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How do you feel about reserves on eBay?

drewnicedrewnice 5,465 Posts
edited November 2005 in Strut Central
I put a bid on a record last night that should have been enough, all things considered, only to be beat out by the reserve. I e-mailed the seller a few minutes later, "out of curiosity, what was the reserve on this record?"

"It was $249. One went for $250 last week."

WTF?!

I told him, "good luck getting that much for your copy. If you want to come down about HALF, get at me."


I swear, is it really reasonable to expect that much for your record based on a fluke last-minute bid war auction?

FAK A RESERVE!!!
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  Comments

  • hammertimehammertime 2,389 Posts
    of course it isn't reasonable, but when is anything about ebay reasonable? I usually do exactly what you did, email them with an offer and that's it.
  • Birdman9Birdman9 5,417 Posts
    I put a bid on a record last night that should have been enough, all things considered, only to be beat out by the reserve. I e-mailed the seller a few minutes later, "out of curiosity, what was the reserve on this record?"

    "It was $249. One went for $250 last week."

    WTF?!

    I told him, "good luck getting that much for your copy. If you want to come down about HALF, get at me."


    I swear, is it really reasonable to expect that much for your record based on a fluke last-minute bid war auction?

    FAK A RESERVE!!!

    Back when I was buying on eBay occasionally, nothing put me off an auction faster than seeing a RESERVE. Hate 'em.

  • DocBeezyDocBeezy 1,918 Posts
    Anytime I have used a reserve I have not sold the record (well once). I never use em anymore and I dont bid on ones that have a reserve.
  • JLRJLR 3,835 Posts
    There's an argentine seller that always put this in the description:

    "I had to put a small reserve to protect my investment"

    Investment? $ .25 at fleamarket?
  • RaystarRaystar 1,106 Posts
    So basically yall are saying that you should just make the first bid exactly what you want?
  • JLRJLR 3,835 Posts
    So basically yall are saying that you should just make the first bid exactly what you want?

    or take the $ 9.99 + risk route

  • jinx74jinx74 2,287 Posts
    if you put a record with a starting bid of $250... most MFers are gonna step away from the auction.

    if you put that same record out for $1 starting bid it could very well skip its way up to $250 anyway.

    however, putting your reserve on it is pretty much just securing that $250 that you originally wanted for it.

    ebayers are always crying about something anyway...

    "your starting bid is too high"
    "you have a reserve on it"
    "i cant bid if theres no picture"
    "if theres no audio theres no bidding from me"

    this is all the shit i gotta hear from folks just like yourselves. actual comments ive received via email or PMs from strutters. thanks... that shits really helpful.

    i guess the only way to satisfy yall is to just give you the records for free.

    what else you guys want to cry about next?
  • Birdman9Birdman9 5,417 Posts
    So basically yall are saying that you should just make the first bid exactly what you want?

    If I knew it was a $200, I wouldn't be afraid to put an opening bid of $50 to $100, a risk I could live with. Didn't happen to often. Most often records I sold that went above $100 were LPs I had no idea were in that kind of demand, and probably opened the bid at $6-10. But in a couple cases I had sealed high demand LPs, and I just started the bid high.

    But that was just me...
  • drewnicedrewnice 5,465 Posts
    I really have no problem with someone wanting to secure their investment or whatever, but when its based on the ending price of a fluke auction, that's where I am not in your corner anymore.
  • Birdman9Birdman9 5,417 Posts
    if you put a record with a starting bid of $250... most MFers are gonna step away from the auction.

    if you put that same record out for $1 starting bid it could very well skip its way up to $250 anyway.

    however, putting your reserve on it is pretty much just securing that $250 that you originally wanted for it.

    ebayers are always crying about something anyway...

    "your starting bid is too high"
    "you have a reserve on it"
    "i cant bid if theres no picture"
    "if theres no audio theres no bidding from me"

    this is all the shit i gotta hear from folks just like yourselves. actual comments ive received via email or PMs from strutters. thanks... that shits really helpful.

    i guess the only way to satisfy yall is to just give you the records for free.

    what else you guys want to cry about next?

    This is all truth...no one is ever happy. What turns me off will thrill the next guy.

    Can we get another "your shipping costs are too high" thread?
  • DocBeezyDocBeezy 1,918 Posts
    if you put a record with a starting bid of $250... most MFers are gonna step away from the auction.

    if you put that same record out for $1 starting bid it could very well skip its way up to $250 anyway.

    however, putting your reserve on it is pretty much just securing that $250 that you originally wanted for it.

    ebayers are always crying about something anyway...

