Watchers

I currently have several items on ebay, a couple of which have watchers.

If a sniping tool is set on an item does that show as a watcher?

No of course not. There are many different snipe sites/tools and they are independant sites and not linked to the ebay site in any way. The only way a person can watch an ebay item is to click on 'watch' in their 'my ebay' section. Most watchers are just doing so to see how much an item sells for. Either because they may sell their own if it sells for a high price and others watch because they are intending to buy one soon and are checking prices. Very few watchers ever end up bidding.

cheers Steve.

What I can say is that items that attract a huge number of watchers always sell very well.

Conversely, some items sell surprisingly well with no-one watching!

I am always "watching" a load of stuff to add to my database... and sometimes to bid. I have a bit of a backlog at the moment!

Points taken, but if a snipe tool is set why does it not show as watching? After all it's keeping tabs on the item?

Only by looking it up. "Watching" means that an ebay member has added it to their watch list. It is the same as if I had bookmarked an item instead of clicking on watch. Ebay just wouldn't know! The sniping tools just keep a list of ebay item numbers.

I think I understand now Kris.

Thanks for the info Guys.

What is most disappointing is when an item has a number of Watchers but ends up with no bids! - proving that Watchers are often just curious onlookers or perhaps even rival sellers keeping an eye on the competition.

"Points taken, but if a snipe tool is set why does it not show as watching? After all it's keeping tabs on the item?"

...no they do not 'watch' and they do not 'keep tabs' on the item either.. They are simply timers in essence that place a late bid that you specify...they just login to the ebay item at the required time and place the bid.