x3allamerican/cards-skills/auction-house-vs-marketplace

Auction House vs Marketplace

Auction = price discovery, longer cycle, higher upside for rare. Marketplace BIN = faster sale, capped at listed price.

Auction economics

Pros:

• Price discovery (multiple bidders push up price)
• Higher ceiling for rarities
• Specialist audience (Heritage, Goldin)
• Marketing infrastructure included

Cons:

• 4-8 week cycle
• Seller fee (0% on Goldin/Heritage, but buyer's premium hits seller indirectly)
• Reserve price risk (no reserve = sold below estimate)
• Cataloging time + photos

Marketplace BIN economics

Pros:

• Fast sale (hours-days for hot cards)
• Predictable price
• Low effort
• Self-managed listings

Cons:

• Capped at listed price (no upward discovery)
• 10-15% platform fee
• Buyer-side audience limited to retail
• Less premium for rarities

Decision framework

Use auction when:

• Card value > $5K
• Card is rare/1-of-1
• Time horizon allows 4-8 weeks
• Want premier audience

Use marketplace when:

• Card value < $5K
• Need fast cash
• Card has thick liquidity (popular modern)
• Time-sensitive

Where this fits in the X3 empire

Listing tool's primary venue recommendation.