I cannot understand buyers, never will.

[shoppingbag*]

Maybe there is someone wiser than me who could explain something to me. I list a doll for $45 then someone else lists the same doll for $100, I mark mine as used only because the seals on the box have been removed allowing the lid to be opened, and I am not the original owner.  Theirs the same, they call theirs "brand new" Their feedback not nearly as good as mine, their star ratings down, they have a neutral.  Their postage higher. Their's sells, but while I have plenty of lookers, no sale as yet. This is not the first time this has happened.  Don't buyers check the other listings for the same item, or is it that the seller in this case used the word RARE and I did not, and NEW which I would not if seals are removed.   It doesn't come down to others having a better description, in this case, there really is none to speak of. Same thing a while back, mine priced at $50 plenty of photos, another at $60 with one blurry photo, my postage cheaper, theirs sells, mine hung around, ended up selling it for $40, retail sticker still on the box $70.  I really cannot understand this at all.  If anyone out there has any clue, please enlighten me.

[*tippy*toes*]

If yours is listed cheaper and "used" and the other was dearer and "new", it could come down to the buyer thinking there is something wrong with yours as you are selling it under half price from the other. You have to remember, majority of buyers don't read the description. They look at the title and photos and that's pretty much it.

[kopenhagen5]

Good point tippy.

SB, try listing at a dearer price.

Many have said on the boards here they have sold more of a product when raising the price.

[shoppingbag*]

Thank you for your reply, the other doll was listed AFTER I listed mine. This I do not understand either.  I look at sold prices before listing and try to make my prices fair, if not a little cheaper, but not much, to someone else. I do not want to deceive on listings, so try to be as honest as possible, rather than have someone complain that the seals were missing, and eBay's description of "new" is like it would be straight out of the factory, which is impossible with vintage items, which are still new (never used) but old in age, if you know what I mean. Some doll collectors are incredibly pickie, and can be very fussy about the boxes, expect perfection, which they never were in the first place. However, I do value your advice which I will keep in mind. Many thanks.

[digital*ghost]

I was going to say the same as tippy - it's likely people saw both, and wondered why you valued yours less than half the price of the other seller. People will actually believe the value placed on something, and that price differences mean condition or quality differences, even in a private market.

It might sound strange, but if they read both descriptions and saw no flaws disclosed or pictured, that might actually increase the doubt, as they'll start to wonder if there is undisclosed problems, i.e. there must be a reason why yours is only worth $45, and conversely there must be a reason why the other one is worth $100

Sometimes it's just timing, too - i.e. the first one sells to someone who believes the value, really wants the item etc, while everyone else is interested but not as much. The first time I ever listed items on eBay, I listed something that I had bought really cheap, never ever used, but saw a bidding war on the previous week and get a really good price. Back in those days, 99c auctions were all the rage, and I confidently listed my gear, all starting at 99c, and waited for the war(s) to begin, and the prices to skyrocket... 

Well, mine got 1 bid, and I underestimated postage so I lost pretty hard on that one.  I'm guessing the person who lost the bid on the last one probably spotted mine and thanked their lucky stars their one and only competing bidder already got theirs. 

[twyngwyn]

they listed theirs in Collectables - Limited Editions
You listed yours in Dolls....

Maybe it makes it seem more precious??

...And they went to AUCTION

[eol-products]

I used to work for someone who needed a wheel flare on their car painted. One shop quoted $150 the other $300, they went with the dearer as the other one seemed to cheap.

Probably half the buyers shop this way the other half want a heavily reduced price.

Ebays solution was to have best offer. Sell long enough and you realise it sells for full ask after receiving a large number of low ball offers.

. 

[imastawka]

Can I be the devil's advocate here?

I have studiously compared both images.

Yours looks like it may have been 'played' with.  The head is the wrong angle, and

the hair top knot is slightly askew.

It also looks like yours was just pushed back into the box and the dress/shawl not arranged properly.

I also would say that the other listing had a better photo. 

Your listings seems pale and washed out.  Might be worth experimenting with photoshop, or some programme to get some depth to your photos.

Or maybe a better camera.  The detail is just not there.

Yours                                                 Theirs

       

I also wouldn't direct buyers to the sold listing either.

If you can gently re-arrage it, then you should be able to put the price up.

Sorry, but.........

[shoppingbag*]

I am quite sure it was never removed or played with, these dolls all vary and many come with hair as mine and posed differently in the box. The other doll I sold cheap had 12 photos, the other seller had one very blurry photo and much higher postage and sold for more than mine. I keep seeing this sort of thing, not just on my listings, but other peoples. I am not being prejudiced when I say that given the choice between these two dolls, I would definitely buy the one for $45 if I were a buyer, as I know how much they can vary from doll to doll, but at the end of the day, it is the same product.

[imastawka]

I said it looks like it may have been played with.

It's all in perception when listing/looking at collectable items.

I'm not a doll collector, but to me the $100 one looks like better value, is all.

Anyhoo, you asked....I answered.