Best day/time for starting eBay auction

[carreauchompeur]

Folks,

Last "Buy it now/best offer" auction for my RX8 failed to attract any attention, so I'm going to see what a no reserve auction yields...

What's the consensus about the right time/day for it to finish? Bearing in mind with most auctions there is a "flurry" towards the end.

I need to be able to pull it if the auction's still at silly money with an hour to go, so this may have a bearing too Would be a bad situation to be stuck at work and the car set to sell at a grand

[supertouring]

Start it at the least you will take for it rather than starting it too low and pissing everyone off by pulling it part way.

Sunday evening is usually good, but not while TG is on.

[TomJS]

Most of your bids will be in the last 5 minutes, not before the last hour.

Thursday night is good, as everyone is in and bored. Avoid the corrie/eastenders slots.

[carreauchompeur]

Fair play, Thursday's a good call. The trouble with starting the auction at quite a high price means that you don't get the bidding wars developing... At least if I get some interest and get half-close to a decent price and I have to pull it then it's a starter for negotiations

The trouble I have is that it has a few faults, honestly described but still there so might not find favour...

[MarJay]

carreauchompeur said:

Fair play, Thursday's a good call. The trouble with starting the auction at quite a high price means that you don't get the bidding wars developing... At least if I get some interest and get half-close to a decent price and I have to pull it then it's a starter for negotiations

The trouble I have is that it has a few faults, honestly described but still there so might not find favour...

Who cares if you get a bidding war developing if you get the right amount of money for the car? Sure, there'll be a bidding war if you set no reserve, but it'll be a bidding war because the price is ridiculously cheap.

Don't be a fool, put the starting price at the very minimum you would accept for the car.

[shakotan]

supertouring said:

Start it at the least you will take for it rather than starting it too low and pissing everyone off by pulling it part way.

Sunday evening is usually good, but not while TG is on.

99p, no reserve, attracts the most bidders.

I've seen cars start at £3000 receive no bids, and the same car listed at 99p no reserve bid to over £5k.

I always list at 99p, no reserve. If it sells low, it wasn't worth what you were expecting to get for it. Simple.

[Honk]

I've read or possibly imagined so that Sunday evening c 2000 hrs is the time to end an auction.

[mikeyr]

carreauchompeur said:

I need to be able to pull it if the auction's still at silly money with an hour to go

Then set a reserve, the point is you want to auction it and get lots of people interested. To pull it just before the end is taking the piss in my opinion so either put a reserve on or man-up. Besides most of the bidding is generally in the last few minutes!

Have you seen what price other .99 starting bid RX8s go for? That should give you a fair idea of the price you'll get. You'll probably get some requests to buy it now too.

[supertouring]

shakotan said:

99p, no reserve, attracts the most bidders.

I've seen cars start at £3000 receive no bids, and the same car listed at 99p no reserve bid to over £5k.

I always list at 99p, no reserve. If it sells low, it wasn't worth what you were expecting to get for it. Simple.

I think that is fine for some items, but putting a car up for a 99p I think gives out the wrong message.

However, in this case I think your last statement is the best advice on this thread.

[anonymous-user]

A 10 day auction ending around 8pm on Sunday is ideal. This gives two weekends for people to view. No reserve with a 99p start if you dare.

Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 3rd July 09:30

[MikeyBe]

Doesn't matter what time you start it, but ensure it ends at around 11.30pm - 11.45pm on a friday - lot of people come from the pub and all sensibilities go out the window that time of night...

[GilbertGutbucket]

Avoid auction ending times concurring with big TV screened sporting events and as has been said before avoid big Soap story lines etc.

Time your items to end when you think most buyers will be online, evenings/weekends. Also, Friday afternons fetch good prices as many workers scan the internet then.

Hth.

[GilbertGutbucket]

MikeyBe said:

Doesn't matter what time you start it, but ensure it ends at around 11.30pm - 11.45pm on a friday - lot of people come from the pub and all sensibilities go out the window that time of night...

True!

[falkster]

99p no reserve is always a winner. I've sold quite a few in the last two years with the best result being this.
You've just got to hold your nerve because it may enter the last 12 hours a long way short of your price you had in mind but the last ten mins it will go nuts. Only one car I've sold didn't move in the last 10 mins - 08 plate corsa!

[ch427]

Was watching the gadget show a while back and research suggested the best end times for an auction were thursday afternoons and sunday evenings.

[Deluded]

I would say around 6pm Sunday evening. Most people just sitting around with not a lot to do so will browse the net. Perfect ebaying time.

[eliters]

Just a thought,after 12 hours you cannot end an auction,so as said above best to set a reserve unless you have strong nerves!