I don’t like reserves. As a seller, they aren’t worth it. Putting up a reserve is extra money out of your pocket from the get go. Even if the reserve isn’t met, I think you still pay a fee. Not cool. Plus, rather than use a bogus reserve system, why not just list your tshirt at the lowest price you would have created a reserve for? It’s far more economical. I understand the psychology behind listing a tshirt with a low starting bid, but if there is a reserve in place, you negate that. People bump up against the reserve and just walk away. UNLESS, that is UNLESS the item being sold is an alien artifact, a bulldozer or a 1977 Led Zeppelin tour track suit. Otherwise, reserves are just a waste.
Consider this Chokehold shirt from xdrugfreepridex. Great shirt, no doubt. But he starts with a $9.99 opening bid. Based on the condition of this shirt, that opening bid price almost seems like a pipe dream. The ink looks like it is eating itself from the outside in. Seriously. Then by throwing on a reserve, he’s pretty much scaring every buyer off. That’s my estimate. It’ll be interesting to watch this auction.
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