Software and how to gauge value. • Collecting General • The Acaeum

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Software and how to gauge value.
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Poll: Should I set a reserve for software?

Yes, never settle for lower than what you paid for it.	10%	[ 1 ]
Yes, never settle for lower than the average selling price of the item.	10%	[ 1 ]
No, reserve is for babies, take your chances like everyone else.	40%	[ 4 ]
No, reserves make me avoid that auction/seller	20%	[ 2 ]
No, just set the minimum bid where you would set the reserve.	20%	[ 2 ]

Total votes : 10

Author

SoulCatcher78
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 3:22 pm

While cleaning out the attic I found some things that needed to go on ebay. The first attempt at this was a copy of Planescape: Torment (as it seemed to have a good history of selling when I checked). So far it's doing all right (better than collecting dust IMO) but I found something else today. The Dragon Magazine Archive (issue 1-250) 5 disc set with box and instructions in great (as in, just out of the shrink wrap and then put on a shelf after install) condition.

I popped the title into ebay and searched and there's a sealed (SW?) one currently hitting over 140USD with a variety of bidders. There're two others (not sealed) going for considerably less (50+ and 25+ ATM). If I were to put this item up for auction, I would wait until all three are completed but I'm not sure as to assign a value to it (for reserve or starting bid) as the 3 different auctions are at very different places value wise.

I'm going to guess and go with a start of .99USD and a reserve of 50USD but I thought I would try to get your opinions on the matter.

copycat
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 3:28 pm

I tend to ignore auctions with reserves. However, it is the only way to guarantee a certain amount for the item. Also, its better than starting the bid high (many people seem to have this hang-up about opening a bid if the start is high)... so, it basically boils down to a simple question: are you willing to accept less than $X for the item? If not, reserve it up!

Those who can, don't. Those who should not, do.

SoulCatcher78
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 3:37 pm

I did a little more digging, there're some ebay "stores" trying to sell this thing for up to 299USD. I made a note to mention in my description that this is not a copy (apparently there's a problem with folks doing this and trying to pass them off as originals?). I have to be honest though, I damn near choked when I saw the 299

Kingofpain89
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 3:59 pm

SoulCatcher78 wrote:I did a little more digging, there're some ebay "stores" trying to sell this thing for up to 299USD. I made a note to mention in my description that this is not a copy (apparently there's a problem with folks doing this and trying to pass them off as originals?). I have to be honest though, I damn near choked when I saw the 299

$299 is stretching it just a bit....even if it is the original version in a mint-condition shrinkwrapped box. But this game seems to be gaining in popularity with PC game collectors. There have been a couple recently sell for $79.95. They were complete though. I remember buying the version that includes Soulcatcher for 7 or 8 dollars just a couple of years ago. Wish I would have kept the package for that one. One of those just sold for $49.99.

You don't like your job, you don't strike. You go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way. - Homer Simpson

mbassoc2003
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 4:14 pm

There does't seem to be an option for what I would suggest. The reserve price thing is over simplistic, and there is no substitute for experience and gut instinct. In this case alone, I'd say stick them both up with no reserve. The market is bouyant and you should get a fair price. The only certainty in the current market of getting high prices is to own a shop, set your prices at the upper limits of what has been paid in the past, and play the waiting game. As a reletively newbie to eBay I'd suggest taking your chance with the market and following the tips on the forum about maximizing your chances of a good sale price (can't find the thread, but someone'll post a link, I'm sure).

In a nutshell; well chosen title with words that are searched for; big pictures; good informative clear discription; honest appraisal of the condition; place adverts on any interested forums in the classifieds (here, dragonsfoot.org, etc.); time so that the auction ends at a time most people are free to be sitting in front of their PC (eg. 10-11pm on a Sunday night); don't opt for anything less than a 5 day auction (best to go for 7 or 10)..... And did I mention lots of big pictures.

This week I've been mostly eating . . . The white ones with the little red flecks in them.

JohnGaunt
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 4:57 pm

Check the completed auctions on eBay to see what the sale prices have been for Dragon Magazine Archives. They are popular enough to have multiple people searching for and bidding on them.

$76 looks like the low end, and a $140 BIN is the high end. You have no need for a $50 reserve or an opening bid higher than $0.99.

bclarkie
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 5:41 pm

Truthfully, Ebay's reserves are a joke and a complete waste of money. They effectively charge you triple the fees as to what you would normally pay to list the item with publicly visible opening bid without a reserve.

Specifically, if you slap a an opening bid of $49.99 you pay a listing fee of $1.00, where as if you set an opening bid of $0.99 with a hidden reserve of $49.99, you pay a listing fee of $3.00(as they charge based on your reserve price as your opening price PLUS an additional fee based on what the reserve actually is), all under the hope that the difference in a $49.99 opening bid versus a $0.99/49.99 opening bid/reserve starts a bidding war that might not not have normally happened otherwise, e.g.(make sure you check the optional listing fees tab specifically to reserve fees to see what I am saying):

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/fees.html#auction

In other words, I would not suggest using reserves ever, you might as well just burn the money instead.

