More Sales Through More Trust
Pop quiz: What's the most common first page that a new user lands at during their first visit to Bonanzle? If you guessed "the home page," I don't blame you, but you're wrong. If you guessed the "buy" page or the "show booth" page, you're also wrong and wrong. The answer, by the margin of a lot is the item show page. Since about 60% of Bonanzle's visitors find us via Google item searches (which climbs up to around 70% if you include Yahoo, MSN, and Oodle), the "first impression" most users get of Bonanzle is a page showing the item they were searching for. With this in mind, we've took a pass today at improving the most important consideration for most users when they're visiting an unknown site and evaluating whether to buy from an unknown seller: trustability. You'll notice on your next visit to look at an item, we've overhauled the right side of the page, so it is eminently clear to a new user who is selling the item, and what their reputation is by feedback score, feedback percentage, and a new page we're currently calling "Full Trustability Report." The purpose of this new page is to expedite for buyers the process of vetting a seller. While feedback is and should be the first consideration in determining who to buy from, at Bonanzle there are many "incidental" indications that, when taken in aggregate, can tell as much about a seller as their feedback does. Prior to today, you would have needed to visit at least three different pages to find out all this information. Now, we've collected it all into one place and made it easy for buyers to see which sellers have done the legwork to build a credible reputation on Bonanzle. Here are the nine points we're evaluating in the trustability reports in version 1.0. Of course, just as it would be possible for a seller with 50 feedback to end up being a dud, it would be possible for a seller with all nine of these elements to not follow through. But our experience so far has shown that each of these elements are small pieces that are more likely to be found in our reputable sellers and less likely to be found in the rotten apples (before they get kicked off the site). Also, all nine of these elements can be attained by a motivated seller in the course of their normal dealing at Bonanzle. As we state on the page, many sellers will probably end up in the 4-7 range here (new sellers will have less), but for sellers that want to prove to buyers that they are serious about presenting a credible reputation on the site, this is your opportunity to seize the day, capturing the trust of your timid newb traffic.
Our Growing FAQ on the Update (will be updated as forum discussion evolves)
"Why put a site-wide number on a user's trust page?" Because, as was mentioned in the blog, for fully 70% of our users, they will arrive at Bonanzle through an item page, and they will know nothing about the site. Most people in the world still haven't heard of Bonanzle, and in these cases, it's just as important for them to establish a level of trust with Bonanzle as it is for them to establish a level of comfort with the particular seller. "Is this a response to bad transactions that have been happening lately?" OR "Why bother with this?" It isn't a response, our 99.5% sitewide feedback rating attests to the superb track record our sellers have had to date. The objective of this page is to make it easy for a new user to realize that this site they've never heard of (Bonanzle) is seen is a safe place to transact. "I haven't had fees so I can't use a credit card" OR "I don't have time to post 50 messages" OR "I don't like one of the other nine points." We've made every effort to set a buyer's expectations that "four" is the site average and few sellers will have more than seven. We did this for just the reasons above: that it won't be practical for every person to hit all nine of the points. If it were easy to hit all nine points, then the scale would be less useful, and would be easier for fly-by-night scammers to exploit. The goal of the system is to create a spread between those that have worked to establish their reputation on Bonanzle, vs. those that post 5 items in five minutes and wait for a sucker to pay with money order. That said, we'll keep listening about potential modifications to the nine points, but we don't see the mere fact that some of them are hard to get as a major flaw unto itself. "My feedback is higher than 99.5%, I don't like having that number on my page." I'd agree that we should do everything possible to emphasize to the user that is not the feedback for the seller. Hopefully my wording update goes part of the way toward achieving this, but if anybody has further ideas on how to update the wording to benefit sellers with > 99.5% feedback, we're listening. "How does this fit into the overall Bonanzle strategy?" This page is doing the legwork of research on behalf of the buyer, which is an increase in simplicity over being required to visit numerous different pages (most of which a new buyer won't even know exists) to be able to suss out all this data. "Isn't this bad for new sellers?" In the sense that they will have to do some work to satisfy the various objectives, it is potentially more work for a new seller. However, it also benefits new sellers in that it gives them a direct game plan about how to build Bonanzle reputation. Many new sellers don't even know where to start on building credibility, and this page could serve as a framework for providing them a starting point. "I'm scared, is this the harbinger of DSRs?" Hell no. It's a way for sellers to accomplish the same objectives of DSR (give buyer sense of confidence), but to have direct control over the extent to which they succeed at reaching this goal (as opposed to being beholden to a buyer's sense of whether the item arrived was shipped fast enough). Other questions? You know we're always listening. All reasoned commentary is welcome, we're sure to continue to make some tweaks to this as good suggestions roll in!<< Back
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42 responses to More Sales Through More Trust
Thanks Bill!
