Ebay reserve question

coinsarefun

If I have a reserve on an auction and someone emails and asks what is my reserve is it ok to tell them?
Is it fair to the other bidders if he knows but the others don't?

ProofCollection

I don't think so, I've always been against it. If you're going to tell him, put the reserve price in the listing for all to see.

I don't do reserve price auctions anymore. They generally have lower sales prices. I either start the auction at what would be the reserve price or I just take my chances with a $1 auction.

FLBuffaloHunter

<< <i>If I have a reserve on an auction and someone emails and asks what is my reserve is it ok to tell them?
Is it fair to the other bidders if he knows but the others don't? >>


It is against eBay policy to disclose the reserve price of an auction. Also, a great number of reserve auctions end without the reserve being met and don't get alot of bids since alot of bidders feel they are a waste of time. By disclosing your reserve price to a bidder, you are telling him the minimum bid he needs to snipe your auction at the last second if he chooses to do so.

coinsarefun

I thought so. I always get emails asking and when I tell them that it wouldn't be fair to the others and its against Ebay policies they get upset. But, I thought I would ask anyways.

Bochiman

<< <i>

<< <i>If I have a reserve on an auction and someone emails and asks what is my reserve is it ok to tell them?
Is it fair to the other bidders if he knows but the others don't? >>


It is against eBay policy to disclose the reserve price of an auction. Also, a great number of reserve auctions end without the reserve being met and don't get alot of bids since alot of bidders feel they are a waste of time. By disclosing your reserve price to a bidder, you are telling him the minimum bid he needs to snipe your auction at the last second if he chooses to do so. >>




Against ebay policy? Got a link to that one? Is it new?
I've had reserves (I don't like to do them but tried it out) and listed the reserve price. Seen others do the same as well.
I would have NO problems telling someone the reserve as, if you set one that is likely the lowest you want to sell, right? So, if someone wants it, at that price, they will bid it....then maybe others will bid as well.

If you have a reserve, and it isn't disclosed, I almost always (seriously...99.9%+ of the time) just walk away without bidding.

AUandAG

<< <i>

<< <i>If I have a reserve on an auction and someone emails and asks what is my reserve is it ok to tell them?
Is it fair to the other bidders if he knows but the others don't? >>


It is against eBay policy to disclose the reserve price of an auction. Also, a great number of reserve auctions end without the reserve being met and don't get alot of bids since alot of bidders feel they are a waste of time. By disclosing your reserve price to a bidder, you are telling him the minimum bid he needs to snipe your auction at the last second if he chooses to do so. >>



whoa, what policy?

7 years of selling and there is always something new!

bob

WinPitcher

I too have never heard of such a rule. I have asked ,and been asked, and always tell or get an answer. I have also seen where sellers will say what it is in the description. A reserve is basically the minimum amount of what you will accept for an item so who cares if a snipe gets it?

Steve

ahooka454

wow that explains alot of the reserve questions i had. thanks guys , really good info in this thread

percyb

<< <i>
It is against eBay policy to disclose the reserve price of an auction. Also, a great number of reserve auctions end without the reserve being met and don't get alot of bids since alot of bidders feel they are a waste of time. By disclosing your reserve price to a bidder, you are telling him the minimum bid he needs to snipe your auction at the last second if he chooses to do so. >>



I agree. I've never bid on a coin that has a reserve.

FLBuffaloHunter

I was mistaken. eBay will allow you to disclose the reserve price to a bidder if you choose.-


<< <i>Important: eBay will never reveal your reserve price to potential bidders. However, it's not unusual for sellers to receive inquiries from bidders about the seller’s reserve amount. This is allowed on eBay. Likewise, revealing your reserve to a bidder is allowed, but not required. If you don’t want to reveal your reserve price, you can politely let the bidder know that they will need to bid on the item to try to meet your reserve. >>



Link

Bochiman

<< <i>I was mistaken. eBay will allow you to disclose the reserve price to a bidder if you choose.-


<< <i>Important: eBay will never reveal your reserve price to potential bidders. However, it's not unusual for sellers to receive inquiries from bidders about the seller’s reserve amount. This is allowed on eBay. Likewise, revealing your reserve to a bidder is allowed, but not required. If you don’t want to reveal your reserve price, you can politely let the bidder know that they will need to bid on the item to try to meet your reserve. >>



Link >>




Thanks...that is what I remembered....you found the link before I did

BAJJERFAN

I guess its better to let someone find it by accident eh? If your reserve price is more than I care to pay for said item then just be a good guy and save us both the trouble and give it in your description or if I ask. You wanna sell the damn thing or not or worry about playin fair to others.

