Dumpster 0 #1 July 21, 2004 Question for y'all - I'm selling some of unused Ham radio gear on Ebay. I get a few technical questions here and there, then some one emails me and asks the reserve price, and didn't give a reason why. I've been curious myself when bidding on stuff, but never asked becuase I felt it unethical, if the reserve price was to be known it would be on the listing, eh? Anyhow, I politely declined to tell him. Anybody else have this happen? How did you respond? Easy Does It Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
josheezammit 0 #2 July 21, 2004 QuoteQuestion for y'all - I'm selling some of unused Ham radio gear on Ebay. I get a few technical questions here and there, then some one emails me and asks the reserve price, and didn't give a reason why. I've been curious myself when bidding on stuff, but never asked becuase I felt it unethical, if the reserve price was to be known it would be on the listing, eh? Anyhow, I politely declined to tell him. Anybody else have this happen? How did you respond? dude, i would never tell anyone the reserve price, but i like to keep secrets Ahh, what a wonderful world. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhillyKev 0 #3 July 21, 2004 I wouldn't tell someone the reserve price. Has nothing to do with ethics, but you'll get less money if you do. It's like trying to sell a car, asking for X dollars and then telling the potential buyer that you're willing to take $1000 less. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nightingale 0 #4 July 21, 2004 personally, I don't list with reserve prices and I don't like to bid on auctions with reserve prices. I just make the minimum I'm willing to sell at as the starting price of the auction. Example: I'm selling a pin necklace that I'd normally sell for $15. My cost to make the necklace was $9, so the minimum I'd settle for is $10, so I list it at a starting price of $10 with no reserve. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
indyz 1 #5 July 21, 2004 Quotepersonally, I don't list with reserve prices and I don't like to bid on auctions with reserve prices. I just make the minimum I'm willing to sell at as the starting price of the auction. I agree. The IT department that I work for sells old equipment on eBay on a regular basis. I have the records from over 100 sales, sometimes the only difference being the reserve or lack thereof (experiments at the company's expense ), to back me up. People just don't want to fuck around with "feeling out" the reserve when there is another guy selling a similar scanner or router or ham radio without one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrogNog 1 #6 July 21, 2004 Politely point out that if you had wanted the reserve to be public, you would have gone with no reserve and started the bidding at your reserve price. I don't care for hidden reserves - not because I think they're underhanded or sneaky, just because I think they're stupid - but they are an Ebay tool and it's every user's responsibility to have the clue. You could also lie to him about the reserve. Tell him it's $ (reserve + 20%). [:D] That would be slightly unethical, unless you meant (but did not necessarily tell him) that this was the reserve price _for him_. -=-=-=-=- Pull. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhillyKev 0 #7 July 21, 2004 QuoteYou could also lie to him about the reserve. Tell him it's $ (reserve + 20%). [:D] That would be slightly unethical, unless you meant (but did not necessarily tell him) that this was the reserve price _for him_. It's the asking stupid questions tax Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeth 0 #8 July 21, 2004 I don't have an issue asking about a reserve price. If they want to know it, that's fine. They probably just don't want to bother upping their bid a million times if my item is out of their price range. I ask people all the time. (For that exact reason) Your item could still go higher than that. You have a million people checking it out who don't know the reserve price, or what the other people's limit is. Thats the beauty of Ebay!! "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpergirl 0 #9 July 21, 2004 Quotepersonally, I don't list with reserve prices and I don't like to bid on auctions with reserve prices. I agree also. I list lots of stuff on eBay all the time and I won't put a reserve on it. I also don't bid on items with a reserve (unless I really want it). Usually... have a reserve on your auction is a turn off. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lummy 4 #10 July 21, 2004 I've asked what it was but only after the auction closed and the reserve wasn't met.I promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. I promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. eat sushi, get smoochieTTK#1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skychicki 0 #11 July 22, 2004 As an experienced Ebay user with over 1200 feedback my recommendation is not to bother with a reserve at all. Why pay for it? Why keep making people guess the price? I just put the bare minimum I REALLY want as the starting figure. I find that people respect that. Also, if people take the time to email you and ask the reserve, I would tell them. Then they can stop bidding if it's out of their league. Hope this helps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Dumpster 0 #12 July 22, 2004 My main reason for setting a reserve is this kind of stuff is specialzed, and I don't want to hose myself. I don't think the reserve I've set is unreasonable at all. but there is a minimum I can let this stuff go for and that's what I've set for a reserve. I just didn't think it was cool for the guy to ask, so I declined to tell him. Maybe after the auction closes and if it doesn't sell I'll