WTF ebay? new buy-it-now policy?

[browntown]

its in beta, starting with ebay motors:
from: http://www2.ebay.com/aw/core/200707.shtml

***Updated: Buy It Now Tests Expanding to Tickets Category***

July 09, 2007 | 04:18PM PST/PT

Sohil Gilani
Hi everyone. A couple of weeks ago we started testing how long to keep the Buy It Now (BIN) option available on a listing, even after a bid is placed. Essentially, we're looking to find exactly how long during a listing the BIN option should be available – the "sweet spot" that offers maximum benefits to both buyers and sellers. See my original announcement directly below for all the details.

We started our test in the Parts & Accessories category on eBay Motors, and this week will be expanding it to also include the Tickets category on eBay.com. Like Parts & Accessories, the Tickets category is perfect for our test since it has an ideal mix of auction and auction BIN listings.

As before, we'll update our thread on the eBay Motors discussion board whenever the BIN rules are changed during the test.

Thanks again for your support during this test!

Sincerely,

Sohil Gilani
Buyer Experience



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***Original: New Semi-Persistent Buy It Now – A Test in Motors Parts & Accessories***


June 21, 2007 | 10:32AM PST/PT

Sohil Gilani
Hi everyone, I’m Sohil Gilani with our Buyer Experience team. Over the years, we've routinely been asked why the Buy It Now option disappears from a listing when the first bid is placed. Our reason has been concern that it would create a confusing experience for a buyer, who could place a bid on an item, but then have someone Buy It Now (BIN) out from under them before the end of the auction.

That said, we've done some extensive research that suggests keeping the BIN option available on a listing longer will increase the chance that a buyer wins the item and that it will close at a higher price for the seller. As a result, we're looking at ways to change how BIN works that balance both buyer and seller needs.

Testing in the Parts & Accessories category on eBay Motors
Over the next few months, we're going to be testing a number of variations of the rules for how long the BIN option will stay available on a listing. For example, we may start with a rule that the BIN option will remain available on the listing until the bidding reaches 50% of the BIN amount. This rule could be modified with a different percentage over the course of our testing. Other variations could include keeping the BIN available until a certain amount of time is left in the listing, or until a certain amount of bids have been placed.

Why eBay Motors P&A?
We're limiting our testing to the Parts & Accessories category on eBay Motors because it has a healthy mix of auction and auction BIN listings, as well as a blend of standard auto parts and hard-to-find items. This should give us a great chance to get solid results and find the "sweet spot" where both buyers and sellers are benefiting most from Buy It Now.

As we experiment to find what works best, we'll be watching the impact of our testing carefully, and we'll have the ability to make immediate changes if needed.

Keeping you informed
To minimize confusion, we've started a thread on the eBay Motors discussion board that we will update whenever the BIN rules are changed. My team will provide general updates and next steps on our progress on this thread, too.

Thanks for your support during this test, especially the buyers and sellers who use our Parts & Accessories category frequently. We appreciate your help in this important testing.

Sincerely,

Sohil Gilani
Buyer Experience



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[Funkmasta]

its in beta, starting with ebay motors:
from: http://www2.ebay.com/aw/core/200707.shtml

you rock

[Rigmaster]

http://forums.ebay.com/db1/thread.jspa?threadID=1000509583&tstart=0&mod=1182446254836

and here's the link to the discussion board thread they reference. Looks like they started at 50% and now the BIN remains in place until the bid reaches 70% of the BIN price.

Like I said, I sort of like it.....but it's annoying that they made the details so hard to find.....


Bret.

[Funkmasta]

Interesting. Not really sure how I feel about that yet.

[atomic]

You would think that they would notify you when listing an item and place the terms of that auction in your My ebay page so you would know what the exact terms were for those auctions. To me it looks like they are tring to tweak their auctions to keep the chance of a higher bidder come along and snatch out from under other bidders on that item. If it sells for more they make more especially with BIN auctions. Glad you guys have noticed this as I will have to keep it in mind when listing in the future

[Funkmasta]

I figure it can help us sellers or hurt us...
Sometimes I use the BIN price as a guide as to what something is worth, and sometimes I use it as incentive (for an auction to end quickly), but I always have the starting price the same way within their respective auctions.

I suppose that I can't set any "incentive" BIN prices anymore since they will be available too long.