Do you utilise a "buy it now" option when selling items?

[5129frederick]

Do you utilise the "Buy it now" option when selling stuff on eBay?  I personally have only used it once or twice, because I feel it actually puts people off.  EBay rules a "Buy it now" price has to be at least 40% higher than a starting price, and that many people just look at the"Buy it now" price and assume you won't let it go for less.  I put my stuff up at the minimum price I am prepared to accept, and leave it open for punters to bid against one another.  If it goes higher, my gain, but 40% higher?  That's stretching it.

[geosacha007]

You can use a fixed price auction instead. So don't have an auction at all, just the price you want. It is 40p for a 30 day listing (make sure you choose 30 days),

I find things sell much better as buy it nows.

You can start at the highest price you think you'll get and come down a bit near the end if you want to.

[5129frederick]

Hmmm... that's a thought.  my own obesrvations are however the "Buy it now" brigade arecommercial institutions who have scores of items up for sale and are unlikely to give much leeway.  I prefer to go with the crowd.

[i-am-legion-too]

The crowd often prefer to be able to buy an item instantly instead of having to wait 5/7/10 days for an auction to finish.

You have a 'best offer' option with buy-it-now listings, this allows buyer to make an offer and seller can reject, accept or ignore.

[5129frederick]

I've got about a dozen items finishing tomorrow, few of them having picked up watchers - there might be something in what you say.  I might try a straight  "Buy it now" and see what happens.  It's a bit disheartening seeing seventy-odd items with no interest except in the closing hours - got nothing to lose.  It's either that, or I've got too many items up at one go, and people can't be bothered ploughing through them all.

[5129frederick]

How do I get a fixed price auction??  Every time I try to revise an item - The Brandon Brood, it keeps coming up as auction requiring a "buy it now" format to be 40% higher than the starting fee which defeats the object of the exercise, and nothing about this 30 day section either.  How do I just put it up as a "Buy it now" straight sale?  What am I doing wrong?  Do I have to end it and put it up for sale all over again, or what.  RSVP - ANYBODY!

[5129frederick]

It's alright - I've worked it out for myself   What kept throwing me was this stupid "Chinese Auction" not realising there was one more option I could click on.  I haven't put everything up on a Buy it now basis - just a few of the more difficult to shift items - nothing ventured nothing gained.