when I am looking for any Rodgers cards none of his show up. On top of that, if I am looking for Rodgers Autos I am not going to be interested in his non autos even if they do show up.

Certain marketing ploys can backfire if they tick off enough people. You can get a hundred extra people to see your stuff but it won't do any good if they are not interested in the first place and if you turn off even a few people who might be interested you lose ground.

Maybe I'm different than most people buying on Ebay but my philosophy is that there is nothing that comes up that I want or need that badly that I will put up with crap that ticks me off. If your TOS is too long, I hit the back button. If you put 9 items in the picture and the sale is for one item I won't bother looking, I just think it shows laziness. Negatives don't automatically turn me off but if you didn't respond to one, I hit the back button. If you use a No or non type descriptor in your title I won't bother looking, and I'll probably report the listing. If you use "Packers" in the listing and all you have is a bunch of Rod Woodson Raiders cards (or Favre Falcons, Jets or Vikings) you will get blocked. In short, I want to know what IS in the auction, not what ISN'T. There are enough irritating things in life that we have no choice in dealing with. I am not going to voluntarily open myself up to something that bothers me.

[DaClyde]

It's no worse than the people who include entire set listings for single cards or including a player's whole Wikipedia entry in the description. Both of those practices should be banned. When I'm searching for Dave Winfield cards, I don't want the results jammed with cards of every player with whom he ever shared a team or a set.

[theonedru]

Hey JBpatches,

Yeah it's not the best idea to list on eBay this way.

Sorry to hear of your frustration.

Brian

Whats with always using the extra large font, its like your always screaming and it takes up alot of screen room for such small sentences

[JBpatches]

Another thing that might fall into this category but I do it myself so I can't judge is the "eBay 1/1" thing. Listing serial numbered cards that are for example #001/100 or the players jersey number and listing it as "1/1".

I do this every time I get one of those numbers, and they do sell for more money. But some others on eBay have tried to deceive people.. listing it as 1/1 in the title and sometimes never mentioning the true serial number or only listing it in small print in the description.

Anytime I list an "eBay 1/1" card I list the "1/1" AND the true serial numbering in the title, and also post in all caps that it's the first one made or the player's jersey number making it a one of a kind piece.

Doing this isn't anywhere near as bad as the "NO AUTO" thing.. but I can see how it ticks some people off. But the cards do sell for more money and some collectors do look for and are willing to pay a premium for the jersey number or first one made.. and it's kinda hard sometimes to look those up on eBay if the seller doesn't put "1/1" in the title.

[sschind]

Another thing that might fall into this category but I do it myself so I can't judge is the "eBay 1/1" thing. Listing serial numbered cards that are for example #001/100 or the players jersey number and listing it as "1/1".

I do this every time I get one of those numbers, and they do sell for more money. But some others on eBay have tried to deceive people.. listing it as 1/1 in the title and sometimes never mentioning the true serial number or only listing it in small print in the description.

Anytime I list an "eBay 1/1" card I list the "1/1" AND the true serial numbering in the title, and also post in all caps that it's the first one made or the player's jersey number making it a one of a kind piece.

Doing this isn't anywhere near as bad as the "NO AUTO" thing.. but I can see how it ticks some people off. But the cards do sell for more money and some collectors do look for and are willing to pay a premium for the jersey number or first one made.. and it's kinda hard sometimes to look those up on eBay if the seller doesn't put "1/1" in the title.

Simply put, it is not a 1/1 and IMO its at least as bad as the no-auto thing. If I am searching for auto's I can exclude no or non and autos will still come up. If I am searching for 1/1s and your non 1/1 cards come up there is nothing I can use to exclude them. I agree that certain serial numbers sell for more money but to list them as 1/1s when they are not is deceiving.

[geoffyb]

i scroll right on past ebay 1/1's