Goofbay News
30.12.11. Bargain Hunting Opportunities on eBay
Well, it’s that time of Year again…the presents are unwrapped, the ill fitting clothes are sitting in a corner, devoid of any receipts and the Christmas turkey has finally been thrown out after waking to a slightly off putting smell in the kitchen.
What you may not immediately realise is that this is probably the very best time of the year for bargain hunting on eBay. Those unwanted presents are now being hastily listed on eBay before they become lost for eternity in a bag at the back of the wardrobe. Now is the perfect time to snipe something gift related; and we’re not just talking about reindeer sweaters and those annoying executive toys which are rarely even opened. You’ll find everything from bikes, to consoles; practically new and unwanted gifts.
Think of this time of year as the January sales come early on eBay and to be extra precise, the best day for picking up bargains will land on the 2nd of January as 7 day auctions beginning on Boxing day will come to a conclusion.
Ok, so we’ve established that there are bargains to be had. Now we need to address how to find the best ones. Well, if we think about how hastily people will be listing unwanted goods, given that its Boxing Day and left over turkey is beckoning, there are inevitably going to be many misspelt items being listed. This allows for the perfect opportunity to use the Goofbay Misspellings tool. Use it to discover those lazily listed items which are failing to generate the eBay viewings they probably deserve.
Now, once you’ve identified your item of choice, remember, don’t have a rush of blood and bid immediately. We all know how tempting it is to act immediately, but this is just like showing everyone your hand at a poker table. Wait until the dying seconds of an auction and then bid automatically through our Free eBay Sniper. Just can also rest happily in the satisfaction that some unlucky bidder will be screaming at their screen as your bid lands with a mere couple of seconds to go.
Happy bargain hunting and as if you need an example to get you started, here we have an opportunity for a ‘Playsation‘.
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01.10.11. Sales of iPhones set to Thrive Online
The highly anticipated launch of Apple’s iPhone 5 will see a huge drive in online sales for previous models.
Sales of previous versions of the iPhone are predicted to rise up to 70% as people look to adopt new technologies and prices of older handsets fall. A similar occurrence was evident last year when the iPhone replaced the 3G and the 3GS.
eBay believe that over half a million iPhones have been sold online since they were introduced, with one iPhone per second being sold via eBay UK.
“Our figures show that savvy shoppers are ready and waiting to get their hands on the iPhone 4 at a cut down price,” said Angus McCarey, Retail Director for eBay UK. “The UK leads Europe in terms of smart phone adoption, which is helping to drive the triple digit growth of mobile shopping on eBay. Mobile is fundamentally changing retail as shoppers can now browse and shop on and offline in a seamless way.”
The smart phone market as a whole should see overall increased sales, with the launch of the iphone 5 raising awareness. Both iPhone 5 and previous versions will also be buoyed by the approaching Festive period, which to Apple’s advantage will see a lot of opportunists picking up bargains through channels such as eBay. In fact, iPhone 3 sales outperformed iPhone 4 sales in the Festive period last year.
The iPhone 5 is expected to be released on 21st October. This should coincide with the 10th Birthday of the iPod and several leaked sources appear to back this rumour.
So from a Goofbay, or indeed a bargain hunters’ point of view there will inevitably be opportunities afoot. Firstly, unless you are desperate for an iPhone at this time, it’s probably worth waiting until prices fall. When the launch occurs and eBay is flooded with used phones, the greatest opportunities will inevitably be in misspellings. Below is a search which you could use to immediately reveal misspellings. Feel free to adapt this to match your own requirements, and then save it to receive regular updates.
http://www.goofbay.com/ebay_misspellings_search.html?gmis_cat=9355&gmis_keywords=iphone
Happy bargain hunting!
09.09.11. Share your Goofy Side
Some of you may have been using Goofbay for a long time now, following us from our humble beginnings. Others may have stumbled across us recently through the likes of the Gadget Show mention, or through finding us online. Either way, you found us and we’re glad you’re here.
Now, although keen bargain hunters are naturally keen to keep their findings to themselves, we’d really appreciate it if you could share a little of what you’ve found through Goofbay to your ailing peers. Many people out there still haven’t heard of Goofbay and regularly resort to hitting ‘bid’ on a listing with 6 seconds to go in the hope that the request will complete within five seconds, leaving you with only 1 second left in the auction once the page refreshes. For mercy’s sake, just tell them about our Free eBay Sniper!
If you’ve already saved out our mobile version of the site to your iPhone/ Smartphone, then tell others how to do it. The site actually instructs you on how to do this when you visit it on a smart phone.
