Start Price vs Reserve – What Works Best?

Content:

Starting price and reserve are two completely different tools, and using them correctly has a big impact on how your auctions perform.

A low starting price can create early activity and attract more bidders. This works well for mid-tier items where the risk is acceptable and the goal is to generate momentum. More bids → more visibility → better final price.

However, low starts only work properly when combined with a realistic reserve. If the reserve is too high compared to the item’s market value, bidders lose confidence and stop engaging.

For stronger or high-value specimens, the goal is different. You are not trying to “create excitement” at any cost — you are protecting value. In these cases:

• A higher starting price is often better
• A realistic reserve is essential
• Avoid extremely low starts unless you are comfortable with the risk

There is no single strategy that fits all items.

A good general approach is:

• Low-tier / entry items (€5–€20 expected):
  Low start, no reserve or very low reserve → drive activity
• Mid-tier items (€20–€80 expected):
  Low to moderate start + realistic reserve → balance activity and safety
• High-value items (€100+ expected):
  Higher start + solid reserve → protect value first, activity second

The biggest mistake right now is:
👉 using start = reserve on everything

This removes the auction dynamic completely and leads to lower engagement.

We should aim for a mix of strategies depending on the item, not a single rule applied everywhere.