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stakka
Advanced Contributer
United Kingdom
2592 Posts |
 Posted - 14/08/2012 : 15:01:53
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Ok I only dabble with Ebay so don't use it much, but with a few recent things I have put on there you seem to get 2 main issues -
1) Loads of private messages asking you for a "Buy it now" price. "Buy it now" is called shopping isn't it ? - I've gone on Ebay to auction in an effort to get as good a price as possible, and to keep the spirit of Ebay. I want an auction and I am going to have an auction ! 
2) You put something worth a fair bit on there (one of mine has a reserve price of £90) yet there are loads of people betting what must be about 3p at a time on a starting price of 99p. After loads of bids we are currently standing at about tuppence ha'penney and a shilling ! Maybe I should have put a starting price but went for a reserve price instead - but if anyone thinks they are going to get my original Mona Lisa for under a Pony then they better think again ! 
I can see some reasons for the above - but it is all a bit annoying if you ask me !
Mildy irritated rant over.... carry on. |
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beezerk
Advanced Contributer
United Kingdom
29133 Posts |
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Wannabedrummer
Advanced Contributer
United Kingdom
777 Posts |
Posted - 14/08/2012 : 15:52:06
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| The small increments in bids are to minimise a buyers payout. Everyone wants a bargain afterall. Watch what happens a few minutes towards the end of the auction when all those automatic bidder programs/thingies kick in. If its a sought-after product, the price you'll get will shoot up really fast. |
Tama (well, a badge on the bass), Zildjian, Grandad-made tambourine, Premier HD heads (8 years old now, and still going strong). Could do with lessons! http://s872.photobucket.com/albums/ab285/AnthonyOConnell/My%20Drum%20Kit/ |
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drummerant
Advanced Contributer
United Kingdom
1348 Posts |
Posted - 14/08/2012 : 15:56:12
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I do sometimes ask if they would settle for a BIN (UNLESS it states in the auction NO BIN). Some people are happy for the quick sale etc.
I have NEVER understoon a hidden reserve? If you want a certain amount of money for it start it at that price?!?! |
www.fvfdrums.co.uk |
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Wannabedrummer
Advanced Contributer
United Kingdom
777 Posts |
Posted - 14/08/2012 : 16:55:31
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| I'd of thought that you should never set the VISIBLE reserve at the price you actually want because if it sounds too high no-one will bid for it. Bidders want a bargain so small prices are what they want to see and what they will offer until the last minute. |
Tama (well, a badge on the bass), Zildjian, Grandad-made tambourine, Premier HD heads (8 years old now, and still going strong). Could do with lessons! http://s872.photobucket.com/albums/ab285/AnthonyOConnell/My%20Drum%20Kit/ |
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PhilR
Advanced Contributer
United Kingdom
2030 Posts |
Posted - 14/08/2012 : 17:06:05
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Whenever I've sold on Ebay I've never used a reserve price as I think it's an automatic turn-off for most.
Usually, I'll set the BIN price for the money I want to make, and set the auction starting price for the lowest amount I'm prepared to accept. That way everybody knows what the score is. Some people place a bid (which cancels the BIN option), hoping to get a bargain. But on one occasion I've had something sell for more than the original BIN price just due to people bidding it up. 
I've seen a few auctions with low starting prices get taken down by the seller at the last minute as they obviously realised they were only going to make a fraction of the asking price. A bit underhand I think. As for the tiny bids, don't forget Ebay will only bid as much as it takes to make you the high bidder. So if you bid £300 on an item that only has £1 worth of bids then Ebay will only allocate £0.5 of your max bid amount to put you on top. I picked up a bargain on a vintage guitar amp the other day by dropping a £200 bid on an auction at £145, 10s before the auction ended. Got it for £180. Score! |
Giant Iron Face Screen Printing
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stakka
Advanced Contributer
United Kingdom
2592 Posts |
Posted - 14/08/2012 : 17:46:22
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Some interesting points and all taken on board - but I guess the original concept of auctions was to have that dynamic where bidders start bidding in a genuine way to try and get something they want - which can invariably mean them paying more than they anticipated when things got to the climax of the auction. It looks as though the concept has changed over time and the BIN option is an option that suits many I guess, but I was given the choice up front if I wanted to include a BIN and I chose not to, I do wish buyers would understand that and save them the time emailing me and me having to email them all back (yes I am one of those sad gits who feels he should respond to all messages !). 
