posted on January 3, 2001 08:11:26 PM
I've noticed the threads that eBay is DOWN (yet again) and YAHOO will begin charging listing fees. While all this is going on, EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE is complaining that "sales are down" or "the fees are killing us".
Has ANYONE BESIDES ME noticed that online auctions are NO LONGER AUCTIONS???
A REAL auction gives you a thrill, buyer or seller! Nobody knows for sure what the item will go for. But eBay, Amazon, Yahoo, Excite, etc. are NO LONGER AUCTIONS! They are just SALES SITES!!!
WE, THE **SELLERS** have screwed this whole thing up! When you offer an item that you bought at $1 for $5 MINIMUM BID, then you NO LONGER have an AUCTION, you have an "offer to sell".
Auctions used to be EXCITING! But no longer.... Everything has a MINIMUM BID, a RESERVE PRICE, etc. So WHY go to eBay, Yahoo, etc.???? If I want to shop at K-MART I have one just 3 minutes from my house!
YES, some sellers make money by offering INFERIOR quality merchandise at a ridiculously LOW PRICE, but have any of you SEEN THE QUALITY (actually the LACK THEREOF) of the $29 leather jackets (plus $15 s/h, of course!) that cost the sellers $21.00?????
Is it ANY WONDER tnat buyers are now skeptical?
Until a site that does REAL auctions (bidding starts at $1 - NO EXCEPTIONS!) no dutch auctions and NO "ridiculous reserve" auctions (ie. the item is worth $40 and the RESERVE is $40) comes into existence, then the online SALES sites that claim to be auctions will be in DECLINE!
Yes, a reserve would actually be OK for a "Rembrandt" painting but NOT for a $15 Walkman. Until this site comes into existence then the online auction community is living on borrowed time.... The buyers are NOT totally STUPID, they WILL figure this out!
I still SELL on eBay, but I rarely BUY there anymore... WHY??? Because, if I see a seller offering INK JET CARTRIDGES for $5 each, I figure that is the MINIMUM price they are willing to accept... So, I just complete the transaction OFF of eBay! It's not as if the seller auctions these and get a price ABOVE the minimum bid for each cartridge!
These auctions have 1000+ quantity listed and RARELY get over 25 - 30 bids. So the seller is HOPING that he will get REPEAT BUSINESS. And he PROBABLY WILL! Which is GREAT... but it is NOT AN AUCTION!!! It is a sale.
As such, eBay, Yahoo and Amazon might as well list themselves as "classified advertising" sites. Of course, that does not carry the panache of "AUCTIONS" but it would be a whole lot more HONEST!
posted on January 3, 2001 08:50:15 PM
Actually my auctions are way exceeding my expectations since I decided to start bidding at 1.00 no matter what I pay for an item. I agree with you, it is hardly an auction when a $30.00 item starts at $24.00.
I HOPE all people start their items near retail. Why? ALL the more bidders for me and my stuff.
posted on January 3, 2001 09:06:34 PM
Gee ~ One week I started everything at $1.00 and had a banner week ~ tried the same thing the following week and sold a whole lot of things for $1-2 ~ I won't do it again ~ I will take my chances with my higher priced auctions.
posted on January 4, 2001 12:45:47 AM
Since moving most of my inventory to Amazon Marketplace and Half.com, I have more time and more inclination to list the "special" stuff on Ebay and start it low. As long as you use enough search words in the title and description, bidders will (usually) set a fair price. And when a bidder gets a great bargain, it just makes a new believer. That bidder will be back again and again.
--
http://www.valeriet.com
posted on January 4, 2001 01:06:09 AM
I am so glad you can afford to give things away as a public service. Please post your eBay ID so I can check out your auctions for slow days as the address you have given is not connected to an eBay ID.
I have tried the $1.00 opening route and almost always lost money on the final price.
I believe the category you list in makes a huge difference here. Sometimes there is just no traffic in my area of interest and that will mean a give-away.
If you get your items almost free you can do that. But it will limit the volume and variety of items offered.
I think getting an item at 30 to 50% off the local price is a worthwhile opportunity also.
If you are not happy unless you get an item for pennies on the dollar - well greed is not an exclusive quality to sellers only.
