How to auction your stuff : a seller's guide to VN boards

[luang]

I've tried to write down my experience in auctioning items on the VN Solclaim board (http://vnboards.ign.com/board.asp?brd=5235).

Feel free to comment and add your own experiences.


First of all, read this :

http://vnboards.ign.com/message.asp?top ... t=48566769
It gives an idea of the commonly used point system on VN boards Solclaim.

Then read this old write-up from Faile :
http://www.solclaim.org/economy/howtotrade.htm


When setting up an auction, there are a few things to consider.

* duration

Make sure the duration of the auction is long enough, but not too long. Usually 24 hours is best.
What's most commonly done : start the duration of the auction from the first bid.

Make sure all timezones get to see your auction (that's why 24 hours is best) - don't forget about those European players !

"24 hour auction from first bid."


* sniper rule

To avoid that someone takes advantage of the posting limitations of the board, you are advised to set a sniper rule. The sniper rule means that when anyone is placing a bid in the last minutes of the auction, the auction is extended.
Example :

"15 minute sniper."

If the auction ends at 8.00 pm, and someone bids in the last 15 minutes, the auction is extended. So a bid at 7.48 pm will set a new end time of the auction at 8.03 pm.

You are not obliged to include a sniper rule, but it protects the bidders, and it might drive the price higher for you as a seller.


* point system

Try to make your point system as commonly used as possible - if you use a strange point system, you will have less bidders. The current 'standard' point system sets plats at 0.5 points, m-notes at 1 point, and sing keys at 5 or 6 points.
This is not to say that you can't make your point system reflect your preferences. If you want plats and sing keys, but you want more plats then sing keys, value plats a bit higher than the norm, and sing keys a bit lower than the norm.
As a rule, the more items you are accepting in your point system, the more bidders you will have.
Put a limit to the things you don't want too much off - there's allways a freak waiting to pay you in 2000 motes.

"plat = 0.5
M-note = 1
sing key = 5
small = 6 (maximum 25% of bid)
steel 6+ = 25
AR fire cestus 3.5-14 = 200 (after approval - post for exact value)
Your main is in Last Dynasty = 25 "


* reserve

This is the minimum price you want to get for your item. Bids lower than this reserve will not be accepted.
My advice : don't put this reserve too high. A low reserve will draw people in your auction, and they will get caught by the bidding frenzy. A high reserve just says 'greedy' and tends to scare bidders away.

"Reserve : 100."


* buyout

This is the price that will end the auction before time. When someone bids buyout, the auction is closed, and you sell your item for the mentioned buyout.

"Buyout : Major War Gaunts I can equip."


* moral issues

If you want to be able to refuse to sell to anyone that is a known griefer, mention this at the beginning of your auction. Use this right with caution.

"I'm reserving the right to refuse transactions with known griefers."


* describing your item

Please be as extensive as possible. Do not forget anything ! Even if you think it is obvious, mention it.
For loot armor and weapons, people prefer the Bandit Sight notation, as this gives a maximum of information.

"BS/2: (Major) Brass Scalemail Leggings, (9) craft, AL 170, Major Armor Tinkering Expertise, Impenetrability III, Piercing Bane V, Diff. 57, Melee 225, Gharu'ndim, 1.0/1.1/1.0/1.1/0.4/0.6/0.4, Value 10,794, 1132BU"

If it is tinked, mention the number of tinks and what kind. If it has veins (celdon) or trims (amuli), mention the color.
If it is a quest item or a trophy, explain what it does, or provide a link to the jackcat's appropriate page (http://www.thejackcat.com/ac).


* title

Give your auction a catching title. One that describes the item adequately, but has some originality to it. This will draw people in.
Use the appropriate abbreviation : FA.

(On a sidenote : these are some other abbreviations used...
FA : For Auction
FS : For Sale
ISO : In Search Of
PSA : Public Service Announcement)


* bumping

You have to make sure enough people see your auction during the 24 hours it's running. New posts will drive your auction off the first page.
It is ok to 'bump' your post - posting a reply to get it on the first page again. Just don't do it excessively. Wait untill your post is on the third page to bump.
Try to bump cleverly - use witty remarks, say 'thank you for the bids', state the end time of the auction, recaption the high bidders.

A tip : weekends are not the best times to run auctions. Too many posts, too many serious bidders not watching the boards, etc.

The best results I have gotten was from auctions started sunday evening, running untill monday evening.


* combining items

If you have multiple items for auction, try to combine them in expected price range. Do not combine high class items with crap - sell all your crap in one post, auction your good items in another post.
Don't make huge auctions. Try to limit the number of items in one auction.


* finishing the auction

When the auction is over, make a post with the winner. Send the winner a Private Message with a link to the auction, and make a proposal to meet. Allow the winner a few days to make arrangements.

You can re-auction if the winner has not contacted you after a week.




I hope you can put these tips to a use.

[Oof]

Thanks for the very informative post. And since they changed the firewall settings at work and I can't log in to AC, I have more time to troll the boards.