Whoa - Weird Ebay Listings

[LadyArmonua]

Okay, I know I shouldn't be looking, I so don't have the funds, but every now and then I peruse Ebay for those Designer Princess pins. I'll never get the hundred bucks together to buy one (the money needs to go to more important things) but I like to look. Anyway, I was surfing through and noticed not one but two listings by the same seller selling two of the princess pins with a ridiculously low starting bid. Now, granted, there are six days left for both auctions but right now both are barely over $3. I know auctions can go pretty high with that much time left but my jaw seriously dropped when I saw that.

I took a look at the seller's store, too. He or she is selling a LOT of low number LEs. People that know how to play the waiting game could possibly get these pins for a ridiculously low price.

This probably isn't too noteworthy but I've just gotten so used to people starting the auctions for these HTF pins at $50-$90. I mean, most BINs are $99 with one Ariel going for $175 and a Rapunzel going for $250.

 

[Constance]

I saw the same auctions, I am pretty curious myself. I have a few on watch, we'll see. eh?

 

[TheGrimGrinner]

I could be wrong, but starting a bid at $0.99 is cheaper than starting it at any other amount. The seller could just be looking to make every buck they can.

 

[akaibara]

I could be wrong, but starting a bid at $0.99 is cheaper than starting it at any other amount. The seller could just be looking to make every buck they can.

You're right. A listing starting at $0.99 costs only $0.10 to list, while a starting price of $50 to $199.99 would cost a dollar.

As an occasional seller on eBay, I've found that starting an auction at $0.99 gets more attention and bids than any other amount. When the Wii was first released I ended up with two so I listed the one as a Buy It Now for about $5~10 less than they were selling for on average. No one bought it. Then I put it up as an auction, same description but with a starting bid of $0.99 and it sold for $60 more than I had been asking for as a BIN. This seller might be trying this strategy. It's risky but it pays off nicely when it works.