BIN vs. Auction

[smtjoy]

As a buyer and a seller on ebay, I know the first time I sold a card I purchased for $77 and sold it a year later open auction on ebay for $8.16 it made me think twice on how I was selling cards, once it happened a couple more times I had to make some changes. I am not sure why my cards sold lower, maybe the economy, maybe they were run up by me and one other bidding and when I was out then the card sold cheap, I dont know but I felt it was best to make a change.

Since in most cases I am selling only to buy more cards and I am not in any kind of rush for the money, I started running auctions with high starting bids. This has worked well with about half selling, then I decide on the unsold to either relist lower or move to my store BIN. On the cards I think are quality and I like having in my collection they go to BIN, I look at both what i paid and VCP and come up with a price I am ok to sell at, then mark it up 10% over that. I do not care if my price is xx% higher than VCP if I feel thats what the card is valued to me at because worse case it will just stay in my collection. My store has done great for me, I have about 50 cards listed at any time and I sell 2-4 a month, my inventory has been turning in about 18 months. I had a 15% off sale for a week in Nov and sold 15 cards, great week. I always hear of the negative about stores/BINs here but I have really experienced the opposite. My issue is getting more quality cards to put in my store.

I really also should prefix that with the cards I am selling are not your common 1950-70's topps/bowman types, most are exhibit or oddball Clementes that have low pops and not a lot of VCP data.

I do accept offers and it just depends on the card, I just sold a card that I had listed for $175 for $85, it had been in my store a while and the buyer had purchased another card at my number so I was happy to deal. In other cases like I have a nice 1921 Exhibit Ruth, I have it priced pretty close to what I expect to get out of it and have turned down over 10 offers that were lower than I was willing to go, I am ok with that because its a great card and if I still have it in 5 years that works for me, its also the kind of card that makes for good trade bait.

[ChiefBenderForever]

I am tempted to send thank you notes to a few sellers of ourtrageous BIN where I offered way over VCP and was told they couldn't do it, eventually I was able to pick up even nicer cards for about a third of their asking price and about half of what I offered. I really enjoy the ones who have a best offer and counter at 5.00 less than the price, when bing had 20% off and they still didn't have any sales that should tell them something but if they don't want to ever sell any cards that is their business and more power to them.

[grandslamcardscria]

I believe the main reason for people not using the auction format is because of what everyone else has already said.. The prices are regulary lower and
I believe this reason is caused by Ebay and their recent changes. The category thing is a joke if you dont use item specifics. Your auction will get lumped into 1 general category, (less exposure)... If you are not a TOP rated seller you will not have the exposure either..
Ebay auctions have become a wholesale club for buyers.