E-Bay Watchers but No Bids - Watchers are a Good Thing!
One common question I receive from eBay sellers is, "Why do I have watchers but no bids?" There are several reasons why other eBay users may be watching your items.
The customer may not be ready to buy the item yet, so they are just watching the auction to learn about the process. Maybe they don't have the money yet. (I'd rather have a potential buyer watching an item than bidding on an item that they cannot pay for.)
The user is afraid to make a commitment and bid. They might be new to eBay and are hesitant to place a bid yet. They just want to see how eBay works.
Buyers are watching several auctions for the same exact item and are waiting to decide which one to bid on. They don't want to bid on several of the same items at once - because they don't want to end up winning several auctions for the same product. They are price shopping.
A bidder may be using an auction sniper program and not placing their bid until the last minute - literally. I have seen more and more of this in the last few months. 15-20 watchers, and no bids until the last 30 seconds.
A potential seller might just curious to see how high the price will go. Maybe they are thinking of selling a similar item. (I do this all the time - watch an item to see if it is worth selling. Sometimes there are none in completed listings to review, so I am forced watch an active listing.)
The shopper might be considering buying the product and want to add it to their watch list to check on it again later.
Competitors may be keeping an eye on you and your listing.
Don't get frustrated or be impatient - watchers are good. They have saved your listing in their watch list. Maybe they will come back and buy the item, or visit your store again for something else. Granted, bids are more exciting, but watchers are a good thing!
Suzanne Wells is an eBay Power Seller, author of "The Stay-at-Home Mom's Gude to Successful eBay Selling," eBay Consultant, and mom of 2 in Atlanta, GA.
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