High end card auctions + ebay. Would you participate?

[Fred]

How did the ebay interview go? Do they seem like they are interested in improving what they currently have for sports cards? Or did they seem to like the status quo?

If there's one thing I really dislike about the current AH environment, it's the extended bidding and in most cases that all lots close at the same time.

I can predict that someone will try and provide the advice to put a higher ceiling bid in. My response is that I don't have an unlimited budget for cardboard I can pick and choose things so that if I get outbid on something, then I can put the allocated hobby money towards something else. Call it my version of working with a hobby budget.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by Fred

...someone will try and provide the advice to put a higher ceiling bid in. My response is that I don't have an unlimited budget for cardboard I can pick and choose things so that if I get outbid on something, then I can put the allocated hobby money towards something else...

I'm often in the same boat. There have been auctions in which I've seen dozens of interesting items. Winning two or three of these at roughly market value is fine. Getting invoiced for 25 or 30 items *might* cause a bit of domestic tension.

I enjoy auctions that end lot-by-lot. I place marker bids early and then begin whittling down the list of realistic options (my watch list) as the bids climb.

By the time extended bidding starts, I've usually got a small handful of targets. As lots begin to close, I've either won items or I can bid more aggressively on targets that are still open. Without this knowledge (basically my "budget" for the auction) I would be more conservative.

[Bicem]

Originally Posted by Fred

How did the ebay interview go? Do they seem like they are interested in improving what they currently have for sports cards? Or did they seem to like the status quo?

I had to sign an NDA so I can't say too much, but they seemed hyper focused on their initiatives like Vault and eBay Live more than anything else.

[Schlesinj]

They seemed to make a big time sponsorship interest in the Philly Show last month. They had a whole “fancy” area in the middle of the hall. It was a large area carpeted with focused cards in single large cases. Not sure if that was a one time advertisement or some ongoing commitment.

[Snowman]

Yes, I would. And I already do. They've recently added the ability to pay for higher priced items by bank wire. Makes it easier.