legacy.mineralbids.com - Mineral Auctions & Marketplace
Please confirm that you have read and understood this important notice.
Using the same number for starting price and reserve on every item may feel safe, but in most cases it weakens the auction.
Why? Because it removes one of the main reasons auctions work in the first place: movement.
When the starting price is exactly the reserve, bidders do not feel that they are entering a live competitive process. The listing behaves more like a fixed minimum-price item than an auction. That usually leads to less activity, less momentum, and lower bidder engagement.
This does not mean start = reserve is always wrong. There are cases where it can make sense, especially if the item is strong, the seller wants tighter protection, and the reserve is already realistic. But using that setup on everything is usually too rigid.
A better approach is to choose the structure based on the item:
The key point is this:
Auction structure should be chosen intentionally. It should not be the same default formula on every lot.
If we want more bidding activity and better overall auction energy, sellers should think in terms of mix, not habit.
