The first rule of E-bay, or swap meets, or pawn shops, etc, is KNOW WHAT
IT'S WORTH.
Also, I think for some, E-bay is a good method of advertising.
As to reserve auctions, they're not my favorite, but I understand them, and
I've even placed them. For example, I've been trying to sell a Spitfire
head. I have $400 into it and would like to get as much back as possible,
say $300. If I put a starting bid at $300, most people won't even look.
But if I start it at $100, or $50, with a $300 reserve, people may start
bidding. My observation has been that auctions can generate a momentum that
carries the price farther than it normally would go (and as a seller, that's
what I want.) The $300 reserve protects me in case this doesn't happen.
But maybe bidding goes to $280. I can accept the bid. There is nothing
dishonest about it.
Again - know what you're bidding on. (By the way, a rebuilt Mk II head is
somewhere around $700 I believe.)
My opinion!
Ken St.John
'74 Spitfire 1500 "Lil Red"
'60 TR3A "Big Red"
'65 Spitfire Mk II project "Ol Blue"
-----Original Message-----
From: Randall Young [mailto:ryoung@navcomtech.com]
Sent: Monday, November 25, 2002 10:14 PM
To: triumphs@autox.team.net
Subject: RE: Need Ebay knowledge
> I understand how Ebay works as an auction. However I have seen
> many objects
> in the TR6 category that are clearly people selling new items
> that they are
> themselves manufacturing. How does this fit into the auction mechanism?
Mark, I'm not sure I understand your question. Ebay cares not if the goods
you are selling are new or used, the auction remains the same.
> For example, the gentleman selling the tube shock conversion for
> $90 on his
> web site is also listing it in Ebay. His reserve is $90. This has
> presently
> 4 bidders and the reserve is labelled has having been met with the present
> bid at $90. So did the first 3 people bid less than the reserve
> (pointless).
I assume you're referring to item #1873120032. There were only 2 bidders
(each of whom placed two bids), and my guess is that they did not know that
the seller's reserve was $90. Without outside knowledge, the only way to
learn what the reserve is, is to bid more than the reserve (or wait until
someone else does so).
Personally, I don't like reserve auctions and I rarely bid on them. IMO a
seller who withholds essential information (like minimum selling price) may
withhold other information too ... and refusing to accept personal checks
implies a certain distrust of me. It's bad enough I have to send him my
money and then wait several days to see if I get anything in return (meaning
I have to trust him).
> Why would I bid $90.01 when I know that he wishes to sell as many
> kits as he
> can (by the way it looks like a nice kit) at $90.
If you know you can buy them from his web site at $90, then there is no
reason at all. Many eBay sellers make this explicit, by setting a "Buy it
now" price the same as their minimum bid (thus guaranteeing the first bid
ends the auction, and allowing them to start a new auction immediately).
Why this person doesn't do that, I have no idea.
However, I note that many eBay buyers do not seem to understand how it all
works (and this auction is a good example of that). Perhaps the same thing
applies to sellers ?
BTW, you can't bid $90.01 on this auction. Minimum bid is $91.00 .
Randall
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