Topic: Ever wonder why your stuff sells for less than everyone elses???

[manjisann]

I posted a tank on eBay from a 71 CB500 in really good condition. I found 2 that had ended for over $150, one in near perfect condition and the other was described as having a weak feeling top and neither had petcocks.

Mine just ended for $86, and in my opinion condition wise was in between the two I just described. The steel was solid, it had the usual scratches and two small dents and came with a petcock. I was honestly expecting it to end closer to $200, it just makes me wonder what if anything I did wrong with the listing, or are all the big spenders not looking anymore?

Anyhow, just wanted to rant. I've sold many things on eBay and I'm usually in the ball park when I guestimate how much it will end for, but this time I was really off. Oh well, at least it sold.

Thanks,

Brandon

[MötleyRöx]

Compare your feedback count and percentage... some people are unwilling to "gamble" on a low feedback seller... and these days, a low feedback seller could have as many as 1000 feedback reviews.

[Duke McDukiedook]

Crappy economy?

[6pkrunner]

And timing is everything. Those may have been bought  by two guys restoring their 500s now. So the market may be sated or a bit.

I'm on the other side of it. I buy high and within 4 months there are 5 better examples going unsold after I got the one that barely suited my wants. So you're probably one of them. There are lots of parts getting way less, or going unsold - well some of the stuff I watch.

Then there are the real optimists on there who are going or the large green.

[Terry in Australia]

200 bucks is a lot for a CB500 tank, anytime. Good CB750 tanks (original paint, no dents and no rust) go for less than that, and are more highly sought after, due to the CB750 being the most collectable SOHC4. I've been very lucky over the years, I bought a really good (albeit faded) candy gold CB750K1 tank on EBay for 20 bucks (start price) because no-one else bid on it, the seller was stunned, and so was I, but these things happen I guess.

The biggest mistake I've made so far was in 2000, buying a perfect "wrinkle" tank (CB750K0 "Sandcast") for 20 bucks, and not knowing that it was "special", I repainted it in K5 colors, and put it on a nice K3 I restored and sold. I've been chasing a wrinkle tank for my K0 now for 2 years and cursing my own naivety, but lucky for me, Ron (MCRider) basically gave me one he had on his "Phaedrus" bike, because he wanted a tank with a left side petcock, so I bought him a K5 tank (original paint, faded with a little surface rust for 60 bucks plus shipping from canada) in exchange for his piece of Honda "unobtainium".

The recession is hitting "big ticket" items too, a mate of mine just bought a 1928 Dodge 6 cylinder 5 window coupe from the US, for only 5 grand, it is in almost driveable condition, unrestored, original paint with no rust and no dings, just faded and a bit shabby. Two or three years ago, that car would have been 20K plus, but I guess folks are being a lot more cautious at the moment. Cheers, Terry.

[eighty_HD]

Murphy's Law I'd say...

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Perhaps a starting bid of $100 and a reserve before allowing open bidding? 

[tramp]

i'd say the economy is 90% of it
do the reserve next time

[BobbyR]

Most of what everyone says is true. I made enough money from ebay in the early days to pay off my mortgage. I sold Vintage Stereo gear which like bikes is for enthusiasts.

One thing I found that is critical was the write up and the pictures. The write up speaks to virtues of the product.

The picture makes the sale. I took great pains to the get the right angle to make sure they could see it was a clean piece, I would sweeten the colors and adjust contrast and brightness to bring out detail.

Timing is important also. If there are a lot of them recently sold or a lot for sale I would hold off and let demand build up again. Ebay is like any other business. Look at the people who get the best prices, you will figure out what they are doing right after a while. 

[Raul CB750K1]

It is just a question of timing.


If people is looking for a tank during weeks, they will bid for one as soon as it pops up.

From that moment there is somebody who wanted a tank bad -to the point of being the highest bidder- out of the race. Next tank will have one possible buyer less, but the ones who bidded in the first had now a top price. If the other tank sold for X, comparing the new one with the old one will set their maximum price for this one.

Imagine one of the interested bidders just forget about bidding -has happened to me many times- and some other last-minute bidders, and the other tank sells for a fraction of the first one.


It has happened to me the other way round: I've paid top for something, just to see another one in better shape just next week, put a very low bid just in case.... and win, and regret having paid that much for the first one.

[manjisann]

I think all of the thoughts expressed are probably a factor. All in all it wasn't a bad price I received for it so i really can't complain. I mostly just wanted to vent.

I'm getting ready to sell off some other stuff and i may set a higher start  price, or just do a BIN on it to ensure I get what I think it should go for. On the other hand, seeing as i didn't really pay for it specifically, maybe I should just auctiion it and take whatever I can get and be happy.

Thanks for taking the time to post and help a fellow Sohc'r feel a bit better 

Brandon

[754]

If the tank was 1/2 assed condition, dont sell it for that price..

 Not like you can paint one for that money..plus its good for trading stock.., not like you can pay to get a major dent fixed for that amount..

 I dont go on ebay much(lately), but I think it lowered a lot of prices.. I think that would have been a low price 8 yrs back..

 But it depends a lot on how your auction looks too, I used to use reserves a lot and it helped get more money, but they probably cranked the price of having reserves out of our economic universes... part of the reason, I am not on ebay..

[74cb750]

I had stopped selling on ebay for about 18 months,
due to their policy changes.

Now I am back to selling on ebay because sales on my website have
approached zero.

$86 for a tank is a fair price, as I have seen some sell for less than $20.

peace,
michel

[754]

Are you talking original paint, no major dent 750 tanks ?

 Or repaints that could hide any amount of bad stuff?

 a repainted  single color weathered tank, is not worth much.

[HondaMan]

Most of what everyone says is true. I made enough money from ebay in the early days to pay off my mortgage. I sold Vintage Stereo gear which like bikes is for enthusiasts.

One thing I found that is critical was the write up and the pictures. The write up speaks to virtues of the product.

The picture makes the sale. I took great pains to the get the right angle to make sure they could see it was a clean piece, I would sweeten the colors and adjust contrast and brightness to bring out detail.

Timing is important also. If there are a lot of them recently sold or a lot for sale I would hold off and let demand build up again. Ebay is like any other business. Look at the people who get the best prices, you will figure out what they are doing right after a while. 

I wish I had your photo skills.    I'll try that, thanks!