[Milsurplus] Reserve

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

On Wed, Jun 13, 2012 at 2:12 PM, J. Forster <jfor at quikus.com> wrote:

> Sellers have two bites at this apple:
>
> Setting a higher starting bid.
> Setting a reserve.
>
> My understanding is that eBay charges a listing fee somehow proportional
> to either.
>
> If a seller decides to be cheap and not use either option, he has to live
> with the outcome.
>

They charge for both. You're charged for the initial opening bid price, and
also charged a fee for having a reserve. Also photo count, duration, final
fees, etc. These have increased over the years.

It's a double-edged sword. It gets back to the 'you can't please everyone'
argument. If you start at a higher opening bid, you're accused by some of
being unrealistic or greedy(and you pay more). If you use a reserve, you're
accused by some of having unrealistic expectations or you wouldn't need to
use a reserve(and you pay more).

I've sold on there since the 90s but finally got fed up last year with the
endless and ever-increasing fees, along with the disregard they show for
sellers by not allowing them to post negative feedback for deadbeat
bidders. Those issues combined with the endless tinkering and changes to
the site itself and the cost of shipping (and time 'donated' to packing)
make it easier for me to haul stuff to hamfests now, sell privately, or
give things away to friends. I still use the site for buying, but rather
than piss and moan about it every other week on here, I just stopped
selling. Simple enough. (o:

No one is forced to use the site, yet some feel compelled to complain about
it constantly. I've done my share in the past, but it gets old and doesn't
solve the perceived problem. My suggestion would be that no one use the
site if it upsets or otherwise bothers them to do so. Seems obvious, but we
all know how that works these days.

~ Todd,  KA1KAQ/4