eBay Reserved Price

[oldmansmoking]

Just watching an eBay bidding/item.

There were 9 bids for 12 assorted estate pipes. Price got up to £34 + postage

Bidding started at .99p but when it ended it said reserve not met.

Never seen a start price of .99p and a reserve much much higher, what do you gain by this?

 

[craiginthecorn]

You gain bidders. But I agree, it's kind of dumb. Set the starting price closer to the reserve. eBay has stated over the years that non-reserve auctions, on average, sell for more.

 

[sablebrush52]

It's a strategy. Start the bidding at an absurdly low price while not risking your item going for less than you can handle. There are all kinds of bidders on eBay including bottom feeders who only bid at the low end with the hope that they will score an extraordinary bargain. So the low entry bid brings in the bottom feeders whose activity is supposed to make others think that your bauble is especially desirable, resulting in more bids and more attention. It doesn't actually work, but magical thinking dies hard.

 

[jorchamp]

Always satisfied with selling on eBay. I believe, I was able to sell at what the market could bear. Happy until one buyer did not pay. What can you do?

 

[nevadablue]

Bottom feeder... I resemble that remark.

 

[sablebrush52]

Always satisfied with selling on eBay. I believe, I was able to sell at what the market could bear. Happy until one buyer did not pay. What can you do?

Block the "buyer" and relist. Life's too short to spend precious time unnecessarily pursuing deadbeats.