Is hobby prices at their worst?

[BaseballGM]

Re: Is hobby prices at their worst?

I blame the current state of the economy (even though we are told the recession has "technically" ended) as well as the fact that eBay is full of questionable stuff. Disposable income, if you have it, is being held on to or buying gold & silver.

[Mattapan03]

Re: Is hobby prices at their worst?

I agree 100% with the thoughts in this thread. However, it always seems like when theres a piece Im really interested in, so is 1/2 of the United States and I usually lose out due to some schmucks getting into an insane bidding war to drive up the price. I'm not even talking about high-end pieces either. But of course, if I'm selling something similar, I'd be lucky to get 1 bid placed.

Case in point, I was interested in an NFL gamer of a marginal player and it would up going for close to $300 when the average for that jersey (in my honest opinion) should be no more than $150-$175. Now if I'm selling a very similar jersey (of a player who might even be worth more.....and the use on the jersey was fantastic) I'd never get more than a bid.

Maybe it's just my dumb luck, but there isnt a buyers market, or even a sellers market for me. It can be maddening at times

[stlbats]

Re: Is hobby prices at their worst?

would NOT increase to the reserve.

Sorry
Jason

[stlbats]

Re: Is hobby prices at their worst?

I don't think that this is the way it works. I feel like I've bid on several items for well over the reserve amount and ended up losing because the "reserve was not met". I'm not saying I know 100% for sure, but I seem to remember being frustrated that I didn't win a few things because of this.

Unless ebay has changed the reserve thing, which is quite possible, I know it used to be that way. I bid over what the seller wanted and the auction would increase to the reserve. That has been a good while back though so it may be different now. Very possible.

Thanks
Jason

[skinsfan0521]

Re: Is hobby prices at their worst?

No you are right. Any bid, even if only one bidder, over the reserve will trigger it.

I don't think that this is the way it works. I feel like I've bid on several items for well over the reserve amount and ended up losing because the "reserve was not met". I'm not saying I know 100% for sure, but I seem to remember being frustrated that I didn't win a few things because of this.

[cmw2ward]

Re: Is hobby prices at their worst?

I think that people have lost faith in ebay. I probably buy around 15 bats a year from the big auctions, and I'm lucky if I get 2 or 3 from the bay. I think it's now become a discount outlet.

And the fact that you can pull your item for any reason? It's crazy, can you imagine bidding on a high ticket item in a big auction, and they just pull it. You would never bid with them again. If you want to list an item without a reserve, and not buy it now, you should not be allowed to pull the item.

This is why the real auction houses require you to submit your item before they even go to print.

As far as the hobby being "down" list a lincecum, or halladay bat on ebay and watch us all lose our minds....but the seller will probably think better of it and pull the item before the auction ends.

[MLB_Authentic]

Re: Is hobby prices at their worst?

No you are right. Any bid, even if only one bidder, over the reserve will trigger it.

I thought if you bid over the reserve it went to the reserve. Did something change? Or am I just mistaken?

[cigarman44]

Re: Is hobby prices at their worst?

I think the hobby is definately in a low spot. I have not been able to give away quality items. I dont usually sell stuff, but I have tried to move a few things in order to help with another purchase. I have really been afraid to buy anything for a considerable amount right now, and several nice items have popped up.

The problem I have with ebay reserves (among other things) is that even if you have a buyer willing to pay your reserve, the price will never make the reserve unless its bid up to it by multiple bidders. For example if your reserve is $500, I could enter my top bid of $1000 but it wont sell unless someone else bids me up to the $500. Reserve auctions are a waste of time.(and expensive)

Looks like as far as ebay goes, like others have said the BIN with Best Offer is the way to go. If you can overlook the 9% sellers fee plus other fees.

Thanks
stlbats

I thought if you bid over the reserve it went to the reserve. Did something change? Or am I just mistaken?

[stlbats]

Re: Is hobby prices at their worst?

I think the hobby is definately in a low spot. I have not been able to give away quality items. I dont usually sell stuff, but I have tried to move a few things in order to help with another purchase. I have really been afraid to buy anything for a considerable amount right now, and several nice items have popped up.

