Someone persistently asking about reserve price

I think you just need to say you're not going to reveal that information. They'll be able to see what the reserve was if the auction closes unsold (or at least you used to be able to. Haven't seen a reserve auction in awhile). Many sellers on trademe do disclose the reserve which is probably why they're persisting in asking. I know there's quite a bit of resentment about the reserve feature these days and some people refuse to engage with an auction at all if it has a reserve. 

Yes, to be honest it's just better to list it without a reserve if you can. People do indeed pass things by if they have a reserve. Or simply ask what it is. As you have found out.

If you must set a reserve, and don't want to answer questions from that member again you can blacklist them. Won't stop others asking the same thing though. And many probably will.

Kathryn, I was bidding on an auction last week that closed unsold as res not met and going back to the auction now on several platforms, the reserve price is not shown, so it really is now a hidden reserve. There was also another dicussion last week about being shown when you were bidding within 15% of reserve, but this function doesn't appear on the new site now either so you merrily keep increasing your bid, then suddenly you are winning and res is met.

Thanks for the update Gary. It did always seem a bit unfair for people who valued a hidden reserve that that detail was given on an unsold auction. 

Hi there Vicki

I think the answer you gave in your original post is perfectly fine. "The nature of an auction is not to show the reserve otherwise we would set the opening price at the reserve."

But I also think that the concept of reserves does not really fit in that well with the online world, you are better setting your starting price as the lowest price you would be willing to accept and go from there, that way you are not spending to set a reserve, and it cannot sell below your bottom dollar anyway. (Unless you are selling a car or property, then by all means 100% set a reserve).