lack of multiple bids

[keziak]

I start a lot of things at auction first (mostly book and media lots). There is a real trend lately of them selling with just the minimum bid which is the lowest of what I want (not 99 cents!). You may say, then why not just list for free at Fixed Price? It's because my space for boxes of stuff in my store is extremely limited. I have to think carefully about what to keep. 

For those using auctions are you finding similar results?

[maxine*j]

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@keziak wrote:

...It's because my space for boxes of stuff in my store is extremely limited. I have to think carefully about what to keep. 

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What does that have to do with whether you use an auction or a fixed price format?

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[pburn]

Speaking from a buyer's perspective,  I'm not all that interested in waiting for an auction to end to see whether I've been successful in acquiring the item. That's not to say I don't participate in auctions if it's an item that is listed infrequently--I do. In fact, I'm watching one that ends today. It can be quite disappointing, though, to wait all week for the end of an auction and either have to be there at the perfect time to snipe and still not win, or have someone else snipe my bid.

If I want a book or a puzzle or a whatnot, I'd prefer to buy it right now. I just don't think auctions are all that attractive anymore for run-of-the-mill listings. Rare or one-of-a-kind items, or items for which there's a lot of buyer competition may bring successful results at auction for a seller, but not much else.

[glasser]

@maxine*j  f you sell by auction, which I do, then you are pretty much going to sell the item in seven days as opposed to have it sitting around for months. It seems like the OP is trying to move inventory and auctions can work for that quite well.

To @keziak Have you tried auctions with a BIN option? I no longer start auctions at .99 the eBay bid increments are too small.  Maybe try a higher starting price like $4.99  (just an example) and a BIN of $10. If someone bids the BIN goes away.

This has been a bit successful for me. I sell glass that I know will sell for a $200+ usually around 24.99 or more and then put a BIN price at a little bit over my estimate of what I think it will sell for so if some comes along and really, really wants it they can snag it without waiting.  That happens about 10% of the time. Often they sell for more than my BIN :).

You might try this with a BIN that's a great deal and see if things move at a better the 1 bid price.  The problem with BIN GTC is that there is no incentive to make the purchase immediately as in most cases the item will be around for a while. Auctions not that case. Buy it in the time allotted or gone.

[maxine*j]

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@glasser wrote:

@maxine*j  f you sell by auction, which I do, then you are pretty much going to sell the item in seven days as opposed to have it sitting around for months. It seems like the OP is trying to move inventory and auctions can work for that quite well...

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That would make sense to me if anything that didn't sell in that seven days were then tossed, with the loss taken as part of the inventory reduction financial strategy

Otherwise, I guess I still don't see how it moves a lot more inventory than fixed price does for the sort of items OP sells -- unless one is willing, in fact, to run 99-cent auctions and take the losses that way.

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[pburn]

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@maxine*j wrote:
. . . in fact, to run 99-cent auctions and take the losses that way.

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@glasser 

@maxine*j 

Just clearing up a slight misconception here.

The OP stated emphatically in his/her first post:

"There is a real trend lately of them selling with just the minimum bid which is the lowest of what I want (not 99 cents!). 

If you check the OP's auctions, it's clear s/he indeed does not start the bidding for any of his/her listings at $. 99. 

[dhbookds]

I don't think it's "lately" that sellers are starting auctions at the price they want......  Certainly, there are those that start low.........but the experienced ones know their market and/or have followers that they know will probably bid things up........

You probably have more experience with auctions than most people on this board, so not sure what the question is...........

[pburn]

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@dhbookds wrote:

You probably have more experience with auctions than most people on this board, so not sure what the question is...........

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The question is whether other auction sellers are experiencing their auctions closing with only one bid/bidder.

I interpreted the opening post to be about the lack of activity on auction listings--not the opening price, not the ending price. Just the apparent disinterest from buyers.

[maxine*j]

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@pburn wrote:

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Just clearing up a slight misconception here.

The OP stated emphatically in his/her first post:

"There is a real trend lately of them selling with just the minimum bid which is the lowest of what I want (not 99 cents!). 

If you check the OP's auctions, it's clear s/he indeed does not start the bidding for any of his/her listings at $. 99. 

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I understood that, and was not working under a misconception.  But the auctions are ending without any bids at all, or ending with one bid, per OP, and her complaint is that she wants to move inventory.  Thus, my comment, to her and to Glasser, that I don't see how auctions move inventory any faster than fixed-price listings unless they start low and losses are built into the inventory reduction scheme.

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[glasser]

@pburn Didn't register that...

[soh.maryl]

Ever get the issue resolved with your storage facility?  

[keziak]

I ac tually have not tried using a BIN. If I re-list an auction I will usually add Best Ofer. 

I know that many folks prefer fixed price. I do! but there seems to be a principle that an auction says "7 days or gone" whereas Fixed Price says "whenever". 

[keziak]

I find it h ard with a small sample to know for sure if when FIRST listed a lot will sell just as fast at FP as auction (5 or 7 days). I have a small area for "lots" in the store so can't just list them in great numbers and wait around.

<My question was about bidding up. Just wondering if others have seen this decline.

[keziak]

Nobody wants to hear about that again but I now have MANY people not respond to me on this issue including corporate claiming they prize great customer service. 

Guess I am not a customer. Just a bug on the windshield of life.

[mr_lincoln]

Hi @keziak ,

My preferred method of sales is auction format BUT I determine the starting price the same way I would for a Fixed Price listing ... meaning one bid and I make a profit ... more bids then more profit.  At times some of my auctions start for a coupe hundred dollars, some sell for that starting bid and some go higher ...

I do not use Best Offer on Fixed priced listings ... sometimes I get Buyers who message me with an offer and the message flow will have the "Reply with offer" button.  If interested in either their offer or a counter I can pursue that, if not I thank them for the interest but decline the messaged offer.

Mr. L