How the eBay Live Auction Tool Works – Timing is Important…

For those who have asked how to use the option/tool on eBay Live Auctions, the following is a step by step guide, as to its use. You can try requesting assistance from eBay Live in this process and/or try to find an update to the eBay Live Instructional Manual. However, after searching for the last few days, it would appear there’s nothing to assist eBay Live Auction sellers on the use of the option, (which morphs itself into a tool) located with the eBay Live Catalog Management Set-Up page. While the information below is accurate, we do NOT guarantee that by using the information below that you will achieve the results of Paramount and Jewelry-Overstock-Auctions.

• Open your Catalog Management Page on eBay Live.
• Complete your Catalog set-up as you normally do. You must upload five catalogs at a time and as such, you must select five dates and times for for your auctions. If you upload just one catalog and go back (at a later date) to upload each catalog one at a time, the auctions may all reset to 12 hours and the option to stagger your end times will not be confirmed. It’s best to upload the exact same catalog for ALL five auctions, as you can add additional lots at the tail end of your auction, if you elect to do so. At the conclusion of each auction, you must go in and delete the items sold, however, if you’re offering multiples of the same items (like Paramount and Jewelry Overstock), you may not need to delete any lots.
• If you are conducting a twelve-hour auction, select the 12 Hour duration from the drop down window where it states “Select Auction Duration”. Even if you’re not offering a 12 hour auction, it may be best to select a twelve-hour duration, as you can spread your lots across a twelve-hour period. You will find that the section entitled “Select Auction Duration” only requests that you select a duration for your auction. However, this is the drop-down window, which you will use to achieve a staggered end time on your lots as well. It has a DUAL use!
• The Auction Duration drop-down option offers a duration of 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11 and 12 hours in which to complete your auction.
• If you are offering 800 lots (as an example) and expect to go through 50 lots per hour, your initial upload will 150 lots for the first three hour period (across all five auction sessions).
• Go back to your Catalog Management Set-Up page and scroll down to the Auction Duration drop down window and select 3 hours. You must now scroll down and hit the “save” button in order to reset the system to three hours. NOTE: When you complete the entire process, you will eventually be selecting twelve-hour auction duration you selected at the start of this process. 
• After selecting the three-hour duration, leave the window open and upload the first 150 lots across ALL five auction catalogs. When the uploads are completed, go back to the Catalog Management Set-Up page, scroll down to the Auction Duration drop-down window and select the (4) hour duration. Scroll down and hit the save button and you are now ready to upload the next set of lots for hour four (4).
• Remember, this process is based upon how many pieces/lots you will go through during each hour of your auction. As you selected 50 pieces per hour, you would then upload 50 pieces (across all five catalogs) for hour four (4).
• Once you completed the uploads for hour four (4), go back to the Catalog Management Set-up page and upload 50 pieces per hour for hours, 5,6,7,8,9,10 and so on, until you reach the twelve-hour mark (the original auction duration you selected at the inception of the process).
• When you reach the twelve-hour mark, upload the remaining number of pieces of you have left across all five catalogs. Never go back and change the date or time of your auction, as you will reset all the staggered end times on your lots to 12 hours. The Catalog Management Set-Up page runs across all five catalogs and if you decide to make any changes (other than uploading additional lots at the twelve-hour mark) you will reset the timing across all five catalogs.

eBay Live Auction Catalog Set-Up Tips…

• You are allowed to upload 10,000 lots per five catalogs. If you have 1,000+ lots (up to 2000 lots) available to upload, upload it all, as you will fill up eBay core and have the advantage of gaining more “eyeballs” in eBay core. Remember, eBay Live does NOT have its own core (like eBay Motors) and as such, ALL eBay Live Auction lots appear in MAIN core. As you are paying $300.00 per catalog, you are ALLOWED to upload up to 2000 lots into each auction session. However, if you elect to upload the max number of lots (2,000) per session, do NOT add additional lots (even if you delete sold lots) as the system has a problem (it appears) in that it does NOT count deleted lots and give you back a credit for lots deleted and then lots added. If you go over the 2,000 lot limit you more than likely will be charged a “per piece” listing fee for each lot.
• The staggered end times will appear on your lots when the auction begins. As many eBay Live Auction sellers know, eBay adds 12+ hours to the end times on your lots when the auction begins and this is what confuses bidders.
• This process is a “manual process” and is NOT automated. Do not expect any help or assistance in completing this process. You can ask for help at eBay Live but, there’s no guarantee you will receive help when asking about this option that morphs itself into a tool.
• If you run into a problem and/or make a mistake in the upload process, contact your representative and request that they reset your Catalog. Make this request via EMAIL and get confirmation via EMAIL that the Catalog has been deleted and reset so you can begin the process again. You can also set up a “test auction” in order to gain some insight into how this tool/option operates.
• The timing of how fast or slow you go through your lots is important. If you expect to only go through 30 lots per hour, then do the math. If you go through 30 lots per hour then you must keep that lot open for up to two minutes (no longer). If you expect to go through 60 lots per hour, then you must keep that lot open for up to one minute (no longer). If you go over the amount of time you selected, for the lot to remain open, adjust your timing on the next lot to make up the time loss/gain. If you fall way behind on your timing, the lots will flow through the front of eBay core and then drop off the system. If this happens and a buyer does not complete the transaction (or the bid is NO GOOD), you may not be able (or allowed) to recapture the Final Value Fee (as Molayem learned early on when staggering the end times on his lots).
• Th easiest way to “time” yourself using this system is to place the lots for the first session within an excel spreadsheet and set up a column, which correlates with the start time of the auction and how long each piece is to remain up on the system - during the live auction. You can also use a clock with a second hand (or stopwatch) and simply pay attention as to the timing of each lot and count down how long a lot should be up on the system and then close the lot when the one or two minute limit is up.
• Unsure of how your lots will appear on eBay Live and throughout eBay core? Go to eBayLiveAuctions.com and click on either Paramount or Jewelry-Overstock-Auctions listings and preview how their lots appear with a staggered end time in eBay core. Remember, the auction must be live/active for the staggered end times to appear.

There appears to be no addendum to eBay Live’s Instructional Manual on how to use this option/tool and as such, this is NOT an exact science, as there has been NO disclosure to eBay Live Auction sellers on where this option/tool is located and how it operates. What we do know is that it works to gain more traffic and can keep eBay Live Auction lots flowing through eBay core every hour on the hour.

Confirmation of its ability to increase traffic will appear on your stats for your items, as you will see an increase of click thrus to your lots coming from the eBay listing for each item. As the items flow up through the front of eBay core, the click thrus into your catalog will increase from the TOP exposure gained via the staggering of lot end times.

Remember to take FULL advantage of your $300.00 session fee by uploading as many lots as you possibly can into your catalog. Also, remember to NOT change your FREE Cover Lots once you set them the first time, as this action may also reset all of your sessions and your staggered end times may be reset to the full twelve-hours.