Skip to main content
Help Center Community Shop

Auction tactics

spurgemastur
I'm getting ready to list my first auctions on this board and would like advice from some of you seasoned auctioneers.

I'll do my damndest to sell the stuff with pictures and text, but beyond that, do you think about when to post the auction? For example, is it better to post it so that the auction ends at 5PM Friday rather than at 8AM Monday?

Tips on timing are appreciated. Other general tips also are appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
0

Comments

11 comments

Date Votes
  • Henry0Reilly
    I've always thought that ending on the weekends is a better strategy but in the summer I'm not sure that it really makes any difference.
    0
  • spryor
    For the items I carry, I can find no rhyme or reason...best time, etc.

    It's a mighty large overall population, and it seems to be a crapshoot, at best.

    For instance, sometimes an auction may run through once, or even twice
    with no bids, then WHAM someone will "Buy It Now" within 2min. of relisting. Time of day, day of week, phase of moon, seems to matter nil.
    0
  • MIKE WISKEY
    list it on thursday with a 10 day run. you hit 2 weekends and it ends on sun.
    0
  • bobski
    who we trying to help here? the seller or a buyer? tactics are different for each group.
    tactics arent important since gb offers free relistings.

    if youre a individual seller whos trying to break even, just set your reserve at what youre willing to let it go for and deduct the overheads to see what you get in your pocket. list it and sit back and watch the show.

    if youre a dealer....well, just make your first bid your selling price. no auction there folks, but thats about what it boils down to![xx(][:o)][B)]
    penny auctions are usually the result of dealers buying collections for a song and a dance with no fear of losing their investment. they will either break even or make a small profit one way or another. the market pushes the bids. dont play that game unless you can afford to lose.

    if youve ever been to a govt junk auction, youd know that they sell stuff in lots by the pallet. sometimes you see one item on a pallet that you know will sell, but youre not allowed to restock pallets and you must take everything on the pallet. so you bid on what youre willing to pay for that one item and the rest is technically junk. so, if you win, you got your good item and now you have all this junk. so, if you sell ANY OF THE JUNK, its considered frosting on the cake. thats what gun dealers do with gun collections. they get good prices on a few diamonds in the rough, and the rest is auctioned off for 100% profit. so, you the customer see it on auction and cant believe your eyes; so you win it, the dealer looks good, but what you dont know is he didnt pay ANYTHING for it and makes 100% off of you.
    welcome to captailizm.
    good luck.
    0
  • Da-Tank
    Bobski... Ain't America great.[:D][:D][:D]
    0
  • fishkiller41
    Bobski 'bout nailed-it..Nuf'said..

    Jeff
    0
  • David Nunn
    Thursday thru Sunday is all right if you can stand a 10-day auction. I do 7-day auctions because the 10-day ones seem to go on forever. So, I try to list on Sunday evening, so the auctions end on Sunday evening. Seems to be more people sitting around with nothing else to do on Sunday evenings.
    0
  • Grasshopper
    As above but sometimes, it is the timing of the item!! Period. I have watched an item go for 250 then next week SAME thing bring 500 or more...I alway start mine with N.R. and like the results, ,,most of the time,,but you do take your chances and have been bitten once or twice....nambu
    0
  • Mercury
    I've never sold on GB, but I've sold over 100k items on "that other site" and have found that Sunday and Monday evenings are the best times to end auctions.

    Merc
    0
  • pickenup
    quote:Originally posted by MIKE WISKEY
    list it on thursday with a 10 day run. you hit 2 weekends and it ends on sun.

    That is what I do.
    0
  • select-fire
    The Best time to buy is early morning or early afternoon. Some are vacant to bid.... [:D]
    0

Please sign in to leave a comment.

Recent Activity