Text 5589, 26 rader
Skriven 2006-09-17 18:46:30 av DAVE SACERDOTE (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av MICHAEL LOO
Ärende: Pre-War Scotch 260
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ML> If there's no cost associated with an auction that doesn't make
ML> reserve, what's to prevent someone from putting up a whole lot
ML> of auctions with really high reserves and hoping to get lucky?

But there is a cost. I had to pay a regular listing fee, based on the
$500 initial bid, plus an additional "reserve fee" based on the amount
of the reserve.

IF the bottle sells (meaning bidding meets my reserve) said reserve
fee is refunded to me.

If the bottle sells not, eBay pockets the fee, which is nominal but
certainly not inconsiderable.

Knowing the collectible value of the bottle, I was willing to gamble
on it meeting the reserve.  This policy is what keeps most sellers 
from monkeying around as you describe - if you're listing a dozen 
items with large reserves you may have to front two or three hundred
dollars in reserve fees.  Get lucky on only one, and you make
your _session_ cost back (at the expense of your total profits)
but it makes it uneconomical on a per-unit basis.

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