This will help NEW visitors find ALL the info on a seller in one place.
I havent dealt with one seller here YET that has not been over the top in trying to provide good customer service.
This will make me work even HARD at giving the best product, at the best price, with the best customer service I can offer! I love it!
Great idea! But right now I’m not seeing any difference. Am I looking too soon?
I don’t like this!
Thanks Bill,
I am grateful for all of our recent improvements, but this one is by far IMHO the best! Giving our first time buyers access to who we are is sure to add to their confidence level. Appreciate you guys!!!!!!!!!!
i like it
Thanx guys! I have 100% feedback imported, 100% from Bonanzle and meet criteria for the 9 points yet I thought that you’d rated me as 99.4%. I thought, “how am I .6% unsatisfactory?” “The 99.4% of all Bonanzle transactions have been marked as positive experiences” statement placement seems to reflect on the seller at first glance.A good thing for some, but not all.
I think it would be a bit better if you showed our personal number for how many of the 9 items we meet. I.E., “Met 5 of the 9”. It took me a while to read through, and I wasn’t sure at first how many I met.
This seems like a great feature. I do have a question though, based on oshun’s post above- if all of our transactions have been at 100%, but a seller is rated at 99.4, for not meeting one of the 9 points, will this give the buyer a break down as to why they’re not at 100%?
I just wonder if it will confuse some.
Too much information will confuse new buyer. I also disagree on the 99.4% of all Bonanzle transaction. It’s contradicting of the 100% of myself and most (or some) new ppl will not be able to distinguish between the two. Remember, simplicity….so lets simplify that …please
I guess, like Oshun, I’m 1.6 unsatisfactory because I haven’t given a credit card to pay my fees and the reason I haven’t done that is I haven’t HAD any fees? Or that I don’t have my phone number listed because there’s no reason someone can’t talk to me either in the chat window, quick text or bmail?? This smells suspiciously like DSRs. And not for nothing but I think we could get more sales if we have a reliable search engine, but that’s just me.
Oooh….I think this is a GREAT idea!!! Especially I think it will help international buyers to have confidence in “trustworthy” US sellers on Bonanzle, and US buyers to have confidence in “trustworthy” international sellers on Bonanzle! Should help to discourage ripoffs.
I do feel a little badly for the new folks with no feedback to import… I reckon they’d have to buy several items & get positive feedback in order to become “trustworthy” sellers. But then years ago, that’s how we started, and it does make sense. Accountability & trust have to start SOMEWHERE…
Nice feature…but as many have stated the 99.4% comment is very misleading and has great possiblity of being perceived wrong…maybe just a rephrasing of words, something like: “Buyers who have purchased from Bonanzle sellers have rated their experience as positive in 99.4% of all transactions.” Keep up the good work boyz
since this will have to be done for each store we have — could you please consider letting us use FB from one store to the other
or I’ll never get anywhere with my second store
thanks
I just deleted my ebay feedback and now I’m 100% but the 23 feedback I have doesn’t accurately reflect the number of sales I’ve had. I’ve had over 60 but the buyers who find me by Google search don’t leave f/b here. They leave it at Google.
And the statement ‘“Buyers who have purchased from Bonanzle sellers have rated their experience as positive in 99.4% of all transactions†is not accurate when all Bonanzle feedback has been positive. The percentage is based on the 9 points outlined above and the average buyer isn’t going to know that.
If this is the “rough edges” you were fixing, I’m surprised. I thought you were working on getting radio buttons into checkout, making a How To Buy video, and losing those pesky checkoff boxes.
The verification problem is interesting. You could argue that one of the freedoms here is the avoidance of credit cards. Of course everyone will be paying fees here eventually, so it’s simply a matter of time.
I realize you and especially Mark have had to deal with some real sleazeballs, and I suspect this 9 point checklist began life as an internal tool for flagging these creepos. As an early warning system I’m sure it’s excellent.
