your thoughts on reserve auctions
I was just looking at a guys stuff and everything (75 + items) had a reserve on it. auctions started at $1.02 and other od ass amounts and most were run of the mill 20-30 dollar magazines for petes sake.
I find as a buyer that this is just wasting my time. and as a seller it wastes my potential customers time and will make a percentage of buyers go to someone who has a price they can buy it for posted.
if you have to get $20 for an item and you're perfectly happy with that price, why play games using a reserve?
I fully understand that a reserve can be helpfull when you have either one of said item and/or you are trying to determine the value of said item.
I've had stuff I didn't want to sell but wanted to know what the market would pay for certain items.
so tell me whats the point of reserve auctions on pidley $20-30 stuff? enlighten me cause I just don't get it.
I may be off but I can't stand to ask someone what they want for something and they come back with "what'll ya give for it". when that happens I usually shoot back with "you mean you don't know what you gotta have for it?" they usually say "yea, I know what I gotta have for it" and I say "then why don't you tell me the price and quit wasting my time?" (at this point I know I ain't buying it anyway so I'm just having fun jerking the guys chain.)
its just as frustrating to look at something you have somewhat extensive knowledge of and the guy is calling it something else. I went to look at an "AK" the other day and the guy brings it out and hands it to me and its a SKS (I've had 20 or 30 of each one over the years) I looked at him and thought him and the other guy was trying to pull my leg so I start to chuckle a little bit and then I see the look on their faces and they ain't smiling so I tell him its an SKS and you'd thought I just called his momma a fatlady. thought I was gonna have to fight my way out. I just said "oh, OK so it is" and pretended to be interested and said thanks but I'll pass and left as quickly as I could.
the guy was 60 plus years old so he wasn't young and dumb - just old and stupid.
rant off.
RR
I find as a buyer that this is just wasting my time. and as a seller it wastes my potential customers time and will make a percentage of buyers go to someone who has a price they can buy it for posted.
if you have to get $20 for an item and you're perfectly happy with that price, why play games using a reserve?
I fully understand that a reserve can be helpfull when you have either one of said item and/or you are trying to determine the value of said item.
I've had stuff I didn't want to sell but wanted to know what the market would pay for certain items.
so tell me whats the point of reserve auctions on pidley $20-30 stuff? enlighten me cause I just don't get it.
I may be off but I can't stand to ask someone what they want for something and they come back with "what'll ya give for it". when that happens I usually shoot back with "you mean you don't know what you gotta have for it?" they usually say "yea, I know what I gotta have for it" and I say "then why don't you tell me the price and quit wasting my time?" (at this point I know I ain't buying it anyway so I'm just having fun jerking the guys chain.)
its just as frustrating to look at something you have somewhat extensive knowledge of and the guy is calling it something else. I went to look at an "AK" the other day and the guy brings it out and hands it to me and its a SKS (I've had 20 or 30 of each one over the years) I looked at him and thought him and the other guy was trying to pull my leg so I start to chuckle a little bit and then I see the look on their faces and they ain't smiling so I tell him its an SKS and you'd thought I just called his momma a fatlady. thought I was gonna have to fight my way out. I just said "oh, OK so it is" and pretended to be interested and said thanks but I'll pass and left as quickly as I could.
the guy was 60 plus years old so he wasn't young and dumb - just old and stupid.
rant off.
RR
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Very nice rant. 0 -
Actually, that was an awesome rant. 0 -
I just read your thoughts and I agree and could not may have written it any better. Well said. Reserve auctions =[xx(] 0 -
I guess you keep an eye on my auctions then....don't you!!!!
These rants go the other way sometimes. Someone comes in and wants to do a trade. My guns all have prices on them....he just has to price that ONE gun....but what do you think I get asked at least three times a day
"what'll ya give me for it?"0 -
quote:Originally posted by rambo rebel
your thoughts on reserve auctions
does it really matter?
I use them ... I bid on the ones I want.
The way I look at it is just like if someone else has already bid, I've got to out bid him ... and I don't know what his bid is, so I just bid what I'm willing to pay.
I've lost a few that way ... reserve or no reserve0 -
My rule of thumb after bidding on many reserve auction (never again).
Red R = Stay Away0 -
if it has a reserve price i don't even open it. too many other sellers are willing to set an opening price without it for me to waste my time with reserve auctions. I'm not saying they are wrong to list them that way, I just don't like 'em and I won't open them to look at them. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by calamitywood
if it has a reserve price i don't even open it. too many other sellers are willing to set an opening price without it for me to waste my time with reserve auctions. I'm not saying they are wrong to list them that way, I just don't like 'em and I won't open them to look at them.
I couldn't agree more !0 -
Reserve auctions are not auctions, they are an ad to sell something. 0 -
I see no reason for reserve auctions. One must assume you have a good idea of the least one will want for the item. Simply price it at that price. How complicated is that. I have never used reserve auctions and don't plan to. It is quite silly to have in a reserve auction something priced at one cent and then see someone actually bid one cent. Like the blind leading the blind. O well that's my say. 0 -
I guess when I set up this auction for a friend I screwed up.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=84995557
I should have just started it at $160 rather than reserve it. Will do better next time to get your attention. Thanks for the tip.0 -
They do it that way so you will look at it. Look at a list of auctions and check the current prices next to them, most reserves are a penny. So you look to what you can get for a penny. I have slipped and opened a few that are reserve before seeing the red R. When I see Reserve Not Met I close the auction and don't go back to it. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by sarge_3ad
I guess when I set up this auction for a friend I screwed up.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=84995557
I should have just started it at $160 rather than reserve it. Will do better next time to get your attention. Thanks for the tip.