tak to him about a private sale? Easy Does It Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skychicki 0 #13 July 22, 2004 You won't get "hosed." Simply start your auction at the minimum you want. If you would like to get $300 for whatever it is, start the auction at that, that's all I'm saying. People appreciate knowing upfront what you want. The only thing is the fee is more but you get charged a reserve fee regardless of whether you sell it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites PhillyKev 0 #14 July 22, 2004 QuoteYou won't get "hosed." But you might not make as much. If someone sees something that's bid up to $100, but hasn't met the reserve, they're more likely to enter the max they're willing to pay so that the auto bid process will get the price up. If they see something with a high minimum, even if they would pay more for that, they're less likely to bid at all. For example, you see identical items that you would pay $300 for. One has an unknown reserve and the bidding it at $100. The other has a minimum of $300 and no bids. Which one would you bid on? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Clownburner 0 #15 July 22, 2004 Yes! Finally someone else who understands what the reserve is really for. I don't use ebay often, but I always just bid what I'm willing to pay and if I get beaten, so what, it was too expensive. Reserve or not doesn't bother me. People who ask about the reserve just don't understand how auto-bidding works. When I sold stuff on ebay, I found I almost always got a better response if I started the bidding really low and set a reserve instead of just starting at a higher minimum bid. Might not matter if the item is $10 but the stuff I was selling was in the $1,000s and it made a HUGE difference there. Of course, YMMV.7CP#1 | BTR#2 | Payaso en fuego Rodriguez "I want hot chicks in my boobies!"- McBeth Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Fast 0 #16 July 22, 2004 QuoteQuoteYou won't get "hosed." But you might not make as much. If someone sees something that's bid up to $100, but hasn't met the reserve, they're more likely to enter the max they're willing to pay so that the auto bid process will get the price up. If they see something with a high minimum, even if they would pay more for that, they're less likely to bid at all. For example, you see identical items that you would pay $300 for. One has an unknown reserve and the bidding it at $100. The other has a minimum of $300 and no bids. Which one would you bid on? Thats how my friend who does a lot of ebaying does it. He sells for a few people because it builds feedback faster.~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
Dumpster 0 #12 July 22, 2004 My main reason for setting a reserve is this kind of stuff is specialzed, and I don't want to hose myself. I don't think the reserve I've set is unreasonable at all. but there is a minimum I can let this stuff go for and that's what I've set for a reserve. I just didn't think it was cool for the guy to ask, so I declined to tell him. Maybe after the auction closes and if it doesn't sell I'll tak to him about a private sale? Easy Does It Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skychicki 0 #13 July 22, 2004 You won't get "hosed." Simply start your auction at the minimum you want. If you would like to get $300 for whatever it is, start the auction at that, that's all I'm saying. People appreciate knowing upfront what you want. The only thing is the fee is more but you get charged a reserve fee regardless of whether you sell it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhillyKev 0 #14 July 22, 2004 QuoteYou won't get "hosed." But you might not make as much. If someone sees something that's bid up to $100, but hasn't met the reserve, they're more likely to enter the max they're willing to pay so that the auto bid process will get the price up. If they see something with a high minimum, even if they would pay more for that, they're less likely to bid at all. For example, you see identical items that you would pay $300 for. One has an unknown reserve and the bidding it at $100. The other has a minimum of $300 and no bids. Which one would you bid on? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clownburner 0 #15 July 22, 2004 Yes! Finally someone else who understands what the reserve is really for. I don't use ebay often, but I always just bid what I'm willing to pay and if I get beaten, so what, it was too expensive. Reserve or not doesn't bother me. People who ask about the reserve just don't understand how auto-bidding works. When I sold stuff on ebay, I found I almost always got a better response if I started the bidding really low and set a reserve instead of just starting at a higher minimum bid. Might not matter if the item is $10 but the stuff I was selling was in the $1,000s and it made a HUGE difference there. Of course, YMMV.7CP#1 | BTR#2 | Payaso en fuego Rodriguez "I want hot chicks in my boobies!"- McBeth Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fast 0 #16 July 22, 2004 QuoteQuoteYou won't get "hosed." But you might not make as much. If someone sees something that's bid up to $100, but hasn't met the reserve, they're more likely to enter the max they're willing to pay so that the auto bid process will get the price up. If they see something with a high minimum, even if they would pay more for that, they're less likely to bid at all. For example, you see identical items that you would pay $300 for. One has an unknown reserve and the bidding it at $100. The other has a minimum of $300 and no bids. Which one would you bid on? Thats how my friend who does a lot of ebaying does it. He sells for a few people because it builds feedback faster.~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
