eBay Auction Template Opinions / Help

[gmarguli]

I've changed the layout for my eBay auction template and would appreciate feedback. Here is the auction template: eBay Auction Template

 

I'd like to know:

• Is it easy to read/understand. Easy to find the information you're looking for?
  
• Is the picture size OK or too big/small? If you're on dial-up, did it take too long to load?
  
• Do you have to scroll horizontally to see the entire page?
  
• Is the color scheme easy to view or too dark/light?

Thanks for any help or tips!

[farthing]

Looks good to me!

[Schatzy]

Looks good to me.

I would add a nice background, I don't care for the colors.

I think it is easy to follow and I have made the same layout myself.

[WinstonWare]

You know I love browsing your auctions but one item that I think may be of interest to other dark side novices like myself is the composition of the coin. Frequently, I can find it online somewhere but sometimes I can’t. Otherwise I’ve always thought you do a nice job presenting your coins.

[bsshog40]

I think it looks good also. I'm not sure how many countries you ship to but would it be easier to list countries you do ship to instead of countries you don't?? Just wondering.

[EZ_E]

Howdy, Gregory. Overall, I like the design: simple yet professional. No scrolling was necessary.

 

I have dialup which can be a major pain most of the time yet, your page seemed to load fairly quickly for me.

 

The pic size is perfect. One can get an idea of the size of the coin by comparing it to the slab, however I do recommend that you list the diameter and composition of the coin for the impulse or out of niche buyers.

 

I do not like the green titles. Try a lighter, mellow pink. Yeah, I'm still manly, puddin' pop!

 

I like that your terms are short and concise. No legalese needed to understand it.

 

You appropriately used bold lettering where needed.

 

I give it an A with ease and simplicity but a B for aesthetics.

[James_OldeTowne]

Greg, a few minor suggestions:

 

I would prefer the text title/grade to appear prior to the images. Also, I prefer grades stated with a dash, rather than without (MS-66 vs. MS66), and depending on what the majority think, this may affect the success of text searches.

 

It is not quite clear whether the extra $15 for registered shipping is per coin or not (and I assume it is not).

 

Why are certain countries bolded?

 

Change "If you do not have a PayPal account, I will contact you after the auction ends to arrange payment." to "If you do not have a PayPal account, you must contact me immediately after the auction ends to arrange payment."

 

Finally, you might want a blurb about what to do when someone is bidding on items that close more than five days apart (since you require PayPal 5 days after an single auction closes).

 

FWIW - from a NON-ebay person !

[Dwaine]

I like it but I would like to see the item description before the pictures.

[farthing]

I like the description under the picture -

 

1) I likely already know all the basic coin information from the title of the auction. That's what drew me into opening up your listing in the first place.

 

2) The picture of the coin is what will sell me on bidding on the coin. I can read the basics on the coin from the slab label as a confirmation of the title of the auction. The added description is the third confirmation of the identity of the coin, repeating the information already in the title and on the slab. If it is above the picture it is just that much further that I will need to scroll to see the coin.

 

3) The odds are quite good that I can identify the coin just from the picture, even if the slab label is not shown.

[HiHoAudio]

I like it, including the green, but I am half Irish so I may be biased. Great photos and easy to read.

 

Let me be the second person to ask why are certain countries bolded?

 

[gmarguli]

Thanks for all the comments. To address all comments in one post:

 

winstonwear]You know I love browsing your auctions but one item that I think may be of interest to other dark side novices like myself is the composition of the coin.

 

In the past I did this and even listed the size, mintage, and Krause number and catalog value of the coin. However, it just took up too much time so I stopped doing it. I also figured most bidders should know what it is they are bidding on.

 

I think it looks good also. I'm not sure how many countries you ship to but would it be easier to list countries you do ship to instead of countries you don't?? Just wondering.

 

I'll ship to every country except those listed. The list of shipped to countries would be at least 3-4 times the size. I had thought about listing countries I would ship to, but every now and then I get buyers in countries I'd never expect (like two in Nepal and one in Albania this year alone).

 

These excluded countries are due to my insurance policy not covering shipments there.

