Why no bids for my MA on eBay?

Here’s an odd one. I put my Mavic Air on eBay at the weekend and its got 3 days to go. No bids. There are loads of pre-owned ones there, most with loads of bids. They sell well, if you look at the listings.

I’m not trying to sell it with this post, I’ve already advertised it in For Sale and Wanted but I’m really baffled as to why there are no bids at all. The pictures are reasonable, the starting price is OK.

I know there may be a flurry right at the end, I’ve sold enough stuff to know that, but I just don’t get it.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283444403607?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Just wondering - do the others with bids have the option to collect?

If I was buying a second-hand drone I’d probably want to see it before parting with the money … and Barcaldine isn’t very near most people. :wink:

Thanks Dave, I hadn’t noticed no option to collect, I’ve changed it. I guess it could be as simple as the location.
Eastleigh’s quite a long way from loads of places. :joy:

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Only a long way from Barcaldine … close to everywhere else. :stuck_out_tongue:

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The other two Air’s that caught my eye both started at £1

(which is also how I start all my auctions)

Not sure if that’s a deciding factor though :confused:

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Best way.

Start it at a quid and you get the chancers at first, then as it closes in, serious bids.

Another thing is a lot of people use sniping sites like goofbid, that only bid in the closing seconds.

Try more photos Ash to highlight the package you’re selling; filters, bag, charger etc. Maybe start with the one of the drone on its own and delete the reason for sale and the never crashed line - why draw attention to the fact there’s a better model and put the thought of crashing in someone’s head? I find allowing offers helps too. It’s still showing as delivery or click and collect whereas I’ve always had the most success with the straight up collection option.

Finally, highlight the cost of buying it all individually - not forgetting the filters which you should bring up earlier - and the saving for your package.

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OK, you win! :grin:

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Yeah, I’ve never been sure about that. I know reserve prices always put me off bidding at car auctions etc. but when you can see the starting bid and it’s lower than your max, why wouldn’t you bid?

I know, Callum. I myself use AuctionSniper but it’s very nerve wracking when you’re selling!

I made a mistake once and put a large max bid in, only to find out later that I was bidding against another sniper, also with a large max. It shot through the roof in the last 5 seconds but luckily his max was higher than my max! :joy:

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Thanks Lee, some very good points there. You’re certainly right about the upgrade thing and the crash comment. I will revise it tomorrow, or I might even pull it and start again with all the suggestions. As Dave pointed out, I’m a long way from most places so collect isn’t likely but I’ve put it in as an option.

One thing is if you look for Mavic Pro, you can pick them up at around the same sort of price as the Mavic Air.

I have sold quite a lot of camera gear on eBay, some much more expand than your MA, and now always use ‘buy it now’ rather than auctions and always been happy with the result. I Have used the low starting price for cheaper items, but always a risk. I believe that if you have it at a ‘sensible’ price buy it now is a preferred option for many.

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Is it safe to sell items that are worth over a few hundred pounds on ebay?

I’ve read of loads of scams and that Paypal normally favours the buyer.
Was more to do with mobile phones tbh.

Put me off from selling on ebay.

Yes, Phil, but the Mavic Air has one major advantage, portability. It is so amazing just to be able to pop it in a compartment of a camera bag, or even in a large pocket. If I’m not careful, I might talk myself into keeping it!

I think you’re right, although I like the “buzz” of auctions sometimes!

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I don’t have any qualms about selling high priced stuff on eBay. It’s the only place where things will fetch their true value, not an artificial idea of what something is worth. I used to sell concertinas for thousands on eBay and as long as you are fair and scrupulously honest with your description, the seller has as much power as the buyer.

If you were to say something was “mint” condition and it had a scratch on it, the buyer could get you, and rightly so.

What really annoys me now is that often people will leave the bid until the last 20 seconds, or use a sniping service (myself included). I think it would be much fairer to have a system, that one auction site does where if there’s a bid in the last 10 seconds, the auction is extended by a minute. Like a proper auction where the auctioneer will ask “any more bids” and make sure everyone’s done before the hammer falls.

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That would just mean the battle of the bidding-bots would drag on for even longer :rofl:

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Or the bid-bots might go away and leave the humans to it!

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