See below.
[ edited by gravid on Jan 4, 2001 01:14 AM ]
posted on January 4, 2001 01:29:08 AM
Since August I have started ALL my auctions with $1.00 NO RESERVE. In the 3 years I've been selling on eBay I have to say I have made MORE money off these $1.00 auctions then all my other auctions combined.
Yes, its SCARY to pay $100.00 for something and start it at a dollar, but I have to tell you I've had great success doing it this way.
I think alot depends on the kind of stuff you sell. I sell Vintage, Old, Used Collectables. Something someone may be looking for to complete a set or to start a set.
I have a Very collectable item I recently purchased for $300.00, you think I'm not quaking in my boots about listing it for a dollar and NO RESERVE.....you bet I am. But I want to generate interest and hopefully a bidding war. If I start that out at $300.00 it will just sit there and probably NEVER get a bid.
Try it you might be surprised!
.
edited for packer by packer!!
.
Having a BAD HAIR DAY! ...
posted on January 4, 2001 03:17:36 AM
Packer you've got guts! ...and thats what one needs on eBay.
I had a $30.00 offer on a limited edition and now discontinued item from a very fine and well collected European manufacture that I paid $200.00 for new 15 years back. I set a reserve on it ...I wanted to see what it was worth without losing too much on it. I would have cried to let it go for $30.00 and I am glad I followed my instincts. Available elsewhere on the net (I found two related pattern peices) @ $200.00 ea.
Mine was listed at a reasonable and fair price...just not $30.00. The market would not have it.
I have sold many BIN items at a good but fair prices that I can live with and where I know there is strong demand. I list $1.00 start prices when I can, but have lost much money doing that. For instance a set of 6 1965 Denby cups went for $5.00 (what I paid at a garage sale). I had to ship them to israel - heavy and delicate pottery to pack. They sell for 30.00 each at antique malls in my area. Big loser.
On the otherhand I bought a glass for a quarter and sold it for $125.00, starting price $1.00. I had no idea of the demand for that particular glass was. There is no rhyme or reason at times (at least for me) what will sell and at what price.
But I do agree bidding is fun for buyers and I try to let them have an oportunity - but I'm not going to give away any more fine collectibles and antiques for 10% (or even less) than what I would normally sell them for. People who want items that cheap must do what sellers do- scrounge for them.
posted on January 4, 2001 04:22:44 AM
Hi -- Agree with 'packer'
Much depends upon what one sells.
In the brief historical sense, eBay began as antiques and collectibles.
Now, new and old items do coexist nicely together. After all, those who purchase vintage products also buy new things.
eBay and their selling dealers belong to the forefront of the ecommerce business.
The auction type venue is still alive and well. For me, I don't use the buy it now feature; nor do I use mulitple categories.
Sometimes I make a little money, sometimes not.
But, I'm on my own time frame.
Re: expenses -- sure, sign up for all the bells and whistles will chew up any profits. I don't use them either.
Still, I usually get bids.
For what its worth...thanks...
posted on January 4, 2001 04:47:48 AM
Okay, I'll say it.
Sales are UP - considerably - like up 75% on the same items over their high bids 2 weeks ago. But this always happens after Christmas. I saw no noticeable change before Christmas 2000 than I did before hristmas the 2 years previous. IOW, I'm netting the same profit % this year as I have since the get-to (1/99 feeding frenzy excepted - that snowstorm made everybody NUTS). I have never started anything at below my cost, and I've got a first-time sell-through of 85%.
Fees are not killing me. They're the same as they were when I started selling in '98. I factor them into my balance sheet just like I do personalized labels and gas for my scooter to get to the PO. Of course, I've never found it necessary to take advantage of listing gimmics such as the FEATURED - um, feature.
And I don't care whether ebay is exciting or not. Frankly, as a seller the less exciting and more predictable the outcome is, the better I can plan my business for the year. As a bidder, I don't want excitement. I want the damned widget, thank you. If I want excitement I'll go stand in the middle of a busy intersection.
posted on January 4, 2001 05:39:48 AM
Agree with a lot you have all been saying. Vintage items are really the only part of ebay that still are Auctions! For me the auction is the only reason for buying or selling at ebay but I do take steps to protect my investment. My starting bids are often below my cost but not ridiculously low. I give a little credit to my customers--they know they can't buy a rare piece of depression glass for $1 and would think there was something wrong if it was offered at that price.
