[ 2008 ] SVO eBay Sales

[DavidnRobin]

I assume we can all agree that auctions which attract no bids have no information value.

The question of whether reserve auctions generate bids which are lower than non-reserve auctions has always been a subject of heated debate in the Ebay world. Since I'm much less likely to bid on a reserve auction, I believe that they do.

I'd would agree that unsuccesful reserve auctions which attract bids might contain valuable market data. However, I think they should be in their own thread so that they aren't mixed together with the generally more useful info about auctions which appear to have actually matched a buyer and seller.

We are going to have to agree to disagree on the point that auctions that attract no bids have no information value. There are many examples where a high starting bid auction with no bidders tell you what the VOI is not likely worth (if described sufficiently/accurately). e.g. a WKORV 2Bd LO OV listed (properly) with a starting bid of $32K and no bidders tells me that the value of this VOI is likely less than that.

Alternatively, there are eBay ads with zero value (many from timesharesbyowner) in that they set a price that is twice the resale price - but they are just ripping people off desparate to sell their TSs and charging upfront fees with no real intention to sell.

I DO agree that this thread is not the place for them, and also agree that it is very apparent (from watching for >2 years now) that if someone is looking to sell on eBay that they are better off not setting a reserve, or high starting bid - AND importantly describing what they have accurately (along with a good eBay rating with lots of sells/buys) has a major impact on the final auction price. There is a lot to learn from these auctions that are both successful and unsuccessful.

As stated above - a Tugger just got a fantastic deal on a VOI from the eBay ad not listing it as a Westin TS in the title (and no eBay rating) and having a confusing ad. I myself got somewhat of a deal on our WSJ purchase because the seller was somewhat shady and listed a poor ad.

Because of this tracking of successful and unsuccessful eBay ads over the last couple of years - I have a very good idea what WKORV, WKORV-N, WKV and WSJ VOIs are worth on the resale market. Also, if I were to ever sell - and if I used eBay - what I need to get the best price.

I have even written to a few sellers on eBay to help them (and always to find TUG) - some have heeded this advice while others must have thought I was a scammer (or a lunatic - which is more likely) - and some have written back to justify their price - like the WPORV guy selling his 2Bd LO as a 3Bd at a higher price than SVO.

Also, I have advised some Tuggers in listing with eBay to not set a reserve or a high starting price (as well to describe the TS properly and completely) - and if they are nervous that they are going to get undercut - then to bail out and risk a bad eBay rating (other Tuggers have strongly disagreed with this approach) unless they use eBay as part of their regular business since they have little to lose - other than a negative eBay rating. IMO - IMO - IMO - so let's not argue this point.

Now... back to our original programming...

 

[RLG]

We are going to have to agree to disagree on the point that auctions that attract no bids have no information value. There are many examples where a high starting bid auction with no bidders tell you what the VOI is not likely worth (if described sufficiently/accurately). e.g. a WKORV 2Bd LO OV listed (properly) with a starting bid of $32K and no bidders tells me that the value of this VOI is likely less than that.

I stand corrected. I agree that an auction which gets no bids does provide the information that the market value is less than the starting bid.

Unfortunately, so many of the auctions have starting prices which are so much more than the market value, that the information value is low.

BTW, I've been an Ebay buyer and seller for more than 11 years and I agree with everything you said about reserve prices.

 

[DavidnRobin]

WMH 2Bd LO Plat - $10,300 (3/3/08)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=140210698917&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=004

 

[SDKath]

Forgot to add that when a seller lists a week for sale on eBay and puts a reserve on it, it drives me nuts when they are unwilling to disclose the reserve via email at least. I have had replies like, "that would not be fair to the other bidders" as if we all want to be surprised in those last few minutes of auction when it comes to spending thousands of dollars!

I feel like people need to plan ahead with these purchases. So if someone is going to sell that awesome WKORV OV timeshare for $30,000 with a reserve, for all of our sanity put the reserve price INTO the auction's description so that everyone is aware of about how much you want for it and can plan their finances ahead of time. Or at the least say "reserve emailed upon request," like many of the regular eBay timeselling companies do.

JMHO. Katherine

 

[rocky]

ok..... I don't know anything about Ebay, but I used to spend hours on the buying and selling TUG forums to learn about the strategies used by experienced timeshare traders. There was a MAJOR bias towards NEVER sharing the reserve price if you were a seller, and if you were a buyer you were supposed to do whatever you could to get the seller to give you the reserve price. But.... I remember clearly that one should NEVER tell the reserve price when selling. So I'm not surprised you can't get it .

 

[sjuhawk_jd]

Another mistake was to combine the MFs for two weeks

In that it didn't state Westin in the Title (why my search missed it - otherwise I may have bid...) and had a 'soft' description.

It is a studio, but that sales price is for 2 weeks (thus an incredible deal - WSJ studio for $2900/week - wow!).

In my tracking of eBay - it is really telling that if a seller sets a reserve, a Buy It Now, or a high starting price - they usually go unsold (lots of examples). Also,being very clear about what you are selling - you can tell the sellers that have found TUG in that they know about M resorts - how SVN works - and the difference between SOs and SPs.

The weeks being WSJ Gold, Plat or Plat+ doesn't mean that much - it comes down to the SO worth - also not mentioned.

My experience with ebay is that lot of folks will not bid if they see a high(er)number for MF. Therefore, properly stating MF is also a key to get more bids (thereby higher price). This seller should have listed maintenance fee for 1 week and then stated in the auction that since this auction is for two weeks, you will be paying twice of that each year.

Also, just because the auction ended at this price, does not mean the sale went through. The seller may have changed his/her mind.

