posted on April 6, 2001 11:28:11 AM new
I've seen a lot of bidders complain about sellers who start the bidding really low and then have a much higher reserve. To be honest, that has never really bothered me, since I never expect to really be able to get a $500 item for $1.
What bugs me, though, is when a seller sets a starting bid that is high enough to be within the range of possibility and THEN goes ahead and uses a reserve. That's when I feel "ripped off" or that the seller is "just playing games", since I had a reasonable expectation that the opening bid was the "real thing". Especially since many times a high opening bid drives away potential bidders and it is quite possible to win it with a single bid.
An example would be a watch that typically sells in the $150-300 range, and that has a $200 opening . The opening bid is high enough to make me think that there won't be a reserve, and low enough to make me think I just might be able to get a good deal [not a "steal", but a good deal nonetheless]. But then, when I go to the description, I find out there is a reserve after all.
When there's a low opening bid and a reserve, I'm usually willing to place a reasonable bid in the hopes that the reserve won't be too high. But when the opening bid is already at the "reasonable" level AND there is a reserve, I figure "why bother?"
I dunno. I guess I just feel that using a reserve when there's already a high opening bid just defeats the purpose of having a reserve in the first place, and often it's a sign that the seller has a truly exhorbitant reserve.
posted on April 6, 2001 11:44:49 AM new
Barry, I'm irritated by the scenario you mentioned and I also hate it when there's a 1.00 opening bid, a $150 buy it now, AND a reserve price. It just makes me say 'forget it'.
There's a woman selling in my niche who always does this, and she probably wonders why her bids never even go over 50 dollars.
I'm a seller and I understand that yes, sellers DO need to protect themselves (even though I sell with an opening bid of 1.00, no reserve, and have had only a handful of items not go higher than my 'mental minimum'). However, you really put off bidders by making your hopes so obvious. Just my unhumble opinion.
posted on April 6, 2001 12:09:29 PM newbrighid868: Well, as I said before, I don't really care if a seller has a low starting bid with a high reserve, and the fact that a seller also has a "Buy It Now" price doesn't affect me one way or another.
What it comes down to is that a ridiculously low starting bid never gets my hopes up since I know there will either be a reserve or else there will be plenty of other bidders. But a reasonably high starting bid DOES get my hopes up, since it's possible that the opening bid is "real" and I know that other bidders might be scared away [I've gotten plenty of good deals this way, so I know of what I speak].
preacher4u: Would it matter if the item in question was actually WORTH $250? I mean, I have often listed watches worth $200-300 at $1 and no reserve, in the hopes that interested bidders will drive the price well above the $300 mark. I don't think putting a "Buy It Now" price of $250 [or even $350] would be that strange in that situation, since that may very well be what the final bidder ends up paying [and the BIN price disappears after the first bid anyway].
Barry
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The opinions expressed above are for comparison purposes only. Your mileage may vary....
[ edited by godzillatemple on Apr 6, 2001 12:16 PM ]
posted on April 6, 2001 12:32:09 PM new
barry, i'm one of those people who hate a low [not absurdly low, like $1 or whathaveyou] opening and a high reserve. usually only notice if it's something i've bookmarked, lost interest in, then went back to check how it ended up just out of curiosity. i mean the kind with a low but not out of the question opening, and a reserve not met at the end which is waaay over what would be reasonable. what are these people thinking??
never [yet] seen the scenario you're talking about.
posted on April 6, 2001 12:41:31 PM new
Barry, what peeves me on the $1 first bid / $250.00 BIN scenario is that if the item is actually worth the $250.00, the bin won't be around long enough for the seller bothering on puting it.
posted on April 6, 2001 01:00:39 PM new
wah, wah, wah!
It does not matter what the enticement is in the Search page. The meat & potatoes of the listing is in considering ALL the Terms contained in the Listing before placing a bid.
You know all that, and know it better than most.
save your $$$.....Brimfield is only what....6 weeks away?
posted on April 6, 2001 01:21:01 PM new
I just got back from previewing an auction to be held in a few days.
The auctioneer has a large collection of a low priced collectible (items normally sell retail for between $10-$35 for most of the items). At auction they will normally sell for $1-$3 each when sold in bulk lots. He has about 1200 of them, each different.
He wants to sell them as a group.
I was told today that he wants an opening bid of $7500. Like you, it upset me...for a moment. but then I realized it IS his merchandise and he has the right to price it where ever he wants. His pricing doesn't have to take into account that I want to make a profit out of it.
Barry, its time to be realistic and stop being peeved about such things.
You like the high opening no reserves because you think few people will bid and you get a bargain...and then your angry because the seller doesn't cooperate so you can get a bargain?
Why don't you email those sellers and tell them how upset it makes you that they are not allowing you to get the bargain you deserve?
posted on April 6, 2001 01:32:13 PM new
Trying to figure out why sellers run their auctions as they do seems to be an exercise in futility. Every seller's situation is different, and being unhappy or irritated because others don't do things as you think they should is a waste of time. Bid what you think the item is worth- either you will win it or you won't.
posted on April 6, 2001 02:07:26 PM newkittykittykitty: "I mean the kind with a low but not out of the question opening, and a reserve not met at the end which is waaay over what would be reasonable."
Actually, that WAS the scenario I was describing. I'm not expecting to get a "steal" or even a "bargain" on eBay, but I think it's perfectly justifiable to expect a good deal. I don't get bent out of shape like some bidders over very low opening bids with high reserves, since I never had a reasonable expectation that I would actually be able to get the item at that low opening price. But when the opening bid is, as you say, "low but not out of the question", I have a reasonable expectation that the item might actually be for sale at that price.
preacher4u: "the item is actually worth the $250.00, the bin won't be around long enough for the seller bothering on putting it."
