Posted By:
boxingcardmanIf the seller isn't willing to suffer a potential loss on a card and decides to list it at a fixed price, you either BIN the card or you don't get the card. That's why I find it so asinine for people to quote VCP results at me; if they believe that is the right price for the card, go find the card for that price and quit bothering me. Since it is obvious they cannot find the card for that price, the VCP results are irrelevant.
Ebay has encouraged the use of BIN pricing by making it dirt cheap. Think of it from the weekend warrior seller's perspective: my choice for covering the downside on a card is (1) use a reserve (which costs me some money and turns off people), (2) start with a high minimum (ditto), (3) use a $0.35 fixed price (perhaps with best offer), (4) refuse to sell. So, do I spend several dollars to generate a listing that protects my downside or do I do it with $0.35? The card will sell or not sell at a level I deem acceptable either way. Ebay has made it so by its pricing regime; buyers may dislike it but if they want the cards, they will adjust. If not, I keep my card having ventured only $0.35 to see if it will sell.
I do not foresee any movement away from this dynamic until the economy turns. Card buyers are hoarding cash unless greed for a bargain supersedes their fear and card sellers (many of whom do not rely on card sales to make a living) do not want to sell their cards at those prices. Those who do not need to sell will use cheap listing fee BINS to do it and not waste their cards in auctions.
One final point: I find it quite interesting that people who "invest" on the theory that you do not sell an investment into a slump do not apply the same logic to cards sellers are holding in their collectons or inventories. One thing buyers tend to forget when carping about sellers' methods is that these aren't shirts at Macy's; there isn't a ready substitute for the last card in that set you've been working, and sellers know it. The desperate ones are selling into the storm, but many are just choosing not to play Black Friday sales games and are instead holding their tough inventory.
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