It is hard to know who will enter their bids on your
auction, because essentially everyone out there is an eligible buyer. Each day,
more and more people join as members (as buyers and sellers), and no end is in
sight to the number of additional participants. With so many people, is there
such a thing as a “typical” bidder?
In a word -- No.
Age, economics, gender, location, and many other factors are
all part of the audience mix. Online auctions are so popular because there is
such a wide variety of items to suit the tastes of such a wide variety of
people. One can expect to find almost anything under the sun. If you browse
through a site such as eBay, you will find items you never knew even existed!
No matter what you want to sell, it probably fits into a category or two, or
three.
There are many different impulses causing people to decide
to make a bid and you must decipher various motivations in order to expand the
range of buyers for your items. Put yourself in their place and try to think of
reasons why you would want to purchase the item(s). Then take aim at fulfilling
these desires.
Today’s online community is looking for convenience and
value. If you provide both, then you will succeed in your efforts to sell.
Always write your descriptions in such a way that satisfies their wants and
needs. Talk to them in a way that conveys a feeling for the item. Tell how it
came into your possession, why you want to sell it, what you liked about it,
who it is ideal for, almost anything you can say that personalizes the item is
going to be an advantage.
The Format
There are three main components of the auction format, and
each one needs to be utilized properly to obtain the optimum effect and attract
the most attention.
PHOTOS
HEADING
DESCRIPTION
And, of course, there is also the element of PRICE.