I have read this thread with interest and although I don't have the experience of you guys I have found that when I have items that should fetch a good amount and started them at approx 50% of what I think [and my research has shown] they should fetch I get 0 interest in the item. So I have had to make the decision about whether to relist with a low starting price or risk re-listing and not selling again.
I have now gone the route of a starting price above the 99p minumum but still way way below what the item should make and then sit and hold my breath and pray. It has paid off [but I have only just started selling] so far, but not without me going through a week of stress with each auction.
I abhor shillers, but reading this thread I can kind of understand [NOT condone] why some sellers go that route.
BUT what I have found is that when I research an item prior to listing and get a rough idea of its worth, I also pay great attention to the listing description. I then spend a lot of time photographing and describing my item, often cutting and pasting information from the manufactureres website etc and it does seem to make a difference, as the description is the only reason I can find for the price differences. For example, I recently sole my Dualit toaster, I put an informative, honest and slightly witty description, plus spent hours dismantling and polishing it up before photographing it, and the auction ended £44 higher than the most expensive one I had found in my research. So a job well done I thought.
I work full time and am going through a divorce so need to release some of my higher value possessions to realise some cash, making time to do all that I feel is required for a successful acution is a drain on my time, but it does seem to be worth it in the end, after all my time doesn't really have a £ cost to it.
I'm stressing right now as I have 12 items due to end this evening, 1 should reach at least £100 and is currently sitting with 3 bids at £12.50 and I am convinced someone is going to snipe it at the last minute for less than £20 and will properly cry if it does, I am praying for one of the watchers to blink first and start the bidding rolling, and feel helpless that I have no control over it :-(
On the flip side, the buzz of watching a bidding war on one of your items is brilliant, I just wish along with you guys that the bidding wars would start early.
I love low fb bidders, because they aren't eB savvy enough to wait till the dying minutes and can often start off a bidding war nice and early!!
But, confession time, when I am buying, I always wait till the dying minutes to bag a bargain, so I guess I can't really complain when others do it to me :-(
*sorry about the long post, dunno where all that came from - pre auction end nerves???
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