The problem I have with ebay reserves (among other things) is that even if you have a buyer willing to pay your reserve, the price will never make the reserve unless its bid up to it by multiple bidders. For example if your reserve is $500, I could enter my top bid of $1000 but it wont sell unless someone else bids me up to the $500. Reserve auctions are a waste of time.(and expensive)

Looks like as far as ebay goes, like others have said the BIN with Best Offer is the way to go. If you can overlook the 9% sellers fee plus other fees.

Thanks
stlbats

[allstarsplus]

Re: Is hobby prices at their worst?

I don't think it's the hobby as a whole. I think the problem is ebay. It seems that every time I find a bat on the bay, that I like the seller doesn't have "enough" bids so they end the auction early.

These are a few examples:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200529907509&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190453835513&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

tmw2ward@hotmail.com

I think the Jeter bat seller is a member here. A word of unsolicited advice. When you put up a high end item for sale, I think high quality photos and more indepth description would help.

One of the things I like about the big auction houses is they take excellent photos and very good descriptions which helps in bringing in bidders.

Just my 2 cents.

Here is the only photo:

http://i.ebayimg.com/23/!B5KY!Rw!mk~$(KGrHqIOKkYEymImhDHWBMsiooE4dQ~~_12.JPG

Entire description: Early career Derek Jeter bat. Block letter P72. Cracked. Lots of use. Tough to find like this any more. Any questions, please ask. Add $15 for postage.

[solarlottry]

Re: Is hobby prices at their worst?

i am not finding quality 49ers shirts for cheap thats for sure. In fact most quality shirts have been going for top dollar. When i first started collecting in 1994 a Rice shirt was under 2K but now, for a genuine, quality Rice, sellers are asking for 3000-15000$. One thing is that you do get what you pay for. I am inclined to pay more for a known real shirt with genuine team documentation. How much more is up for debate. I have paid up to 5X more for the real deal (which sucks but oh well).

If you look at all the AMI auctions 49ers have been getting good prices so maybe it is an issue of what is being sold. Hell look at NFL auctions-those shirts are going for thousands of dollars. One issue is that if the original buyer of an NFL auctions shirts tries to sell it what can they expect to get in return.

[cmw2ward]

Re: Is hobby prices at their worst?

Why does ebay allow people to end auctions early, that is what a reserve is for. I'm getting to a point when I see something on ebay, I think okay this will be pulled in the next few days.

I bet ebay is blaming the economy for the issues they're having, it couldn't be the fact that sellers are allowed to cancel any bid without cause.

[gorilla777]

Re: Is hobby prices at their worst?

I don't think it's the hobby as a whole. I think the problem is ebay. It seems that every time I find a bat on the bay, that I like the seller doesn't have "enough" bids so they end the auction early.

These are a few examples:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200529907509&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190453835513&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I think that in the past sellers wouldn't typically pull their lots, and often times the price would run in the last few minutes.

Also if the hobby is in decline please sell me your pitchers bats! Thanks.

tmw2ward@hotmail.com

I should have talked to you a couple years ago. I used to own that Rose Phillies era bat.
I expected both of those to pop on JTs site, but it looks like they went elsewhere.

[gorilla777]

Re: Is hobby prices at their worst?

I agree with the comment that collectors are holding onto the quality and/or scarce stuff. There was a prevailing feeling that as the economy continued to grind along and slowed, that suddenly there would be a good number of never before seen items coming up for sale.
But it seems that instead the high end material stays where it is, for now at least. (Maybe because of fear of giving it away at 50-75% of inherent value?) The prices I see realized however on the high quality items seems to be rather strong. The newer material is what the market is awash in now.

[cmw2ward]

Re: Is hobby prices at their worst?

I don't think it's the hobby as a whole. I think the problem is ebay. It seems that every time I find a bat on the bay, that I like the seller doesn't have "enough" bids so they end the auction early.

These are a few examples:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200529907509&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190453835513&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I think that in the past sellers wouldn't typically pull their lots, and often times the price would run in the last few minutes.

Also if the hobby is in decline please sell me your pitchers bats! Thanks.

tmw2ward@hotmail.com