But putting an anti-fraud feature on Bonanzle this early in the game implies that we have a rampant fraud problem. Are things really that bad? If you have to do it at all, I’d hold off till 100,000 ppl if I were you.
Also, you tipped your hand by providing crooks with a pretty good checklist. “Magic Jack or a throwaway cell, a mall card, post a few threads, BANG- off and running, now lets set up shop.”
In my experience, the buyers who need this type of guidance the most are invariably the “picture clickers” who don’t even read descriptions, never mind evaluate sellers. They will get in over their heads no matter what. Be forewarned: you haven’t even seen the most extreme cases of gullibility yet.
I don’t like having that area not for what is in it now, but for what could go in later. Now there is a “place” to put a Bad Tool. Something that could really Get Us. (Can you tell I fled from eb@y?) A huge contingent here will be very sensitive to this- we are a Ragtag Fleet fleeing the Cylons.
Something along these lines already exists in the form of
http://www.bonanzle.com/site_help/offers/unsavory_sellers
and I couldn’t help but chuckle… according to that help item, I’m a Fence! But, you had good intentions.
To REALLY get to know a seller, read their ‘Left for Others’ feedback. Hey… Where’s the Left for Others tab in feedback?
Bonanzle’s winning formula of Chat + Classifieds + Homepage Tagging is really easy to understand on a gut level. I’m not sure how this fits.
Cleaning up the forums says, “Come on in.” Then implementing this says, “Now that you’re here- watch out.”
Confusing, both philosophically and in practice.
I don’t like the 99.4% either. I would rather see this on a “about Bonanzle” page. My feedback page is about me. As Nutzmonkee stated..
“each seller is independent of all others..”
What does this number have anything to do with.. others clicking on my Personal Feedback?
The criteria #8 is a issue as well. Many may not have the time, knowledge nor inclination to “blog or social network.” They may not have a website. Personally, I am not going to give out a phone number or a address for the entire world to see. Unless I am involved in a personal transaction with another, I choose to keep my info. personal. Thanks for letting us comment.
I like the idea to a point. Overall so far I look good and the buyer can see all aspects of “me”. What I don’t like is: If I don’t get feedback from my buyers you don’t count the transaction as a positive experience. Not everyone leaves feedback. Therefore with 100% positive feedback my overall positive “score” is 99.4%. Not bad, but is it truly accurate?
Don’t mean to offend, but I am not thrilled with this one either. I don’t like that the 99.4% was confusing to me, so this is a good indication that it will also be confusing to a new buyer/member.
Not extremely fond of the 9 point rating either. I have a 9, but do agree that it is not fair to new sellers.
Oops, It is me AvocadoLane. I am just opening a new booth and forgot to change back.
Overall I like it. I, like a lot of others, have put a lot of work into my trustability, both here and ebay and just in life in general. I also misunderstood that 99.4% thing and wondered how “I” got that rating before I read a bit further. Overall I think this is great!! To be honest I have gotten a little frustrated that so many people here put the time and effort into the whole “community” thing and helping each other and Bonanzle and then you see those few that come in and “dump” their stuff here and never visit again, never clean up the listings and never work to promote or help get the word out. To me THAT is a problem.
Thanks for listening, that is what makes this place so special.
The 99.4% IS confusing. Add me to the list of those that thought it was my own rating; I had to really read through the whole thing to figure it out. But when the feedback rating states 100%, with the 99.4% right across from it, does make one wonder. Especially if a buyer IS coming off Google.
I also would like to be able to see “feedback left for others”
oh, and tis moi pugs
don’t usually post but under one ID, now I have to post under 2, for awhile anyway LOL
I understand the reasoning behind the change and have no problem with it other than the 94% being confusing. And if it’s confusing to us sellers; it’s bound to be confusing to the buyers.
Well, I can be added to the 99.4% group, just because no one has left me a testimonial. I have wonderful, 100% positive feedback, but since no one has done the testimonial thing, which can be easily manipulated, ie: I leave one for you and you leave one for me, I will be perceived as less trustworthy. sigh Not what I expected from Bonanzle.
I like it, I’ll Blog it
Generally like the new page BUT: I also have 100% feedback and am not nuts about the overall 99.4% being bigger and more visible. And agree with bluemoon about the testimonials. I have great feedback but no one has recommended me, that doesn’t mean I am less trustworthy.