On the tiny incremental bids I just laugh to myself that people seriously think they are going to stand a chance of paying £1.42 for a £90+ item - especially when I clearly state in the text that these items usually sell new for e.g. £250 plus. Ok they have to start bidding somewhere if they want something but in someways I'd rather they did not bid at all until the end when bids are realistic. Due to the fact there are many bids but only a low value they are obviously not putting realistic amounts in to the Max bid option. On the other hand I guess there are those lucky few that have picked up a nearly new car for 99p because the seller did not know what they are doing and maybe there are hoards of folk out there who prey on this.
Oh well... time will tell. |
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OriginalAnimal
Advanced Contributer
United Kingdom
19305 Posts |
Posted - 14/08/2012 : 23:00:29
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If you buy from an auction, then you should have a clear limit that you will not exceed, that should be your bid.
some bid using odd pence to beat the bidders who only work in straight pounds.
There is no problem in asking for a buy it now price, or offering a cash payment for ending the auction early, many are prepared to do this.
If you go to a 'normal auction' there is no BIN, but there may be a reserve, and I have bought many a bargain for a quid +vat and commission of course! |
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Jobeky, 2Box Drumit 5, Premier, Highwood/DM drums Paul Brook Snare, Matt Nolan cymbals, Silverstone Drum (seats) Thrones. Los Cabos drumsticks
Re Cycling drums is the future. |
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luke3030
Advanced Contributer
United Kingdom
12854 Posts |
Posted - 14/08/2012 : 23:45:22
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quote:
Originally posted by stakka
Some interesting points and all taken on board - but I guess the original concept of auctions was to have that dynamic where bidders start bidding in a genuine way to try and get something they want - which can invariably mean them paying more than they anticipated when things got to the climax of the auction. It looks as though the concept has changed over time and the BIN option is an option that suits many I guess, but I was given the choice up front if I wanted to include a BIN and I chose not to, I do wish buyers would understand that and save them the time emailing me and me having to email them all back (yes I am one of those sad gits who feels he should respond to all messages !).
On the tiny incremental bids I just laugh to myself that people seriously think they are going to stand a chance of paying £1.42 for a £90+ item - especially when I clearly state in the text that these items usually sell new for e.g. £250 plus. Ok they have to start bidding somewhere if they want something but in someways I'd rather they did not bid at all until the end when bids are realistic. Due to the fact there are many bids but only a low value they are obviously not putting realistic amounts in to the Max bid option. On the other hand I guess there are those lucky few that have picked up a nearly new car for 99p because the seller did not know what they are doing and maybe there are hoards of folk out there who prey on this.
Oh well... time will tell.
Then put in the auction "please do not ask for a BIN price as there isnt one, and any requests for this will be ignored".
Simple really..  |
WANTED: ANY GRETSCH RENOWN DRUMS/KITS IN SILVER OYSTER PEARL. |
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Mark W
Advanced Contributer
United Kingdom
1125 Posts |
Posted - 15/08/2012 : 09:38:23
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Hi All,
Maybe it's just a blip, but after 8 years of eBay use I've had stuff happen to me and noticed changes that I hadn't before.
For the first I've had someone retract a bid. What irked me slightly was the inexpensive nature of the item and the amount of messages I'd answered from them assuring them of the condition of what I was selling. Yes if someone accidentally types £500 instead of £5.00 then they should be able to back out. But not if they've bid £5!
