Originally Posted by
challoschott
Starting with a high amount gets much less interest in the auction. Auctions get people excited. Many people will tell you they paid more than they wanted just because you're competing against others and you want something and want to win it. Also, starting with high amounts creates high fees from Ebay, whereas reserve fees are lower.
I always see the high priced items sitting there waiting to get their first bid with hours or minutes left. There's a reason auctions always start low, whether it be Ebay or an auction house, so I'd take it from the experts(not saying me, I mean Ebay and Auction Houses).
I've sold several hundred bikes/parts on eBay, and I believe our friend is right - don't put in a reserve. I've bought bikes that should have sold for $200+ for $60, because that was the reserve, and nobody wanted to bid, not knowing if their bid would get the bike. If the same guy had started the bike off at $60, he would've made a lot more money. The same has held true for me.