|
by
Dennis Prince
If
you're a seller, it's natural for you to step into the auction
arena with high hopes for high bids, and most sellers can
usually achieve a high level of success at the auction sites.
However, when your hopes are high but the bids aren't, you might
wind up with an occasional "unsuccessful" auction.
Whether your reserve price wasn't met, your Dutch auction had a
quantity left over, or even if nobody bid at all, there might
still be a way to drum up a sale even after the final gavel has
struck. Here are a few things you can do to bring success to
your unsuccessful auctions.
Calling
in the Reserves
Believe it or not, one of the easiest postauction sales to make
is when your auction closes without the reserve price being met.
Whenever this happens, it's good customer courtesy to contact
the high bidder as a form of closure. As you're thanking a
bidder for his or her interest in your item, you might ask if he
or she is still interested in buying it. Oftentimes bidders are
willing to make a deal. In a polite email, ask the high bidder
if he or she would like one more crack at your item:
"Thanks for bidding on my
item. Unfortunately my reserve price of $40 wasn't met (you were
only $5 away). If you're still interested in the item at this
price, just let me know before I relist it. Thanks!"
Divulge your reserve price to let the
high bidder know how close he or she might have been to winning.
The bidder may take you up on your reserve price (try throwing
in free shipping to help clinch the sale) or the bidder may
counteroffer a lower price. Don't get greedy here--if the
counteroffer is reasonable and you're truly interested in making
a sale, work with the bidder. If you have enough of a profit
margin to work with and are willing to negotiate, you still
might make a decent profit.
Suggestive
Selling
When selling to your Dutch auction winners, let them know if you
have a few extras that have gone unclaimed. Sometimes buyers
might take you up on a second unit at the same or a slightly
lower price as the one they won. Don't push--just offer.
As a footnote, suggestive selling is
also a great way to sell items you haven't even listed. If
you're selling a vintage movie poster to an enthusiastic high
bidder, it might be wise to mention that you have additional
material from that same film. Collectors often look for items
related to the ones they've just won. Mention what else you have
for sale and you might knock off two auctions with one bidder.
Consoling
the Losers
Nobody likes to be outbid at an auction, and if you have the
same kind of item that just got sniped at an auction site, you
might be able to help out one of the less fortunate bidders. If
you're a registered user at the auction site, you can drop a
quick email to the second-highest bidders to see if your item
might be just what they're looking for. Essentially, you've
saved them the leg work of having to find another auction
themselves, and you might find an enthusiastic "I'll
take it!" coming your way.
Can
the Spam!
Now, before you get too excited, understand that when you're
emailing bidders to make a postauction sale, you're essentially
making unsolicited contact. Treat this with the highest degree
of sensitivity. Though some folks you'll contact could be quite
receptive, others might consider you a nuisance. Keep your
message short and clear, and be sure to let the recipient know
this is only a message of courtesy. Try something like this:
"Hi. I have the same item as
the one you were just outbid on. If you're interested, I could
give you more details. If not, please disregard this message. I
won't contact you again. Thanks."
Understand that most auction sites
warn against unsolicited contact, more in an effort to ward off
spammers and other such pests. Auction sites don't make
commission fees from offsite sales, so they're not too enthused
about sellers who make the most of such an opportunity. Of
course, that's less out of your pocket, though we wouldn't boast
about it too loudly.
Sellers should also note that by
taking their sales offline they no longer have any recourse
should a deal go awry. In addition, expect some buyers to be
leery of an unsolicited offer because the auction sites'
antifraud programs do not protect them when they deal outside
the auction space. And never contact other bidders during
the course of an auction--that's called bid siphoning
(attempting to sell your item to bidders currently engaged in a
similar auction). Bid siphoning could get you NARU'd if you're
caught doing it.
It's OK to make occasional unsolicited
contact. Just use good judgment and good timing when you do.
When
You Least Expect It...
Sometimes the buyers will come to you. If a buyer contacts you
after your auction ends unsuccessfully, asking if you're
interested in making a sale, keep an open mind. Though some
buyers might try to swoop in and take advantage of you (offering
an offensively low selling price perhaps), many are legitimately
interested in striking a reasonable deal. Reply promptly and be
prepared to negotiate a bit--remember, if buyers were interested
in paying your original price, they would have bid so during the
course of the auction. And don't be surprised if a high bidder
gives you the suggestive selling routine in reverse: "Got
anything else like this?" It's a real bonus when the
bidders start knocking on your door.
Back to Auction tips &
tactics
|
