Reader Mailbag: Best Match and Original Art

Filed Under Best Match | 2 Comments

I ask readers who download my eBook for their feedback. A reader who sells original art on eBay provided this thought provoking note:

Hello Doug.
You asked for it, so here it goes!!!

Thanks for the free e-book. I found it to be very informative.

A few years back, I think it was in 2006, someone mentioned that I should add things like “WOW!” and “Spectacular,” and “dazzling”, and all sorts of adjectives like this to my listings to improve hits and so forth. Of course, some of these words were fairly silly, but I began to look for insights in to the whole keyword thing. I actually, got some online keyword and hit tracker help, and applied it to my eBay listings. Interestingly, as soon as I applied what I had learned, the number of hits literally dropped to zero!

The one thing I did learn was that tinkering with keywords does make a difference. I did eventually work out some better keywords and improved hits and sales.

That was pre-Best Match.

I picked up on your book quite by accident. I was looking for the definition of the acronym ACEO, as it’s used on eBay, in the art listings. That’s when I found the eBay forums. I started reading through the postings. What I was reading was how everyone who listed art work on eBay was complaining about “Best Match” and how their hits, and sales have all dropped off significantly.

Some blamed the economy, but many were blaming Best Match, as the source of their problems.
So, I started Googling “Best Match” on eBay and that’s how I found your site.
I didn’t realized that eBay implemented the change (I’m sure I was told, but I hadn’t a clue what it really meant).

I’m sure that everyone tell experts such as yourself things like, “yeah, but the category I list in is different,” or things of that nature. But, as an artist, I really do think it’s an odd product to sell on eBay.

Here’s why I think it is, and the issues I’ve run into:

There are 10’s of 1000’s of artists listing tons of stuff at any given time, and everyone of the is unique. Talk about being up to your elbows and eyeballs, of stuff to wade through..
With IPods and MP3 players, as you mentioned in your examples, it’s a matter of tweeking the keywords, shipping, and such.

If there were a 1000 IPods to look at, it seems that Best Match really would be a help to find the best price, and shipping to go with. All things equal, who’s got the best feedback?

Again, with the IPod or MP3 players, people pretty much know what they’re going to get.
Imagine if each IPod was designed, made, signed and looked different then every other one!
Once you get past the shear number of items, you come to the next major issue, subjectivity. Even if you have the best prices, the best shipping, and the best writeup, the best feedback, it all comes down to this, is it something someone is going to like.

You can take a quick look, but I got to tell you, there are folks making some pretty good cash sell some pretty trashy items. And I’m sure that there are some pretty high quality items, nobody’s looking at, because Best Match sends their listings into the netherworld!
For myself, I’m probably closer to the bottom, then the top. A small handful of folks found and bought some of my work in the past few months. It’s small potatoes, but it’s something.The problem with that, is if that small group decides to not buy, nothing is sold, and it’s potato soup without the potatoes!.

I know, why do art then?

Well, I’m an artist, it’s what I do.

If you could find a way to get eBay to really work for the art segment of eBay, well you’d get my vote for man of the year!

I have a website, and I’m still trying to figure out how to get that to work, as well.
Anyway…I hope this doesn’t sound whiny…

I truly appreciate the book, I do realize that it’s a overview guide and I really don’t expect you or anyone else to become a coach for starving artists!
Thank you for the insights.

(By the way, the BayEstimator page is a pretty good little tool).

Ed McCarthy

Ed, I wish I had some answers for you.  In my opinion, the problem stems from eBay losing its roots as a marketplace where lots of sellers could be successful selling a tremendous variety of goods in their efforts to remake themselves into  a marketplace where a few sellers are successful selling consumer commodities with mass market appeal.

Now that I’m off of my soapbox, is there anybody out there that has some ideas on how to sell original art successfully in a Best Match world?

Leave your ideas in the comments below

Here’s a little link love for Ed: www.EdwardMcCarthy.com