Machines4U

Why ‘POA’ Is A Dirty Word

And why it will cost you.

Every 6 minutes someone finds a piece of equipment they need on Machines4U. Insane, right? But get this: those same people, they will sit on our site for 2+ hours and make an average of 3 enquiries each. THREE.

Doesn’t give great odds for you, does it? Especially when you’re up against 10 or more sellers advertising the same thing.

It’s not all doom and gloom, though. We know what will help put you into the top 3 category.

Put a price on your ad.

Yep. It’s that easy.

Let’s talk about why you need to stop using POA right now.

You Get Less Leads

It’s the #1 rule in business: give your buyers what they want. In this case, your buyers want as much information about your equipment/machine as possible. So you need to fill your ad with detailed info (we have tips for this too).

This means, you guessed it—put a darn price on your ad!

If you don’t, interested buyers will look around for other sellers who do have a listed price. 

Another Quick Point To Consider

As a gold, silver or bronze member, you know your ads get an auto-boost every 30/40/90 days respectively. This is great for keeping your ad in front of fresh eyes (and bringing more leads). However, if your USED equipment ad has POA, our system will not auto-boost it. So make sure you put a price on your used equipment ads, at least.

Why you get less leads

Think of it this way.

You’re walking down Forklift Street, lined with forklift businesses. You know exactly the kind you need, and how much you can spend. You walk into the first shop, and there it is… the forklift you need. But there’s no shop assistant to help you, and there are no price tags on it. Are you going to hang around?

Probably not, but if you do, your question won’t be ‘Is this the right machine for me?’ it will be ‘How much is it?’ (more on this below).

So you continue your search next door, as you walk in you see the right forklift with a price. It’s in your budget! Excellent!

Are you going to leave this shop and walk back into the first one? No, that’s too hard. 

What does this mean?

Even though the machines were the same: same specs, model, year and hours, it wasn’t enough. It might have been the same price or even cheaper in shop 1. But Shop 1’s POA set another hurdle that you just don’t have the time or energy to jump. You take your money elsewhere.

See how powerful a price can be? It’s the same online. The Machines4U marketplace is just like Forklift Street. Adding your price helps you stand out from your competitors and grab those leads for yourself.

The Leads You DO Get Are Poor

People don’t like putting in more effort than they absolutely have to. POA just adds another step in the buying process. Here’s a quick illustration to show you what we mean:

Remember when we mentioned the question would change from ‘Is this the right machine for me?’ to ‘How much is it?’. This is exactly what will happen when you use POA. The buyer loses trust (why are you hiding the price? Must be because it’s too expensive!) and is frustrated, all before picking up the phone.

Bit hard to turn that around when you’re not in the picture yet, right?

So when they do make contact, you or your sales team are already on the back foot. Instead of talking about how the machine solves their problems, you’re stuck talking about price. Didn’t you want to avoid that?

But now it’s all your buyers are asking!

This wastes your time, your sales team’s time, and the buyer’s time.

What To Use Instead Of POA

Absolutely anything else.

Please. We’re serious.

We know that sometimes it can be impossible to use a ‘set’ price for your equipment or machinery. But trust us, ANYTHING is better than POA (or as buyers say, “P*ss Off, Advertiser!”).

When you can’t set a price, you can use a ‘from’ price or just add in a range i.e. $150,000 – $250,000. It’s easy to do, check out our walkthrough that shows you how.

“But…” We Hear You Say

You like using POA because it helps generate more leads? We’ve proven this is opposite to what actually happens. It just generates more questions.

You don’t want your competitors to know your prices? Trust us, if your competitor doesn’t already know your prices, they aren’t much of a competitor.

You don’t want others undercutting you? Unfortunately, there’s always going to be someone offering the same thing cheaper. It’s just how things are…

So who are you really hiding your prices from?


Of course, we’re always here to help. If you have any questions about your ad, please contact us on 1300 092 545 or check out our help centre.

*Stats via Machines4U buyer data, correct up to and at time of publishing.

Louise Heginbotham

Share
Published by
Louise Heginbotham
Tags: seller tips

Recent Posts

Creating a Point of Difference in Online Auctions: The Benabilla Certified Advantage

Presented by: Benabilla Auctions In today’s fast-paced marketplace, buyers demand more than just a transaction;…

2 weeks ago

Mecbio and Smicon Join Forces to Transform Food and Organic Waste Recycling

Presented by: MECBIO MECBIO, a leading provider of mechanical and biological waste recovery solutions, is…

1 month ago

Why Is Bandsaw Blade Tensioning Important?

Presented by: Excision Bandsaw blade tension might seem like a small thing, but it could…

1 month ago

Manheim Industrial Australia Auctioning Work-ready Forestry and Transport Equipment During October

Presented by: Cox Automotive Australia & New Zealand Manheim Industrial Australia auctioning work-ready forestry and…

1 month ago

SINOTRUK Unveils Latest Lineup at IAA Transportation 2024

At the IAA Transportation 2024 in Hannover, SINOTRUK showcases seven advanced models including Yellow River…

1 month ago

The Growing Need for Plastic Shredding and Plastic Drum Shredding in Australia

Presented by: Waste Initiatives As Australia continues to prioritise sustainability and recycling, the demand for…

2 months ago