Then someone else bought the same item then sent me a barely literate message 2 days later saying that the person they'd bought it for didn't like the colour so could they cancel the deal. Which marked my first ever visit to ebays Resolution Centre to do this.
Next was the buyer of an item who didn't pay. I asked for advice on here as to how long I should give him and was told 7 days by many people. In the event I sent a gentle reminder after 6.....& paid my second visit to the Resolution Centre 2 days later.
And all the while in the background are people asking me if I'll sell outside of eBay, all of whom offer prices way below what I'll get minus fees if the item goes for my starting price. And this isn't one offs, it's for virtually every item I list.
This morning I was offered £80 including postage for an item that I've priced (fairly IMO) at £100 plus £7.50 P&P. And I'm pretty sure that the postage will ACTUALLY cost me all of that £7.50 too.
I'll be taking Luke's advice for future listings and including in my listings that I won't be selling outside of eBay and ignoring messages asking me to do so.
Cheers
Mark W |
Once I've hit it, it stays hit.
http://www.theenzymes.co.uk |
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stakka
Advanced Contributer
United Kingdom
2592 Posts |
Posted - 15/08/2012 : 11:24:13
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Hi Mark,
Yeah - I guess the angle that I was coming from is that Ebay has evolved.... into something better or worse ?... well that is another discussion in itself. certainly before it was more of a definite auction, and everyone kinda went with that. Now that it has become more of day to day thing for everyone it has changed and with some of the examples you mention above it is like people are more and more treating private ebay sellers as shops - can I return / cancel this ?, will you do that etc etc etc .... rather than what Ebay was originally as in - here is an item up for grabs, the advertisement would be geared at promoting it as positively as possible in order to attract attention and a flurry of bidding - and as long as you were selling something sellable you generally got a good price for it.... and with issues like bid retraction / non payment being a minor thing.
It is a bit like Argos - these day there appears to be just as many people lined up at the customer service till as there are at the collection till. Good customer service that you can buy something, open it, probably use it and still return it for a full refund... yeah great... but at who's expense at the end of the day.
Now it looks as though you have to clutter your Ebay advertisement with a lengthy series of conditions and terms, what you are willing to do and what not. My idea of an auction and what Ebay was originally set up for ?..... nah !
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Mark W
Advanced Contributer
United Kingdom
1125 Posts |
Posted - 17/08/2012 : 11:40:25
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Two requests for international postage costs (I did it for the first request and told the second requester the price as a guide because I'm not comfortable potentially wasting the Post Offices and my time), and an offer of £60 for the item I'm selling for £100.
I can't wait for my auctions to close this weekend, but not for the usual reasons, just so I can get respite from the stream of eBay messages :-(
Cheers
Mark W |
Once I've hit it, it stays hit.
http://www.theenzymes.co.uk |
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Prog
Advanced Contributer
United Kingdom
21181 Posts |
Posted - 17/08/2012 : 11:46:31
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quote:
Originally posted by drummerant
I have NEVER understoon a hidden reserve? If you want a certain amount of money for it start it at that price?!?!
People are put off by high starting bids so a low one with a reserve gets more interest. |
Funktion Junction, coming soon to a holiday park near you - http://www.funktionjunctionband.com |
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Mark W
Advanced Contributer
United Kingdom
1125 Posts |
Posted - 30/08/2012 : 17:46:02
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Hi All,
In case anyone is still following this topic, my £100 item with 14 watchers & a raft of answered questions didn't attract a single bid. Not that this is overly concerning as it's happened before, it's the way of eBay so no real problem.
What WAS concerning was my THIRD ever visit to the Resolution Centre to put in a none payment case for £13 worth of new unused 22" bass drum head. Someone bid only a few days into the auction but over a week later not a peep.
Good grief.
Cheers,
Mark W. |
Once I've hit it, it stays hit.
http://www.theenzymes.co.uk |
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