[:D]0 -
most of my stuff sells for the Buy Now price. I includes insured shipping for the Buy Now price so it all works out.
D.0 -
Originally posted by calamitywood
if it has a reserve price i don't even open it. too many other sellers are willing to set an opening price without it for me to waste my time with reserve auctions. I'm not saying they are wrong to list them that way, I just don't like 'em and I won't open them to look at them.
I think you hit the nail right on the head. the point is that R auctions turn some people off from even fooling with the auction at all. BUT I've not heard anyone say "hey I don't fool with any auction that DON"T have a reserve."
so what it appears to indicate is that if you run reserve auctions you cut out 15-20% of your potential sales whereas auctions starting at the "sell it" price alienates no one so you in theory will increase your sales by that 15-20%.0 -
You make some good points rambo rebel, but there are other points that you don't address about reserve auctions too. For example, some people use the reserve auction feature because they "know" their item(s) will sell reasonably fast enough to suit them, with or without, the help of those who do not bother with reserve auctions. Also, those people who have collectibles might use the reserve feature knowing full well that their audience will be aimed at the collector, to include, wanna be collectors, and gun dealers that offer only the highest bids.
There are a great many reasons as to why people use reserve auctions. Look at it this way, just how popular/successful do you think the online Gunbroker auctions would be if they did not give customers the reserve option while other lesser successful online gun auctions did offer it? Would GB lose an awful lot of business? You bet they would, IMO.0 -
I very rarely look at reserve auctions, because usually I open it and the reserve ends up being some crazy high amount. I stick to those sellers that use a more traditional auction approach. 0 -
I never bid on reserve auctions. I think they are stupid. People need to put their starting price on their item and let it be. Reserve auctions are like a guessing game. I thought guessing games were for kids. JMO. 0 -
Well said rambo rebel!
I don't even give reserve auctions a look, I exclude them for most serches. I think most of the time they are too proud of it and over price the item too. Not only does it put off several potential buyers but you also have to pay a fee for it. That makes no sense to me when you can list it for want you want for free. Oh well, I guess those idiots just help keep rates down for us. [:D][:D]0 -
I don't bid on alot of reserve auctions either, however, you'd probably have a second rate auction site instead of the best if reserve auctions were not allowed. 0 -
Thanks!!!
To all you guys that don't look at reserve auctions ...
... otherwise I doubt I'd have gotten this genuine HK-91 for $1600
or this pre-ban PWA for $700 during the ban
or this 39A for $200
or this AUG Special Receiver (receiver, FCG and stock) for $1800
I could go on and on ... but it might piss some people off. You never know what you might be passing up ... you cant win if you don't play!0 -
[8D][;)] 0 -
I've already stated that I understand reserve auctions on high end or rare items because some items may have been worth more last year than this year so if you bought it last year at the higher value you would want to see a return on your investment, or you may just want to see what the item is worth now w/o selling it. having the reserve feature is nesessary in some instances. I've used it myself.
Kimber, I think most who've posted here would look at the steyr aug with a reserve if they were looking for that particular item.
BUT they and I won't even look twice at a 20-30 dollar item with a reserve unless thats the only game in town and we need that item. I'm trying to make the point that it is somewhat ridiculous to run a reserve auction on a common low dollar item. reread the original post.0 -
quote:Originally posted by rambo rebel
I've already stated that I understand reserve auctions on high end or rare items because some items may have been worth more last year than this year so if you bought it last year at the higher value you would want to see a return on your investment, or you may just want to see what the item is worth now w/o selling it. having the reserve feature is nesessary in some instances. I've used it myself.
Kimber, I think most who've posted here would look at the steyr aug with a reserve if they were looking for that particular item.
BUT they and I won't even look twice at a 20-30 dollar item with a reserve unless thats the only game in town and we need that item. I'm trying to make the point that it is somewhat ridiculous to run a reserve auction on a common low dollar item. reread the original post.
I believe that most folks who support the existence of reserve auctions were responding more to their beliefs than trying to knock the point you made about lower costing items having reserves.0 -
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=84952953
Check this out, now THIS must be a superior auction. No Reserve, nice pic...now this guy knows what he's doing...
Until you get to the fine print. "shipping will be a flat rate 50 dollars" WHAT???????
Fifty bucks! Well, good thing he doesn't have a reserve. We all know that you're trying to rip folks off if you dare put a reserve.
PLUS! He started off at 99.99...gah! no penny!!!! Who does this guy think he is?
D.0 -
quote:Originally posted by kimberkid
Thanks!!!
To all you guys that don't look at reserve auctions ...
... otherwise I doubt I'd have gotten this genuine HK-91 for $1600
or this pre-ban PWA for $700 during the ban
or this 39A for $200
or this AUG Special Receiver (receiver, FCG and stock) for $1800
I could go on and on ... but it might piss some people off. You never know what you might be passing up ... you cant win if you don't play!
I like the 39A and you got a good deal for $200. I would never have opened the item to look at it. [:)]0 -
A starting price is a reserve & I have no objection to that. What I won't waste my time on is a HIDDEN reserve. 0 -
I don't bother with an auction that has a reserve most of the time. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by AZEX
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=84952953
Check this out, now THIS must be a superior auction. No Reserve, nice pic...now this guy knows what he's doing...
Until you get to the fine print. "shipping will be a flat rate 50 dollars" WHAT???????Fifty bucks! Well, good thing he doesn't have a reserve. We all know that you're trying to rip folks off if you dare put a reserve.
PLUS! He started off at 99.99...gah! no penny!!!! Who does this guy think he is?
D.
He's charging $50 because he only ships FedEx Priority Overnight instead of USPS. Maybe he doesn't have an FFL although I can't understand how he can charge sales tax if he isn't a licensed dealer.0
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