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  1. #1




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    See derzockersports's Items on eBay

    eBay Question - Looking for Perspectives

    I list everything BIN/BO. I list with a relatively high BIN because I think I'm realistic with my expectations of an acceptable BO, but am not necessarily looking to make a ton of short sales.

    In the last couple of days, I've gotten offers on cards for $5-10 less than where completed auctions are ending. Now, don't get me wrong, I like a deal as much as the next guy, so I try not to get mad. I do decline offers that are 50% of auction pricing or worse, but I typically counter with a price a couple-to-few bucks over completed auction pricing and explain that I won't beat the auction prices. 'OFFER DECLINED' by the potential buyer, every time...

    So, here's the question, are these buyers looking for re-sale and I'm simply weeding them out? Are buyers put off by 'honest' answers?

    If you have an opinion, help me understand what I'm missing about 'fair' pricing... Thanks!

  2. #2




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    I think that what you are doing is perfectly understandeable.

    I would do the same thing if I sold cards. The whole point of an auction is to get as much as you can for an item by within a proposed time frame. You can always get more if you are not in a hurry, but alot of those people who have sold at auction are in a hurry to recoup money.

    Since you are not in a hurry, it makes sense to hold out a bit for more money. Why should you sell at firesale prices when you don't NEED the money immediately.

    They are your cards and you should be getting what you expect out of them.

    People are offering less because everyone wants a deal, and ebay is driving down the value of singles. Nobody wants to pay what the last guy paid, they want theirs cheaper. So if the last ompleted sale of card X was $50, the next guy is going to offer you $40. If you accept it, then the next one will likely sell for $35 and so on and so forth. It's a positive and negative phenomenon. Casebreakers are helping those who buy singles, by making cards accessible to them for good prices without having to bust the product, but it kills the value for people are not in a hurry to sell and want a resonable return.

    I don't bust "The cup" but if I did, I would definitly put more value on the stuff than people currently do.

    at an average price of $75-$90 a card (depending on what you paid for your tin) Even the base cards I would be looking for $20-$30 for, lol. That is why I don't bust it though.

    I know people are going to tell me about supply and demand, and how the buyers dictate the values based on what they are willing to pay, and I understand that, but it also works the other way to a certain degree.

    If there weren't so many people out there selling their singles so cheaply just to get enough cash to bust the next case as quickly as possible, then buyers would not EXPECT to be able to get things for a song and use those prices as values for future purchases.
    Last edited by adamslogik; 11-03-2012 at 09:09 AM.

  3. #3




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    I agree with everything adamslogik said. One thing to remember is there are always people out there you wont be able to figure out. You will drive yourself insane trying to psycho-analyze why certain people do the things they do.

  4. #4




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    I agree with everything adamslogik said. One thing to remember is there are always people out there you wont be able to figure out. You will drive yourself insane trying to psycho-analyze why certain people do the things they do.

    +1

  5. #5





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    In the last couple of days, I've gotten offers on cards for $5-10 less than where completed auctions are ending. Now, don't get me wrong, I like a deal as much as the next guy, so I try not to get mad. I do decline offers that are 50% of auction pricing or worse, but I typically counter with a price a couple-to-few bucks over completed auction pricing and explain that I won't beat the auction prices. 'OFFER DECLINED' by the potential buyer, every time...

    So, here's the question, are these buyers looking for re-sale and I'm simply weeding them out? Are buyers put off by 'honest' answers?

    I'm one of those guys who makes offers that are below recently completed auctions. Depending on how much I want the item and its rarity, I may go above previously completed auctions, but usually I buy below, if at all.

    I also get reply counters usually a couple $$ above the last auction ending which I decline. Here's why. That auction that just ended we are both using as a benchmark, but in a different way. You see it as setting the lower bar in terms of sales and want a little more. I see it as above my maximum. If I want a card, I search for it and track recent sales, especially auctions. I'll place a bid of say, 25$. If it finally sells for 30$, well that's fine because I only wanted it for 25$. If you see a sale at 30$ and decide to list at 40$ that's great. Another opportunity for me to get the card, but I'm only willing to pay 25$ for that card. I'll make my offer and if you take it, great. If you want >30$, for it, you're out of luck from me. As far as I know, the only guy who was willing to pay more than 30$ for your card, just won it at auction by beating everyone else's bids.

