eBay protocol question- sort of Model A related....

This an interesting thread to read. On Ebay, a naive seller can use a totally unrealistic reserve, and Ebay will have nothing to say about it. But wouldn't a "real" auctioneer would tell the seller that it would be a waste of time (for of both of them)?

Doug
 
Doug in NJ said:
This an interesting thread to read. On Ebay, a naive seller can use a totally unrealistic reserve, and Ebay will have nothing to say about it. But wouldn't a "real" auctioneer would tell the seller that it would be a waste of time (for of both of them)?

Doug
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Great Point!!
 
Doug in NJ said:
This an interesting thread to read. On Ebay, a naive seller can use a totally unrealistic reserve, and Ebay will have nothing to say about it. But wouldn't a "real" auctioneer would tell the seller that it would be a waste of time (for of both of them)?

Doug
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Hope you don't take this the wrong way Doug, but I would encourage you to think that through a little further. Ebay is a marketplace, not the market. Ford Barn classifieds are a marketplace, not a market. Should we have a "real" moderator to dictate what's in line and out of line for asking prices? I doubt that would go over very well. We'll see the same misplaced responsibility in a couple months when the BJ auctions go off. It's a marketplace, not a market. The market is set by willing buyers and willing sellers (absent provable fraud) exchanging something of value. A marketplace is mearly a location for them to connect to have the opportunity to trade. It would be a fiduciary breach for an auctioneer to tell a seller he's wasting time with a high reserve (although I would suspect a smart auctioneer would find a different reason to not admit that same someone who would potentially foul the buy/sell pool). And I suspect in an active/live auction the auctioneers do in fact counsel against discouraging bidders with seriously high reserves that would preclude a single SERIOUS buyer searching for the reserve level. (I'm speculating on that last point since I've never sold at auction) The auctioneers aren't psychics, in fact they understand that on any given day, if two potential buyers get bid fever the sky's the limit, no matter what realistic comparable market transactions might seemingly predict. Again, that's the underlying point of an auction. Pa Joe's anecdote is a perfect example of that.
 
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5window said:
I f you are going to do this, make your "reserve" your opening bid and then don't post a reserve. Then it's your reserve or more or no sale. Plus, I believe it is less expensive on Ebay if it doesn't sell than if it doesn't hit your reserve price.
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:rolleyes:That is a heck of an idea! This is one forum where I get much more than I can contribute. Thanks 5window
 
Uncle Bob said:
Hope you don't take this the wrong way Doug, but I would encourage you to think that through a little further. Ebay is a marketplace, not the market. Ford Barn classifieds are a marketplace, not a market. Should we have a "real" moderator to dictate what's in line and out of line for asking prices? I doubt that would go over very well. We'll see the same misplaced responsibility in a couple months when the BJ auctions go off. It's a marketplace, not a market. The market is set by willing buyers and willing sellers (absent provable fraud) exchanging something of value. A marketplace is mearly a location for them to connect to have the opportunity to trade. It would be a fiduciary breach for an auctioneer to tell a seller he's wasting time with a high reserve (although I would suspect a smart auctioneer would find a different reason to not admit that same someone who would potentially foul the buy/sell pool). And I suspect in an active/live auction the auctioneers do in fact counsel against discouraging bidders with seriously high reserves that would preclude a single SERIOUS buyer searching for the reserve level. (I'm speculating on that last point since I've never sold at auction) The auctioneers aren't psychics, in fact they understand that on any given day, if two potential buyers get bid fever the sky's the limit, no matter what realistic comparable market transactions might seemingly predict. Again, that's the underlying point of an auction. Pa Joe's anecdote is a perfect example of that.
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Hey Uncle Bob, with the mention of the "psychic auctioneer", how many of us would admit we have likely been a victim of bidding against a trash can, --or a tree behind us during one of those feverish frenzies?:D

.
 
I don't know about the trash can..........but I'm pretty sure I bid against a Coke machine once...............:D
 
Reserves have their place on ebay.

A couple of years ago I sold an RV, started at 99 cents with a reserve of 12K.

No body asked me what reserve was.

Had 100/s of lookers, about 70 watchers, and many bidders.

1 day before auction ended, bid was slowing at the 10.6 mark.