I agree that 99.4% is too confusing, especially to people coming in from google. It seems like they will assume that that’s a negative, because most people will just glance at it and not read about what it means. Also, I’ve had 2 buyers who didn’t leave feedback, and I don’t really know how to blog & social network. I also agree that testimonials aren’t something that most people do & can be meaningless. I think overall this was a great idea, I just think it needs some tweaking.
Not sure what
etailed Overview Of Booth" is. Shari
Tend to agree with others that the 99.4 percent is somewhat confusing as it is really not a true reflection of the seller.
I think all the items are valid with exception of “personal recommendations” or to have “posted 50 times on forums”.
I do not think these two would be a consideration by many buyers who register simply to buy or are one time visitors through Google or other search. They do not participate in these functions and would not understand what they mean.
Otherwise – anything that helps promote Bonanzle and our sellers is positive………………Thanks!!
I do not believe that the 99.4% should be on the ‘About the Seller’ page. It detracts from the seller’s feedback. Other than that, I love the new feature!
This is basically a good idea—but I think it will cause feedback begging from sellers. In all my years on ebay I have over 2000 transactions and only 750 feedbacks. Folks just don’t leave feedback that often.
Also, I don’t even know where to go to “personally endorse” a booth…guess I need to look and see and find someone who will endorse me if I endorse them.
I have been playing with the idea of putting my web address for my other business on my profile page—but I just don’t want all the crazy calls I would receive about a $3.00 item I have listed for sale. I already receive calls around the clock from folks looking at my web page and wanting to know the answer to something that is right in front of their eyes. (And I have to answer my phone 24/7 because I run a lodging and folks might have emergencies)
Ok—so my rating is pretty good for just selling 7 things here in just about two months…and I’m sure it will get better. And then I read the Lawyer disclaimer you have at the bottom of my “trustability report”:
“A Word from Our Lawyers
The information above is provided solely for informational purposes, to guide you toward making your own determination of this seller’s trustability.
Bonanzle does not purport that this or any seller is definitely trustable. Our lawyers would just hate it if we did.”
As a buyer I would say “So What?” A major rule in sales is to never suggest a problem with you or your product. My thank you note sent with every sale does not say: Contact me with any problems. It says: Contact me if I can be of assistance. Suggesting problems or suggesting that you might be untrustworthy in advance could be a sales deterrent.
How do we receive personal recommendations? I deleted a ton of messages about how great my stuff was from other sellers/buyers that had been left in my booth, none of whom purchased OR recommended. This is a Catch 22 issue for sellers whom other sellers/buyers never visit. Also, 50 messages posted in the forums? Do all of the “welcome” quick texts we send count? IF we weren’t all scattered so much trying to find good sales sites, this probably would be okay, but we are too busy out here working to be able to be so social. We don’t have the luxury of leaving the other sites we sold on, so the “social” requirements can be a burden to try to get sales. Don’t misunderstand, we LOVE what has been created here on Bonanzle and support it 100%, but we can’t spend so much times in the forums. Several points sound a bit more like a popularity vote and less like trustability.
I also do not like the 99.4% mentioned. Very confusing and it took me a while to understand what it meant. And I had to really work to figure out the 9-point thing. I have nine, so I kept looking for a 4 or 5 number somewhere. Anyhow, those are not correlated very well.
Although I have an excellent rating by these standards, I also have mixed feelings about it. A seller really shouldn’t need to chat on the boards, or have personal endorsements to be a good seller. In fact, you could argue that they are spending more time socializing than being a good seller! Not that that is necessarily true, but you can see the point.
I’d rather have the imported items from eBay be cleaned up than have those people spend time on the chat boards.
JMO.
Sharon
You got a typo in bullet 4 of http://www.bonanzle.com/site_help/offers/incidental_trustability (see “received”).
Love the idea, great work guys, trust is so important! I don’t care for the percentage of all Bonanzle transactions being on “my” page-I do think it is confusing to a customer.
I think it might be a case of “too much information” for buyers – they are not going to try to figure out what the numbers mean or all the stats that go into it. And for most sellers on here, it is going to take awhile to sell five items or write 50 messages. Also, I hope you change “trustability” to “trustworthiness” – the first is not a word.
