(Reserve not met) - can this be in RED letters please

[deanosaur1972]

Reserve prices.....universally detested by buyers:



can the (reserve not met) please be changed to (reserve not met) it would be presented much clearer to have (no reserve) in green and (reserve not met) in red. And in slightly larger lettering than it is at present.

I think it needs to be made more clear, especially for new buyers. There will be situations where the bid comes in and they don't realize until the bid is made that there is a reserve price. That usually leads to a grumpy buyer who doesn't interact with the site anymore.

When I see these items getting a bid they are often just that, a single bid at the base price, which seems to confirm that buyers are not realizing there is a reserve. If you also monitored through the analytics what happens to that bidder you will probably see (in the majority of cases) that they click away from the site. If it was clearer at the outset they may be more inclined to have a look around at other sellers who don't have reserve prices.

(personally I would get rid of reserve prices completely)

And depending on how it would look - the price could also be in red for those with reserves - once met then it changes to green.

[astral276]

(personally I would get rid of reserve prices completely)

In full agreement with that.

[JanetB]

(personally I would get rid of reserve prices completely)

Totally agree with this as well. IMHO a bid price should start at the minimum a seller is willing to accept.

[madelaine]

I, too, hate reserve prices and the fact that they are not clearly signalled means that I often think "That's a bargain. I might get it at the opening price" only to discover that it has a reserve. I then lose interest and I'm a regular ebid user.

[HerMajesty]

Totally agree about type size and color, and sentiments on reserves.

Reserves cause more problems than they solve. There aren't enough bidding wars here for them to realistically be used as incentive to bid, so they become turn-offs.

[tony41]

Totally agree with removing the reserve option from eBid. I have never seen the point of reserves. I noticed one seller who listed an item for 99p and stated his reserve price (£150) in the item details. What's the point!
Another point about reserves. When I am listing new stamps I trace my last listing for the same country and use "List Similar". The default position is that a reserve price should be entered even though the earlier listing was "no reserve". Could the default position be "No Reserve" so that the few who want to use reserve prices have to opt in.

[Armstrongs]

I, too, hate reserve prices and the fact that they are not clearly signalled means that I often think "That's a bargain. I might get it at the opening price" only to discover that it has a reserve. I then lose interest and I'm a regular ebid user.

Me too Madelaine, once I know there is a reserve, i'm outta there
I've seen some really nice things, but I object to bidding against the seller!

Now, when something catches my eye .... usually at the left of the page ..... I see the seller (who has a passion for reserves) and I don't even bother to look at the item. Wonder how many sales have been lost????

Yvonne x

[gazza]

Reserve prices.....universally detested by buyers:



can the (reserve not met) please be changed to (reserve not met) it would be presented much clearer to have (no reserve) in green and (reserve not met) in red. And in slightly larger lettering than it is at present.

I think it needs to be made more clear, especially for new buyers. There will be situations where the bid comes in and they don't realize until the bid is made that there is a reserve price. That usually leads to a grumpy buyer who doesn't interact with the site anymore.

When I see these items getting a bid they are often just that, a single bid at the base price, which seems to confirm that buyers are not realizing there is a reserve. If you also monitored through the analytics what happens to that bidder you will probably see (in the majority of cases) that they click away from the site. If it was clearer at the outset they may be more inclined to have a look around at other sellers who don't have reserve prices.

(personally I would get rid of reserve prices completely)

And depending on how it would look - the price could also be in red for those with reserves - once met then it changes to green.

Will get that updated.

Thx
G.

[deanosaur1972]

I've seen some really nice things, but I object to bidding against the seller!

Now, when something catches my eye .... usually at the left of the page ..... I see the seller (who has a passion for reserves) and I don't even bother to look at the item. Wonder how many sales have been lost????

Has to be same seller that prompted this thread. Great products, very socially aware, the listings are fine and in most respects comes across as a highly competent seller, but for one thing.... the most bizarre use of a reserve price that I have ever come across = commercial suicide. If they had no access to a reserve price they would sell a hell of a lot more than they do at present. I had the opportunity (sometime last year) on a thread to tell them exactly why that system causes them problems........ obviously ignored.

Will get that updated.

Thx
G.

Many thanks.

--------

Gazza, can you do some sort retrospective study on the buyer interaction on reserve prices ie: bounce rate after the initial bid when they realize there is reserve price...... it may provide some additional weight to a lot of the comments on this thread.

Sellers would sell more if they didn't use it and buyers would be happier if sellers didn't use it. I realize that it is something you would not want to do without studying the details over a period of time - which is why I asked for something achievable in the immediate future which will help clarify things a bit.