I added to ad, that reserve WAS 12k, but as there was a lot of interest shown, and the vehicle has got good exposure, I am reducing reserve to 10.601, so next bid , it is on the market.

It sold for 11.1.

I was happy with that.

A reserve in my opinion is just to see how something runs.

ATM, there is a 29 sport coupe on OZ ebay start at 20K, buy it now at 35K.

Went the whole run and no bids.

Now he has exact same ad on. start 20K, buy now 30K.

He has no idea in my books .

He should start it low with a reserve of 20K, and just wait and see what interest there is.

So many cars are worded also, IF I DON'T GET MY PRICE, I WILL PUSH IT BACK INTO SHED.

Makes me laugh sometimes.

A car will get whatever the market is willing to pay, as long as the ad and the location and the price is acceptable to begin with.

Ebay is an armchair game.

You must have good clear pics and description and terms to appeal to your potential market.
 
I have been using Ebay since '99. If I list something and it has a reserve I have NO problem telling the person the reserve if they ask via email .

I wont screw around with taking it off ebay to sell it after the auction has started.

Dennis L Oberer
Green Bay WI
 
I never saw a problem with disclosing/not disclosing their reserve.People have their reasons for not doing so,if they don't want to I may or may not bid.Sometimes I like to know so if it is too high I won't waste my time waiting and I will look elsewhere.Most of the time it has been reasonable enough to wait and bid.I did ask a fellow about a set of top bows for a RPU,he did tell me his reserve,he said they were restorable and felt they were worth $1000.They did get up to $5.-or $600. though but did not sell.It was a case where somebody told him they were worth a fortune,he knew nothing about them,just leftovers from his dads project.I understand the push it back in the shed attitude very well.It has gotten to where I set a price and that is it.People seem to think that because times are slow I need to sell things to them cheap.Craigslist people are horrible about that.If you are asking $7000.some will call up and offer you $2000.No looking,no info about it,just a lowball offer.When things got slow here in 89-90 I parked everything until it got better.I had cars and equipment until 1996 but it all sold,for my price.
 
This is an AUCTION. Highest bid wins. No bids, nobody wins. If you are selling, Don't tell the reserve. Don't start the auction at the reserve price. Both alternatives stop the auction activity at the beginning most of the time because a low starting bid gets action going and a high starting bid kills the action. Why can't a seller set a reserve price where he won't sell below? Why do bidders have to know that ahead of time? If you want to buy, then bid!

Here is a bigger question: Why even disclose that there is a reserve until the end of the auction? What does that accomplish except to eliminate bidders? What auction seller in their right mind wants to do that? If finding that there is a reserve at the end of an auction makes bidders disappointed, that's life. They could have bid higher. At a live auction the bidding could be continued after the reserve is announced if they want to, so maybe ebay could offer that alternative too.

An auction is an emotional thing, a social function and a competition among bidders and most people are happy with all that. If you can't "waste your time" then don't go to an auction. Just go to the "Buy-it-now" section. If you see something you want at auction then join the crowd and bid on it. Don't worry about the reserve.
 
If you do not set a reserve, and do not get your price, the only alternative is to pull the sale, I think it is no less than 24 hours before end time.

That REALLY riles bidders.

Especially the ones who have travelled and inspected.

Then within the 24 hour end, they see car stated in ad no longer for sale.
 
Pa Joe said:
Quick story. I put a motorcycle seat on ebay with no reserve. But I put the starting price at 100.00. That's what I wanted for the seat. Two guys got into a bidding war over it. It ended up at 195.00. They could have bought one out of a catalog or even at a Harley shop for less than that. Go figure
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funny things happen sometimes.
I sold a $40 Model A cup holder on eBay for $56, even though it stated in the description "this is the same cup holder sold in the Model A News".
 
"I personally never use a reserve price on ebay. I simply start the listing at the minimum price that I am willing to accept and that has served me well."
I agree with this, that how I list my stuff. Having a reserve is just a waste of money. Ebay even for Joe public, has become a place to sell their stuff, some good, some bad. Nice thing about it (ebay), seems I never have cash when the swap meets come around. Ebay lets me spread my shopping out over the year and find things that usually don't show up at swap meets anyway.
I don't see any problem with asking reserve, I have done it in the past.
 
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