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seancy

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 11, 2012
38
7
My 4s 32 gb AT&T iPhone (mint condition) auction ends in about 24 hours. After 6 days not a single bid (starting price $195). Should I be worried or do the bids normally start in the last few hours?
 

VandyChem2009

macrumors 6502a
Oct 25, 2011
528
0
Houston, Texas
My 4s 32 gb AT&T iPhone (mint condition) auction ends in about 24 hours. After 6 days not a single bid (starting price $195). Should I be worried or do the bids normally start in the last few hours?

You should be worried if you don't have any watchers. Ususally people wait till the last minute to place bids. However, I would go with craigslist.
 

SilentPanda

Moderator emeritus
Oct 8, 2002
9,992
31
The Bamboo Forest
It doesn't make sense to bid on eBay auctions until they are very close to being completed. For something obscure that nobody has interest in, placing a bid early on might be okay. But for something that is overly searched for and has large quantities available, bidding early just means somebody will outbid you then you'll have to outbid them. If you wait until a minute before it closes, you can bid closer to the asking price without getting into bidding wars and thereby inflating the price.
 

Mrbobb

macrumors 603
Aug 27, 2012
5,009
209
if ur new on eBay, have not built your reputation, some people will stay away, expect lower bid.

If u specify NO RETURN, some people get spoofed by that.

If u have a RESERVE, most people don't like to play that game.

Last 24 hr, that's where all the actions are.
 

luqtotheman

macrumors regular
Jun 14, 2012
198
3
My 4s 32 gb AT&T iPhone (mint condition) auction ends in about 24 hours. After 6 days not a single bid (starting price $195). Should I be worried or do the bids normally start in the last few hours?


I don't think you will get much more because it is locked. Did you consider getting it unlocked? Check out how many watchers you have because like previous comment said people wait until the end. I got a lot of bids (28) but majority of them in the last 3 hours of the auction.

I sold white 16gb iphone 4s on ebay today (auction ended today)

started my price at $50 no reserve ended at 385.

but I had my iphone factory unlocked.

best of luck!
 

PsstGreek

macrumors 68040
Oct 21, 2010
3,776
59
Tampa Bay
Got $495 for mint, recently replaced 16GB 4S on eBay. Also factory (imei) unlocked. Minus the fees and shipping (on me), $430. That's a lot more than I would of gotten from someone on Craig's List.
 

Applejuiced

macrumors Westmere
Apr 16, 2008
40,672
6,533
At the iPhone hacks section.
You will get some bids but probably not untill the end.
I like to start mine at 99 cents and let it go for whatever it brings with no reserves.
Put up some nice pics and description and you will do fine.
Everyone is selling their iphone 4 and 4S so market is kinda saturated and prices low even for the 4S.
 

ZipZap

macrumors 603
Dec 14, 2007
6,072
1,443
I don't think you will get much more because it is locked. Did you consider getting it unlocked? Check out how many watchers you have because like previous comment said people wait until the end. I got a lot of bids (28) but majority of them in the last 3 hours of the auction.

I sold white 16gb iphone 4s on ebay today (auction ended today)

started my price at $50 no reserve ended at 385.

but I had my iphone factory unlocked.

best of luck!

Well if you have already upgraded you cannot unlock it. I tried. They are willing to do it, but I have no phone # associated with the phone.

Starting the auction at 195 will have little bearing but you may find that last minute buying will occur.

Post the link and we can assess further.
 

sracer

macrumors G4
Apr 9, 2010
10,265
12,977
where hip is spoken
Well if you have already upgraded you cannot unlock it. I tried. They are willing to do it, but I have no phone # associated with the phone.

Starting the auction at 195 will have little bearing but you may find that last minute buying will occur.

Post the link and we can assess further.
Starting the auction at $195 has a (negative) psychological effect. So does setting a "Reserve". So does setting an astronomically high shipping fee. So do boilerplate item descriptions.

In my 15+ years experience with eBay, an auction with a well-worded, highly transparent and honest description, $0.99 opening bid, no reserve, and free shipping from a seller with spotless reputation will yield the highest winning bids.
 

Applejuiced

macrumors Westmere
Apr 16, 2008
40,672
6,533
At the iPhone hacks section.
Starting the auction at $195 has a (negative) psychological effect. So does setting a "Reserve". So does setting an astronomically high shipping fee. So do boilerplate item descriptions.

In my 15+ years experience with eBay, an auction with a well-worded, highly transparent and honest description, $0.99 opening bid, no reserve, and free shipping from a seller with spotless reputation will yield the highest winning bids.

Well said.
That's how I got $360 for my iphone 4.
But I charged $6 for priority shipping.
 

Mercenary

macrumors 65816
Sep 17, 2012
1,241
626
People may be thinking "how does a low starting price make more?"

Simples, more watchers. People love the thought that it could go for $0.99 so watch it. They have then committed the time so when it comes to the end are willing to bid. Set a high start price and no one will watch it. You will only get those who happen to log in as the auction is ending. Low price with no reserve and you will get more. People hate reserves.
 

Givmeabrek

macrumors 68040
Apr 20, 2009
3,464
1,161
NY
Well if you have already upgraded you cannot unlock it. I tried. They are willing to do it, but I have no phone # associated with the phone.

Post the link and we can assess further.

It costs about $5 to unlock it on ebay with unlock fusion. Why should that be an issue??
 

lookn4wifi

macrumors regular
Sep 18, 2012
236
31
Well if you have already upgraded you cannot unlock it. I tried. They are willing to do it, but I have no phone # associated with the phone.

Starting the auction at 195 will have little bearing but you may find that last minute buying will occur.

Post the link and we can assess further.
AT&T recently unlocked my out of contract 3GS with no phone number associated with it.

I'm having the same issue as the OP. After 5 days, no bids and 1 watcher.
 

Rocko1

macrumors 68020
Nov 3, 2011
2,070
4
Starting the auction at $195 has a (negative) psychological effect. So does setting a "Reserve". So does setting an astronomically high shipping fee. So do boilerplate item descriptions.

In my 15+ years experience with eBay, an auction with a well-worded, highly transparent and honest description, $0.99 opening bid, no reserve, and free shipping from a seller with spotless reputation will yield the highest winning bids.

Agree 100%. But just to add, pictures, pictures and more pictures. You can't have too many well lit, in focus pictures of the phone covering all angles. I never bid on auctions with horrible pictures-that screams "the item has issues and I don't want you to know about them'.

Also, try to have it end Saturday or Sunday morning 9-10am. Having it end in the middle of the night or when people are out of their homes stunts the last second bidding frenzy.
 
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