On the other hand,I recognize that there is a certain auction mentality that definitely helps get the best final price but only works if I can get early bids. The competition becomes a form of recreation and winning becomes very important. Therefore, my opening bids are set low enough to get the first bid or two so that the stage is set.
This strategy works and the BIN feature helps a lot in getting the first bids when set just a little higher than people really want to pay. I often use book price for the BIN or if it is a particularly hot item, I set the price higher than book. This encourages bidders to make that first bid instead of seeing the item be snatched up by the first person with deep pockets. Either I have been able to sell the item quickly for a good price or I have seen a hard fought bidding war where the final price has even exceeded the BIN price.
If shopping at ebay isn't fun, many of our buyers will go looking for other thrills. When that happens, only the unusual and rare will sell and the end will come soon.
posted on January 4, 2001 06:16:48 AMrebelguls - I worked for the legal group that untangled Trump's mess. If you value your wallet, stay away from The Donald
posted on January 4, 2001 09:05:25 AM
Here is the mentality I use when doing my dollar auctions.
Say I go to a real live Auction and all the loot I bid on comes to $500.00.
I bought a shirt size box full of Vintage early 1940 cut paperdolls, I paid $45.00 for the box. Had no idea what they would be worth on eBay. Took them home and sorted them out and started listing them. I made well over $600.00 on these paperdolls. That left everything else I bought to make PURE profit.
When I start my $1.00 auctions I don't think about what I paid for each individual piece, I try to think how it will come out on an OVERALL basis.
Same with this $300.00 widget I have to auction. I've already made my money for it with the paperdolls. Anything I get for it will be profit. Yah, I may not even get close to the $300.00 for it, some you win on and some you lose on. Its the OVERALL outcome that I look at.
For me its hard to know what is hot and what is not. What I think will be a big hit may not be on e-bay.
I paid $75.00 at an auction for a slag bowl, god it was beautiful in my eyes anyway.
Got it home did a search I found 2 like it on e-bay, getting low to no bids. they both had reserves neither one was met and the highest bid was $20.00.
Oops, bad call on that dish, well I took a half a dozen GOOD pictures of it wrote a description that described its beauty started at $1.00 NO RESERVE. I got $112.00 for that dish.
This method works for me and I couldn't be happier about it.
Hey HCQ, remember the pig dishes? A $40 investment turned into a $500.00 profit
.
edited for packer by packer!!
.
Having a BAD HAIR DAY! ...
posted on January 4, 2001 09:37:24 AM
Adrian,
I know round here in the midwest, our auction houses very often start the bidding at a $1.00 just to get the action started. Sometimes they will start the bidding higher but when no-one bids its back to the dollar start and often the item will go well into $100.00 or more. I've never been to an auction where there was a reserve. However, I have seen family members bid.
.
edited for packer by packer!!
.
Having a BAD HAIR DAY! ...
posted on January 4, 2001 09:51:09 AM
HCQ - "And I don't care whether ebay is exciting or not."
Thank you so much for saying that. I was thinking maybe there was something wrong with me for feeling that way.
I suspect that the most excitment comes for those who bid on my auctions never intending to finish the transaction. It is just a video game to them.
posted on January 4, 2001 10:06:43 AM
Real auctions are useful in the situations such as:
- A distress sale, and merchandise must be sold quickly
- It is not easy to establish a price
- Rarity/availability may may preclude using the formerly established price.
Many of the items offered nowadays do not fit into any of these scenarios, and just because the seller "can't afford to sell for less" doesn't mean that people will go through the rigamarole of the eBay sales process to buy a potato peeler at essentially a retail store price. I would love to see data collected on deadbeats and retractions - my guess is that most will occur on these types of items, where after "winning" they realize they could go to the mall and buy the item off the shelf.
I think that BIN is the only way many of these sellers will be able to continue.
Believe me I give away NOTHING! I make more on the items I list that begin at 1.00 than the ones that begin at 5.00 or 10.00 nearly 100% of the time.