Ditto on the 99.4% – Don’t want to complain or nit-pic the fantastic NEW feature – WHICH I LOVE – but it threw me too. That is all I found and as a ‘seasoned’ buyer, I really don’t care about if a Seller does the forums, I DO care about what the buyers and other members say.
All your NEW wording in the new feature is GREAT – it is Bonanzle spelling and that is what makes Bonanzle ‘human’ to people – brings them comfort. TOO MUCH perfection brings on alarm, and I personally want the visitor to feel at ezzzz.
Thanks Bill!
You and the Boyz ROCK!
I wonder if you would consider the time we take doing hand picked lists as a replacement for the posts in the forums?! That would be great (this activity STRONGLY supports the Bonanzle brand) because I do spend a lot of time on the lists! Does that sound too much like a student trying to hit up the teacher for a grade for doing a totally unrelated piece of homework? LOL
Hmmm. I love this site, I have been lucky selling on this site, but I will not put either of my phone numbers out there to just anyone and everyone. If you need to reach me use the channels provided, then if we need to chat via phone, great. But there are some real wacko’s out there and I have had the same phone number for longer than I care to mention. I really don’t object to this, just a comment.
I rarely blog and don’t keep a website.
Okay I normally dont post comments like this but I had to chime in on this one. For the most part I like the change but like most of the others here I have to agree that the 99.4% is confusing and frankly unfair to those that have a 100% positive feedback. I comply with all 9 points and have a 100% positive rating but I have NO control over any other seller on Bonanzle and yet I feel as though I am being punished for someone elses mistake, misunderstanding or non compliance. When I first saw the 99.4% my first thought was WHAT? Why do I have a 99.4% overall? I question the location of this score and do not agree with it being under my booth rating. It is very confusing to the sellers so how is the general buying population going to perceive it? Most will do just like I did, This seller has a 100% positive rating so what happened that is not showing for this seller to have an overall of 99.4%. It wasnt until I started reading this that I realized that was not my score but an overall score for the entire seller community. The buyer will not see this information but once you plant the slightest notion of negative to a buyer it is hard to reverse it. I like the fact that my feedback information is so easily available to the buyer and it should be however the overall Bonanzle rating (which I have NO Control nor will I ever) being along side my information is confusing, could be harmful and is unfair.
You guys do a great job and I love Bonanzle. I am confident that you will read our input and will make a decision you feel is best as a whole. I will support that decision but I do hope the overall Bonanzle rating is removed from my information.
There are a some people who post in the forums, that are only spamming their booth, and interrupting threads. Why is that ‘trustworthy’? I, for one, won’t even look at their booth – I don’t care what they sell, if I don’t like their business practices.
I just started listing here in mid-Jan, and I have had one sale here, so I’ve paid no fees. I have a 75K line of credit, and 3 credit cards with limits totalling 37 K. Just because my CC isn’t on file yet, I’m not trustworthy? I didn’t think you had to buy a membership to be considered trustworthy.
I own and run a B & M store, and a second home-based business. On top of that, I’ve been selling on line for over 5 years. I only have so much time and accessibility for blogging and chatting, etc. Heck, I don’t even know HOW to blog, and I don’t have a cell phone. I DO sign in to my booth frequently, and am available for QT, booth chat, email, etc.
This has some good points, but I’m not really liking the feel of it. The same buyers who come in from Google, etc, that you are targetting, don’t always read everything. They buy, pay, and leave. They don’t return to give f/b, they return next time their Google search brings them a Bonanzle item.
After reading the forum thread and opinions and looking at items (yarn buying today) I find myself giggling. A lot of us sold and bought on ebay and other sites. The very first place I looked when buying was in that corner, LOL, I wanted to see the sellers reputation. I think this is fairer than DSR’s given by buyers,that is for feedback to handle. But please, boys, move the other number, as it is confusing.
ps about not giving out phone numbers. I had a customer call me, and they got the number somehow from google I guess as that is how they paid. It was my cell number and I rarely give that out. All good but still if they want it they will find it.
Autumn
Hey all, thanks for all of the ideas and feedback! Since there’s many points to cover here, I’ll be responding to these points in the forums:
http://www.bonanzle.com/forums/4/topics/32377
Let’s pick up the conversation there, so we don’t have it spread in two places. Thanks!
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