Photo asking prices - just insane

[Snapolit1]

Asking prices on eBay just seemingly off the wall. I guess there are a lot of collectors not really looking to move photos, but mark everything at $10,000 or $15,000 or $25,000 just in case. Buy something for $1,500, post for sale on eBay for $8,000. Buy a photo from one of the big AHs for $12,000; immediately list on eBay for $40,000. A business model for some. And of course people can ask whatever they want. Just seems like the aspirations of some have far outrun where the market actually is. I don't see people buying cards at auctions and listing on eBay for 3x or 4x what they paid a few days later, but maybe its happening.

[Lucas00]

I've noticed this as well. It's strange how the roles of auction houses and ebay is kinda flipped for photos.
Auction houses are the go to for selling big cards and getting record prices. While eBay you can get some decent deals on most cards.

While auction houses for photos are where you get the true price/good deals, and not an outrageous bin price like eBay sellers are asking.

[Lordstan]

I see two different types of sellers. It applies to all Sports memorabilia, but is now really evident in photos.
1) Price them high and sit and wait forever. I have found on several that I won, the sellers accepted 50%, or less, of their listed price on a BIN.

2) Price it high and wait a week or two. If no bites, drop the price. Rinse ans Repeat until it sells.

Both start fishing for the whale with poor impulse control, more money than brains, or some combination of both. One is in it for the long game and is willing to wait, the other wants to sell it, but fishes first.
I have to say that I get the second plan more than the first. I guess if you have the ability to lay out the capitol and wait, you can bet that prices will rise to your asking price eventually.
I will say there is not much more annoying than someone who beats me out on a photo at an auction and then lists it on ebay for double, triple, or more, only to have it sit there for months or even years sometimes. Perhaps they think the people who lost will look to buy it from them. Perhaps, but not me. I have never bought a photo from a reseller that I lost it to in an auction. I'll just live without it.

[Snapolit1]

People will tell me I am an idiot or insane, or both, but my best purchases in photos in last year have been with Probstein. Maybe others are afraid to deal with him.

I have also bought some nice stuff from Brigandi out of NYC.

[LEHR]

It's gotten to the point where I almost never look at eBay anymore. The stuff I'm interested in is rarely run as eBay auctions and the fixed prices on most are ridiculous. While I agree that people can ask whatever price they choose, when said prices are routinely listed at 2x-5x what the same item last sold for at auction, I'm just wasting my time even looking.

[Snapolit1]

eBay seems to be a bit of a broken market on photos. Sure economists have a better team. But when the ask is miles from a reasonable bid, basically the market is not functioning.

I agree it almost not worth looking at eBay. RMY and some of the other AHs are
really the place to look.

[ooo-ribay]

There’s another eBay guy who does the same thing with another specific memorabilia category (not photos)…buys from auction houses, doubles or triples what he paid and they sit forever…I don’t get it.