You wrote, "If you are not happy unless you get an item for pennies on the dollar - well greed is not an exclusive quality to sellers only."
Greed does not have anything to do with it. For so many people ebay is the way they pay the light bill and it enables them (me included) to stay home and raise their children. Some of us are not independently wealthy and must find the best deals on whatever we buy or sell.
Also gravid, what you said to cdseller,
TH@T is what we EXPECT!!!! From somone who TALKS like THIS!!! Avoid bidding on L@@K!!!
and WOW!!!! Deal with adults @NLY!!!
posted on January 4, 2001 12:31:45 PM
I think the implication was that text - whether in an auction listing or a message - which is peppered with LOTS!!!!! OF EXCLAMATION MARKS and ALL CAPS appears not only to be shouting, but implies an urgency teetering on hysteria. The listener gets the feeling he's being grabbed by the collar and shaken, and begins to pay more attention to the tone in which something's "said" rather than the words used, and begins to wonder "Why is this person so desperate to get my attention? Can't the idea/product sell itself?"
posted on January 4, 2001 12:59:38 PM
I agree that it is, at the least annoying to be shouted at, (no worse than the lady WhO WrOtE HeR PoStS SoMetHiNg LiKe ThIs).
However, apparently, the poster is trying to make a point about how auctions seem more like "offers to sell" as opposed to auctions, not about his feedback or other stuff. He was stating an opinion about auction prices.
Come on, HCQ, don't you feel the comment, even without the caps and exclamation points, is just plain rude?
That is what we expect from someone who talks like this. Avoid bidding on "look" and "wow". Deal with adults only. (TH@T is what we EXPECT!!!! From somone who TALKS like THIS!!! Avoid bidding on L@@K!!!
and WOW!!!! Deal with adults @NLY!!!)
posted on January 4, 2001 01:35:00 PM
I tried the 1.00 opening bid thing on one batch of auctions, lost $ on every one. I think it does depend on the category too.
There is nothing wrong with setting your price at wholesale (or the least amount you can accept and still make a profit), and let the bidders go. Wholesale or even 40% off retail is still a good deal, especially for non-standard items. http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/labelleepoque1/ http://www.labellestudios.com
posted on January 4, 2001 02:37:58 PMcmbtboots, I think gravid's remark stemmed in part from comparing the originator's post with the FB of the seller with that ebay ID - that seller's been NARU'd since August. Originator stated in another post sometime back that his AW ID is not his ebay ID. Obviously gravid's conclusion in this regard was incorrect.
But to answer your question - no, I didn't find his remark "rude". I found it pretty tame (but then I'm not easily offended). A quick search of the past 2 months' posts indicates that "fulminating" is the only tone in which the originator seems capable of writing. Unfortunately, after several dozen such diatribes, he's setting himself up for ridicule (is there nothing he doesn't find agitating?).
posted on January 4, 2001 06:02:41 PMA REAL auction gives you a thrill, buyer or seller!
If I want a thrill, I'll go skydiving.
For my auctions, low starting prices just don't work.
But there is a simple solution that Ebay could implement -- absolute auctions. This would just be a special designation for an auction with a 1 cent opening bid and no reserve. The listings could have a special icon, and you could search for absolute auctions only. And if Ebay wanted to be really innovative, they could eliminate listing fees for these auctions (after all, they are guaranteed to collect an FVF.)
posted on January 4, 2001 10:07:10 PM
If Ebay started a No Reserve section, the rest of ebay would die a fast death as all the shoppers will be in the no reserve section, ebay is supposed to be a auction house not a retail store, I had a auction for years and high bidder won regardless of price, it was the bottom line that counts at the end of the sale. Good deals attract good customers and being fair attracts more. 99%+ of my auctions are no reserve with a low starting price, I love the thrill of having no reserve, have been hooked lots but have made lots on others that wasn't expected, the bottom line I'm satisfied with the results of having no reserve auctions.
posted on January 4, 2001 10:23:30 PM
I would LOVE a no-reserve section!! I will never bid on anything with a reserve.
I wish they would put a little symbol for reserve auctions next to the title, like they have for auctions with pictures. That way I would know not to waste my time clicking on these auctions.