GoldenEyeNumismatics

I've disclosed my reserves before and I've asked for it from other people form time to time. I see absolutely nothing wrong with it. It's just like asking a dealer what his best price for a coin is.

walkerman

<< <i>

<< <i>
It is against eBay policy to disclose the reserve price of an auction. Also, a great number of reserve auctions end without the reserve being met and don't get alot of bids since alot of bidders feel they are a waste of time. By disclosing your reserve price to a bidder, you are telling him the minimum bid he needs to snipe your auction at the last second if he chooses to do so. >>



I agree. I've never bid on a coin that has a reserve. >>



It's very curious that most forum members agree with you that they will not bid on ebay coins that have a reserve no matter how nice they may be.
When I consign my coins to any major auction with a reserve, the reserve is almost always met long before the floor auction takes place.
I suppose that means that most forum members will not bid in a major auction since nearly all lots that are worth owning have reserves that are posted(Heritage) or hidden (all the others).
I have discussed this with other dealers most of whom, like me, used to list their coins for auction on ebay but no longer do, opting instead to consign their coins to a major auction where a reasonable reserve does not seem to discourage bidders.
There is always spirited bidding on the auction floor when two or more bidders want the same coin and the prices realized are sometimes astoundingly high.
This rarely happens on ebay no reserve auctions since everyone is a sniper now and everything is kept secret until the last few seconds with all the snipers bidding in the blind.
The chances of having your coins ripped are greater in an ebay no reserve auction are evidenced by all the posts bragging of their "conquests"
So even though the major auction fees are slightly higher, the prices realized are usually higher enough to overcome them. And there's no paypal to further erode the price realized.
I have heard all the arguments that claim sniping has a positive effect on ebay no reserve auctions and result in satisfactory prices realized but the evidence in my own experience just doesn't bear this out.
Browsing ebay it seems that all that's available in no reserve auctions are raw coins (beware!) and modern offerings.
The general consensus among dealers I have talked to is that because of the above factors plus high risk of doing business with possible crooks who either bait and switch, doctor the images, or don't deliver the coins at all, ebay has descended into the status of a flea market or garage sale.
One thing is abundantly clear. No sellers are posting really valuable coins (read expensive) in ebay no reserve auctions.
I have donned my asbestos pants and am ready for the flames. Dave W


David J Weygant Rare Coins website: www.djwcoin.com

lordmarcovan

I've usually disclosed my reserves to people who asked, if I didn't put it right there in the auction for everyone to see.

However, I never use a reserve anymore.

291fifth

To me, "reserve not met" equals no bid.

walkerman

<< <i>To me, "reserve not met" equals no bid. >>



Yes, I'm aware of that position which seems to be that of a majority of forum members.
My interest is in exploring why this sentiment seems to be prevalent only on ebay.
The multitude of bidders on major nationwide auctions seem to have no problem with reserves placed on the coins they are interested in as evidenced by the number of bidders and the prices realized.
Dave W





David J Weygant Rare Coins website: www.djwcoin.com

sonoranmonsoon

I very rarely use a reserve. I only do it on the rare occasion that I need to figure out what the market value of something is. I have no problem with people that disclose their reserve, but it does not work in my case. When determining an unknown market value, I have to put a unrealistically high reserve on the item. I want people to bid to help me get an idea of value. If I tell them the reserve, they will not bid. Of course after the listing closes without a sale, I will relist the item without a reserve.

I have only used a reserve for this purpose twice in thousands of listings, but I did do it a couple of weeks ago with some toy soldiers a freind wanted me to sell for him. Neither one of us had a clue on value, but he did seem to have unrealistic expectations. Using the reserve to determine value, helped him understand what price to relist the item.