    "your starting bid is too high"
    "you have a reserve on it"
    "i cant bid if theres no picture"
    "if theres no audio theres no bidding from me"

    this is all the shit i gotta hear from folks just like yourselves. actual comments ive received via email or PMs from strutters. thanks... that shits really helpful.

    i guess the only way to satisfy yall is to just give you the records for free.

    what else you guys want to cry about next?

    yes you have valid points......

    but Im just used to 90% of the people using the top dollar fluke ebay price to base their reserves......I use buy it now for around the price i want to get, and what is fair market value. It usually works.
  • meatyogremeatyogre 2,080 Posts
    First, I want to punch the shit out of reserves, unmercifully, just wailing on em like my life depended on it. Then, when I calm down, I'd go sip a glass of juice, and come back, look at the reserve, mentally challenge myself to overcome, and sit down with the reserve and stroke its long flowing mane, and tell it I'm sorry, and can we still be friends. Then I'd repeat the cycle over until the reserve gets angry and fights back.
  • JLRJLR 3,835 Posts
    EMBRACE RESERVES
  • DocBeezyDocBeezy 1,918 Posts
    First, I want to punch the shit out of reserves, unmercifully, just wailing on em like my life depended on it. Then, when I calm down, I'd go sip a glass of juice, and come back, look at the reserve, mentally challenge myself to overcome, and sit down with the reserve and stroke its long flowing mane, and tell it I'm sorry, and can we still be friends. Then I'd repeat the cycle over until the reserve gets angry and fights back.

    disturbing
  • robert_murtrobert_murt 338 Posts
    I really have no problem with someone wanting to secure their investment or whatever, but when its based on the ending price of a fluke auction, that's where I am not in your corner anymore.

    Problem is that the fluke you talk about is always at seller's advantage. I don't know for rare US soul/funk, but for european rare groove, most of the time it's the opposite! Stuff like libraries or european jazz funk tend to leave to ridiculously low price this time, it's not surprising to see people don't let their records leave for a couple of dollars.
  • jinx74jinx74 2,287 Posts
    yeah the fluke thing i understand and completely agree with you on. i dont do that and never have. ill approach second third fourth etc bidders down to the lowest ill sell a piece for but thats about it.

    and any reserve i have is, from what i take the value to be, lowered considerably depending on the piece.

    andrew: hahaha... youre fucking hilarious dude.
  • drewnicedrewnice 5,465 Posts
    I really have no problem with someone wanting to secure their investment or whatever, but when its based on the ending price of a fluke auction, that's where I am not in your corner anymore.



    Problem is that the fluke you talk about is always at seller's advantage. I don't know for rare US soul/funk, but for european rare groove, most of the time it's the opposite! Stuff like libraries or european jazz funk tend to leave to ridiculously low price this time, it's not surprising to see people don't let their records leave for a couple of dollars.




    Understood. However, I was not bidding to try and get a deal or swipe somebody on the cheap-cheap. The seller wanted $100+ MORE than what the record should/usually goes for. Instead, they'll take the risk of it not being sold at all.
  • DORDOR Two Ron Toe 9,905 Posts
    You should have told the d00d to make it a "Buy It now" for $0.01 and have shipping & Handling at $250 bucks. That way he doesn't pay ebay large amounts of cash on failed reserves!

    Cause didn't that failed auction just cost him $6 bucks?
  • hammertimehammertime 2,389 Posts
    yeah that's why i stopped using reserves, ebay double dips the fees, and if it doesn't sell you're screwed.
  • meatyogremeatyogre 2,080 Posts
    hammertime, are your PMs on? If not, please turn em on!
  • aleitaleit 1,915 Posts
    First, I want to punch the shit out of reserves, unmercifully, just wailing on em like my life depended on it. Then, when I calm down, I'd go sip a glass of juice, and come back, look at the reserve, mentally challenge myself to overcome, and sit down with the reserve and stroke its long flowing mane, and tell it I'm sorry, and can we still be friends. Then I'd repeat the cycle over until the reserve gets angry and fights back.

    you're on a roll.... haha. oops, coffee's too hot.
  • ArtifactorArtifactor 887 Posts
    You should have told the d00d to make it a "Buy It now" for $0.01 and have shipping & Handling at $250 bucks. That way he doesn't pay ebay large amounts of cash on failed reserves!

    Cause didn't that failed auction just cost him $6 bucks?

    Word. On that note 10 cent to post buy it nows all day.
  • meatyogremeatyogre 2,080 Posts
    First, I want to punch the shit out of reserves, unmercifully, just wailing on em like my life depended on it. Then, when I calm down, I'd go sip a glass of juice, and come back, look at the reserve, mentally challenge myself to overcome, and sit down with the reserve and stroke its long flowing mane, and tell it I'm sorry, and can we still be friends. Then I'd repeat the cycle over until the reserve gets angry and fights back.

    you're on a roll.... haha. oops, coffee's too hot.

    oddly enough, this was pre coffee. Now that I've had a cup, I'm calming down
  • peacefulrotationpeacefulrotation 3,481 Posts
    I never use 'em.

