Ebay and Auction Houses vs the Real World

[parkplace33]

A trend I noticed since the beginning of 2021 is the prices of cards through ebay and auction houses are not correlating to private sales (person to person, whether online or in person).

Anyone else notice this and can explain why? Is it simply the thrill of the auction which in turn drives up prices?

[glchen]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

A trend I noticed since the beginning of 2021 is the prices of cards through ebay and auction houses are not correlating to private sales (person to person, whether online or in person).

Anyone else notice this and can explain why? Is it simply the thrill of the auction which in turn drives up prices?

Unless you think the auction is being shilled, ebay and auction houses are more "real world" market prices than private sales.

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by glchen

Unless you think the auction is being shilled, ebay and auction houses are more "real world" market prices than private sales.

This.

[MikeGarcia]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

A trend I noticed since the beginning of 2021 is the prices of cards through ebay and auction houses are not correlating to private sales (person to person, whether online or in person).

Anyone else notice this and can explain why? Is it simply the thrill of the auction which in turn drives up prices?

..by ''private sales'' , do you mean by cash at a show ?...The Philly Show is next month and I know the dealers don't really want a lot of information being shared after the show closes....

..

[Snowman]

Sounds like another hobby conspiracy theory thread to me. But if you're being serious, eBay and auction houses are the *real* market. They determine the market values of everything in this hobby. In private transactions, people will often sell at a discount because they don't have to pay the fees that go along with selling an item online. If the sales you're referring to are much lower than that, then the seller left money on the table, whether it was intentional or not.

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by Snowman

Sounds like another hobby conspiracy theory thread to me. But if you're being serious, eBay and auction houses are the *real* market. They determine the market values of everything in this hobby. In private transactions, people will often sell at a discount because they don't have to pay the fees that go along with selling an item online. If the sales you're referring to are much lower than that, then the seller left money on the table, whether it was intentional or not.

even more so now that PWCC is gone from EBAY as their hammer prices often reflected a break from reality.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

even more so now that PWCC is gone from EBAY as their hammer prices often reflected a break from reality.

Because they weren't reality LOL

.

[jingram058]

I have a number of cards that would seem to be worth quite a sum these days (33 Goudey Ruth 144, etc.), but mine are all raw. I am in the process of moving them to a safe deposit box. The thing is, I got them years ago when the cards were cheap, and the Navy pay was flowing (yes, the good old days when you could by Ruth, Gehrig, Cobb, DiMaggio and all the others for a little of nothing). I re-built my boyhood collection, and then some, without going to the poorhouse. I'm embarrassed to say what I paid for them; many were given away free to me. I actually bought a real Babe Ruth signed ball for $500. Anyone remember when you could do that? But ungraded, I will bequeath them all to my daughter. So I guess I am lost in this crazy "real world" of today.

[jh691626]

At least one factor--maybe I am stating the obvious (seems to be my specialty)--but for eBay sellers, the 12-14% eBay fees get tacked onto the selling price, so a seller could sell a card on eBay for $800 or privately for like $690 and in both cases makes the same amount.

[brianclat11]

It is always nice to deal with individuals directly to save fees. However, auction houses and eBay have the supply that I am looking for. You can sit around a long time waiting for something to come available with a personal sale, or pay up a bit to get what you are looking for more immediately through the big sellers/dealers.