As a small business owner who has consulted dozens of entrepreneurs on selling successfully on eBay, I‘ve learned that "watchers" play a crucial role. But what exactly is a watcher and why should you care if shoppers add your items to their watchlists?
Watchers Defined
A watcher is an eBay user who has clicked the "Add to Watchlist" icon (a little heart) on a particular item‘s listing page. This adds the item to the user‘s own curated watchlist so they can track it without an obligation to purchase right away.
As of 2022, eBay sees an average of over 50 million items added to user watchlists daily. So they are widely used by shoppers.
Why Buyers Use Watchlists
eBay watchlists allow shoppers to easily:
- Track items they may want to bid on or buy later
- Receive notifications if listed items drop in price or have other updates
- Compare similar items from different sellers
- Organize and save searches without having to search again
This convenience provides value to users as online shopping can be overwhelming. It‘s like adding items to a wish list or cart on other sites but watchlists are interactive – letting buyers react in real-time to price drops, competing bids appearing, and inventory becoming limited.
Why Sellers Should Care About Watchers
While they don‘t guarantee a sale, having lots of "watchers" is actually great news for you as a seller. It signals that:
- Shoppers have interest in your item
- Your item and price point are on buyers‘ radars
- Your listing is searchable and visually appealing
In fact, savvy eBay sellers use a special tool called "Offers to Watchers" that lets them send discounts and promotions directly to those who have watched their listing, trying to entice them into a purchase.
I‘ve found this very effective as a targeted marketing tactic – harnessing buyers already intrigued enough by an item to watch it and watchers often do end up converting.
So in summary, watchers allow buyers to intelligently track and research options while providing sellers indicators of item popularity and channels to connect with high-intent shoppers. Understanding the watcher function is key to eBay success on both sides! Let me know if you have any other eBay questions.
