bidding on the bay

[lewis1641]

As far as i know the minimum reserve you can set on ebay is 50 quid. If that's the reserve and the start bid is 99p and i bid 20 then the auction will be at 99p with one bid. If my first bid was 100 then the auction will go straight to 50 as the reserve has been met by the opening bid. I think it is done that way so a single bid can still win an auction.

 

[suburbanreuben]

Tis funny, in three years of buying and selling on Ebay, my only bad experiences have been buying cycling stuff, which probably accounts for 10 % of purchases.
I'm currently waiting for a Rohloff tensioner to arrive. Seller supposedly in UK, but got himself kicked out of Japan , where the tensioner was. Visa then refused, so he got his girlfriend to mail it (2 weeks after auction end). It's now over three weeks, and he only told me a few days ago what was happening. Shoulda offered me my money back, but tried to be clever. I can see customs duty being due as well :x

 

[Ceefax]

I don't know why people use reserves on eBay anyway?

It's just adds confusion.

Instead, why not start the item and the minimum you would be happy to accept for it - and anything you get above that is a bonus.

 

[lewis1641]

People like a bargain. If you start at 99p you will get a lot more interest and probably bids than a high starting point. I always start at 99p

 

[Ceefax]

I agree 99p start is a good option. That's what I do mostly.

But presumably, people who use the reserve option are worried that their item will sell too cheaply.
That's why I suggested starting the bidding at the lowest price they were prepared to accept instead - because reserves are just annoying.

 

[lewis1641]

I get you. Worst are the people who won't honour a sale because they didn't get what they wanted. That really winds me up

 

[Easy_Rider]

I agree 99p start is a good option. That's what I do mostly.

But presumably, people who use the reserve option are worried that their item will sell too cheaply.
That's why I suggested starting the bidding at the lowest price they were prepared to accept instead - because reserves are just annoying.

They could just use the classified adds section of ebay, it would be cheaper to sell too!

I always list 99p and no reserve. If you take good photos and write a good description it will reach it's market value.

 

[detomaso]

The way I thought it worked, for example:-

If you listed an item at 99p but put a reserve of £20 on it, as soon as somebody puts £20 or more as their maximum bid it will go straight to this as it has met your reserve. The thinking being that you want to make a sale and that person has bid up to or past your reserve price so you are then guaranteed to make that sale.

Hope this makes sense :?