posted on June 20, 2005 12:38:33 PM new
New listing last night for a collectible. Opening bid is low $5.00 (was not expecting much more than that)... Had a guy offer to BIN for $30! One sold in the distant past (last July) for $106 or so, but the rest sold for around $30 on average -- with the usual steals for $5 during dead weeks.
Should I take the bird in the hand? I do show that FOUR people are presently watching the auction...which might bode well to leave it as is.
Thoughts?
------ "Bend over backward for the customer. Don't bend forward."
posted on June 20, 2005 01:06:38 PM new
Tough decision. Since the last 2 weeks have been the worst I have seen on Ebay for sales, I would be tempted to grab the thirty bucks, especially if that's the average going price. On the other hand, it will be ending next Sunday, and experience has shown that in most cases if a seller receives an offer, it will usually always close higher than what the offer was if the auction runs it's course. If I were in your shoes, I'd be tempted to use the Wall Street analysis and decision making technique. Flip a coin.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on June 20, 2005 01:52:45 PM new
I wouldn't respond to this person yet. Give it a couple of days and see if anyone is bidding. If not, then respond to the guy. By not resonding right away, it will look like you simply didn't get to your e-mails yet.
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Alive in 2005
posted on June 20, 2005 02:21:02 PM new
Also, bear in mind that many of those who are watching (as we all do sometimes, right?) are watching to see what their own item should bring if they list it. Not all watchers are serious buyers.
posted on June 20, 2005 07:41:41 PM new
SIX watchers now
These are pretty collectible. The guy asked me via ebay's Ask Seller about this item... so what I COULD do is respond to him so that it appears in the listing -- and use that to tip off other buyers about his "offer" so they jump on the bandwagon.
------ "Bend over backward for the customer. Don't bend forward."
posted on June 20, 2005 08:22:08 PM new
I didn't know the average price until AFTER the auction started. This specific item has not sold in recent ebay history. However, I found a collector's site which maintains a price guide of closed auctions going back a couple of years -- this is where I found the prices I quoted. It was only because of this guy's BIN offer that made me think this thing was worth more than the $5 starting price.
I know too well that watches != bidders. However watches DO equal interest, even if by other potential sellers. I doubt 100% of watchers on an item are other sellers, so even if it's 50%, that's 3 people who MIGHT be stalking to snipe.
------ "Bend over backward for the customer. Don't bend forward."
