I am a new seller on the eBay market and have recently listed about 12 items, of which (2) have reserve prices set. I have received NUMEROUS eMails from Bidders requesting the reserve price amount. Do I give it out??? Or just wish them good luck. Please let me know the proper etiquette.
posted on July 19, 2001 04:41:20 PM
That's a sticky situation, which is why I hate using reserves.
Ideally, the whole point of a reserve is to start low and get the bidding activity going in order to attract more interest to your auction, until the reserve is met. If the reserve is left unknown, then bidders will have to bid to reveal it, which gives you desirable bidding activity. Tell them the reserve, and they are likely to either not bid at all (if the reserve is too high) or wait until the last minute and snipe.
OTOH, so many sellers tell bidders the reserve, that bidders have come to expect it (some even state the reserve in the auction, which seems entirely pointless to me). Not telling them the reserve may offend them to the point that they don't bid at all. Plus, telling them the reserve can give them the feeling that they have "insider information" and an edge in the competition - never mind the fact that you're stating the reserve to every other person who contacts you.
posted on July 19, 2001 05:18:41 PM
tell them
You have everything to gain and nothing to lose
when I do run a resrve I always state the amount in my descreption such as "reserve on this great item is a mere 100.00"
If a bidder is interested enough to ask I say tell him
spock here......
posted on July 19, 2001 05:23:10 PM
holdenrex
the point of running a resrve is for a low opening bid to get you to look
once you have looked I am going to dazzle you with a brilliant descrption and breathtaking pictures causing you to bid.
And when you see the very reasonable resrve you will gladly bid it....
spock here......
posted on July 19, 2001 07:15:26 PM
I always tell people, but it's a silly question, in much less time than it takes them to send me an email, and for me to email back, they could bid their maximum, and know whether or not it meets the reserve.
But like I said, I always tell anyone who asks, and sometimes they bid...
Who Need's a stink'n Sig. File?
posted on July 19, 2001 08:26:00 PM
microbes
your right resrves dont bother me I look at the item factor in shipping and leave a proxy bid if reserve is met great if not I go on and look for another one
The question is applicable to the peaple you see when you check the bid history of a item who bid 27 times during the course of the auction
