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>>So Jack...what do you advise is the BEST day and time to start an auction, and get those power bidders over the closing weekend?<<
Start them after 10 am and saturday and split them in half saturday/sunday. Space your auctions to close every 5 to seven minutes, try to cover about 4 hours if you have the stock.

Start sundays auctions about 1 pm and do the same thing, every 5 to seven minutes for the next close, try to post between 1 and 5.

>>Is it best to close it on Saturday or Sunday?<< You want folks looking at your books all weekend if you can [img]http://207.69.158.95/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

>>As opposed to a Wed. or Thursday night?<<
Weds is better than thursday, and avoid friday nite closes like the plague! Weds closes should start at 9-930, to let those hump bidders in CA get to their puter befor the close [img]http://207.69.158.95/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

>>PS...Do you have an Invisibles #14 (1st series lying around your shop?<<

I think so, shall I put it up for auction for you ??? [img]http://207.69.158.95/ubb/wink.gif[/img]

I'll bid in reserve auctions because I've gotten stuff for below the reserve before... (I was the high bidder but it never hit the reserve; after thinking about it, the seller decided that he could live with the bid I'd made.)

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Greg McElhatton: http://www.gregmce.com
The EXPO/SPX 2000 * iComics Daily Reviews

If someone were to set the reserve and mention what it was, then any bid less than that is just playing around and worthless. Why would a bidder bother bidding less than that? And if the first bidder is going to bid more than that, what advantage has been gained by setting the starting price below the reserve?

Reserves actually serve a useful function though. They eliminate the need for "shill" bidding. Without the "reserve" the seller is "forced" to honor the highest bid whatever it is. With the reserve the seller makes the decision whether or not to sell the book at the highest bid should it not be at reserve. Before reserve there was only shilling, and it was a nightmare for some bidders, when a seller didnt think the price was high enough, they would simply upbid the price to where they wanted it. Ugh!!

You also dont pay a final commission on items that dont meet the reserve, unless you close the deal at a lower price. Notifying eBay is on the honor system on those I guess. Since I never have had a reserve on any book I don't know about that.

It seems to me that those advantages that you list for the reserve price are met more simply and straightforwardly by setting the starting price at whatever you're willing to sell the book for.

And it seems to me you're more likely to get the price you want if you're not playing hide-the-price games with customers.

How do you state you shipping charges/Postage for $1.00 books do you give charges for a quantity of books. Book rate can be so slow but I usually give winners the option.. Auctions I all list quoting PriorityMail/First class shippping with combining multiple auctions to save on shipping.

Regards
Michael Tadlock


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Arriving one day if I can find the time is
http://www.discovercomics.com

3.00 book rate, 4.00 priority, 1.00 insurance, they can pick their poison, one book or 20 [img]http://207.69.158.95/ubb/smile.gif[/img] Insurance over 50 is 2.00

International

5.00 bookrate
8.50 small packet airmail
18.50 global priority airmail

no insurance, you declare the thing a book under ten dollars on the customs form and a gift...

Jack,
Could you post a link to one of your auctions or tell us your ebay user name? I, for one, would like to see at least one of your auction write ups, but don't have the time to wade thru 12,000 different ebay listings looking for yours.

Thanks.

Wow Jack...remind me not to bid on something of yours.

"3.00 book rate"

Well, considering book rate is $1.13, your shipping and handling cost is outrageous.

"$4.00 Priority"

Not too bad. $3.20 + .80 S/H. Eh...

"1.00 insurance"

What's the other .15 go for?

"International
5.00 bookrate
8.50 small packet airmail"

Again, $3.84 Air Mail to any European country, so your S/H is still a bit high.

That's why I only bid on items that say "Buyer pays actual shipping" so I don't get ripped off on those charges. I know lots of sellers make extra on those "hidden costs", but I know what it costs to ship a comic, and ship it right, so even the most abusive postal worker can't damage it.



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"Flyin' high, again..." - Ozzy

Sorry to offend Airboy, Ive been doing business like this for over a year, I about break even on shipping if Im 20 bucks ahead right now, well good for me.

Packing materials are expensive, and I dont skimp there, every item is bagged and double boarded, wrapped in newspaper and then sealed between 2 thick comic divider cardboards, before being popped into its envelope with the postage you choose. Then theres the tape and the labels, invoice and business card, not to mention MY TIME.

You would say, include it in the auction price. I DONT. All my auctions start at a buck, no reserves. Same shipping rate 1 book or 20, not per book, total.

It costs me close to 1.00 a shipment for the packing materials labels and tape, most of the shipments go out priority so it costs me about 15 cents on each one for them, which I usually make up roughly on the few that go book rate.

After a year, close to 700 positives, 6 neutrals and 2 negatives, I'm not having any complaints about shipping, except say maybe 1 out of 100 closings, mostly folks like you who think that "service" means "included".

My record and policies speak for themselves, I resent being called a "rip-off" using "hidden costs" to make a profit on shipping.

Thank you sir, may I have another?



[This message has been edited by Jack Venooker (edited 05-24-2000).]