Oct
6
When eBay announced the Fixed-Price 30 listing option, they also mentioned that the Best Match algorithm will advantage fixed-priced listings over auction-style listings in some categories and auction-style listings over fixed-priced listings in other categories. Of course, they did not specify which categories would favor which type of listing format — so I’ve spent the time and done the analysis to figure out which categories and sub-categories provide an advantage to which listing type in the Best Match search results.
Knowing what listing style is favored by Best Match in a particular category - and more significantly a particular sub-category - is important when you are posting an item on eBay. If you pick the wrong listing type, you could end up ranking lower in the search rankings than you would like. Lower rankings = less bids.
Methodology
Here’s the methodology I used to determine which category favors traditional style auction listing types and which favor fixed-price auctions.
I calculated the ratio of auction style listings to fixed-priced listings on the first page of results for each category. Then I compared that to the ratio of auction style listings to fixed-price listings category wide. If the difference was in excess of 25%, I considered the category to provide a significant advantage to auction style listings. If the difference was in excess of -20%, I considered the category to provide a significant advantage to fixed-priced style listings.
Some other details:
- The category or sub-category needed to have more that 1,000 listings to be evaluated.
- Auction style listings that also feature a Buy It Now price were considered to be auction style listings in this evaluation.
- The first page of the listing results was limited to 25 listings.
- Sub-categories can vary significantly than their parent category. For example, the Business & Industrial category significantly favors auction style listings (39%), but the Packing & Shipping sub-category heavily favors the fixed-price style of listings (-32%).
The chart below indicates which categories favor auction style listings (indicated in yellow) and which provide an advantage to fixed price listings.
Again, I must stress that sub-categories can differ significantly from their parent category. Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be posting an a detailed analysis of each category starting tomorrow with the Antiques category and sub-categories.
To summarize, Books, Music, DVD’s & Movies, and Everything Else appear to heavily favor auction style listings, while Gift Certificates and Baby favor the fixed-price listings.
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4 Responses to “Effects of Listing Type Under Best Match By Category”
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1) Which Best Match algorithm do the white lines belong to? I am computers & electronics seller. I would think Fixed-Priced is favored, but you seem to be suggesting those categories are placed in the center of the continuum.
2) Maybe you can explain this to me because I don’t get it. An eBay employee @ PESA last week said Best Match algorithm works like a card deck being shuffled in together to produce the desired mix of auctions to fixed price per category. How does Fixed Price 7 fit into the mix? Does FP7 work like auctions where ending soonest is ranked higher or is it best on the FP30 algorithm?
TekGems,
This is a discovery process for all of us. I wish I had more answers for you.
My opinion is that the uncolored categories are neutral. This is not to say that the sub-categories of a “neutral” category are not influenced by a listing type.
Doug
Are you going to analyze the Motors-Parts & Accessories categories? This is eBay’s biggest cash cow right now!
I did a similar analysis before even reading this. I sell sports memorabilia.
I wonder how much buyer expectation plays into it? It seems fixed price is not favored for me, and I wonder if buyers then come to think that they should be bidding and not using buy-it-now.
I’m wondering, is there a way to compare my traffic/sales to some kind of measure of ebay as a whole? My sales/traffic have been cut, and I want to figure out why.