Ebay game used prices versus Reality!

[David]

Some people don't like to bid. They like to go into the proverbial store and come out with an item. The idea of placing a bid or offer an finding out a week later if or if not you won the item does not appeal to them.

I remember as a kid, when I wanted to buy something, I wanted to but it Now! I didn't want to wait a week or even the forty five minutes for dad to come home to take me to the mall. There's no way I would have been interested in place a bid in an auction.

[ahuff]

BergerKing,

You just stated in a very factual way what I was talking about. Thank you. Certainly a seller wants to get as much as they can, and a buyer wants to pay as little as they can. But if you are competing against a significant volume, of the same or similar item, on ebay then like it or not, that is a major market that you must consider. I suppose you could find a different market like a game used convention, etc.

A great example, I have, is Shoeless Joe Jackson B18 blankets. Several years ago I was in the market for one. I searched ebay for several months and found they regularly sold for $150-250. I happened to be at a card show and saw one. I asked the guy his price. He wanted $1,000, because that is what the book says it is worth. Guess what, the book lies, though I didn't say that to him. I told him that I had been watching them, on ebay, for several months and said I found them for $150-$250. He gives me the look that only a dealer can give you, and says "Well then I'd go buy that", or something along those lines. Guess what, I did just that. I think I purchased mine for under $200, and got a better blanket than what he had.

If you are the guy listing the item, then feel free to ask whatever. If you want to be a seller, then list it at what "market" value is, whether it is a combo of ebay and auction houses, or whatnot.

[trsent]

BergerKing,

You just stated in a very factual way what I was talking about. Thank you. Certainly a seller wants to get as much as they can, and a buyer wants to pay as little as they can. But if you are competing against a significant volume, of the same or similar item, on ebay then like it or not, that is a major market that you must consider. I suppose you could find a different market like a game used convention, etc.

A great example, I have, is Shoeless Joe Jackson B18 blankets. Several years ago I was in the market for one. I searched ebay for several months and found they regularly sold for $150-250. I happened to be at a card show and saw one. I asked the guy his price. He wanted $1,000, because that is what the book says it is worth. Guess what, the book lies, though I didn't say that to him. I told him that I had been watching them, on ebay, for several months and said I found them for $150-$250. He gives me the look that only a dealer can give you, and says "Well then I'd go buy that", or something along those lines. Guess what, I did just that. I think I purchased mine for under $200, and got a better blanket than what he had.

If you are the guy listing the item, then feel free to ask whatever. If you want to be a seller, then list it at what "market" value is, whether it is a combo of ebay and auction houses, or whatnot.

What a great story and a perfect way to show what eBay has done to the collectible market!

eBay has made it realistic for people to know what their items are worth. If there is a lot of one item available, such an the Easy Bake Oven a lady once came in the store and told me she owned an original one and it was worth thousands! I looked for her on eBay and told here they were selling for around $15.00 each - For original ones from the 1960s. She told me there must be a mistake because these were rare. I showed her matching pictures to her item and ones selling and she left telling me I was wrong.

Oh well, eBay proves when a item is not rare or limited, as the public will set a price to determine value based on demand and availability. Baseball bats may be $100.00 from a well known dealer who has their customer base and mailing lists, but a similar game used bat may be listed on eBay with a .99-cent starting bid and it may only realize $30.00 (plus shipping which is part of the cost) as that is what the public felt it was worth during that listing period.

Everyone can tell stories about items going for more or less than expected when an item is listed at a low starting bid auction.

Now for my B18 Blanket story. Back around 1991 an elderly lady walks into the store with a paper grocery bag full of B18s. She shows us how she was sewing them into a larger blanket when he grandchild told her they may be worth something. She had only sewn about 10 of them when she was told this.

We were not familiar with these back then, so we call a local card shop that had been around for years and years and ask them. I think they were busy and didn't know it was us calling, because we were quoted prices of a value of $50.00 for Joe Jackson and Ty Cobb. Less for others.

The lady decided to sell us about 15 stars (she had about 250 blankets) and it turns out she sold the rest to a store about 10 miles up the road. I paid a fair price based on what the dealer told me they were worth. Say I paid around $250.00 for the 15 thinking it was fair.

About two months later I am sitting outside a Chicagoland card show smoking a cigarette when the dealer who told me the values on the phone sits down next to me. I tell him about the blankets I bought, and pull them out of my briefcase to show them off. He asks how much, and I tell him to make an offer, I'll be fair since he helped me buy them.

When he offered $800.00 for the Joe Jackson and $700.00 for the Ty Cobb I nearly fell over. He told me on the phone they were worth $50.00 each, so I have no clue why he paid me over $3000.00 for the 15 blankets that day.

