Auctioning

[fivestarparts1]

How often does anyone do auctions on their items? Is it recommended? 

[collectfest]

Auctions are superb for specific items. Highly sought after items with a following. Items I see in you store, although needed, I believe would be best served using buy it now. As to how often they are used, for sure less since 2000. 

[greg_orye]

If you have sought after collectibles, then yes. I auctioned off my whole Star Wars collection and made decent money 

[onefootflippers]

I sell full time, of my last 40,000 listings only 2 were auctions and only 1 of those got paid for.

The overwhelming majority of items are unsuitable for auction format.

[dbfolks166mt]

     I use the auction format almost exclusively for a number of reasons the main one being time management. I start all auctions on Sunday and run them for seven days and I don’t use OBO. During the week I am pretty much free to do anything else I wish and not have to worry about packing and shipping on a daily basis. I am often away from hone for multiple days on fishing, hiking or camping trip or visiting family. But eBay is more of a past time for me as opposed to a business and I do not depend on it for an income. 

      The non-payers are just something that you have to deal with on occasion and eBay now has an option that requires the bidder to provide a payment method before bidding if you wish to utilize that option. If not I much prefer a non-paying buyer who may have changed their mind or found it cheaper elsewhere as opposed to a BIN transaction where the buyer waits for the order to arrive and then immediately opens a return request or a NAD case. 

[fashunu4eeuh]

Auctions are best for collectibles, rare, high demand/low availability items, items where the market price is hard to determine, antiques, or unique goods. The item should be one that people may be willing to wait for, and not get impatient and abandon the sale. 

I use auctions every once in a while for items described as above. Overall, though, prefer fixed price with Immediate Payment Required and no Best Offer (which can void a IPR setting).

[mam98031]

There is no hard and fast rule.  Auctions aren't really suitable for all categories, they just don't work well in some.  But for you in auto parts I would certainly give them a try.

I don't run them anymore since they don't work well in the category I sell in.  But when I did, I ran a lot of them every week.  

I tried to make sure my auctions ended on Sunday late afternoon / early evening East coast time [I'm on the West Coast].  Seemed most of my sales came from the Midwest and East coast.  Sundays because most have that day off and can make some last minute bids if they want to.

Again, my preference.  Always a 7 say listings so that more buyers would have a chance to see it as they aren't all home and shopping on the same days of the week.  

Never price them lower than the lowest price you are willing to accept for the time.  Always take care of yourself first.

And good luck.  I wish you a very healthy and profitable little business here.  Don't forget, take good care of your customers, repeat customers are worth a great deal.  They are very important.

[deltilogical]

Good to hear some positive (and helpful) talk about auctions tonite!

I use auctions for different reasons, but I find them fun!  I enjoy running them as a seller and I enjoy bidding as a buyer, especially when I don't lose and get a good deal. 

[simba6]

You can try some of each and see what works best for the items your selling.  At one time, auctions were all eBay offered.  Today some buyers like auctions and others don't want to wait for them to end.  Just have to see what works best for you.