Hello gents,
I set a low start price with a reserve. Whether that reserve is high or low is debatable. Some people think reserves are silly. But so are many eBay buyers. Take bidding wars. Hey, I've done it, but getting in a bidding war over an item usually means that your set price is disregarded and you now simply "NEED" that item or are going to "WIN"! This is silly. Can be fun, but is silly.
So now take reserves. I've seen one razor sell for high, next week the exact same razor, dirt cheap. But if you just "set" the price, the silly factor comes into play again.. in a bidding frenzy, many buyers will pay easily twice what would have turned them away in a starting price!
If you take that info and turn it around in your head, you might lose respect for what seem to be mindless sharks getting the whiff of a cheap buy and then getting lost in the moment. But do you want to pander to such silly urges? Well some say if you want to make money.. okay but what about losing out like when for what ever reason the price didn't go up. It happens. Gotta take a chance?
This brings me around to my questions. I keep getting people asking what my reserve is. I haven't answered yet because I'm at a loss. WHO CARES! I've never asked a seller that question. Do these buyers not want to "risk" spending the time on bidding? Risk getting their hopes crushed by my reserve? That is a silly question. Do you guys ask/receive that question?
Just imagine that the reserve is another bidder. And he is going to bid a certain amount. You don't know that amount. So now that element of competition and suspense is back. Problem solved! It's all silly, let's not try to make algebraic equations with our macaroni.
All this is my most humble opinion. :) please don't take too much offense.