Now compare this to the story above and you will see - B18 Blankets are either not rare or in high demand as they sell for their realistic level every day on eBay now. eBay showed the public what these are really worth and no book can change that.

I have 50,000 comic books sitting in my home. I believe the Overstreet high book value is $1,000,000.00 and on eBay they will sell for around $50,000.00 if I work very hard to sell them.

This week at The National Sports Collectors Convention dealers will hear "It is worth this on eBay" all week long. I stopped setting up at trade shows in 1999 when I got tired of hearing this every third customer. I always figure, if it sells for less on eBay - But it on eBay and don't rub it in a dealer's face. There is expenses either way but knowing who you are buying an item in person from may make an item worth more at a trade show than from a mystery seller on eBay.

[BergerKing22784]

Yup! I agree with you guys also! Ebay sets the true value because people are able to see how much really is out there, especially for those items of non superstars or minor stars.

I think some sellers just refuse to take a hit or a loss on their "investment" when the sad truth is if they really want to sell it unless the player pulls a Josh Hamilton and has a crazy year outta no where they have to except close to ebay prices because that is the market value.

I am sure everyone who collects game used stuff has boxes and boxes of late 80's Early 90's mass produced baseball cards that they paid decent amounts of money on now to see they are basically worthless because there is so many. I know I have thousands of them. I keep them though for sentimental value and refuse to give them away for pennies on the dollar but I know if I ever had to sell them I wont get close to what I paid or invested in them, its just how these hobbies work.

Game used is just a hot thing right now from MLB and they authenticate everything and people with to much money on their hands buy items of common players for way to much money, and I think with fanfest and team stores selling stuff people got into it as both a hobby and a business and they bought some over priced items.

Example again I like current and former Braves players and would like their GU stuff. I looked up Adam LaRoche game used on ebay and I've seen this jersey someone picked up from the Pirates fanfest sitting on ebay with a Buy it Now for $425. I am sure he paid a little less for this item and is trying to make a profit but I am still sure he probably paid way to much more than what most would be willing to pay for it. I am sure if this jersey was put up for .99 cents it probably wouldnt go for over 150, 200 if lucky, and if he continues to just have an average career I am sure that value doenst increase if not decrease as his appeal wears off.

So this guy probaly has two options keep the item and enjoy it like I plan on doing with my items dispite values of the items. Or take the loss on the item and try and recoupe some of the money spent.

This is just something a lot of these sellers if they want to sell will have to take or accept. Or they can take the slow dime approach. But as a buyer all the sellers who take the "A fast nickle is better than a slow dime approach" will continue to get my money. So once the for sale forum comes back on here I will be one of the first to jump over all the great deals put up.

Kevin Millwood Rangers jersey guy on ebay hope your a member of this site and read this message! I am sure you paid Ranger store type money for that jersey but its been months and nobody has bid on that jersey on ebay for the price you want, knock off 125-150 the price and I will buy!

[godwulf]

A couple of months ago, I bought a bright red, cracked Eric Byrnes gamer out at the ballpark, at the silent auction they have for charity in the rotunda before games. I was happy to get it for $250, especially after Byrnes told me that they wouldn't let him use them any more.

Last night I was watching one exactly like mine on eBay, and...well, I got involved in the game that was on t.v. and forgot to get my snipe in, but it ended up selling for $51.

I think the larger your potential customer base - the more people you have looking at your stuff, and either wanting it or not wanting it - the more accurate a picture you're getting of what something is really worth.

[suave1477]

Suave,

To some extent you are correct, but also incorrect. My logic is this: If I want a mass produced item (lets say a CD) then I'll certainly shop around to see where I can get the best price. If my "market" of sellers has a range of prices from $9.99 to $17.99 then that is a pretty good idea of the value of that CD. Afterall, with an item as common as a CD, if they weren't selling for that amount they wouldn't have it priced there. That being said, it would take a pretty rare and remarkable CD to get me to pay $34.99.

In our area of items, it becomes much more difficult. That is to say that game used items have so many different variables that go into creating a market value. The amount of piling or wear on a jersey, the location and number of ball marks on a bat, the provenance associated with the item, if the item comes from a record game, and the list goes on and on.

In the example of 10 Jeff Kent bats. All we know is that the average is $150. Perhaps it would be better to know the range of value. Say the range is $125 to $190. It would be even better to know that the $125 bat either had unusual markings or no wear, while the $190 bat came with an MLB hologram (indicating game use) and had tons of wear. This is where I disagree with your statement. Let me state it this way "Would it be wise to ask $350 for a Jeff Kent bat?" Or "Would you pay $350 for a Jeff Kent bat, when you can find a similar bat for between $125 and $190." Certainly a seller can ask whatever they want, as the asking price isn't written in stone. But the truth is, a typical buyer (excepting an extraordinary item) is only going to pay what they can find a substitute item for. The value of the bat may not be written in stone, but it certainly is written in the wallet.

