what good is an auction if nobody bids?????

[Dan S]

I have yet to win a bid b/c nobody ever bids anything .......whats zup wit dat??????

o---- the race car thing i guess i won that one but then it was avaliable for everyone ...

I can never seem to make the reserve unless i bid 1000.00 of dollars..... come on you guys this could be a great tool for getting supplies and or equipment for a desent price..........

 

[Roger]

Dan S,

I agree, this auction site could be a great tool and a lot of fun as well. However those who post items for auctions are the ones who will determine how great of a tool it becomes or how much fun it becomes for the bidders. To make it either, they first have to realize auctions are geared mostly towards impulse buyers who find what they want or need, want to get it for as little as possible and get it fast, with the added excitement of the competition of trying to steal the bid from the other bidders.

When internet auctions first started popping up, they sorta resembled an online garage sale. Mostly individuals selling things they wanted to get rid of, and trying to get the best price they could, as quickly as possible. The starting bid was generally close to the minimun the seller was willing to take for the item, and the duration of the auction was usually short, 2-7 days. The bidders biggest worry was how high he was willing to bid and could he outbid the other bidders before the auction closed. You would occasionally see auctions where people thought they were getting such a great deal and got so caught in trying to outbid the other guy, that they would end up paying several times what the seller originally wanted, sometimes more than retail. That's a sucessfull auction, the seller got more that he wanted and the winning bidder got a good deal(sometimes better than others) on what he wanted and everyone had fun trying to be the high bidder.

Then people started looking at online auctions as another retail outlet. Posting new items for auction, with a low starting bid, to try to make bidders think they might get a good deal, but putting a high reserve on it(usually at or near retail) and extending the auction duration as long as possible. If they sell it fine, if not they just repost it and hope someone will eventually buy it. And with the addition of the "BUY IT NOW" feature that most auction sites have added, well that makes it even more, just another retail outlet.

Most bidders may not be interested in an item if the starting bid is to high or will loose interest in an item if the reserve price is not met within a few bids, because they figure it will be too high to make it a good buy. Most will also loose interest if the auction duration is too long, remember we are talking about impulse buyers, 14 days bidding on something is not an impulse. Besides, why waste 14 days bidding on something if you think you will still pay at or near retail prices when you can buy it elsewhere, either locally or on the net, the same day?

So basiclly the success or failure of this auction will rely on those who sell here. They have to offer items that bidders want or need and be willing offer it at a price that bidders will consider a bargain, making it worth their time and effort to bid on it.

Like the line from the movie "Build it and they will come", that doesn' apply to auctions.
For auctions it's "Offer bargains and they will bid". That's the key to a sucessful auction.

Not ment to offend anyone, Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[Dan S]

Great response Roger...... and you are 100 % right...............................................................

I think who ever is going to be the "seller" needs to read your post.....

I think im going to waite for awhile before i start to bid again......... it's no- fun bidding against my self.. then (like you said) the reserve is too high anyways; so why even bid when you can just call 'em and buy it and maybe even save a buck or two.....
Thank you very much for taking the time to post your very informative response.....I hope other folks read it

 

[Larry L.]

Danno there is nothing I need or want up for sale if it was I'd make it more fun for ya,I also think the reserve smells bad,I don't like bid'ing on something that is not really for sale at a auction unless they get so and so much b/c they still need it.....even when bid'ing at the sale barns a few years ago,I wouldn't bid with a reserve.......go get me a soda and goof off until they started running more cattle though,want waste my time on them I'm looking for a deal if I wasn't I'd be somewhere else goofing off.If I took something to the sale barn I wasn't bringing it back home,sure I've lose my butt at times but isn't that what a auction is,is taking your chances as to close or gain or break even,get read of.

 

[Dan S]

That makes since Larry>>>>>>>>.

Why are we calling it an auction ?
Maybe whoever is putting items up should first ask them self ...
Is this going to be an auction thing; or just a way to get a product out there for people to buy>?

If you are going to sell something sell it >>>>>>>>

If ya want to auction things off ........ Remember my idea of going to an auction is getting a deal>>>>>>>>>>
Not paying the same price ....as a joe moe off the street.......

My hope is that by me saying all this does not have conflict with those putting items up......... or stopping the auction all together .........thats not my intent!!!!!!!!

 

[Aplus]

I think the original intent of the online auctioning was for the average guy to sell a used, or unneeded item. For example, someone may have a used 13hp Honda, or a sprayer, or anything for that matter. He wants to get rid of it. But, there are very few places that a guy could sell certain specialized things like we use.

Here is the place. Plenty of other people, just like us, who may want to pick up a used 13hp for 100 bucks. Or, maybe a sprayer for $75. Maybe an old extension pole that you don't use anymore. Who knows? Whatever the market will bear for a given item. That's it.

Roger really summed the spirit of online auctions....all serious bidders get an honest chance to bid, and maybe win something. They just want to feel they got a fair deal, maybe even below market value. You never know.

I know everybody is working and trying to make this a go, and I support the effort. And no disrespect meant to the sponsers for posting new items. After all, that's why they sponsor....to end up selling more items.

Maybe there should be a section with threads for sponsors to advertise their wares.

Just my two cents.

 

[Dan Flynn]

I agree new or used the auction should be for deals. Not 4000 dollar pressure washers. I think If companies want to sell new they should sell or auction things that have been sitting around collecting dust.

Meaning something is better than nothing regarding the sale price. As for the members. If and when you have something to pass along. You now were to do it. Just check the auction for new items. Also look in the auction forum. New items can be posted there as a reminder.


I think Roger and the rest are right on. When that starts happening it will work and be lots of fun.

 

[Dan S]

here here>>>>>>

 

[Roger]

In my earlier post, I didn't mean for it to sound like I was totally against the sponsors or anyone else, posting new items for auction. If they want to, that's fine, there is a auction category for new equipment. If they want to sell it at close to retail thats fine too, but the better the deal the more activity the auction will have and the bidders will have more fun bidding on it.

Was just trying to explain, that when doing so, its better to set the starting bid at or close to the price you are willing to accept and if a reserve price is used, make it so that it will be met within an few bids, so not to frustrate the bidders by bidding on something and not being able to meet the reserve.

I think the unit Mark posted may be a good example of how to post a new item, if the reserve is within a few hundred of the starting bid and the bid increment is set so the reserve can be met within a few bids. That way bidders wouldnt get frustrated and give up trying to meet the reserve.

The thing is, when your bidding to try and meet a reserve, your not bidding against other bidders(which is the fun part of an auction), your bidding against the person who posted the item.

Just wanted to clarify that, in case anyone got the wrong idea.


Tony C (Aplus)

I agree, It would be great if everyone would look around their shop and see what they have that they no longer want and post it for auction. Like the old saying " One mans trash is another mans treasure". They may have something they don't need or want anymore, but it may be exactly what someone is looking for.