eBay, forum classifieds, and game used sales

[emann]

So, I have a general query on the state of GU on eBay, here, etc:

It feels like over the last, let's say 6 months specifically, there have been some "very nice" items either not selling or selling low on eBay. I personally have picked up some good deals and have other items that I don't need in my collection but am watching.

Is eBay totally dead for GU items? I don't buy from sports auctions much (mostly because I can't stand the longer "bidding time extension" process), but I can see stuff in big auctions is getting great prices, so it seems to just be an eBay thing and maybe less reflective of the GU market being way down. I've bought most of my collection on eBay or direct from dealers since about 2008, so it has been odd to see the numbers drop off so significantly for quality items.

I also think there are less "great" items being offered on eBay. For example, when I started buying GU from eBay around 2008, I feel like you'd see great bats from players like Puckett, Boggs, Gwynn being auctioned every few months and getting decent money. Now it seems like the same few questionable items from those players just relisted over and over.

I also think the GUU forum classifieds have been lacking in stuff selling. I see the same items being bumped and relisted. Also, like eBay, none of these offerings seem "great." (part of that controlled by the monetary limit, but still).

Is it due to eBay's messing with seller rules? Increased costs? The fact that you need to weed thru a ton of garbage on eBay to find something good?

Anyway, just thoughts, wondering if anyone here feels the same . . .

TL;DR—very nice GU eBay items selling cheap or not at all. Great stuff not being offered.

[memorabiliaunlimited]

in my experience, ebay auctions usually result in "steals and deals", generally really around 50% or so of what the item is truly worth. i will regularly hunt for good items in ebay auctions because i can usually get them for a very low cost compared to say MLB auctions or directly from teams.

i dont think ebay has ever been reflective of a market value - the auctions run for a maximum of 10 days with no advertisements. people just dont know the auctions are running and items dont receive the attention they deserve.

since ebay started cracking down on off ebay sales, it has become more difficult to consummate a sale. an extra 9% of the top, which can be up to $250, sometimes makes the transaction impossible. you also have to consider that even just to break even, you need to sell it for above your cost. but, i am sure ebay could care less, because over the last few months since being forced to sell items through ebay, the amount of fees i have paid has increased despite a decrease in the amount of sales which were started through ebay. it is quite a pain, but there is no other feasible alternative at this point.

[emann]

i will regularly hunt for good items in ebay auctions because i can usually get them for a very low cost compared to say MLB auctions or directly from teams.

i dont think ebay has ever been reflective of a market value

Thanks for the feedback . . .

I actually don't view MLB auctions as even slightly market value. The bidding there seems frenzied (if not sometimes suspiciously so, as has been pointed out here numerous times) with items going for a serious premium over retail usually. I've seen items there that have been unsold in the team shops for a long time, hit the MLB auctions and end at double or more their retail asking price.

I don't sell much on ebay, but I know their structure is not geared toward the seller. I assume they care less about 1 of a kind auction items and are focused on marketplace/drop ship sellers who have a never-ending supply chain.

[earlywynnfan]

As for game used bats, I don't see nearly as many in big auctions, either. Either they've all been absorbed and nobody sells, or they've all been cut up and I want to punch somebody.

[memorabiliaunlimited]

Thanks for the feedback . . .

I actually don't view MLB auctions as even slightly market value. The bidding there seems frenzied (if not sometimes suspiciously so, as has been pointed out here numerous times) with items going for a serious premium over retail usually. I've seen items there that have been unsold in the team shops for a long time, hit the MLB auctions and end at double or more their retail asking price.

I don't sell much on ebay, but I know their structure is not geared toward the seller. I assume they care less about 1 of a kind auction items and are focused on marketplace/drop ship sellers who have a never-ending supply chain.

agree 100%

[Nnunnari]

The risk of selling quality items on ebay and having your item get limited bidding activity (can't sell your items on ebay with a reserve because it scares off everyone) combined with the fact there is seemingly an auction going on at all times has steared just about everybody to consign their items to an auction house. Plus, you will sometimes see items sell in auctions for ridiculously high prices where as, you will never see something sell for "market value" on ebay. There are still nice items on ebay but they are listed with high BIN's and it is a matter of finding out how motivated the seller really is to move an item. I would say there are about 6-10 real good game used bat buys on ebay a year now, substantially down from years past, before the auction boom.
Mlb auction's ridiculous prices goes to show you how much more potential the hobby has and how many more people could potentially enter other avenues of buying/selling in the hobby if there was a means for educating them and offering a trustworthy platform to buy and sell. At the end of the day, collectors are lazy and will pay a real premium for rock solid provenance like MLB auctions.

[memorabiliaunlimited]

maybe a year or 2 ago, i had heard a rumor that MLB auctions was considering allowing people to list their MLB authenticated items for sale, or at least something along those lines. i thought it was a fantastic idea, but obviously it never happened.

[bryzzo2016]

Really good points by everyone here, and I agree with almost all of them.

In regards to some collector's being "lazy" and paying MLB Auctions prices, I don't think they all can be lumped in this group.

Instead I think they fall into two categories:

1.) Casual collectors who simply have plenty of money and not the time and/or desire to seek better deals elsewhere. Some may not even be collectors and just buyers making a one time purchase and just believe those to be the market price.

2.) Serious collectors who sometimes just "bite the bullet" to get what they really want, because MLB has a monopoly one that particular item.

Perfect example of this are the 2016 World Series game used baseballs. MLB has held a tight grip on these. You ARE NOT going to find one for less than $2500 you know is real. Unless of course you caught a foul ball at one of the games.



Ebay is a joke. And their recent crackdown on selling via direct PayPal is pure greed. When Ebay and PayPal were owned jointly this was merely a slap on the wrist if you got caught. Now (and it happened to me) you get your count permanently suspended if they catch you twice.

As soon as the money stopped going to the same coffer, overnight they did this.

Ebay could care less about sellers. Unless of course they are the high volume drop-shippers.

[Nnunnari]

Good points Bryzzo regarding collectors. Obviously, all collectors aren't lazy, their time is more valuable than money and would rather spend a premium for a slam dunk of an item instead of immerse themselves into the hobby like most of us do, which is perfectly fine. If I want to buy a Rolex, I'll pay more going to a guy I know is the guy to get Rolexes from instead of spending weeks scouring online for the best deal.

[bryzzo2016]

Good points Bryzzo regarding collectors. Obviously, all collectors aren't lazy, their time is more valuable than money and would rather spend a premium for a slam dunk of an item instead of immerse themselves into the hobby like most of us do, which is perfectly fine. If I want to buy a Rolex, I'll pay more going to a guy I know is the guy to get Rolexes from instead of spending weeks scouring online for the best deal.

EXACTLY !