That #$@! GAME!! (Ebay related)

[chosen1s]

Edit: Clarification: This is about games that CONSISTENTLY "screw you over" - as though the game has an evil vendetta against just YOU. (Ex: Selling 5 Harvest Moons for the N64 at 5 different times throughout the year for $19, while all the others listed are going for $35, $39, $42, etc.)

I'd say it's safe to say most of us are pretty Ebay-savvy and a lot of us here sell on Ebay on at least a semi-regular basis. For me, there are a couple of games that no matter what I do, I always seem to get "screwed" by Ebay (I realize it's just my perception - free markets, invisible hand, roll of the dice, blah blah blah). You think you've got a good game on there and the next thing you know you're pulling your hair out and screaming at the "jerk" who just nabbed your $50 game for $19! Mine:

Harvest Moon (N64) - There are a lot of times where the cart is going for $35 - $45, yet when I list it, Heaven forbid my auction should go anywhere near that. I log on and sure enough - $18!!!! (AAAARGHHH!!!)

Castlevania Legends (Gameboy) - This game baffles me. I look online and two of them just sold for $45 and $39. No others have sold. I list mine and it sells for $12, and for the next month the price stays in the $18 range. ($%#$%^!!!!!)

Legend of Mana (Playstation) - Great! They're back up in the $35 range. Now I can sell the one I've been holding on to since last year! List it, and final sale price is $19. This one hasn't happened recently, but it used to happen to me all the time.

It's like some great power out there is sitting on the edge of its seat waiting for me to list any of these games so it can blast me with a low final bid ("Let's see you deal with this without getting a stroke"). If it weren't for the time I used to invest going to pawn shops and flea markets it wouldn't be such a big deal - but when you're spent 3 hours looking for games and decide at the very least you might as well let the sleazy Pawn Shop guy take you for $20 on a game he knows nothing about and is just being stubborn about since you "know" you should be able to get $35 for it, the insanity of seeing it go for $19 can put you over the edge.

So, I have certainly had my fiar share of auctions gone "right", which means there must be others getting the short end of the stick on other games as well. Which games are "cursed" for you?

[jlarlee]

the other people prob have friends bidding it up for them

[chosen1s]

I don't think that accounts for it entirely, because I sell a lot of other games and as I said before, I have done well with a LOT of other games without anybody bidding mine up for me.

[zionoverfire]

You can try my favorite approach, list the item as buy in now for around the higher auction prices. Normally the item sells in a day.

I've found with certain games, especially RPGs they go through selling cycles, where a whole bunch go really high so more people dump copies on the market and then the price drops really low.

[alonzomourning23]

When you see a abnormally high price, buy it now is usually the best way to get a similar price for yours.

[jshendel]

Do you know how to spell? Maybe no one can find your auctions because you can't spell. Maybe you should learn how to spell.


:)

[chaostic_2k1]

Or maybe you try screwing them on shipping. Stop that :D

[DisturbedZen]

Or maybe you try screwing them on shipping. Stop that :D

Ebay.

[guardian_owl]

Or maybe your having them end at the wrong time of day?

[secretvampire]

Buy it Now is your friend. Also, don't ever have your ending time be on a Saturday, Sunday, or late at night or early in the morning.

[banpeikun]

Buy it Now is your friend. Also, don't ever have your ending time be on a Saturday, Sunday, or late at night or early in the morning.Really? I always set mine to end around 9-11 PM central time. But I guess if you're going to use BIN it doesn't matter as much. But identity thieves like to use BIN (got scammed for $400 a couple months ago).

[secretvampire]

Really? I always set mine to end around 9-11 PM central time. But I guess if you're going to use BIN it doesn't matter as much. But identity thieves like to use BIN (got scammed for $400 a couple months ago).

Oh, that time frame isn't bad at all. I'm talking probably midnight onwards. I usually try to end mine between 5-8pm Central even if I have a BIN (which I do 99% of the time) so I get maximum exposure if it hasn't sold on the BIN.

[strebor]

You can try my favorite approach, list the item as buy in now for around the higher auction prices. Normally the item sells in a day.

That's what I do too. I sold Harvest Moon 64 (no box) myself on there for $41 I think just a month or so ago.

