Online auctions - Is lots of watchers good or bad?

There's no rhyme nor reason to online auctions, but pray for fine weather!
The sun is out in Brighton and if it wasn't for a stiff wind it would be T shirt weather...

Also, I assume asking friends to place bids below the reserve just to drive up the initial bid values is frowned upon.

It's certainly against Ebay terms and conditions.

Pretty sure it's actually illegal in traditional auctions.

Lots of watchers is good imo, but the majority will either forget about it or aren't really that bothered. Lots of watchers will usually mean a small number of them will bid at the end though, and hopefully a couple get a bit giddy!

Also, I assume asking friends to place bids below the reserve just to drive up the initial bid values is frowned upon.

If you want it to go for a certain price, set the minimum price, don't be shady about it.

Rarely means much IME.

In reality someone will pay what the 2nd highest bidder thinks it's worth. In my old job I had to put loads of niche TV/cameras/recording/broadcast it up for sale and sometimes you'd watch £10k's worth of router sell for £100 with 100 watchers. The next day a MIDAS I/O card would sell for 90% of it's RRP with 2 watchers. Buy it now's were similarly un-predictable because you'd get a fair number of watchers who were obviously either bidding on similar contracts that needed the kit or keeping an eye on it just in case, then all of a sudden after months of nothing you'd get loads of offers (probably because one company was phoning round their suppliers, who were all then looking for it).

If a hundred people are "watching" it and it's already gone over 98 of their valuation then it doesn't really tell you much.

And unless you're desperate, why aren't you waiting until Easter or even May for peak convertible silly season?

Also, I assume asking friends to place bids below the reserve just to drive up the initial bid values is frowned upon.

Yes, that would be shilling.

Cool. I have a reserve so no need to do shady dealing.

Waiting until Easter or May is an option but I have a second convertible to sell as well so I was seeing how well Car and Classic performed for this one before committing my other one. Plus the cost to of the car I am replacing these two with is rising quite sharply too.

I rarely bid on anything I am watching, I tend to only watch stuff that I have similar to sell

I rarely bid on anything I am watching, I tend to only watch stuff that I have similar to sell

This.

Hmmm, so you just turn up at the auction site onm the hope that they will have something you want that is nearing its end time and then bid? Or do you just remember what there is and come back when ready without bothering to tick the Watching option?

again that +1 (watching for price), as on ebay it will show in your summary page, even after it has completed
I'd not read anything into watcher numbers.

My answers are based on Ebay - I can't see why its any different except for hopefully avoiding the time wasters.

I have just put my beloved BMW Barchetta up for auction on Car and Classic and am wondering on the best approach for the best price, especially during the pre-bid week before the actual auction.

Is it best to have lots of watchers registered, in which case I will try to persuade the interested people to flag it, or do items with lots of watchers dissuade people as they don’t want lots of competition when it comes to bidding?

The only people who don't want lots of competition (watchers) are people who hope to snag a bargain (i.e. the ones you don't want)!  Ebay have masses of data to make their decisions on, the fact they have chosen to share the watchers metric on (some?) adverts will be because they believe it helps you sell at maximum price (= fee for them!).  A watcher is a little reassurance to the potential buyer that someone else though this was interesting - nobody wants to but the thing everyone else though was a dog.

Also, I assume asking friends to place bids below the reserve just to drive up the initial bid values is frowned upon.

Yes.  I'd also say that an item with multiple bids but still sitting below the reserve price sets off alarm bells for me:

1. The reserve has been set stupidly high.

2. Other people looked at this any have already reached their max value, perhaps I was going to bid too high. OR

3. the seller is a bit naughty using his "other" accounts to generate "activity".

Normally I publicise the life out of anything I am selling or doing so I don’t really know polite etiquette for proper auction sites. I have restrained myself from posting the link up on this thread (so far) as I do actually want answers, not just “how much?!?! I could buy a bike for that” responses

I can't see any reason not to be making noise.  Say its worth £5k (I've no idea), will it reach £5k if only 3 people know about it - maybe but maybe not, one of the buyers may have been willing to spend £5k but you need two buyers to get to the auction price?  Will someone willing to spend £5k be put off because 20 other people might be willing to offer £4k.?  The more bidding the more chance someone gets carried away, or thinks "ooh, well if its a mistake I can always sell it on and make most of my money back".

That's a lovely little thing !

No-one knows nuffink.

Edit: just looked at the car. It's such a niche product that there will be plenty of gawkers - but you may also end up in a place where one person is obsessed with getting it, and they know if they don't get this one, there won't be another one next week...