Reserves at auction sites - Why do sellers bother with a lower starting bid?

[2152hq]

I at first used to use a reserve type auction when I started selling a few things on line about 12 years ago.

I quickly went to a non-reserve starting price that was what I thought was a fair selling price. A price I would ask if I just put it out for sale at a show or in a shop.
That has worked out OK for me. Some sell for the opening bid sale,,some get some bids and a few more dollars. Once in a while a couple of people decide they aren't going to let the other person own it.
Some go unsold and you have to reduce them after a couple of go arounds to make them fly away. For some reason, a couple of guns that went untouched on the auctions, sold quickly FTF at gun shows for the same or more asking prices. Speaks to my photography skills most likely

I always made the bids in $1 increments, less on the smaller stuff. One thing bidders don't like to see is the increments in large steps.

 

[jughed440]

Originally posted by tomf52:
Jughed - What is sinister and lowlife about posting a starting bid on an item. It's upfront and clear about what the least amount you will take for an item is. Simple enough to understand, sheesh!

simple, some will post it as "no reserve" when there is a reserve, the starting price.

read the post thoroughly before getting your panties in a wad...it's not that complicated to figure out...for most anyway

 

[mtb1bkr]

While not a fan of reserves, I wouldn't have the nice set of Sanderson Stocks in my safe right now if I had not bid on one recently. I bid in the last 5 minutes what I was willing to pay and my bid went over the reserve. Fortunatly no one outbid me. I never get in a bidding war on auction sites. I bid once, the max I am willing to pay and then walk away. I'll come back when I know the auction is over and see if I won.

I usually start my auctions at .99 just because it's the cheapest you can get for a listing. When you start it real high you pay a higher up front cost and you still pay the percentage of the final price.

Bill

 

[handejector]

Originally posted by jughed440:
yes, reserve auctions are annoying...but far more sinister are lowlife sellers proclaiming "no reserve" on their auctions, and yet they have a starting price that is their reserve.
a true "no reserve" auction should start at $0

my peeve...i feel better now

A Reserve and a starting price are NOT the same thing. A Reserve is usually an UNKNOWN amount that bidders have to "search" for by bidding. I agree they are very annoying.
I also agree that a starting bid that is roughly the selling price is not a true auction.
I don't think presenting a starting price is "sinister' or "lowlife". It is there, in the open, for all to see, and they can accept it or reject it.
However, NONE of the auction sites allow a $0.0 starting point. Most have 1 cent or 99 cents as a start. I suppose my ONE CENT starts qualify as a RESERVE to you?

Originally posted by jughed440:

Originally posted by tomf52:
Jughed - What is sinister and lowlife about posting a starting bid on an item. It's upfront and clear about what the least amount you will take for an item is. Simple enough to understand, sheesh!

simple, some will post it as "no reserve" when there is a reserve, the starting price.

read the post thoroughly before getting your panties in a wad...it's not that complicated to figure out...for most anyway

Keep it CIVIL. His post makes more sense than yours......