eBay auction Reserve prices are evil!

[ApK]

Reserve price? Seriously, Jo?
C'mon. That's a deal breaker on principle.

[Canuck_in_Japan]

How is a reserve price a deal breaker? I wouldn't sell anything on Ebay without a reserve price.

[ApK]

For many people, including me, a reserve price on eBay is an insulting annoyance that only serves to lure people to the listing by misrepresenting the offer with the appearance of a deal you have no intention of following through on.

In a live auction, a reserve price serves to "get the room warmed up," by allowing people to toss off low bids and get some competitive juices flowing.

In eBay, there is no such dynamic. People can research, browse, and compare, and a reserve is just a waste of bidders time. Certainly there are exceptions with rare or highly speculative items, but I can't think of any situation with a commodity item when a reserve is anything but an insult.
Plus, according to eBay's own stats, reserve auctions usually result in lower selling prices, more unsold items, and more non-paying bidders.

Here's some info from a eBay buyer's guide:
http://www.ebay.com/gds/eBay-Buying-...9115272/g.html

Here's some more opinions on the topic:
https://www.thebalance.com/making-se...-price-1140185
https://www.facebook.com/notes/stant...0970269121621/

Originally Posted by ApK

For many people, including me, a reserve price on eBay is an insulting annoyance that only serves to lure people to the listing by misrepresenting the offer with the appearance of a deal you have no intention of following through on.

In a live auction, a reserve price serves to "get the room warmed up," by allowing people to toss off low bids and get some competitive juices flowing.

In eBay, there is no such dynamic. People can research, browse, and compare, and a reserve is just a waste of bidders time. Certainly there are exceptions with rare or highly speculative items, but I can't think of any situation with a commodity item when a reserve is anything but an insult.
Plus, according to eBay's own stats, reserve auctions usually result in lower selling prices, more unsold items, and more non-paying bidders.

Here's some info from a eBay buyer's guide:
http://www.ebay.com/gds/eBay-Buying-...9115272/g.html

Here's some more opinions on the topic:
https://www.thebalance.com/making-se...-price-1140185
https://www.facebook.com/notes/stant...0970269121621/

Wow, what a bunch of nonsense. No reserve means you might just give away your item. Better to not sell today than to just give it away. You can always sell tomorrow. If reserves annoy you, perhaps you need to chill out. I think reserves probably annoy you only because it tells you up front you won't be able to steal an item away from someone with a ridiculously low bid. In other words, if you cannot buy something for nothing, you get annoyed. Now that attitude annoys me!

[Cinisajoy]

To me, it would depend on the reserve amount.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Wow, what a bunch of nonsense. No reserve means you might just give away your item. Better to not sell today than to just give it away. You can always sell tomorrow. If reserves annoy you, perhaps you need to chill out. I think reserves probably annoy you only because it tells you up front you won't be able to steal an item away from someone with a ridiculously low bid. In other words, if you cannot buy something for nothing, you get annoyed. Now that attitude annoys me!

It has nothing to do with getting something for nothing.
You want the best price for your item, list it for the minimum you're willing to sell it for, don't hide it behind a lie. Problem solved. Don't list it for a penny if you're not willing to risk selling it for a penny.

The stats don't lie. Reserves are bad for everyone.

My problem is solved simply, by not bidding on reserve auctions and giving more honest sellers my money. Many others solve it the same way, as the stats show.

Want a quick example: Jo's kindle didn't sell. One more reserve failure to add to the stats.

p.s. Seriously? "Won't be able to steal an item away...."?? Who's forcing you to list with an unacceptable opening price?
So you pull a bait and switch, advertise a false price to get attention and then insult the customer for daring to think that you were actually honest and meant what you said? Please. What's your eBay name, "j-swindle?"

p.p.s I apologize if the "j-swindle" actually violates the "name calling" rules, I thought it was too good a line to pass up.

p.p.p.s. This has become somewhat of a thread hijack.
I've started a lounge thread here:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=277807

[ApK]

eBay auction Reserve prices are evil!

I've posted a bunch of reasons why in this thread, but it was kind of a hijack.

Anyone have a reasonable counter-argument?

Hint: Insulting my motives and dismissing the arguments and evidence as 'nonsense' is not 'reasonable.'

[Cinisajoy]

I just want to know. Are you going to put an acceptable opening price on the choppers or did your wife decide she likes them?

Note, I don't do ebay so I will ask is a reserved price, the absolute lowest the seller wants?

[Wearever]

ApK , Why so hostile ? Jocampo is just selling a device on Ebay, it's his\her choice on how it's priced. Nothing to get this upset over surely ?

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

I just want to know. Are you going to put an acceptable opening price on the choppers or did your wife decide she likes them?

Note, I don't do ebay so I will ask is a reserved price, the absolute lowest the seller wants?

Reserve price:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/buy/quest...rve-price.html

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by ApK

Reserve price:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/buy/quest...rve-price.html

In this case, yes I agree completely with you.

[Hemmi]

If you're going to use a resever price, by all means list it in the auction details! It's simply the minimum you're willing to accept, why let it be a big secret? That way, people know if they're wasting their time or not by entering a bid.

[Wearever]

Originally Posted by Hemmi

If you're going to use a resever price, by all means list it in the auction details! It's simply the minimum you're willing to accept, why let it be a big secret? That way, people know if they're wasting their time or not by entering a bid.

From what I understand it works both ways. If the reserved secrete price is lower than the last bid. That last bidder gets it for the lower reserved price.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Wearever

From what I understand it works both ways. If the reserved secrete price is lower than the last bid. That last bidder gets it for the lower reserved price.

No, that is not at all correct.

[Canuck_in_Japan]

Your definition of evil is way out of whack. If I'm selling something on Ebay I don't want to risk the chance that someone gets something that's worth $100 for only $10. So maybe I would set a $60 reserve. If it doesn't sell then I'll know that my reserve price was too high and I can either relist it with a lower reserve, decide not to sell or look at other venues. (This is all hypothetical as I don't sell on eBay).