Thanks to everyone who has liked us on Facebook . If you haven’t Liked, or Tweeted us, then we’d really appreciate it if you could. We’re also pretty sure there are more Twitter users out there, so if you haven’t Tweeted us yet, please do – it only takes a second. Essentially, it’s the volume of traffic which allows us to continue offering free tools and ideally we always want to make this site free to everyone.
If you know people who you think could benefit from our tools, then complete our ‘Tell your Friends‘ page and we’ll automatically email an introductory email.
So there we have it – help your fellow peers and who knows, further down the line they might introduce you to tricks with Goofbay tools which they’ve discovered themselves.
Kind Regards,
The team at Goofbay
04.09.11. As Seen on the Gadget Show (Rather Devious Website)
Fans of the Gadget Show will have noticed Goofbay being mentioned in Friday’s episode. Admittedly, we only noticed through a huge spike in users as the episode aired. If you were one of those who decided to visit us for the first time, then welcome! Grab yourself a cuppa, make yourself at home and try out our eBay tools.
The show featured our eBay misspellings search, which allows users to discover misspelt items, or poorly listed items within eBay. The show featured a search for a Playstation 3; we’ve taken the liberty of posting a similar search below for those seeking Playstation 3 bargains.
http://www.goofbay.com/ebay_misspellings_search.html?gmis_cat=139971&gmis_keywords=playstation
If you are signed into Goofbay, you will also be able to save this search and receive updates on new listings (if you haven’t already subscribed to the RSS feed based on the search).
If you discovered Goofbay through the gadget show, feel free to introduce yourself in the comments section below, or contribute to our Forum. At the time of writing, its Sunday and its the busiest day of the week for bargain auctions ending, so make sure to check back every Sunday for new opportunities.
For those who missed the show, you can view it again online here. Goofbay is featured at precisely 35:36 – where we are described as a ‘rather devious website’ 
If you thought the misspelling tool was devious, have a look at our eBay Sniper.
07.07.11. eBay Bargain Hunting Tips
Last week we provided an overview of hints and tips to get the most money for your eBay listings. In case you missed it, you can view it here. Now, we’re going to spin things around and look at some handy hints and tips which could bring you bargain hunting success. Obviously, with Goofbay being based around bargain hunting, we’re making no apologies for plugging our tools here. Let’s begin:
Is the Best Bargain on eBay?
This may seem a little odd, as you’d typically expect eBay to host most of the online bargains, but sometimes you need to look further afield. eBay sellers lose profit margins through listing fees, seller fees and PayPal fees. However, if they have a website, they are will negate these fees and may pass some of the saving onto the consumer. Also, have a look at the likes of Amazon which is a particularly price driven marketplace.
Search for Misspellings
Misspellings, as we all know by now mean that an item is hidden away from searches and this will result in few bids and a bargain waiting to be had. Use our eBay Misspellings Tool to discover the items nobody else can find.
Save Searches
Whether through eBay, or Goofbay, if there’s a particular item you are on the lookout for, get it saved as a search. This will prompt eBay to notify you of any new listings which may be of interest to you. This will save a lot of time, especially if your search is fairly specific.
Do your Research
Before bidding, or making an offer on an item look at similar auctions and see what the product has sold for previously. Again check this against other retailers on the web. Also, remember that buying used items is not always cheaper than buying new ones.
Pay Attention to Detail
eBay Sellers are looking to make money; some, in a more honest way than others. Remember to look at feedback before doing business with any seller and take the time to pick up on key points which may be swaying you towards a purchase. For example, if you’ve only found one seller who stocks a particular item, as its widely out of stock, check the feedback for anyone describing whether the product is in fact available. The same applies for promises of fast shipping and so on.
The not so Polished Listings
A good eBay seller will provide fantastic imagery, detailed descriptions and will essentially pitch the product to you through the listing. Always remember, however, that there are sellers out there offering the same product that have hurriedly taken a picture on their phone and uploaded a blurred mess to the listings page. There’s a good chance that it’s the same thing, but like the scruffy dog at the pound, it gets overlooked in favour of the perfect specimen. Again, it could be a bargain waiting to be had.
Night Time Listings
A lot of sellers will list their items after midnight. This means that their auction will end when most people are asleep. Try to identify these listings early, but don’t wait up; set a snipe and get a good night’s sleep.
Make a Best Offer
Again, we’ve touched on Best Offers previously. If there is an option to make a Best Offer on an item, take it. If you’re out and about and don’t have time to communicate at a desktop, download the eBay app to your phone and take it with you. Use our eBay Best Offers tool to calculate exactly how much you could save on an item.