As to how I would actually list this specific item, I would likely list it with a straight opening bid of either $24.99 or $49.99 and just let it ride from there.

"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." -Neitzche

Rakeesh sah Tarna
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 6:26 pm

SoulCatcher78 wrote:There're two others (not sealed) going for considerably less (50+ and 25+ ATM).

dragon archive can sell more for opened + without box even as is random
wait for none up week or more + start high &fixed or ask best offer probably better than start low + low reserve but if reserve go $100+ not $50 imo
$125-150 was standard for this last year

SoulCatcher78
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 7:09 pm

I'm glad I signed up. I'm already learning more about this stuff. Thank you all.

Grug Greyskin
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 9:09 pm

SoulCatcher78 wrote:I'm going to guess and go with a start of .99USD and a reserve of 50USD but I thought I would try to get your opinions on the matter.

Don't bother with the reserve. A nice copy will easily go for $75 at least, as it is a fairly popular item.

Eryops
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 9:28 pm

Rakeesh sah Tarna wrote:dragon archive can sell more for opened + without box even as is random
wait for none up week or more + start high &fixed or ask best offer probably better than start low + low reserve but if reserve go $100+ not $50 imo
$125-150 was standard for this last year

My recent experience with the Dragon Archive is this:

1. look to see how it's selling. Oh will you look at that, ~$80-90 without the box! Well, my pristine condition copy (pretty much fresh out of shrink) should fetch *at least* that much.

2. Sweet! I'm the ONLY one with a copy up on Sunday, to finish the following Sunday!

3. Wednesday or Thursday rolls around. Two other people put up copies on four day auctions (or something like that)

4. My copy sells in the low 70s. I'm pretty bummed, but accept it.

5. A week later, more unboxed copies sell in the $80-90 range. D'oh!

Don't waste your precious pennies with a reserve price or high starting price. It'll sell for at least as much as mine did.

SoulCatcher78
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Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:14 am

Eryops wrote:My recent experience with the Dragon Archive is this:

1. look to see how it's selling. Oh will you look at that, ~$80-90 without the box! Well, my pristine condition copy (pretty much fresh out of shrink) should fetch *at least* that much.

2. Sweet! I'm the ONLY one with a copy up on Sunday, to finish the following Sunday!

3. Wednesday or Thursday rolls around. Two other people put up copies on four day auctions (or something like that)

4. My copy sells in the low 70s. I'm pretty bummed, but accept it.

5. A week later, more unboxed copies sell in the $80-90 range. D'oh!

Don't waste your precious pennies with a reserve price or high starting price. It'll sell for at least as much as mine did.

Looks like you were right on the money. The copy that is most like mine (the mid 50s bid) is now at 93USD with 12 hours to go.

Grug Greyskin
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Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:13 am

SoulCatcher78 wrote:
Looks like you were right on the money. The copy that is most like mine (the mid 50s bid) is now at 93USD with 12 hours to go.

Keep in mind, that auction also includes the core rules CD, which though it tends to fetch lower prices than the Dragon archive, definitely increases the value of that auction.

SoulCatcher78
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Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:35 am

I can't remember if the software is included with the 5 discs or is it seperate? My copy had the instructions for the core rules (and I remember using the software) in the box but I was going to dig about and see if I had a seperate disk for it (since it wasn't in the box when I found it). If I can't find it, I'll attempt to install and see if it's included just in case the answer isn't readily available.

Grug Greyskin
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Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:44 am

SoulCatcher78 wrote:I can't remember if the software is included with the 5 discs or is it seperate? My copy had the instructions for the core rules (and I remember using the software) in the box but I was going to dig about and see if I had a seperate disk for it (since it wasn't in the box when I found it). If I can't find it, I'll attempt to install and see if it's included just in case the answer isn't readily available.

The Core Rules 2.0 is a different program altogether from the Dragon Archive. His auction lists the Dragon Archive, but with no packaging, just the CD case, and the Core Rules 2.0, with packaging. Core Rules, IIRC is a single CD, definitely separate from the Dragon Archive.

SoulCatcher78
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Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:46 am

just rechecked his auction and I see that the box is for the core rules now. Early morning eyes don't help at this...more caffiene needed apparently.

Well at least I have a project tonight when I get home, lol.

Deadlord
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Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2009 9:42 am

Reserves are a waste. If you set a reserve of $50, and no one wants it for $50, you end up with software you'll never use and a bill from eBay. if they want to pay $5,000 for it, you end up with $5,000. Just post it.

If you hit a Rowsdower, you get to keep it.

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