Hmmmmm.... I guess maybe I have a different sense of what the BIN price is all about. It's to give the first bidder an opportunity to end the auction immediately, but if the first bidder decides NOT to do so, then the auction can procede as normal. Are you saying that if I list a $250 watch for $1 and no reserve, I should have a BIN price of only $10 or something? Or are you saying that the BIN price of $250 is OK, but then I should start the bidding much higher?
Regardless of what the starting bid is, the BIN price is only available to the first bidder. If the bidding starts at $1, it's certainly possible that the first bidder will want to pay the $250 rather than risk battling it out with other bidders and see the price go much higher than that $250. You're assuming that a $1 opening bid will automatically attract only cheapskate bidders who will place lowball bids, and I don't think that is the case.
Amy: Thank you for your usual careful reading of my posts and insightful and compassionate response which, as always, didn't in the least bit miss the entire point of the issue I was discussing.
Regards,
Barry
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The opinions expressed above are for comparison purposes only. Your mileage may vary....
[ edited by godzillatemple on Apr 6, 2001 02:10 PM ]
posted on April 6, 2001 02:27:49 PM new
Oh Barry, how sweet of you!
I don't think I missed the point...I think it is pretty obvious how you like to complain about the sellers on ebay not doing things the way it is most beneficial to you.
Your peeved...you get peeved...all because you don't like being "tricked" into looking at an ad.
My advice..get over it!! The sellers aren't going to change. Only you can change...and then you won't be peeved anymore! It's all of your own making
posted on April 6, 2001 03:21:28 PM newAmy: Don't worry, I'm sure you're not the only one who consistently fails to grasp my point, although you do seem to be the only one who goes out of her way to miss the point completely and then disparage me for the point you THOUGHT I was making [I think they call this a "straw man" argument].
In the mean time, however, maybe it would be better for all concerned [and certainly less disruptive of my threads] if you just resisted the urge to disparage what you think I'm talking about [or, perhaps, what you'd like to convince others I am "really" talking about?] Especially since you seem to enjoy disparaging my comments on general principals and not because I have brought up a point that interests or concerns you in any way.
Just a thought.
Toke: Yes, thank you. I'd hate to think that we were unable to mention our personal eBay related peeves and gripes for fear that the "Everything is Wonderful" police will swoop down and condemn us. This place has gotten boring enough lately.
Barry
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The opinions expressed above are for comparison purposes only. Your mileage may vary....
[ edited by godzillatemple on Apr 6, 2001 03:23 PM ]
posted on April 6, 2001 03:43:08 PM new
Geez Barry, for a moment there I thought you were talking to me, then I realized I hadn't even posted to this thread, yet.
DrTooth ...... Do I know you from somewhere?
BTW Barry, here's a site that has some info that might help you out?
posted on April 6, 2001 08:45:00 PM new
Here is my 10c worth.
In the last 10 days I have ran 3 auctions with an opening bid at 1.00 and a reserve in the 350 to 450 range and a BIN in the 550.00 to 750.00 range.
Guess what I got paid for all 3 as of day and none ran for more that 48hrs and all where bought on the BIN.
So you may not like it but others think its just fine and it does work.
Selling items that way does 2 things 1 it creates interest with a low starting bid and second the BIN give someone the idea as to what it is really worth.
Just realised that I did this with 2 other items with BIN's in the hundreds and opening bids at 1.00 with reserve and they sold on the BIN too.
SO 5 out of 5 is not bad.If you think about a BIN and a reserve makes a lot of sense.
Reason is its there for quite a while indicating value as with a reserve the BIN stays till the reserve is met.Low opening bids lots of hits works for me.
I do see your point, but I have to admit that when you consider the "Big Picture," is it really worth getting all upset and bent out of shape about?
I used to have many "peeves" about Ebay, but I have let most of them go. It's just not worth the energy. If I find a seller with a listing practice that I don't like, I just move on. You may not like this practice when dealing with reserves, but for every person who hates it, there will be as many bidder who like it.
It is your choice how much time and energy you want to put into staying "peeved" over this.
I just read three other threads posted by you. My advise to you is to take a vaction, even if it is for one night! There seems to be a lot of anger and fustration in all of your posts, and I am concerned how that could affect your health. I am not being sarcastic! I hope you can find some peace with the issues regarding Ebay. They used to eat me up until I let them go - and it took alot of work.
Did I understand your post correctly that in an auction with a reserve and a higher "buy it now" price, the "buy it now" will remain until the reserve is met, even after (lower than reserve) bids are placed? It doesn't disappear like it does when an auction has no reserve?
posted on April 7, 2001 05:51:15 AM newimabrit: I don't have any problem with what you described. In fact, I think you are using the BIN and Reserve features exactly the way they are intended to be used.
kellyb1: I appreciate your concern for my well-being, but I'm really not all THAT "bent out of shape". Just making some light conversation is all.....
granee: Yes, that is a change they recently[?] made to the BIN feature. In a reserve auction, the BIN option remains until the reserve is met, no matter how many bids there are.
Happy Passover, everyone!
Barry
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The opinions expressed above are for comparison purposes only. Your mileage may vary....
posted on April 7, 2001 07:54:16 AM new
Granee as Godzillatemple compared that is correct.
Its one of the better ideas that ebaY has had.As it does help to build value in the bidders mind.
I wondered what they would have ended had if they had not had a BIN on them.At least it was higher than the reserve by at least 100 so it worked great.
I was trying to quit ebaY as a full time business so I went working for another co and still did ebaY part time.
Anyway I went into work yesterday only to hear that they had just gone bankrupt so I am out of ajob and back to ebaY.