Finally…don’t Bid, Snipe
Always avoid showing your hand by bidding early and attracting unwanted attention to an item. Decide what you would offer on an item and use our Free eBay Sniper. This gives you the last say in any auction.
Hopefully, this provides you with an overview of things to look at to get a bargain through eBay. However, there are lots more opportunities to identify a bargain and there are lots more tools within Goofbay to provide insight into them. Spend time experimenting with the tools and eventually you’ll develop methods to identify bargains quickly. If you have any other additional pointers feel free to list them in the comments section below. In the meantime; happy bidding!
27.06.11. Tool Intro – eBay Best Offers Tool
The eBay Best Offers Tool is one of the simplest to use within our library of eBay Tools. It allows users to determine what % discount a seller is likely to take on a Best Offer. The tool also displays results on a per item basis to accurately see how cheeky an offer is likely to be accepted. Below is a quick guide for beginners using the tool and some tips to hopefully help those more familair with Best Offers.
The eBay Seller History Tool is very simplistic to use. Type in the eBay Username you want to investigate and await the results. Please note that the Seller History Tool trawls eBay for between 30 and 90 days of results, so these will take a few minutes to compile.
The results tell you the overall percentage saving a seller has accepted on their items, as well as on a per item basis. If a seller accepts offers of 20% below a buy it now, you should be fairly confident in contacting the seller for a 22% discount.
There you have it - The eBay Best Offers Tool – simple to use and a great tool to refer to for instant savings.
Don’t forget, if you are doing research, or if you want to save the results for later, you can download all of your findings as a csv.
Its really that simple. Remember you can use the Best Offers tool in a variety of ways. For example – in setting a snipe for an auction, remember to look look Best Offers on similar items. This way, you might decide to buy the item, rather than ending up in a bidding war at a higher price.
If you see a Best Offer option on an item – don’t pay full price. Remember that to List it with an Offer available, a seller will have an acceptable offer in mind. Also, try to download the eBay App for your phone, then you can communicate your offers quickly if you’re out and about.
Finally, in a shameless plug of our Goofbay mobile version – if you have a smart phone, save it to the desktop for quick access to our eBay tools at any time.
23.06.11. Top Tips for eBay Selling Success
With so many badly listed products on eBay, we’ve taken time out to give our eBay sellers some tips on
making the most of your listings. Remember, though, as an eBay buyer the opposite applies to most of
these points, so use this information to identify potential bargains.
Good product titles are essential to the success of an eBay listing. Goofbay has for years enabled
users to seek out bargains based on poor spelling. Always preview your listing and check to see that
spelling is correct. In creating a title, put yourself in the position of the shopper sitting down to
find an item. These shoppers could base a search on brand, category, colour, size, key
features/identifiers. For example – ‘Ltd Edition 105 bhp Smart Brabus Car in Black’ Try to cram your
product title with all of these key features as its not just eBay where users will seek out your item;
its Google as well. In the product description, try to emphasise each of these points, as it should
enhance your listing in Google.
Think out of the box in your item descriptions. If you are selling an item, think of who is shopping
for it and what applications it could have. From a sales perspective, remember its the benefits which
people are looking for, not just the features.
Photography is key – people buy based on photographs. Few people are going to create award winning
photography from their own home, so instead, take the time to create clear shots of the item in
question. People shopping on eBay often have concerns about purchasing second hand goods, so on these
occasions, make sure to take photographs of any flaws as well as the selling points of the item. Put
yourself in the position of the buyer, identifying key decision making areas of the product. For
example, if you are selling a type of car which is renowned for rusting around the wheel arches and
yours doesn’t, show a photograph showing off this positive aspect. Remember the care taken in your
photography shows the care you have for your possessions.
Avoid writing titles entirely in upper case. Capitals should be used in moderation to highlight crucial
selling points of an item.
Although its risky, try to avoid putting reserve prices on items. Often these simply put off bidders.
Typically, try to start everything from as low a price as possible to draw early attention to the
listing and develop a list of watchers.
Avoid making your item listing look like a set of traffic lights. Again, multi colours are difficult to
read and make your listing look like on of these ‘instant money’ adverts.
Keep on top of emails! You tend to receive a lot of emails through eBay and replying promptly instills
trust as well as putting a bidder’s mind at rest. If you have a smart phone, download the eBay App to
keep on top of your listing’s progress.
Although after midnight might seem to be the only time you get the opportunity to list items, avoid this
entirely as less people will be around at the conclusion of your auction. Even if the compulsion is
there to get your listing complete, preview it, but don’t set it live until early evening when most
people have had their dinner and are settling down with their laptops.