    Don't get me wrong, I also list BIN/OBO at above auction prices. My goal, just like yours is to find someone willing to pay at or above the most recent auction price. Similarly, I get people placing offers that are below the most recent completed auction. I don't sell to those guys (ha, guys like me!). Those guys aren't my goal and unless they are buying multiple pieces, I just decline and say "Thank you for your offer, but I am not willing to sell at that price". No sense going back and forth and dealing with offers that will waste both of our times. If they are my target customer. The ones who just missed out on that last bid or have been looking for that card for a while that they are willing to pay for it, I'll get another offer that helps set a better tone for getting what I want. If they aren't serious, then they are gone, I haven't wasted my time and I've been polite to boot. Of course, that means that my card has to wait and wait and wait for a new buyer and stays in my trade box. I prefer to trade and deal on forums like SCF, so its no big loss for me. I offer discounts for sales on SCF and my eBay prices are inflated for a reason. Not only because I want the most money for my eBay sale, but because I have eBay fees, eBay hassle, and eBay chargebacks. If I have a card on SCF listed for 20$ firm based off recent eBay sales, my minimum price on eBay is at least +20-30% higher. Me listing a BIN/OBO of about 35$ wouldn't be out of the question for that same card. I want someone to offer me 25$ or more to make it worth my while to sell on eBay. Sure, I'll get offers of 20$ on eBay, because that's what the recent auctions are selling at. I don't care. eBay is a headache more often than not and I'm willing to wait on my cards for the value I want. Or, they can come to SCF and pay me my 20$. Even better.

    I hope that this gives some perspective on the "below recent auction" buyer. We're not trying to troll you, we just want our card at the price we want it. If you don't want to sell at that price, well, enjoy your card for a little while longer. Maybe You'll get another offer from me, or maybe you'll find the right buyer.

    Cheers,
    reoddai
    Last edited by reoddai; 11-03-2012 at 11:09 AM.

  6. #6




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    I always expect to pay a little more than the average auction price when I "best offer". I find if I offer in the high range of the auction prices, it's usually accepted. It's paying for the convenience of not having watch the thing for a week, throwing in a snipe, and hoping to get it.

  7. #7
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    90% of all cards on eBay that sell, sell for between 70-75% discount from Book Value. That's just the way it is. People asking for 50% of Book and think that they are offering a deal, are in most cases, laughable.

  8. #8




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    It all boils down to this...the seller has every right to ask whatever he wants for a card, the buyer has every right to offer whatever he is willing to pay for a card. Each party has every right to think the other party is an idiot because of it. 'Nuff said.

  9. #9







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    Twitter: @@oldtimehockey29 See joeaverage67's Items on eBay

    It all boils down to this...the seller has every right to ask whatever he wants for a card, the buyer has every right to offer whatever he is willing to pay for a card. Each party has every right to think the other party is an idiot because of it. 'Nuff said.


    Yup.


    I've used the BIN/BO once, for a UD Habs Centennial triple auto /5, I listed it for $300, hoping for $200. I got offers of $1 (Bruins fan?) and $135 before BOOM it sold for the $300 only two days after listing. I was BEYOND shocked, but there's always going to be someone who absolutely NEEDS that card and doesn't want to lose out.

    Now the flip side. I want a card /9.......I've seen four of them, two sold for $125, one is currently up for a $180 BIN and the other is $300 BIN/BO. I offered $155 on that one, more than the previous sales, and was counter-offered $225. So I wrote a VERY polite letter explaining everything and was counter-offered a VERY polite $200. Super nice guy, but not so nice I'd spend an extra $20 hahahaaaaa. So now I'm waiting I guess..........should I wait or just bite? There's in theory 5 more of them out there somewhere. Or maybe they're in PC's already, never to see the light of day. Meh.

  10. #10




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    I find when I sell on Ebay with BIN/BO you always get a bunch of low ball offers just like trying to sell anywhere else. Just ignore them and move on.

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