Were my prices out of line?

[paigeoliver]

I just had 3 Mame cabinets up on ebay and none of them got any bids. I thought I had listed them quite cheaply.

Amazing Maze - Complete Mame cabinet, fully working.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=13716&item=3279015515

Complete and fully working mini mame cabinet with switchable joystick.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=13716&item=3279021850

Nameless Dynamo mini. (MAme)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=13716&item=3279024787

Do you guys think my prices were out of line, or perhaps there was some other issue?

[cdbrown]

To me the starting bid seemed high but I don't really know the worth of those cabs.  And out of the lot I would only consider the amazing maze as I'm not too excited over the shape and look of the other 2.  But that's just my opinion and they could be excellent collectables.    Best of luck on the re-list.  Do you happen to know how similar cabs have sold, yours or others?

[paigeoliver]

I pretty much started them at exactly what I would ideally like to get for them.

I do LOVE that Maze cab. But I decided to go swappable panels on my Defender, and that just makes the Maze a duplicate. The thing is so 70s looking though (the swappable panels also make the trackball cab duplicate, and my cocktail makes the firebird a duplicate).

[SirPoonga]

Since those are no name or not popluar games i don't think you are going to have much luck getting any money out of them, unless you take it to a super auction.

[SkateDetroit]

IMHO - Maybe try setting a reserve price with a low opening bid. When they start out at a lower price, auctions seem to fetch more money at the end. Last minute bidding and all.

[SpamMe]

I'll second the lower price with reserve. Also, better pictures go a LONG way.

[APFelon]

At least TWO sold, eh?

APf

[paigeoliver]

Yeah, I sold two. Would have sold a third, but I refused to ship the Time Pilot cocktail to Hong Kong.

Relisting the Popeye, Kangaroo, Time Pilot, and empty Defender tommorrow at $1 no reserve. Have no plans to relist the Do! Run Run at the moment. If the market won't bear $400 for a game that appears to be fresh from the shipping crate, well, then I won't sell it. That is very simply the nicest example of that game in the world, and one of the nicest games I have ever seen (of any title).

Will be parting the Turbo out. Will either part or fix the Sprint. Will Mame and then sell the empty cocktail unless I get an offer on it.

Probably WON'T relist the Mame cabinets. I'll either sell them local, or take them to superauctions.

Feel free to make offers on anything if you want it

[Sephroth57]

well that firebird mame just looks weird and uncomfortable, i dont know anyone personally who would want a layout like that. the mini is weird with a trackball only, 400$ to play a couple trackball games seems like  alot to me.

[SirPeale]

I just realized...YOU'RE SELLING YOUR ULTRA RARE TIME PILOT COCKTAIL?!?!  Why?

[CCM]

I have to agree with some of the others here, the mini's just aren't that good looking.  The solitaire with the tiny monitor and big bezel probably turns people off.  Also, someone looking for a fully functional mame cabinet instead of building their own is probably looking for the bigger control panel types, 2 player street fighter layout with a trackball in the middle.  I don't see a big market for a trackball only cabinet.

And setting a low starting bid with a reserve price is always a good idea.

Also, local pickup only with no shipping will exclude a lot of people right off the bat.  You may better off putting an add in a local paper...

[eli curtz]

Those are sweet machines, if I wasn't on the West coast I'd be tempted but shipping is a killer...

I wouldn't relist on eBay WITHOUT a reserve unless you're really eager to sell them ASAP. In my experience there are surprisingly large swings in the prices for large or rare items on eBay even with the huge user base. You (and all of us) are going to be peeved if somebody gets them all cheap just because it was a slow week on eBay. I'm sure you know all this, but a friendly think twice, eBay once reminder is often helpful.  

Good luck!

[Nailz]

I was able to sell a Mame cabinet of mine on Ebay a while back for $1175.  Started at $1, and just made sure to put a reserve on it.  Also I made sure to state it was a pickup only and everything went fine.

I fortunately didn't get any morons who couldn't read and it was a smooth exchange.

Good luck this next round if you try and relist the Mame stuff.

[Wade]

I don't think your prices were ridiculously high or anything but I agree with the others about the cabinets.  These aren't popular cabinets and most of the people who look at them might think they aren't attractive.  And two of them have really tilted and relatively small control panels which some people might think are uncomfortable, and neither could probably support a trackball.  I think a lot of people shopping for Mame machines are looking for Deluxe style cabinets with a trackball, spinner, plenty of CP real estate, a large monitor, etc.

I think your dedicated games were priced just fine but again, the high starting bid probably hurt things.

I agree that different tactics would help.  Putting something out there for $1 no reserve will usually drive it up higher than a high starting bid.  People get sucked in to the idea of having something while it is cheap, then when it gets too high they want it so bad by that point they forget about getting a good deal.

Better pictures are a big deal.  Everyone says their games look really nice but I've seen some real crap that's been described as "near mint" before.  The only way to get a lot of people past that is to provide lots of quality pictures.

Wade

[Lance]

I agree with what others have said, you'll have more luck if your put a $1 starting price and a reserve.  Having a starting price around what you want to get rarely works since it takes away from the 'auction fever' people seem to get.

[DarkKobold]

I noticed with your dedicated cabs - you set your minimum price at approx~ the same value as the closing prices of most of the cabs on ebay - at least when you first posted. You may get the minimum of what you wanted now that you are setting up the excitement. Also, start at $.01 It doesn't change the eventual price, but it makes the auction fever so much better.  It always works on me!  

[paigeoliver]

Selling the Time Pilot even though I love it because I need to cut the collection down to size, and I have several other nicer machines that can also play Time Pilot.

I think I had the wrong angle with the trackball Mame cabinet. I think I am simply going to change out the software, print up a marquee and list it in the jukebox section as an MP3 jukebox.