OPINIONS: Best Way to List on Ebay - Start at $0.99 or Based on VCP

70ToppsFanatic

I'm getting ready to put up a several hundred higher grade items on Ebay (auction format).

There are several possible starting price approaches I'm considering:

Approach 1 - Start everything at $0.99 and have a shipping charge

Approach 2 - Start everything at roughly current VCP and do free shipping

Approach 3 - Some mix between these two depending on the value of the items (only higher value items
start at about VCP)

I am hesitant to consider listing anything with reserve prices.

Wondering what the concensus thoughts are on which approach would generate the best results?
Also wondering if anyone has a better idea?

Thanks in advance for your ideas and comments

bobbyw8469

I would try a mix of both. If you list some cards at or slightly below VCP and it still doesn't get bids, at least you won't take a bath. If you start the cards at 99 cents, you might be pleasantly surprised at the final prices on some and you might get your feelings hurt on others. I don't think it matters if they are commons or HOFers either. I have had some HOFers that have set record lows in the last PWCC auction.

bking

<< <i>Strategy depends on your timeframe for selling. >>



Could you elaborate on your thoughts there? I'm kind of mentally debating the same thing myself when it comes to selling raw commons - in today's market it's hard to tell what sells better - low starting bids with $3 (ish) shipping or slightly more realistic prices with free shipping.

thedutymon

Morning,

Auctions Are Dead, Dead, Dead.............. on everything except Harder to find or Higher dollar items. You want to give away a bunch of stuff at .99 cents list a bunch of commons at .99 starting bids.

YeeHah

Neil

Sean1125

I started everything at .99 in my last wave... I estimated 1200$, i got 1800.... Some I got wayyyy over, some I lost face but overall way up.

gemint

I stopped listing at $0.99 after seeing 1960s PSA 9s going for as low as the $0.99 opening bid. Here's a good example of the dangers of $0.99 opening bids...

11/14/11 eBay Auction | Image manontherock i***2 6 $15.60
11/9/11 eBay Auction | Image bnmtay 8***i 5 $13.19
10/16/11 eBay Auction | Image memorylaneinc g***w 4 $1.75
9/12/11 eBay Auction | Image worldwideinvestments m***5 2 $14.58
8/27/11 eBay Auction | Image winding_river_sports 1***6 1 $29.95
8/3/11 eBay Auction | Image tripleplayvintage d***l 1 $15.00
5/16/11 eBay Image cardcountry q***q 4 $16.50
3/29/11 eBay Image openbinders n***c BIN $34.99

Ever since eBay started pimping the fixed price format, it ruined the open auction format on eBay in my opinion.

itzagoner

interesting list of names up there.....i recognize some of them as the same dealers who also haul in amazing prices for similar auctions of highly desirable cards in highly desirable grades.

i doubt they are licking wounds. it's part of the game.

Sean makes a good point, at least in the sense that if you list an attractive group of items at .99 starting bid and most of the auctions perform well, you will profit overall even though some of your items will wind up taking home nothing more than a handful of coins.

as has been discussed here already, put some thought into what you are actually presenting to the buyers.

if it's all junk they will treat it as junk, otherwise it's really no different than it's always been.

as a seller i can tell you that even several years ago, with very high quality listings overall, i was selling some cards for very high prices and there were plenty of head-scratchers, too.

if you can't stand the thought of losing even one item to underbidding, then you may as well go all BIN and just wait for the right folks to come along.