Now what???

arlene · #1 05-15-2002, 09:06 AM

I did a reserve auction because I thought people would shy away from seeing a starting bid of $125. (my wholesale price on my original).

Now the woman who bought one of my other pieces (different media, same subject) put a bid on for the minimum on the bird, but even if she did put a high enough price on, if no one else bids, am i up the creek without the proverbial paddle?

I started the bidding at $10.

Ok so now what?

centyr · #2 05-15-2002, 09:33 AM

if the auction has a reserve on it and you dont get a bid that matches or is more than the reserve the piece doesnt sell. If it has no reserve then your stuck with the your starting bid or higher. Hope that answers your question.

BlackTigr · #3 05-15-2002, 12:16 PM

Also, just to add something from personal experience...People really don't like reserve auctions. They don't want to spend time monitoring an auction for something that they don't know whether or not they can get.

Starting your price where you need it to be might be the better way to go.

--BT

cagathoc · #4 05-15-2002, 12:18 PM

The bid doesn't mean anything - they only win if they bid past the reserve otherewise no deal.

nancymae · #5 05-15-2002, 12:27 PM

Arlene,
I believe that you could contact this woman after the auction as ask her if she is interested in the piece at the price she bid. I know my sister got something that way on Ebay. Hope that is an option for you!!

How do you like the internet selling???

Nancy

arlene · #6 05-15-2002, 12:32 PM

thanks folks...i understand about the reserve price...but for example someone puts an opening bid of $10 and her final is my reserve price, but no one else bids on it...then she loses still right?

Quote:

I believe that you could contact this woman after the auction as ask her if she is interested in the piece at the price she bid. I know my sister got something that way on Ebay. Hope that is an option for you!!

I think u must have missed my reasoning...I put it on low so people would at least look...but I'm not selling it for $10. Not for anything!

The piece took me 10 hours to make...to frame it costs me $14.

And I thought we weren't allowed to contact the bidders?

nancymae · #7 05-15-2002, 12:38 PM

Oh..I guess I did misunderstand. I would only contact her if the price she bid was what you wanted for it. I don't know if you are allowed to contact bidders or not. I just know that my sister did an "off Ebay" sale, because she did not bid the reserve, but she bid high enough for the seller to sell it to her. He contacted her. I would absolutely NOT sell ANY of your work for $10!!! It is tooo beautiful...and professional!!

Good luck!!

Nancy

kjsspot · #8 05-15-2002, 08:03 PM

If her proxy is at or above your reserve, then Ebay will automatically increase it to the reserve point. If it is below your reserve, only her starting bid will show unless others come in and bid. Either way, if someone bids at or above your reserve, it'll increase to that point and if they don't, it will end with no sale.

When a reserve auction ends and there have been bids and no-one has met the bid, there is a link by the Revise Item or Relist Item. (unless they've changed it) It's a link to "Make a Personal Offer" and you can offer to sell the painting at the highest bid price. People sometimes use this if someone came close to their reserve and the seller decided to let if go for that price. The only time I used it was on an auction that had no reserve. But it had multiple bidders and the top bidder backed out. So I used that option to offer it for sale to the next in line at his bid price.

CarlyHardy · #9 05-15-2002, 11:19 PM

Just a note to add....an off ebay auction should only take place after the auction is finished. If you are circumventing ebay fees in any way, you can lose your seller/buyer status at ebay and get banned.

If an auction closes without a buyer, and someone contacts you and makes an offer, you are free to sell. Example...your reserve is $100 and the item does not get a bid high enough to sell.....but one of the bidders contacts you later and offers you $95 for the painting and you decide you can sell it for that...it's now a private transaction. However, it's not a practice I'd follow because it could still appear that you were trying to circumvent fees. You could tell the client that you are relisting the painting....and they can bid.

Also remember that if a private transaction goes wrong...you have no recourse. There is no ebay protection against a non-paying client...and you can't leave feedback for a buyer if it's not an ebay auction.
carly

kjsspot · #10 05-15-2002, 11:33 PM

Carly, that option that I was talking about is done THROUGH ebay. It's set up through them and they send the person the email.

kjsspot · #11 05-15-2002, 11:37 PM

Oh! And I have relisted the item when someone contacts me after the auction is over. BUT, what I'll normally do is relist it with the BIN price the same and the listing price at the price they offer. That way they go and close it out immediately and it's a done deal. It's worked great that way for me so far.

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