 

[SDKath]

ok..... I don't know anything about Ebay, but I used to spend hours on the buying and selling TUG forums to learn about the strategies used by experienced timeshare traders. There was a MAJOR bias towards NEVER sharing the reserve price if you were a seller, and if you were a buyer you were supposed to do whatever you could to get the seller to give you the reserve price. But.... I remember clearly that one should NEVER tell the reserve price when selling. So I'm not surprised you can't get it .

That is ideal if you are a seller. But if you are a bargain hunting buyer, I don't think you do "whatever it takes" to get to the reserve. You just say ah, well, I will try for the next auction. Especially since so many reserves are so much higher than reasonable (and most of the reserve auctions GO UNSOLD, as David also noted. When I see a reserve I am turned off by the auction immediately. That is why so many sellers put into the tag line "no reserve". Again, just my thoughts.

 

[Robert D]

My observation in buying a lot of stuff on Ebay over quite a few years is that reserve auctions don't generate as many offers or as high of offers as no reserve auctions and I don't understand why people use reserves. I think a much better alternative is to put a minimum price of what you're willing to sell it for instead of a reserve. If your price is reasonable, I think you'll end up getting a higher price versus a reserve and have a better chance of selling it. Has anyone had success doing reserve auctions? I agree that if you do have a reserve, you should disclose it in the verbage so people will know if it's worth their time to bid. Seems like a lot of people won't bid on reserve auctions.

 

[nodge]

Lakeside Terrace (Avon), 2 BR, Annual, Plat - $4675.00 (March 4, 2008)

Sheraton Broadway Plantation (Myrtle Beach), 2 BR, Annual, Plat - $2325.00 (March 4, 2008)

 

[nodge]

Sheraton Mountain Vista (Avon), 2 BR L/0, Annual, Plat - $9,900.00 (March 5, 2008)

 

[Robert D]

Interesting that a 2BR lockoff ski week at Mountain Vista would sell for twice as much as a regular 2BR ski week at Lakeside Terrace which is right next door. I bet M&T are less at Lakeside Terrace. I'd take the LT deal at less than half price!

 

[myip]

If you look at the lakeside terrace ads, it doesn't mention anything about manage by starwood. I think that may be a factor for low price.

 

[DeniseM]

I've been asked to divide this thread into 2 parts - one for discussion of the thread and one just for SVO ebay Sales. Or I could just copy and past the sales info. (only) to a sticky, which would be easier...

ANY OPINIONS?

 

[SDKath]

I'd say discussion thread and a separate list of eBay sales results.

K

 

[DavidnRobin]

Hi DM I guess I would have to understand the reasons before responding. I do not want tangents here - but some discussion is very educational in terms to the specific eBay successful sale, and having them separate threads would lose the context - thus the value.

 

[nodge]

Sheraton Desert Oasis (Scottsdale), EOY-even, small one bedroom (460 Sq ft), pre-Starwood Plat (week 1-52 floater) - $311.50 (March 6, 2008)

 

[DeniseM]

Hi DM I guess I would have to understand the reasons before responding. I do not want tangents here - but some discussion is very educational in terms to the specific eBay successful sale, and having them separate threads would lose the context - thus the value.

I think the intent was to have a separate record of the auctions, without the discussion. That is why I suggested putting the auctions in an on-going list in a sticky. I think I will leave this thread as it is, but start a sticky to keep the sales info. only for future review.

 

[DavidnRobin]

Cool beans...

 

[nodge]

Sheraton Broadway Plantation (Myrtle Beach), 2 BR-L/O, EOY-Even, Silver (weeks 2-6, 49-50) - $611 (March 8, 2008)

 

[DJmonkey]

WKV $8256 Didn't go through

Sorry. This some how ende dup posted in the wrong forum.
FYI
That kierlands $8256 sale was me. When I went to pay ofr it they said sorry it is actually silver and only 56,000 points.

I did not buy it.

 

[DavidnRobin]

WMH 2Bd LO Gld- $4150 (3/10/08)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=140212594831&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=004

 

[DavidnRobin]

FYI
That kierlands $8256 sale was me. When I went to pay for it they said sorry it is actually silver and only 56,000 points.

I did not buy it.

Thanks for letting us know - too bad - it would have been a great price. Is tochoa25 (eBay TS broker) getting a negative eBay rating - or compensating you in some way? They do tend to relist a number of WKV 2Bd Gold's alot.

 

[saluki]

That kierlands $8256 sale was me. When I went to pay ofr it they said sorry it is actually silver and only 56,000 points.

I did not buy it.

Hmmm...I guess that's one method to avoid setting a reserve price!

 

[nodge]

Sheraton Desert Oasis (Scottsdale), 2 BR-L/O, Annual, Pre-Starwood Plat (Weeks 1-52 floater) - $4550.00 (March 11, 2008)

Sheraton Desert Oasis (Scottsdale), Small one bedroom, Annual, Pre-Starwood Plat (Weeks 1-52 floater) - $580.00 (March 11, 2008)

Sheraton Desert Oasis (Scottsdale), 2 BR-L/O, EOY-Odd, Post-Starwood Gold (Weeks 22-27 & 36-49) - $800 (March 9, 2008)

Sheraton Mountain Vista (Avon), Large one-bedroom, Annual, Gold (Summer weeks 21-39) - $202.50 (March 10, 2008)



[Thank you! Posted in permanent sticky - DeniseM]

 

[DavidnRobin]

WKV 2Bd LO, Slvr (56.3K SO) - $2124 (3/12/08)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=320225675003&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=011




[Thank you! Posted in sticky - DeniseM]