posted on January 25, 2002 05:16:08 AM new
Here's my situation. I have 50 of the same widget and probably will get more. I bought them for $9.99, and the highest one of the same widget completed at $40.00 (someone elses auction). So I listed one at $9.99 the other day with a buy it now of $39.95 just to see what it would do since I have more feedback than the other person. It sat there so I lowered the buy it now to $35.00 because by that point I bought more of these and wanted to move them. It sold in a couple hours. I launched a dutch auction with 15 of them last night and started it at $35.00 - I'll be happy if they all go for that price. I'm trying to avoid large listing and FVF's, but I don't want to be selling these all year. No one is touching it because it ends in 7 days and others are lower right now that are active. My options that I can see now are:
Wait it out and maybe do shorter listing times for the future ones,
Put in the auction somehow that this is a Dutch Auction (so they realize that they'll probably get it for that price - not sure if people - especially newbies understand how a Dutch auction works)
Or just list them all one at a time with a starting price of $9.99 and a buy it now of $35.00.
Any suggestions? Anyone have any luck one way or another with large quanities of the same widget?
posted on January 25, 2002 06:29:17 AM new
You could list three or four at a time dutch, instead of 15. That way you could afford to lower the opening bid just a bit. Definitely add DUTCH to the auction title. You could also continue to list several at a time with a BUY IT NOW price just to keep the wheels turning.
posted on January 25, 2002 06:46:21 AM new
Dutch auctions are worth it for some items but it is very tricky.
My feelings based on your limited information is that the items are worth $35 to a few buyers because it is hard to find, but by listing them dutch, you have shown they are not rare or even hard to find at all. You have probably undercut both your immediate sales and your potential future sales.
I would likely list them one at a time to yield the maximum revenue. Relisting is easy.
posted on January 25, 2002 11:29:39 AM new
Can I put a buy it now in a Dutch auction? That way the quantity would go down when one is purchased and people can still have it right away without waiting for the auction to end.
