Ebay Buyers: Preference for starting Ask Price?

[BigLinc]

I've recently sold a couple of items on Ebay and I've been happy with the experience so far and plan to sell other things.

The question though is; When I create a new item for auction, what should I start the bidding price at?

I'm asking for the point of view from an Ebay buyer's perspective.

 

[DarkManXY2G]

I dont think it really matters. I usually dont bid on anything until right before the auction finishes anyway. So go ahead and do whatever you want.

 

[spaceman]

start em @ a buck or less.

 

[brtspears2]

$1 does wonders for some reason.

 

[Gand1]

I usually start between 2 to 5.

 

[Mr N8]

I usually snipe, so start it where you want.

As for selling, I start a lot of things in the $1 - $5 range. If its not worth setting a reserve, but I want to sell it for at least $25 - $50, I'll start at $5-$10 less than what I want.

 

[Jzero]

I'm gonna snipe, but I'd rather you don't use me for a low-cost price check and just start the minimum at the minimum you would accept. Don't give me any reserve crap.

 

[jurzdevil]

BUY IT NOW!!!

 

[Vette73]

NO RESERVE... PERIOD.

 

[DurocShark]

Low start, high buy it now. Gives someone a chance to grab it if they really need it, but it goes away if someone bids.

 

[BigLinc]

Originally posted by: Jzero
I'm gonna snipe, but I'd rather you don't use me for a low-cost price check and just start the minimum at the minimum you would accept. Don't give me any reserve crap.

Yes, that's a part of the reason I'm worried about doing the whole 'start bid at $1 with a reserve' thing.

...But on the other hand; if my starting bid is in fact my minimum acceptable price and it seems low/high to some potential bidders, wouldn't THAT put you off from bidding too?

 

[BigLinc]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
NO RESERVE... PERIOD.

That's a little TOO scary for me as a Seller, right now anyway.

 

[Siddhartha]

My first bid is usually the amount I intend to pay for an item. So it does not matter if the seller sets the starting price of the auction low or high.

 

[DainBramaged]

I rarely bid on anything unless the reserve has already been met. Reserves = teh 14me

 

[V00DOO]

No matter how much the item is worth, I always start with $2.00 and NR. The end bidding is always good. I wouldn't worry about starting low cause most of the time you will sell it at a fair market price.

 

[HiTek21]

If the item is worth a lot of money I'll start the bidding low and set a reserve price, sometimes I'll just put buy it now to get it sold faster rather than waiting. If the item isn't worth a whole lot its 99 cent starting bid and let it end at whatever.

 

[fs5]

I start my auctions at 0.01 with no reserve, it's a sellers market. You'll get bids unless you're selling something that only 1 person in the world would only buy.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: BigLinc

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
NO RESERVE... PERIOD.

That's a little TOO scary for me as a Seller, right now anyway.

If it has a reserve I move on.

Best way to sell something it put it at the LOWWEST price you will take without a Reserve.

 

[BigLinc]

Wow, there's a WHOLE LOTTA different opinions here.

 

[Ionizer86]

9.99 That way you don't owe ebay too much! You don't really need reserves on items that sell well (as long as 2 ppl really want the item, you're ok).

 

[dolph]

all (and i do mean all) of my auctions have always started at $0.01 with no reserve. however, i always know what my auctions will end at before i start them thanks to viewing completed auctions, so i never have to worry about an auction ending too low.

 

[psteng19]

Take it from a veteran eBay seller.
I've sold hundreds of items on ebay from many different categories.

If it's a popular item in demand, just start it at $9.99 to pay the minimal insertion fee and avoid the useless $0.50 increments in the beginning.

If it's an item that you're not sure will sell, or sell well, set it at the price you're willing to let it go at, or a little bit less.
Better to be out a couple of bucks on fees because no one bid, than to be out a lot more because your starting price was low and not enough people bidded.

If it's an expensive/rare item, do a 7 day for max exposure and perhaps set a reserve. You're starting price on this will depend again on whether it's popular or not.

 

[amdskip]

Originally posted by: ncircle
start em @ a buck or less.