The Whole Concept Of a Reserve Piss Me Off!
JackWESQ
Posts: 2,133 ✭✭✭
To a certain extent, I understand the concept of "protecting your investment." But still, the whole concept of a reserve really pisses me off. I almost want to email the seller, "look buddy, do you want to sell the card or not?!" Don't give me the, "I want to sell the card, but only if the bidding reaches a certain price." I wholeheartedly believe that the market will dictate the price, MORE SO, in the graded card industry. If I had things my way (which will never happen), every auction would start at $0.01 with no reserve. And I wouldn't be surprised if the card reached whatever pre-conceived notion of what the card should sell for. As a buyer, I love it when I see a seller say, "I'm going to sell this card and it's going to go for whatever it is worth." ("Say" it as in listing it with a low starting price and having no reserve.")
And I'm off my rant. Have a great day.
/s/ JackWESQ
And I'm off my rant. Have a great day.
/s/ JackWESQ
0
Comments
Yeah, I hate it when I go the grocery store and they won't sell a half-gallon of milk unless someone's willing to pay $2.59 for it. They should just let the market dictate the price.
the lower ya stat something,the more bidders you're going to get,instead of starting something at 500.00 bucks , start it at 9.99,if its good,itll get there and you havnt paid ebay all that money to buy an island beside of bill gates' one
<< <i>Yeah, I hate it when I go the grocery store and they won't sell a half-gallon of milk unless someone's willing to pay $2.59 for it. They should just let the market dictate the price.
>>
Funny that you used milk as an example, if you do not know how the dairy industry is controled and regulated you may want to check it out. Here is a brief article to get you started.
Article
PS- I do use the reserve from time to time, but it also pisses me off when it is on something I want. I always assume it is very high.
<< <i>The grocery store runs auctions on dairy products? >>
The better ones do.
<< <i>I generally agree with letting the market set the price, but I can totally understand why a seller would set a reserve for an item that is valuable, relatively scarce, and generally desired by a limited market of collectors. It's difficult to take the chance that the target market may not see the item and it slips through for a song... when I see a reserve on an item I want, I just ask the seller what it is, and they usually answer. >>
i agree the few times i have set reserves it is for the same reason, just not to let it slip through.
set a reasonable reserve and your ok imo
a lot of the reserve auctions are to test the waters i think
2004 spx
1989 topps psa 10
1959 phillies
Phillies of the 70's
<< <i>Funny that you used milk as an example, if you do not know how the dairy industry is controled and regulated you may want to check it out. Here is a brief article to get you started.
Article >>
Well, that's an interesting and kind of sad read. Thanks. I love the last quote: "I still think this is a great country... In Mexico, they would have just shot me."
I guess my point, though, is that I think that a reserve-price is not all that much different than a starting price or fixed-price listing or store-item listing. Of those three options, I can see why the reserve-price auction may more appealing for a seller.... at least that way you're less likely to leave money on the table if there are a number of buyers out there who are willing to pay a bunch more than what you'd be willing to sell it for. I guess I just don't see what the problem is or how it's wrong for a seller to set a price on an item he's selling. Like any other auction for an item I want, when I run into those, I set the snipe for the most I'm willing to pay. If I get outbid or it's not the price the seller's looking for, that's fair enough. I move on.
I guess it does bother me though, when I email a seller with a reserve on his auction, asking what the reserve is set to, and his reply is something along the lines of "Bid and find out."
WTB: 2001 Leaf Rookies & Stars Longevity: Ryan Jensen #/25
Toriatech w/ Lots of Great Cards!
/s/ JackWESQ
P.S. To vintagetoppsguy, I assume you looked at my ebay user id and saw that I have not sold a single item under that id, which is true. However, under my selling account, I have sold hundreds of cards and every auction has started at $0.01 with no reserve and every auction in the future will continue to do so.
P.S.S. To Allen, very interesting read on the milk industry. I never knew. Nor should I have.
A few times after an auction didn't meet the reserve, I even contacted them with a very fair offer well above the last bid, and with a note to give me a counteroffer if my offer wasn't good enough...and none of them, not one, even got back to me!! ...Tells me clearly they weren't really interested in selling.