    Then again, I sold my clean OG promo copy pf the Simtec and Wylie lp this week for 9 dollars.

    oh well
  • aleitaleit 1,915 Posts
    First, I want to punch the shit out of reserves, unmercifully, just wailing on em like my life depended on it. Then, when I calm down, I'd go sip a glass of juice, and come back, look at the reserve, mentally challenge myself to overcome, and sit down with the reserve and stroke its long flowing mane, and tell it I'm sorry, and can we still be friends. Then I'd repeat the cycle over until the reserve gets angry and fights back.

    you're on a roll.... haha. oops, coffee's too hot.

    oddly enough, this was pre coffee. Now that I've had a cup, I'm calming down

    so the morning ritual is smoke then coffee? interesting.


    lately it's been cough syrup/coffee/ricola drops for me. doesn't make the coffee taste so good, but man do i get a buzz.

    oh yeah, reserves suck.
  • drewnicedrewnice 5,465 Posts
    Aftermath from eBay seller:



    hey dickhead....one went for that 2 weeks ago...i know how rare this record is....im not trying to get rid of my only copy for 100 bucks to some herb like you...matter of fact, go to the sound library in NYC and grab one off the wall for 225....fuck off with your little attitude cuz you cant afford a good record small timer. "good luck getting that much for it"...i figured id try...im not in need of money, but if somebody wants to pay that for it, they can have it.....just figured id try....ok homo?



    eat a dick



    My response:



    You mad J*ffr*y? It's pretty clear that you don't know how rare this record is. Because it's actually not that rare.



    The 225 auction you are drooling over was fluke. Say it with me..."fluuuke..." Here are prices of 24 Carat Black in the last YEAR.



    http://www.popsike.com/php/quicksearch.php?searchtext=24+carat+black&x=0&y=0



    You do the math.



    And if you're a Strutter, speak up.





  • knewjakknewjak 1,231 Posts





    yo, that dude sounds like he visits the strut. Anyway, on a similar note, besides seeing a 'reserve not met' on a auction, there are a number of other things that turn me off from bidding. Just some friendly advice to sellers...

    I don't care how much the record sold for last.

    I don't care that you don't really want to sell it, but are doing so just because you need the money (that "my loss, your gain" honky tonk rubs me the wrong way).













  • davesrecordsdavesrecords 1,802 Posts
    if you put a record with a starting bid of $250... most MFers are gonna step away from the auction.

    if you put that same record out for $1 starting bid it could very well skip its way up to $250 anyway.

    however, putting your reserve on it is pretty much just securing that $250 that you originally wanted for it.

    ebayers are always crying about something anyway...

    "your starting bid is too high"
    "you have a reserve on it"
    "i cant bid if theres no picture"
    "if theres no audio theres no bidding from me"

    this is all the shit i gotta hear from folks just like yourselves. actual comments ive received via email or PMs from strutters. thanks... that shits really helpful.

    i guess the only way to satisfy yall is to just give you the records for free.

    what else you guys want to cry about next?



    i agree with you jinx (is that first ?!)

    almost everytime i put up reserves it gets met, not only that it usually ends up higher than i expected. i think you should only do that with rare records tho. maybe i should have done that with that sweet charles record that only ended at 40. wtf ?! whenever i put low prices without reserves they usually go waaay lower than i would like. it's only when i put higher starting bids that i get the money that i want.

    dave
  • DORDOR Two Ron Toe 9,905 Posts
    The thing is tho.. The buyer isn't always right... In the end, the seller gets to set the price for the record. If you don't like it, don't buy it. Maybe no one ever will. Thats up to the buyer to deal with on how bad he wants to sell the record.

    I think back to when we had the store and we put a few things up on the bay.

    One record was Oneness Of JuJu - African Rhythms.

    Now I didn't want 150 US or some shit. I think I did put a reserve for $60 or $65.
    Max bid got upto $15 bucks... I could just see if I just put it up there it selling for 15-20 bucks... For an OG... Naw, thats ok...

    I got 5 emails asking if I wanted to sell it for around $20 bucks... The copy was mint. I told them all to go buy the re-press.

    After that and getting burned on shipping costs to France a couple of times, I stopped selling on ebay.

    I say, who cares... Just chalk it up to some dude asking way to much for the record and move on and I'm sure it will come up again for a price more to your liking.
  • hammertimehammertime 2,389 Posts
    hammertime, are your PMs on? If not, please turn em on!


    yeah man I got it...I'll hit you back when I get home.




    regarding reserves (and the auction in question here), I think a lot of sellers put up stuff with reserves almost as a just to see what they could get for it.
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