| Oh to be a fanatic! Us golf fanatics are a compulsive | | | | many other buyers are in the market, then that buyer |
| obsessive bunch. What we will do to improve our | | | | can capture the upper hand. Lets focus a little more on |
| swing or drive by one micron! We lay into all sorts of | | | | supply. |
| equipment, game improvement irons etc. etc. If we are | | | | The eBay supply dynamic is a little different in that |
| going to spend this kind of money, how can we | | | | supply of an item must be seen at a point in time. In |
| improve on the bargains we find? I am not going to fill | | | | other words, because auctions end at different times, |
| this article with my theories on club selection and ball | | | | one needs to grasp the number of auctions ending in |
| placement, I will leave that for braver authors. | | | | close proximity for the same item. This gives you a |
| However where I feel comfortable is showing you the | | | | feel for the supply of items or in our case cameras. |
| hows and whys of finding high quality golf brands at | | | | What makes this interesting is that today there could |
| discount prices and how to go about purchasing them. | | | | be a large amount of auctions ending for a particular |
| Lets establish how and where you can find nicely | | | | model, but next week there could be very few. This is |
| discounted golf products, and also grasp a basic | | | | one element driving the price. |
| insiders guide to this market. | | | | The demand side is slightly more complex and hidden |
| Like any other market for innovative products new | | | | from the average eBay buyer. This is where that the |
| products sell at a premium as older models are off | | | | web site I refer to at below has some useful data. |
| loaded through various channels. Therefore you could | | | | Demand in eBay terms is measured (by sellers) as a |
| hope for discounts on new items from 10% to | | | | number of factors - how many people view my |
| probably a maximum of 30% and all the way up to | | | | auction, how many people ask questions, how many |
| 60% on older year models. However it is even | | | | people place me on their watch page, and how many |
| possible to find discounts on eBay on the newest | | | | people actually bid. Obviously as we progress down |
| clubs, especially if they are very lightly used. Think | | | | this list the data become more reliable as an indication |
| about it, trying on and testing golf clubs is difficult at | | | | of demand. Page views are not easy to obtain, |
| best. Therefore many golfers discard clubs after a | | | | although some sellers place a publicly viewable counter |
| first light use age. There is a nice fluid market for both | | | | on their auction pages. Questions and watchers are |
| new and slightly used golf clubs on eBay. | | | | available to sellers, and the special web site mentioned |
| With a large volume of most golf clubs being traded | | | | below will expose this information. Number of bids is |
| everyday, this is the ideal near efficient market. One | | | | available for all to see. |
| can study the dynamics of this micro-market and | | | | Now if we happened to produce a graph as the |
| determine some useful buying rules. With a little more | | | | auction progresses of the changes in the number of |
| information than the rest of the marketplace, one can | | | | questions, watchers and bids one can easily see how |
| almost certainly make some intelligent buying | | | | the demand is changing as time progresses. Typically if |
| opportunities. This article focuses on how to identify | | | | questions are high and watchers are high, but bids are |
| these gaps and often purchase golf clubs for 20-60% | | | | low, this may indicate some confusion (for example a |
| below retail. | | | | spelling mistake in a model number) and a possible buy |
| This article should be read together with my longer | | | | opportunity. If watchers are very high and climbing, but |
| piece and a web site, which produces the information | | | | bids are low, this can point to a last minute bidding war, |
| required to identify buying nuggets. Find the links and | | | | and a stay out indicator. |
| URLs to these two sites at the bottom of this article. | | | | Armed with this information and also a quick summary |
| The niche site focuses specifically and only on data for | | | | of other similar auctions ending soon, plus a quick feel |
| the golf clubs and balls market. Every few minutes this | | | | for the skill set of the seller and the current highest |
| site goes out and find information on the top brand | | | | bidder, one can see a picture very different from the |
| names and most sought after models. So keep | | | | average eBay buyer. Soon the trained eye will |
| checking back. | | | | observe some nice buying opportunities. For the |
| Most information on eBay focuses on the selling | | | | compulsive obsessive golfer such as you author this |
| element, i.e. how to sell your clubs. I have tended to | | | | will soon bring in a number of golf club opportunities |
| specialize on the buying end and trying to identify | | | | that are quite a bit cheaper than retail. Who know I |
| market opportunities and price in-efficiencies to really | | | | may even buy and sell clubs every few months till I |
| capture excellent deals. To do this we need to | | | | reach that mystical place I so yearn for. For example it |
| understand the dynamics of the eBay market place. | | | | is quite possible to find gems at 20-40% of retail prices. |
| Like any other market it is supply demand driven, and | | | | Sometimes a lightly used golf clubs will offer some |
| like a large flee-market if a buyer has knowledge of | | | | unique bargains and discounts, especially if you are |
| how many items are for sale at what prices and how | | | | comfortable with a brand and model. |