The final point is obvious – offer a high level of customer service. A poor reputation on eBay will
leave your auctions stranded.
If you follow these simple rules, you should start to see a greater return in your eBay Selling. On the
Other hand, if you buy through eBay, you should also take heed of these points. The same points could
identify bargains, through poor photography which fails to inspire others to bid. Finally, if you’re
not already aware, you can quickly identify misspellings through our eBay Misspellings Tool.
17.06.11. Why Use a Sniper?
For those of you who have never heard of a Sniper; how did you get by on eBay without it?
If you’ve never heard of, or indeed never used a sniper to help you win an eBay item, then you’ve probably at some point been on the receiving end of one. An auction sniper essentially allows you to put up your feet and make a cuppa whilst an eBay auction draws to a conclusion. Instead of battling it out for bid supremacy, a sniper simply fires in your bid with seconds to spare. You have the last word in every auction.
Snipers, of course are often dispised by bidders as they see your bid from nowhere as unfair – essentially, you are snatching away an item which other bidders in their own minds at least are seconds from winning. However, the process of automating a bid is the same action as if you were waiting until the dying seconds to manually enter a bid. The only difference is you’ve got your feet up.
Through using a sniper, it has been proven beyond doubt that you can pick up bargains. Your bid on an item before the final stages of an auction simply draws attention to the item and let’s face it – its often a cheeky bid which will require further attention in the closing stages. Through waiting until the dying seconds, you can take your time to assess the competition and fire in a bid with no comeback.
Think about it in this manner – if you went to buy a car from a dealer exclaiming; ‘I desperately need this car’, you’re hardly going to get a discount. In bidding too early in an eBay auction, you are doing just that – making everyone aware that you really want that item; making others realise the demand and up their game.
The one thing to bear in mind when using any Auction Sniper however, are incremental bids. Always remember to bid slightly higher than you usually would as often you need to outbid the current winning bid by a proportionate amount to become the new highest bidder. For example, if a bid sits at £89.00, you are not going to surpass this by exceeding your rival’s maximum bid by 1p.
Of course there are paid Auction Snipers widely avilable on the web, but why pay for it when you can use Goofbay’s Free eBay Sniper. Our new eBay Sniper also displays a running total of savings. Without sounding like Bob Geldof here, we aim to keep the Goofbay Auction Sniper free, so a donation based on a small percentage of your overall savings would always be appreciated.
Good luck and Happy Sniping!
08.06.11. Goofbay Feature in Tamebay’s Tools & Services Guide
Download the guide at http://tamebay.com/tamebay-ebay-tools-service-guide-2011
Tamebay; renowned as an eBay news specialist has published its first edition of their eBay Tools and Services guide.
The guide offers insight into simplifying your day to day sales routine, from listing products through to postage, aftercare and communications. The aim of the guide is simple; perform tasks more effectively, save time and save costs.
The guide draws together a range of tools which could revolutionise the way you manage your eBay business. Some are relatively unknown, whilst others (Goofbay) are long established and the guide focuses on getting more out of the tools many are familiar with.
Goofbay are heavily featured in the guide, with insights into a range of our tools, including the misspellings tool and seller history tool.
Feel free to leave your comments below on guide. Also, if you feel that there are tools which you feel could benefit you as a Goofbay user, again let us know.
14.03.11. Best Selling Products Online?
Its the golden question many people are seeking; ‘what are the best selling products online?’ Well, firstly, its one thing identifying what is best selling; it’s quite another thing being profitable on these items. In this article, we’ll be giving you a quick rundown on how to identify these items and make more money through eBay.
Look at what other users are selling online. Essentially, allow them to do your research for you. You can do this through utilising the eBay Seller History Tool. This enables you to view what products a specific eBay Seller has sold in the last 90 days. Equally as importantly, it allows you to see what products have not sold, as well as the associated eBay fees.
Ok, so we’ve established what specific products a user is selling and for how much. Its also important to discover the popularity and demand for these items. The eBay Most Popular Tool allows you to view how many people are watching a product. This used in tandem with the eBay Seller History Tool allows you to identify products which are popular, but may not be selling based on price.
Remember when choosing your products that often demand can fluctuate depending on the time of year. Also, demand for most products will change over time, so take care to use these tools regularly to stay on top of buying trends. Don’t forget that niche opportunities are often exploited very quickly, so be aware that others may be also acting on the same information you have uncovered.
Finally, remember when you begin selling your products to take advantage of multi channel. You could save significantly on fees through selling through your own website and many retailers also now look to Amazon as an alternative marketplace to reach a larger audience.
