Love auctions BUT... no more low price starts.

[fultonfalcon]

Lol,,, got burned, ... and so now I'll not do that again... I was selling some vintage golf balls signed by A.Palmer and other golf greats.  Most of these collector balls list at around $12- $14 so I started 5 of them for .99 and went on about my business.  I saw I had a bid Yah!  AND then nothing.... so on the last day I went to look... there were 272 such balls for sale and my sale ad came up at #260 even though I had a bid.  Potential buyers had to get a shovel to find my sale ad... well it didn't happen....so at the end of the day I sold $60 worth of collector golf balls for .99 and then had to add insult to injury by paying out over $4 in shipping.  ROFLMAO  When I lose I go all out.  It isn't important, I won't die from it, but some times you have to learn lessons the hard way.   I've learned that some coins you can still list for .99 and stimulate bidding, but not much else.     Things just seem to be going this way...the days of interested bidders is on the slide.   I'm not blaming eBay, I might blame China, I might blame history teachers that fail to instill a value in our heritage, I might blame old age, and I might blame Trump (for what I don't know, but everyone seems to enjoy blaming him for everything).  I might blame all kinds of things, but the blame has to lie with me.....I  am just too tiny to get any kind of position with my listings that anyone will see.   So,  *shrug*  I'll not try that again.  OH,, and DON'T suggest I not sell collector items.... I've seen how regular merchandise is going.. You list it..eBay puts your competitor's (China) ad in YOUR LISTING and you don't get the sale.  I don't want any part of that scam.  I can sell at auction, I have good items,  I just have to be patient and put the starting price at a number I can accept without crying.  LOL  I love it.   It was not so long ago we heard bidders griping about sniping.....oh how I long for those days again. 

[hioctane62]

Blame ebay for the lack of customers, and blame yourself for starting them at .99. Did you notice that there were 272 listed before you listed yours?

[ifyouloveit]

Right there with you on this. Start at .99c most likely sell at .99c, no idea if anyone is even seeing it anymore. I've even had auctions of good items close unsold at .99c, no one saw them if views are an indication.

We aren't in Kansas anymore Toto 😞

[alcoforever]

When I was still selling, I always used auctions starting at 99 cents.  Always got good prices for the items.   Difference was each item I was selling was the only one on ebay at the time.

I have a friend doing the same thing currently but he starts all his auctions at 9.95.  Is doing quite well and again, each of his items is the only one on ebay at the time.

[jason_incognito]

It's funny, but every time I find a good deal that I want to bid on, that .99 item that should be $50.....

I am never alone in bidding. In fact I'd say that easily 90% of the items that I chose to bid on go for alot of money and I don't win.

But it has to be something that I will bid on. If I place a .99 item on my atch list, it doesn't sell. Even if it might otherwise be a $50 item.

It's all how awesome it is. If there are that money other items just like it....... Plus I tend to move on something that doesn't always come around.

[emerald_door]

Sorry you had an expensive lesson.  Auctions just aren't what they used to be in the early days of eBay.  

[hillbillymedia]

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@jason_incognito wrote:

It's funny, but every time I find a good deal that I want to bid on, that .99 item that should be $50.....

I am never alone in bidding. In fact I'd say that easily 90% of the items that I chose to bid on go for alot of money and I don't win.

But it has to be something that I will bid on. If I place a .99 item on my atch list, it doesn't sell. Even if it might otherwise be a $50 item.

It's all how awesome it is. If there are that money other items just like it....... Plus I tend to move on something that doesn't always come around.

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Somehow, I always end up bidding against millionaires. Maybe I just have champagne wishes and caviar dreams.

[7606dennis]

Alas!  The days of starting bids of 99¢ are long gone.

[fultonfalcon]

Did I know there were 272 listed ? Honestly had no idea... didn't look until I saw I had a bid and no more bids seemed to be coming...not even any watchers.. that was when I looked... And one would think, since these do sell, that .99 against $14 would be a winner.... I think the point here is MY AD was BURIED so far down the list it had very little chance of being seen. If I could have eBay make a change it would be to add, "Items that have a bid" to the search engine selections on the left hand side of the search pages. I think then people would find it. I know I'd like to find the items people were bidding on.... I might like to join in... but never see them because my search time is limited. OH Hey, this wasn't a gripe note... just a "this is what happened" share about I did a dumb thing note.. LOL

[tsme35]

Auctions are dead now thanks to ebay, as for fishing lures. I've reported at least 4 sellers that have multi duplicate auctions, I don't mean 1 or 2 but maybe 6-10 of the exact brand, color and size lure every week with the same heading. They list hundreds per week like that so not only auctions are a waste even the prices for buy now it's have tanked because they don't sell more then a buck or 2, I can't even buy lures cheap enough to resell because of them.  Call into ebay and report them "oh that's against policy, we'll report it", nothing happens. Apparently ebay and those sellers aren't smart enough to know if you flood the market the value goes down to nothing

[3eyedfishcatcher]

Never start a auction for less than you paid. At least  start it at the price you paid plus 10 percent to cover ebays final value fee.  If you include free shipping always include the shipping price in your price.

[slippinjimmy]

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@tsme35 wrote:

Auctions are dead now thanks to ebay,

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It's sellers that killed Auctions not eBay!

[ohnojoey]

You have a sense of humor, that's priceless!

Saturation does affect auction sales, so even with not so common items, I check to see if there are other listings. Sometimes I delay listing for a week, a month. Strike when it's hot!

You are right, low starting bids can stimulate bidding for only certain items, like silver/gold coins in demand, old advertising material and signs, old posters from the psychedelia era, and a few more niches I can think of.

[luckythewinner]

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@fultonfalcon wrote:

I was selling some vintage golf balls signed by A.Palmer and other golf greats

{snip}

I  am just too tiny to get any kind of position with my listings that anyone will see 

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Based on investigations like 'operation bullpen' and 'operation foul ball', the FBI estimated that more than half of sports memorabilia is fake. 

The fact that your items were started at 99 cents probably scared most collectors away rather than stimulating demand. I doubt it had anything to with you 'size'.

Besides, a quick search for 'arnold palmer signature golf ball' tells me they are worth about 5 bucks each. 

[tsme35]

True but ebay isn't backing the policy