[Archive]

Posted By: petecld

Ebay is set up to be auctions, not sales and I like that. To that end, putting a $300 minimum bid on a $300 card takes all the need for the auction process and the fun out of using the site. Setting a reserve puts off some but at least keeps bidders coming back. You'll get more bidding if you start low and get bidders going, this is human psychology. It's easier to get many people started out by agreeing to a small step (low minimum bid) then to get them started using a huge step(high minimum bid).

Setting an artificially high reserve just to "test" the value is really unfair to people putting in good faith bids and just wastes everyone's time. I've considered it but won't do it. This is why ebay switched to chargeing based on the reserve price and not the minimum bid price. There are a few dealers who I feel do this all the time and I don't waste my time with their auctions.

I know price and money is important but can't we have a little fun too? I think just buying an item is boring but the auction process is exciting. Sure it's risky to NOT use a reserve but if a card has "true" value and has a histroy of steady sales at a certain level you don't have to worry too much. It's the speculation or "Hot" items that you need to worry about.