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eBay auction vs. eBay store

Not long ago I remember reading a thread (or maybe it was a post inside a thread) about auction(s) that sell higher than a card in the same grade sitting in someone's store. It happened recently in a set I collect, but I was not involved as I have that card in that grade already. As i'm sure most everyone does, I keep an eye on sales of cards in my set to see how the prices are trending, and I was surprised to see a card sell in an eBay auction higher than a card in the same grade in an eBay store, and the card in the store has better centering.

eBay auction - $158.50

eBay store $100 (with better centering and a best offer option)

I don't have an eBay store, so I can't really compare the two properly, but could auctions still be the way to go?

Comments

  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    You would think the winner of that auction would have know better.


    Steve
    Good for you.
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭
    "I don't have an eBay store, so I can't really compare the two properly, but could auctions still be the way to go? "

    ///////////////////////////////////////////

    Stores are good.

    Core listings AUCTION/BIN are good, too.

    Stores work best, obviously, if you use CORE listings to drive folks into the stores.

    MANY folks never look at stores. Some folks think stores are "too expensive," some
    don't even know how to get into a store.

    Everybody here is an expert searcher. It is always good to check store prices BEFORE
    you get caught up in a bidding war.

    EBAY is considering putting stores back into general search. If that happens, stores
    will be winners again; like they were in the early days.

    Every serious seller should consider having a store for each category they sell in. MANY
    folks are tired of auctions; they just want to buy the stuff and move on.

    Stores = Easy Money for the patient seller.



    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • nam812nam812 Posts: 10,531 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>......MANY folks are tired of auctions; they just want to buy the stuff and move on. >>



    There are also those that believe they can get a "deal" when an auction starts at 99 cents.
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭
    "There are also those that believe they can get a "deal" when an auction starts at 99 cents. "

    ///////////////////////////////////////////////////

    Sadly, for sellers, that "deal" often materializes; at the expense of those who do not use reserves.

    Hot items are often safe to throw up cheap, BUT commodity-items continue to close at lower auction prices.
    The commodities will continue to do better and better in stores.
    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • nam812nam812 Posts: 10,531 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Stores work best, obviously, if you use CORE listings to drive folks into the stores. >>



    I'm not saying that the monthly fees is expensive, but you would think that in return for that monthly fee eBay would at least do something to either promote your store, drive traffic to your store, or at the very least make it easily search-able for the casual eBay user.
  • It is not uncommon for an auction to sell higher than a store listed item. **Most buyers do not look at store listings.** Store listings do not show up on a search list unless there are only a few auctions or bin's. If your search is rather broad, you must click "see more items in ebay stores" at the bottom of the search list.

    As a seller, I use the stores as a sort of warehouse. I keep the prices high, as I am not in a hurry to sell the items there. I just like the convenience of being able to move a few items from my "warehouse" to the auction side each week with one click. I do not go in and change the prices very often, so when a market is hot, auction prices will often close higher than my store listed price.

    Example: When gold and silver prices ran up a short while ago, many of the lower end morgan and peace dollars were starting to sell on the auction side higher than my store prices. Most buyers on ebay completely missed the deals they could have had in my store listings. I was not paying attention, and only became aware of the problem, when some buyers EVENTUALLY looked in my store and started buying a lot of these coins. Of course, I then went in and raised the prices on the few left they did not clean me out of.

    ADVICE TO BUYERS:
    1) If you are buying in a market that is moving up quickly, look at the stores. You may find a seller that is asleep at the wheel. Store items are relisted automatically, so we often have items in there for a year without even looking at them.
    2) Even if a market is not hot, it is worth checking stores once in a while. Occassionally, a seller may list an item they are not familiar with. i.e. a dvd seller that inherits a few baseball cards. Sometimes they do not know what they have, and work off an old price guide. It happens. (not often, but occassionally). The advantage here, is if you discover a gem, you will not have many buyers to compete with right away. If the item was on auction, more buyers would see it and bid it to market value.
  • i think they both suck and the only one that benefit's on either is e-gay
  • ebayaddictebayaddict Posts: 232 ✭✭
    A lot of people kind of "forget" about the stores. I have found the same scenario myself........strange , but true.
    "You must understand the difference in things that are similar, and the similarity of things that are different"

  • CDsNutsCDsNuts Posts: 10,092
    It works both ways- here's proof on the other side of the coin:

    Unsold at auction with .99 starting bid.

    Sold in my store a week later for $24.