 

I would prefer the text title/grade to appear prior to the images. Also, I prefer grades stated with a dash, rather than without (MS-66 vs. MS66), and depending on what the majority think, this may affect the success of text searches.

 

Why are certain countries bolded?

 

Change "If you do not have a PayPal account, I will contact you after the auction ends to arrange payment." to "If you do not have a PayPal account, you must contact me immediately after the auction ends to arrange payment."

 

Interesting. I've always preferred the picture before any text. I figure pictures rarely lie, but text always does. And I hate having to scroll down all the way to see the pictures at the end of an auction.

 

Since I list the grade at least twice in the auction, I can fix it so it lists it one way with a dash and the other without. I do believe it might work better for the searches.

 

Certain countries are bold since those are the ones on my blocked list that will most often bid.

 

The PayPal contact wording change makes sense. (thumbs u

 

 

The picture of the coin is what will sell me on bidding on the coin. I can read the basics on the coin from the slab label as a confirmation of the title of the auction. The added description is the third confirmation of the identity of the coin, repeating the information already in the title and on the slab. If it is above the picture it is just that much further that I will need to scroll to see the coin.

 

3) The odds are quite good that I can identify the coin just from the picture, even if the slab label is not shown.

 

I put the coin info under the picture as sometimes the picture will fail to show up if my host is down and also it helps if there is an error in the listing. At least the bidder can match it up to the picture. Also, right under that picture with the other info, I use that area to add other major stuff, like unlisted variety or mintage if a major factor.

 

Based on emails I get, I suspect that you are in the minority of being able to identify the coin from the picture instead of the slab label.

[MikeInFL]

Is it easy to read/understand. Easy to find the information you're looking for?

Yes, however I'd like to see something about your return policy.

 

Is the picture size OK or too big/small? If you're on dial-up, did it take too long to load?

I'm on a cable modem, so speed was/is not an issue. However, the photos of the coins in the slab are too small, IMO. Perhaps a second set of photos, focusing on the coin rather than the slab, would help. I'd suggest at least 500 pixels square.

 

Do you have to scroll horizontally to see the entire page?

No, but my screen is 1280 pixels wide.

 

Is the color scheme easy to view or too dark/light?

Looks good to me.

 

[ant]

-Is it easy to read/understand. Easy to find the information you're looking for?

yes, font size is good size, outline is bold and seperated for easy finding.

 

-Is the picture size OK or too big/small?

great size here!

 

-If you're on dial-up, did it take too long to load?

n/a

 

-Do you have to scroll horizontally to see the entire page?

no

 

-Is the color scheme easy to view or too dark/light?

crazy house green is always a calming color

 

and i agree it needs a table for the return policy

[James_OldeTowne]

By the way, Greg, I noticed you went with ValueWeb / Affinity. That is who I use, and I recommend them highly to anyone else looking to host a website.

[gmarguli]

Is it easy to read/understand. Easy to find the information you're looking for?

Yes, however I'd like to see something about your return policy.

 

Return info is in all my auctions. eBay software has a place to enter it in and it will automatically appear in all auctions under the Return Policy section.

 

 

Is the picture size OK or too big/small? If you're on dial-up, did it take too long to load?

I'm on a cable modem, so speed was/is not an issue. However, the photos of the coins in the slab are too small, IMO. Perhaps a second set of photos, focusing on the coin rather than the slab, would help. I'd suggest at least 500 pixels square.

 

I used to do this, but pictures take so much time. It would literally triple my time spent on pictures. My old slab pictures were 600 wide and now I'm using 800 wide. I'd be OK making them as big as people want, but I want to prevent any horizontal scrolling.

 

 

By the way, Greg, I noticed you went with ValueWeb / Affinity. That is who I use, and I recommend them highly to anyone else looking to host a website.

 

I've used ValueWeb for 5+ years and never had a problem with them until they were purchased by Hostway. The integration has been causing some problems and downtime, but overall I'm very happy with them.

 

I have noticed that recently I am not getting a lot of email to my ValueWeb hosted domain. I suspect they have tweaked their spam filter too high and it is causing a lot of emails to get junked. The Hostway site offers you the ability to turn off spam filtering or add white lists. They also have been web-based email. Hopefully soon everything will be transitioned over.