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<< <i>I can not get worked up over it. I do not care if there is a reserve or not, in fact I ignore it. I bid what I am willing to pay. If I win the item fine, if not I move on. No biggie. >>
It really is that simple.
J
<< <i>In my opnion, it is far better to start at a minimum price than to have a reserve. >>
Actually this might be a better option, I may give this a try.
It is just saying , you're not willing to let it go for less than X no matter what .
Naturally offers can be made close to the reserve and they are sometimes taken
Having said that , when the reserve is set way above fair market value , it is ridiculous .
I see nothing wrong with protecting your investments with setting a reserve at FMV or even slightly below and then let the chips fall where they may .
Just my 2.5 cents
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Steve
it why so many people shop at wal-mart, or want cheap prices on everything and anything, but cry and moan when all our manufacturing jobs go overseas.
Look at the toy market, some 80% made overseas, but they are toxic, lead paint, date-rape drug et.al. You get what you pay for.
Same with foodstuffs, juice, produce, more and more is imported with lower standards and contaminated contents.
Exactly, which is why I think sellers would be better off just starting it off at a minimum bid, instead of using a reserve. From a seller's standpoint, too, if an item does not meet your reserve, you will pay double the listing fee on that higher reserve amount. Why the mystery? Just start the auction off at a price you feel is fair then.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
D's: 54S,53P,50P,49S,45D+S,44S,43D,41S,40D+S,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
74T: 37,38,47,151,193,241,435,570,610,654,655 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings,Rising Stars
Marc
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i> I honestly cant understand the rationale of someone NOT BIDDING cause there is a reserve? Is it because you already know your super low ball/basically insulting bid would never win it in a million years? BTW if you bid high enough, the reserve drops off and you have the highest bid. SO pull up those bootstraps and put in some serious bids! >>
I rarely lowball. If I want a card, I'll bid appropriatly to get it. However, what I've seen over the years (I used to collect coins, same with cards though), is that people who have auctions with reserves have higher than market on the reserve and are counting on a bidding war since it's "unknown". A market value bid is a waste of time in most cases. If anyone has a different experience, feel free to share it but that's been my experience so I don't even waste my time with reserve auctions anymore. I might make an exception but it would be rare.
On the other hand, if people who use reserves have reasonable market value reserves, then why not just list a minimum bid? The ebay fees are cheaper and I expect there's more people who avoid reserve auctions than there are who engage in a bidding war.
<< <i>I bet you guys (against a reserve) have never got caught up in an auction, and just bid a little more than you should have to win whatvever item. This is the concept of the reserve. WHo is gonna bid 1000$ NOBODY, when it starts at one cent people might bid, keep coming back to the item, and go higher than they normally would have if there was just a 999 opneing bid. I ran a grouping of 55 bowmans. SMR of over 1500, reserve not met at 300 bucks. that's right 300 bucks, is that what the fair market is? Mostly stars, umpires, etc? I relisted it at 399 and has more bidders, but I will hold onto it until it hits my reserve. Are you guys the same ones complaiing about Levi's high starting prices? you cant have it both ways folks. I honestly cant understand the rationale of someone NOT BIDDING cause there is a reserve? Is it because you already know your super low ball/basically insulting bid would never win it in a million years? BTW if you bid high enough, the reserve drops off and you have the highest bid. SO pull up those bootstraps and put in some serious bids! >>
I only bid via a snipe so I never, ever "get caught up in an auction".
the lower ya start it,the more bidders you'll have,and have a war lol
John
HOF SIGNED FOOTBALL RCS
For some of my smaller, cheaper, items that I'm just looking to get rid of, I do a BIN of about 75% of its value. You'll get a taker almost immediately.
<< <i>I've only done reserves a couple of times. I'm glad I did. I set it at a fair price and I got well above what I wanted. But, if it would have gone cheaper than the reserve I would have been dissappointed. That's why I set it. Although, I typically will not have a reserve. >>
Dude, you should run for President, you talk like one....
Summary of Guru's response: "Sometimes, Maybe not, but not really"
LOL
Sorry Guru, I couldnt resist..... Just having fun, not making fun!
<< <i>Yeah, I hate it when I go the grocery store and they won't sell a half-gallon of milk unless someone's willing to pay $2.59 for it. They should just let the market dictate the price. >>