    I knew I dodged a bullet when no one put in an opening bid, but how could a card like this from a set a lot of people are collecting fall through the cracks? Who knows, but certainly an auction wasn't the way to go with this one.

    I'm at the point where the only cards that I will let go to auction with a low min. bid are the ones that are hard to come by, in high demand, and might incite a bidding war. Everything else I just put in my store and let it sit until it sells, sometimes lowering the price by a little until it does.
  • gumbyfangumbyfan Posts: 5,159


    << <i>I'm not saying that the monthly fees is expensive, but you would think that in return for that monthly fee eBay would at least do something to either promote your store, drive traffic to your store, or at the very least make it easily search-able for the casual eBay user. >>



    I used to have an ebay store and did quite well! I was selling mostly raw modern junk for $2 - $10 per listing, with a few higher end listings with high BINs to see if anyone would bite.

    THEN...ebay changed the game by not listing ebay store listings at the bottom of search results and instead giving the "see more listings" link that is easily overlooked by your everyday buyer. That immediately cut into my sales at a rate of over 50%. On top of that, the final value fees for store listings were almost double that of the FVF's of auction sales at the same pricepoint. They were trying to get store sellers to list more auctions. Instead, I just closed my store. Increased fees with less exposure just didn't make much sense to me.
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭
    "I'm at the point where the only cards that I will let go to auction with a low min. bid are the ones that are hard to come by, in high demand, and might incite a bidding war. Everything else I just put in my store and let it sit until it sells, sometimes lowering the price by a little until it does. "

    /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

    image
    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭
    "...Increased fees with less exposure just didn't make much sense to me...."

    //////////////////////////////////////////////////

    Yup.

    It meant I had to run ALOT more CORE listings to suck folks into the stores.

    I just raised the store-prices to cover the added expenses.

    EBAY will likely put stores back in search before summer 2009. A new test
    started at EBAY-Italy, yesterday. Store fees will likely be hiked to fund the
    contemplated changes.

    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • gumbyfangumbyfan Posts: 5,159


    << <i>EBAY will likely put stores back in search before summer 2009. A new test started at EBAY-Italy, yesterday. Store fees will likely be hiked to fund the contemplated changes. >>



    What I don't understand is this...why increase store fees to "fund" changes? What kind of financial impact would it have on ebay if they showed store listings in searches again? I'm somewhat familiar with how websites work and it's not like they're paying a host per item that appears in a search.

    Also, increased exposure = increased sales. Increased sales directly translates into more final value fees. Why increase the front end if the changes will automatically increase the back end?
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭
    "What I don't understand is this...why increase store fees to "fund" changes? What kind of financial impact would it have on ebay if they showed store listings in searches again? I'm somewhat familiar with how websites work and it's not like they're paying a host per item that appears in a search."

    ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

    The reason we lost "stores in search" in 2006 was because the BIG
    core-listers complained that they were paying more and the stores
    were getting the same benefit in search for MUCH less money.

    The Italy model rolled-out today is complex. It "equalizes" the fees
    paid by core/store listers. Stores are in full search, but moderated
    by "Best Match."

    I can pay ALOT more in fees, if I can have the stores back in search.
    The buyers pay ALL of the fees anyway.

    What is NOW killing me is "Best Match." My listings that end in five-minutes
    are on page six, while others' listings ending in 6-days are on page one!!!


    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • chaz43chaz43 Posts: 2,128 ✭✭✭


    << <i>i think they both suck and the only one that benefit's on either is e-gay >>




    Ebay sucks. They are greedy and we have got to come up with a better way somehow to compete with them. Same as the frickin' oil companies.... greed to the max. FEEBAY also gets you with screwpal (They own Paypal), so they get you comin' in and goin' out. Ebay sucks and the only way they will ever lower their fees is if they have some "friendly" competition to keep them in check. But no one has come up with a way to really compete with them. I hope somebody does soon. chaz
  • cohocorpcohocorp Posts: 1,371 ✭✭
    i have seen the same thing numerous times while watching 1952 topps cards. thats pretty much my main area of interest so thats what i notice the trends in. its funny that while people whine about levi's prices during the 10 cent listing days, some open auctions sell for more than his BINs.
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭
    "...But no one has come up with a way to really compete with them. I hope somebody does soon. chaz .."

    //////////////////////////////////////

    Looks like NEVER is the time frame on that.

    AMZN seems to have some promise in some categories.
    Their system is a bit different than EBAY's, and I have
    not mastered it yet. I will try full-force in the summer.

    ecrater is a ghost town, BUT every now and then something
    sells there. NONE of the "alternatives" have any traffic.



    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
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