[Archive]

Posted By: barrysloate

Auction houses and ebay are different in one important way. An auction house either does not allow a reserve or as you say has a confidential reserve which can't be shared with bidders. On ebay, it is plainly posted if a card has a reserve, and is legal within the ebay system. Also, when you say it is not fair for one person to know and not the other, that is just based on not asking. If ten people ask, all ten get the same truthful answer. And even if someone knows the reserve, it has little or no effect on the final price. If they ask and determine it is too high, they need not waste their time following the lot and can move onto something else. Ebay is unique in that it allows sellers to reveal a lot has a reserve. I don't know any other auction format that does that.