AuctionBytes Interview:Google Feeds & Marketplace Sellers Part 1, 2 & 3

I just finished reading this and it was very interesting.

About half way down the article there is a link to a past article that this “Tom” guy wrote about basic ranking factors. I read that and all of the many comments people left. I was almost through all of the comments before I noticed they were dated in April, which was before Google played with the listings.

Still, the main article that AuctionBytes linked to was excellent in my opinion.

Hello!?!?!

He is saying that to be raised in search you need endorsements! He did not say that twitting and using Face Book had a thing to do with it. Now it is a three part interview and he has more to add. But so far he is saying that to be on page one you need lots of positive endorsements.

My question is does that mean Bonanzle? or our individual booths. I think we should as members start endorsing Bonanzle if that will help us in the ratings. Many of us have been both buyer and seller and could leave a very positive endorsement for this site. Sure would not hurt and should increase Bonanzle’s credibility.

You did not read it this way?

I haven’t read the whole thing yet but I am very concerned that my item stats have tanked since Bonanzle started doing the feeds- I am not criticizing Bonanzle for this ( I know it sounds like it) but am criticizing the new system Google has enforced. When we were doing our own feeds every day our item views just kept growing and growing- since the change they have gone down every day until ZERO booth view yesterday- that is the first time since about a week after we started selling here. Something is not right and we don’t seem to have any way to find out what is different. If someone knows where or how to find out what’s happening could you please let me know? Thanks- I can’t be alone in this issue

I think the one thing that would be easy for everyone to do is to log into their Google checkout accounts and give ratings and review everyone they have bought from.

I think we must be careful to not spam the other review sites mentioned or it will backfire on us.

In the AB article he said “I would recommend that small retailers consider listing their items on the third-party review sites listed in my post and get a handful of reviews on each. Please ensure that these are genuine reviews – not ones you submit yourself, as this can get you in trouble!”

Sellers spamming review sites could definitely fall under “get you in trouble”

In the article linked to the AB article he says “I should point out that there’s one site which Google seems to favour above all others for trusted reviews. There’ll be no prizes for guessing who it is…. Yep, Google Checkout.

In my experience and research, Google Checkout reviews seem to count for more than reviews left on 3rd party sites. This does seem to make sense since these reviews are presumably more trusted by Google (since it controls the spam filtering and authentication) than 3rd party reviews. That said, it does mean you have to have Google Checkout enabled to profit from them!

Which takes me back to the first point in my post – Go to Google checkout and review the people you have bought from.

Yes, I forgot I read that about Google check out but now I am concerned if I have enabled it that I will not be able to in fact use it. I have talked to many sellers and no one is having a fantastic holiday. Some of this is certainly to do with the economy but the remainder sounds like a Google problem. (Too bad we jumped on so soon. My 20 20 hindsight says we should have waited until December after the holiday. At least most of us would have been found on Google.)

None of it helps any of us as the smaller sellers have simply vanished or are so far back in search that you will never be found. It will be interesting to see how it plays out. Endorsements are so twisted sometimes that it is difficult to have faith in them. Some are absolute scams and some are disgruntled people that tell lies. Now we are going to be graded by them? None of our time on line, length of time in your business or service or feedback counts I guess. It is all very discouraging.

Does Google really want that kind of search result maybe a lot of small sellers should start looking at Bing and supporting their search engine. Just a thought.

Best of Sales to everyone. Do keep reading the article from Auctionbytes as this guy might come up with something. Also, read Night Owl’s post. I think she is right on. I will go and endorse the sellers I have actually purchased from on this sight as it is totally legit. Anything that can help! But no spamming!

Part 2 of the interview:

http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y09/m11/i05/s01

I don’t know how to present this. But with Ecrater after you have a certain amount of sales/ and the buyer has left feedack – when your item comes up in Products search under the LIST view you will see green stars up to Five stars after your name.
When you click on the Stars it takes you to another page and it shows how many sales and your rating.
Maybe that is what Bonanzle needs to do. Don’t vknow how that interfaces with Google and Ecrater – It is Google that places the rating/stars after your name- but what Ecrater does to get your feedback sent to Google?
Don’t know if this qualifies as “Reviews” mentioned in the article above?
Something more for Bonanzle to do?

Wow! This would really help if that would push us up in Google to have our feedback sent! We should check this out. I did not think the marketing guru had much to add today in Part 2 of this interview. It appears that endorsements are the only known way of getting a ranking on Google.

It also appears as I have been trying to say for some time now that Google wants Condition to be New Used or Refurbished period!!!!!! Then you can actually describe your item but must call it something beside condition.

These are two valid points that I would love for someone to address.

Judy please elaborate on the condition attribute of condition. It is most certainly not done for books as I can say under condition: Good, acceptable and lots of words besides new and used.

I stopped listing because of this. So if I attempt to edit this information under the ones already listed it is still there like always. Please let me know what you mean?

@ecb The screenshots above “REVIEWS” I posted above are my actual feedbacks from Ecrater.

I do not offer Google checkout on Ecrater or here.
Every sale on Ecrater shown above was paid for by Paypal.
It is feedback left on store on Ecrater.
My husband loved the tie ! John Lennon tie Silk New York scenes Statue libert 10/26/2009
Wig Orange hair piece Punk Women Halloween Costume10/22/2009
Amazing service! Super fast shipping! Thank you so much!!!
Boots Pirate Buccaneer Suede Men Sz 12 Moccasins H10/19/2009
A+ EXCELLENT SERVICE
Craig Taylor shirt Striped LS Blue Mauve white L09/08/2009
FAST Shipping, great communication. Love the shirt. Great seller!! THANKS!!
Vintage Sears Kings Road Shirt Hawaiian Large Full08/30/2009
Good Communication. Honest Online Merchant.
CINDERELLA slippers shoes heels 7 .5 Medium Costum07/31/2009
fast service
PUSSER’S SS Island Wear men’s short sleeve shirt , etc. 06/14/2009

It is not from Google Checkout. I don’t have (GCO)All Paid with paypal.

Google picks up your feedback from your store there after you have accumulated a certain amount of positives.

OMG..someone has redefined the meaning of useless garbage!

hey wally go take a chill pill lol your bohawk is gonna go flat lol