In real estate, transactions are deemed usable as market indicators if the item was offered on the open market, it was paid for in cash (or equal to cash), and both parties are knowledgable. In our hobby, I think it might be the last item that hurts the market value in ebay transactions. We have numbers of posts about people that got great deals on items because it was listed under the wrong category, had a limited description, or the person just didn't know what they had. In addition, I think that buyers tend to put additional authority behind an auction house, irregardless if the auction house has done due diligence. The good news is that that is where our forum helps inform potential buyers and sellers and to hold the game worn community to a higher standard.

Well I am nut sure why your disagreeing I pretty muched summed up most of what you said by the (methpahor - depending on which way the wind blows) meaning taking into mind all the things that people have interest in that item that day, including of desire, provenance, wear on the item etc....

As far as buying a Jeff Kent bat for $350, sure why not if it is something I really want. You pay what your willing to pay.

As far as the member here who mentioned being offered a Gomez bat for more and the meber feels its only worth $20 to $30 - again thats is YOUR OPINION, and there is nothing wrong with your opinion but remember your opinion doesn't set the market or what your willing to spend doesn't set the market.
I am not saying this as a bad thing I am just making a point from the example you used.

I am a D. Strawberry collector if a bat of his was offered to me for $500 I might even think thats crazy but that doesn't mean it is not worth it. There is someone out there who will pay for it. But if you want to sit and wait for the deal of a century then that is up to you. But you cannot say it is not market value just because you will not pay for it. It just not YOUR VALUE of that item.

TNT Basically explained best of what I meant and you can only take Ebay with a grain of salt.

If I am looking for a Corvette and I am in New York and they normally sell for $80,000 but in California a few sold for $65,000 does that set the market NO, those are just buyers who struck some good deals, But just because some people got something for less doesn't just set the market.

As far as Real Estate that is a bit different, that is a market that relys on recorded sales.
Game Used Hobby doesn't rely on recorded sales because these items become more desired since there is less. It becomes a Market of Desire.

[bigtruck260]

I have always felt that GU can be an impulse hobby. I have seen people (including myself) drop some serious coin with little planning/preparation.

That being said...

A year ago, I was in the market for a Bernard Gilkey Cards bat. There was a site selling one for $85, and I was totally willing to pay that for it since I have not seen very many of them around. The day before I was going to buy the bat, one popped up on eBay.

Nobody bid on the eBay bat for the entire week, and I won it for about $20 bucks...and it was a ROOKIE bat. I was very happy that I saved $60...

I think it is just a matter of which way the wind is blowing (Like Suave said)...or what is out there, and who is interested.

I remember someone talking about a Javy Lopez bat that sold on eBay a few months ago for a GRAND...a good example of the strange things that can happen when an item is listed on eBay = and that doesn't factor in things like shill bidding and item misrepresentation.

[bigtruck260]

...and as far as dealers and their prices are concerned....

I would buy a bat from a respected dealer and pay a little more if I thought the piece was hard to find - or something that needed a little extra authenticity behind it if I was planning to move it at some point.

However, I think some dealers can get a little over zealous with their pricing because they have a reputation that precedes them. If for instance, I am buying an Albert Pujols bat from dealer A. or Jeff Scott, I'll pay Jeff more simply because I know that he will have done most if not all of the research to verify Albert probably used the bat. Not to mention, Jeff sells his bats at market value...and does not usually inflate them because he is a renowned Cardinal bat expert...

If it is a bat that can normally be had for under a hundred bucks, and the dealer wants $275 for it, I'll laugh at it...and wait for it to pop up on eBay - then bid on it when it is at a fraction of the original asking price. That's the eBay advantage for me.

[b.heagy]

I would be more than happy to pay $200 for a nice Joe Jackson B18 Blanket. Anyone selling?

[Fnazxc0114]

i have been burned on ebay selling things but things i didnt think would sell for much surprised me. ie hank blalock bat 40 dollars rusty greer bat 170 luckily the greer bat made up for my loss on the blalock. i would rather pay retail from dealers like ball park heroes because my items have never been lost in the mail and generally are better than described. they are the only company that i have bought from that i didnt care if i saw pics. ebay is a zoo. also one thing i like about dealers is i can generally call them and ask questions on ebay its a 50-50 shot whether they will reply back. as for the prices i have gotten good deals on ebay like everyone else but i would generally pay more from good retailers like bph.
note: i dont know the people at ball park heroes but they run a good business.