[SithFran]

I've usually had luck having auctions end on Sunday. Seems to me everyone is home just waiting for Monday to roll around so they sit in front of their computer on Ebay just to kill time.

[ogreeley]

You can try my favorite approach, list the item as buy in now for around the higher auction prices. Normally the item sells in a day.

I've found with certain games, especially RPGs they go through selling cycles, where a whole bunch go really high so more people dump copies on the market and then the price drops really low.


Yep! Just sold Spinal Tap on DVD for $100 that way.

[greenbags125]

I always do pretty well with my auctions. I have great feedback and I always have an actual picture. Also, I answer any questions promptly. But I definitely should look at listing BIN auctions.

[Xtreme331]

Ok, so by now it's getting repetitious, but BIN is great. Also, I've had limited success with Reserve prices. If you absolutely cannot accept taking a hit on some game, put a reserve price on it. People might stay away from the auction, but at least you won't get screwed.

[encendido5]

That's definitely happened to me with HM64. The one that sold right before me sold for $42, mine sold for $27, and the one that sold right after mine sold for $38. I had a much better picture than those other guys too and my feedback is pretty solid.

I tried the BIN price with a starting bid of $9.99 but the BIN disappears once you get a bid. I guess you need to do one or the other.

[Jeoff]

Auctions with reserves are the most annoying things in the world. BIN is where it's at. For small things I put my starting price at a little less than half the BIN.

Hard to find stuff fluctuates so much depending on the current supply. Then there are just random times when all the rich people are gone and don't get into a bidding war at the end (like they should the bastards).

[schultzed]

Ebay is just a bit chaotic . . . I'm often surprised that some people don't seem to understand the search function and therefore see a lower priced item that they could switch to.

I think that in large part it is just random.

I agree that setting a BIN that is just slightly below the highest sale prices often works.

This summer I sold 2 World of Warcraft CEs (bought for $40 each at Target). I noticed high sale prices but also some disturbing softness . . . many sealed ones appeared to sell for $150-160.

I don't recall my start price but I put a BIN of $199 on the first one . . . it sold within a few hours. With the second, I put the BIN at $239 . . . it sold with hours. Other auctions in that time frame sold for less.

I don't know, but counter to other comments, I've had good luck with auctions ending on Sat. evening . . . even when they went the full cycle.

[GreenMonkey]

My auctions always somehow go for more than the right value. Maybe it helps I have a 114 rating, 100%.

I had a Disgaea auction before the reprint - used, not sealed. Went for $72. New & sealed often went for less than that, used was going for generally about $56-60.

I set the auction price at the lowest amount I am willing to give it up for. I know the logic of the $1 auction but I don't agree with it - you may possibly get your game sniped, bad day, etc.

Like Harvest Moon - if the cart is going for $35-$45 I would list it starting at $19.99 and a BIN of $50.

I started my $72 Disgaea auction at $48 with an $70 BIN IIRC (the least I could do and still break even).

[flaprabbit]

What is your shipping charge? Perhaps you should link one of your auctions and let us look at it and see if we can help you.

[browneyedgal68]

Buy it Now is your friend. Also, don't ever have your ending time be on a Saturday, Sunday, or late at night or early in the morning.

I TOTALLY disagree. Our auctions that end mid week or during day hours get approximately 35% less. It just makes common sense to end auctions when people are home.

But I know exactly what you mean, chosen. Our game is Firefighter FD 18. It goes phenomenally well for other people. We're lucky to get what we paid for it. Or the person sends it back as not working, test it and it does work. Or the nitwit says "gosh, I didn't see the four places you listed where you only take Paypal, guess I can't pay" or just doesn't pay. A friend got us into selling stuff on ebay, and he literally had the same game, same condition, same shipping price sell for $15 more, listing ended 10 minutes before ours.

[slidecage]

not a game but mcdonalds game pieces. 200 sold for like 60+ one dudes didnt even fetch 25 that sucks

[wubb]

I do BIN almost exclusively now after something similar happened to me a few times.

[Ecofreak]

I do BIN almost exclusively now after something similar happened to me a few times.

I agree. It also prevents me from being anxious about what the item will finally sell for.