Ebay reserve price
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Discussion

crankedup

Original Poster:

25,764 posts

264 months

Monday 18th February 2019
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Why do people ask.me what the reserve price is on my vehicle that I am currently selling by auction. I thought just bid to the value that you feel is right?

Trevor555

5,022 posts

105 months

Monday 18th February 2019
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Because they want to buy it today?

Or they want an idea if your car is the right money before they start bidding, so they don't waste 7 days.

crankedup

Original Poster:

25,764 posts

264 months

Tuesday 19th February 2019
quotequote all
Thanks, I hadn’t thought about it like that.

Fore Left

1,593 posts

203 months

Tuesday 19th February 2019
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Better to make the starting price the minimum you'll take. Won't get people asking the reserve that way.

wjb

5,100 posts

152 months

Tuesday 19th February 2019
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Trevor555 said:
Because they want to buy it today?

Or they want an idea if your car is the right money before they start bidding, so they don't waste 7 days.
Yep. Spot on.

Fore Left said:
Better to make the starting price the minimum you'll take. Won't get people asking the reserve that way.
Unfortunately you won't drum up the interest this way, as most people just want a bargain.

You'll definitely avoid the timewasters though.

Wilmslowboy

4,629 posts

227 months

Tuesday 19th February 2019
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Auction houses are kind enough to give estimates - the unwritten rule being the reserve (if any) should be a similar amount (to the estimate).

Therefore I think it is good form to at least give an indication (on ebay), so the bidders know they are in with a shout or not.

I've seen statements like reserve set at WBAC value, or PX offer etc


I've sold a number of cars on eBay with 'no reserve' (everything from a £1500 Audi to a £57k Porsche), my thinking is if you plan to auction, then super low (or no reserve) if which case you should be proud to tell the bidders, if you want a high reserve (minimum price), then you may as well use a classified add.

This works for run of the mill stuff, but perhaps not super rare and exclusive cars.




crankedup

Original Poster:

25,764 posts

264 months

Tuesday 19th February 2019
quotequote all
Maybe with a couple of days left I should remove my reserve? I just want to get rid tbh. Nothing wrong with the vehicle, in fact it’s very good, but I have no need of it now.

blue_haddock

4,780 posts

88 months

Tuesday 19th February 2019
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If you just want it gone remove the reserve but remember a lot of the bidding happens on the last day/last few hours anyway.

crankedup

Original Poster:

25,764 posts

264 months

Tuesday 19th February 2019
quotequote all
blue_haddock said:
If you just want it gone remove the reserve but remember a lot of the bidding happens on the last day/last few hours anyway.
This is the first vehicle that I have sold via auction, although sold plenty of low value stuff this way, and purchased. Think I will hang on and see what happens.

Krikkit

27,774 posts

202 months

Tuesday 19th February 2019
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You could add a buy it now price to give them a vague upper ceiling - your reserve will obviously be lower, but it at least gives them a ballpark.

keith333

377 posts

163 months

Tuesday 19th February 2019
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I always sell cars on ebay with no reserve. That way potential buyers know the car will sell and are more likely to "watch" and bid for it. The more bids you have, the more people think that the market thinks it is a car worth bidding for and I think they are more likely to pay a little more for it.

If an item has a reserve I will often simply move onto the next one and many others do exactly the same.

Obviously I take a chance the car will sell low, but its only happened once and that was because it was the second week in January. I won't do that again :-)

Trevor555

5,022 posts

105 months

Tuesday 19th February 2019
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keith333 said:
I always sell cars on ebay with no reserve. That way potential buyers know the car will sell and are more likely to "watch" and bid for it. The more bids you have, the more people think that the market thinks it is a car worth bidding for and I think they are more likely to pay a little more for it.

If an item has a reserve I will often simply move onto the next one and many others do exactly the same.

Obviously I take a chance the car will sell low, but its only happened once and that was because it was the second week in January. I won't do that again :-)
The flipside of this is expecting people to bid on a car they haven't seen.

Ok if they're local, they can pop round before bidding.

But I'd never bid on an expensive car without seeing it, or meeting the owner.

So I'd be one of many buyers you'll rule out.

I agree auctions can sometimes get people bidding a little more as desire steps in, but another point is you're going to be dealing with someone you may not have spoken to.

Whenever I sell a car I like to at least speak to them on the phone before inviting them to my house.

CrippsCorner

3,253 posts

202 months

Tuesday 19th February 2019
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What I do is think what price I want for the car... then put the starting bid as 10% less, and the buy it now as 10% more. Seems to work well for me smile