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Hi everyone,
Australian Ebay doesn't have the facility to do a "reserve" auction. As I sometimes list on the US Ebay, I was interested in peoples views about the "reserve" price facility.
I have always just started my auction at the minimum price I am prepared to accept for a bear, and then keep my fingers crossed that I get some more bids.
For the artists who use the "reserve" facility, what do you normally start the auction off at, and do you believe that it encourages bidders starting off at the lower fee.
I would be interested to hear any collectors views. Do you rather have the minimum price acceptable there in front of you, or are you happy to keep bidding until the reserve is reached?
Also, do you reveal the reserve if asked by a prospective bidder?
I would really be interested to hear anyones point of view on this.
Newcastle, OntarioHi Christine,
I've always started my auctions at $95.00 and put my reserve at the amount I'm willing to take for the item - don't ask me why that price, I picked it out the air :crackup: I do think it encourages customers to bid when the starting price is lower, but maybe some collectors can give their take on that.
When I started, I would not reveal the reserve to customers, but now I often include it with my "heads up" emails. I figure "what the heck". Maybe it will encourage a bidder. Hope this helps, but you may find you get so many different answers that you're left as confused as before :crackup: .
hugs,
Brenda
I start my auctions at $50 (£25) again it's plucked out of the air!! I do put a reserve of about 10% less than I would sell for on my website, so it's risky...but so far I have met the reserve and done well with the auction.
I never used to reveal my reserve to bidders however I will tell those on my mailing list the reserve..I feel it's only fair if they ask. But I know others have different views on reserve auctions. I suspect if a bear is good enough it doesn't need a reserve but I am chicken to try it!! I might one day!!!!!
I do think ebay has guidelines..which I have seen somewhere...on reserves and whether it's good practice to reveal them. It probably isn't really ideal to tell some and not others because it gives an unfair advantage...this is something I constantly think about. Why don't I start the auction at what I would accept for the bear?...Because realistically starting lower encourages people to look....and bid...it's not about being devious or anything..I just want people to click on my auction page.
Thanks Brenda and Jenny for your opinions. It is an interesting dilemma. I think your point Jenny is true, that a lower starting price does encourage people to visit the auction page. I might try a reserve with my next auction to see how it goes.
YorkshireI'm going to stick my neck out and I may not be popular after this but ....... I hate reserve price auctions especially ones that start at 99p and the reserve is nearer £100 what is the point of that? I prefer it when they start off with the minimum amount they would be prepared to receive so I know where I am and not have to keep putting in a bid until I have reach the price that is wanted - it does take out the fun and excitment of the bidding. I totally understand that as the seller you want the best price for your creation, you deserve it, but personally I like to know where I am before I start bidding then I can decide which ones I can truely afford (or not as the case usually is 
) and not waste my time trying to find the true starting price only to find its out of my reach - after all, the real excitment of bidding only starts when that price is reached anyway. Sorry if I'm waffling I know what I mean :redface:
Jenny I ALWAYS look at your lovlies because their pictures entice me in 
I do think a good picture encourages more people to look rather than a low starting price with a reserve. I once watched a bear with serious intentions to bid nearer the end of the auction, but on the last day the lady added a reserve to her listing so I didn't bother bidding after that. She didn't make her reserve, she relisted the bear with a higher starting price and no reserve and she got quite a few bids (me included) and she sold well, unfortunely not to me
Just another point of view - please don't shoot me 
Hugs Ali x
Newcastle, OntarioAli, it's nice to know your opinion as a bidder, so you're safe for now :crackup:
Really, I understand wanting to know what the sale price is - in fact, I agree with that from a bidder standpoint.
My reserve is my bottom price, Christine. It either makes it or that's it. I won't lower a reserve and I won't sell for lower than that, if approached by a customer after the auction. That is just shooting yourself in the foot, so to speak. If a customer thinks you will sell lower, after an auction, they will keep trying that approach.
For a long time, when I first started, I sold without a reserve, but Ebay was much better then. I can't afford to do that anymore. If it doesn't sell for my reserve, I won't list a bear a second time without giving it a substantial makeover. I see other artists re-listing and selling the second time, but I can't bring myself to do it. So, I usually change the costume and/or add a prop.
I agree that pictures can make or break an auction. I always take lots of pictures and really edit them to get the best possible pictures and use at least 10. I also think you have to invest the time in making your entire auction as attractive as possible for a good first impression - ebay has some nice templates for a few cents, so use that to your advantage.
I read somewhere that if you haven't grabbed a customer's attention in the first 5 seconds they click on your auction, they will exit immediately, and I think for the most part it's true. It's definitely true for me. I started thinking about that when I looked at other auctions and found I did click off really fast if I didn't like the presentation of the auction or the pictures were not good.
You will start to realize what works for you, as you get more experience and you will find ways to improve your auctions. I think listing at a consistent time each week, works for a lot of people, but I'm never that organized :crackup: One thing that has worked for me is I use the same background for all of my pictures, if possible. It's solid black, and I've had many customers tell me that they can spot my auctions because they recognize my set up. Anyway, I hope some of this is helpful - good luck with your auctions Christine!
hugs,
Brenda
Thanks so much for your input again Brenda, and I really appreciate your viewpoint as a collector Ali. It is great that you speak out with your point of view and no one could get up set with that. I completely understand what you are saying. And as a collector, you want to know whether a bear is going to be completely out of your price range before you start bidding. It is a real dilemma isn't it. I have always started my bears at the "bear" minimum I am prepared to accept, as I feel that people do know where they stand.
I can certainly understand that having a reserve and starting at a lower price generates a lot of interest in your auction and potential bidders. Like so many things, I don't think that there is any right answer. One day I might try a "reserve" auction and see what happens. Thanks so much for all your opinions girls.
