Ebay auctions with reserve

nkourilo · Jul 4, 2014

Browsing for pipes I ran across this listing http://www.ebay.com/itm/W-O-LARSEN-PIPE-SMOOTH-STRAIGHT-GRAIN-GROUP-3-WOL001-NEW-Special-Auction-/151346658306?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item233cf6bc02
Starting bid is $1.00 but when I read the description, I saw "reserve not met".
I hate auctions with a reserve. To me, it defeats the whole idea behind an auction and takes the fun & excitement out of bidding. If a seller wants a certain price, they should just start the auction at tht price or just list the item in a "buy it now" format.
Am I missing something here?

agnosticpipe · Jul 4, 2014

I agree. It makes me want to contact them and ask what the reserve is! When I sell on ebay, I try to put myself in the buyers place and list the item in a way that makes them interested in the item enough to want to bid. But hey, to each their own....

cmdrmcbragg · Jul 4, 2014

I don't even bother with the reserve price auctions. I don't think anyone likes them and the sellers don't get that.
Like you said, set the minimum at what you actually want or have it as a Buy It Now. Don't waste our time.

cmdrmcbragg · Jul 4, 2014

But of course nobody is forcing you to look at or bid on a reserve auction. It is just a minor annoyance seeing something and saying "That's killer and what a good ... oh, there's a Reserve price." Hardly ever do I find myself getting to the reserve price. Sometimes I'll see where it is at by placing bids for prices I would be willing to pay. Never have I ever reached what the seller was seeking.
I don't bother with them 99% of the time. "Reserve price? Pass."

nurseman · Jul 4, 2014

Pass on all reserve items. What the seller is saying is " I need $100 for this and I am not confident I will get it - but maybe some sucker will pay even more in an auction so I wont use Buy it Now."
Don't be that sucker.

rmbittner · Jul 4, 2014

Yeah, I just don't get the "Reserve Price" thing at all. If you have a minimum amount in mind that you need to get, then start the auction at that price. What is so hard about that?
Bob

cmdrmcbragg · Jul 4, 2014

" I need $100 for this and I am not confident I will get it - but maybe some sucker will pay even more in an auction so I wont use Buy it Now."

+1 nurseman

cmdrmcbragg · Jul 4, 2014

rmbittner, as someone who does a lot of buying and selling on eBay (never reserve), if you set an auction at your minimum price, nobody will really bid on it. People bid on low starting prices (which is where reserve comes into play).

rmbittner · Jul 4, 2014

"if you set an auction at your minimum price, nobody will really bid on it."
Well, I've gotta disagree with that. I always start an auction at my minimum price, and I'm not sure I've ever not sold anything. In fact, as I mentioned in another thread this week, I just sold two tins of Aperitif for $30-40 over my starting price.
I can't imagine starting an auction below my minimum selling price, because the fact is it might actually sell for that starting price. And why would I sell something for less than I'm willing to take? That doesn't make any logical sense to me.
Bob

cmdrmcbragg · Jul 4, 2014

It's just a strategy -among many- to selling on eBay. My experience is that if I set the starting price at exactly what I wanted for it -hoping for better- it doesn't sell. It is mainly about attracting people to the listing with a lower than should be price.
Many ways to crack a nut.
I believe the reserve price tactic should be mainly kept to high ticket items like vehicles, high end collectibles, etc.

rmbittner · Jul 4, 2014

I'm still not understanding the logic of the whole "reserve" idea. . . but the most expensive thing I've sold on eBay was a Gretsch Country Classic II electric guitar, which ended up going for $1,850.
And, no, I wouldn't ever bid on a reserve auction. It's like the seller is telling me, "I have a minimum bid that you must meet, but I'm not going to tell you what it is. Feel free to waste your time guessing."
Bob

smokeybear · Jul 4, 2014

I Have to agree with BriarBlues on this one, Although i understand both sides, i tried Reserves for my sales and it doesn't really work well, so i use the "buy it now" feature more for items i don't want to lose money on or i start the bid at a comfortable amount sometimes adding a "Buy it Now" there as well. But it is all relative ebay is a very messed up place to sell things its very unpredictable and you can win bid or lose hard all in the same day.

cigrmaster · Jul 4, 2014

I refuse to bid on auctions that have a reserve, it is a waste of my time and I refuse to play that game. People should set their minimum and that is that. People who use a reserve are not worthy of my consideration.

nurseman · Jul 4, 2014

@briarblues
I think the consignment issue is unique.

cigrmaster · Jul 4, 2014

Mike, I was not referring to you with my comment as in my eyes you can do no wrong. I just prefer no reserve or make an offer auctions or buy it now. Now if I see one of your reserve auctions and you tell me what the reserve is, that works for me. lol

tuold · Jul 4, 2014

I also skip reserve auctions. Yes there is risk to the seller with open auctions but I understand that's what makes them exciting. You might win, you might lose. If I had confidence in the worth of the product I was selling I'd start at $0.99. Almost everyone looking will drop a dollar on a bid and once they have skin in the game they are bound to bid more. It's human nature.
It's probably a lot like the stock market. Low risk, low gain. High risk, high gain. (or big loss)
These reserve auctions frequent come with the warning, "Serious bidders only. No bargain hunters". Just another reason to stay away.

msandoval858 · Jul 4, 2014

I have no problem with a reserve as long as the seller is willing to disclose the reserve price if it is an item I am interested in.

dread · Jul 4, 2014

I guess I prefer not to see the reserve option, but Mike's explanation makes perfect sense to me, particularly if it is a business venture such as his. I will say that I do well on the reserve auctions because I put in exactly what I think the price should be and more often than not I end up winning those, but it does take some of the bargain hunting aspect out of the equation because I tend to buy at retail estate prices when I do that. But then again, I know what I'm looking for and what the price should be and normally get it, so fair all around.
And of course, the problem with the bargain element - sometimes its a home run, some times it is just meh, and sometimes you get a real dog . . .

gwtwdbss · Jul 5, 2014

As both a buyer and seller on eBay I have no problem with reserve price auctions. If I like the pipe and want to add it to my collection a reserve does not deter me from bidding. You see this sort if thing with classic cars as well. If a seller wants to set a reserve so be it. They have every right to do so. If a buyer is deterred by the reserve so be it. No one should have the right to tell another how they must sell their item as it is simply a buyers choice wether to bid or not.

cigrmaster · Jul 5, 2014

I have always sold my pipes through a well known no reserve seller on Ebay and I have never been disappointed on how much the pipe was sold for. This was before I became friends with Mike so the next pipe I sell on ebay will be through Mike. Mike has sold numerous pipes for me on his site briar blues and I have always been happy with what he has gotten for me.
Mike is such a pleasure to do business with and makes the selling experience very easy for me. I don't take pictures worth a damn and Mike does everything for me so I gladly pay him his commission which is lower than anyone else selling on the web.
Mike, are we good? I don't want to piss you off because as we both know, your wrath is nothing I would want to incur. Please say we are good because I won't be able to sleep at night knowing you are perturbed at me. :nana:

Ebay auctions with reserve

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