I think its more about what the eggs are worth TO THE BUYER - not what they're worth to the seller. So I tend to like the "auction style" format better than BIN listings, whether I'm buying OR selling.
And I don't care HOW LONG someone has been selling eggs - if the seller has a good reputation for good packing and fast shipment and is pleasant to deal with, and if pics of the parent stock are good quality photographs, and show birds that are healthy and typey and in clean surroundings, somebody out there will want them - but they will only pay what they are worth TO THEM, AT THAT TIME, not necessarily what they're worth to the seller, all the time.
To me (as a seller), they're only eggs, not gold, and I've got plenty more where they came from. To the buyer, this may be the only chance they have to get some good stock in their chosen breed or variety - but the price they will pay depends entirely on how badly they want them, timing of the auction, their finances, and whether they have a way to successfully hatch them and house any resulting chicks. And of course, we all know shipping is always a gamble - so for high dollar shipped eggs, we're always taking the chance that nothing will hatch - some people are just more willing to take chances with their money than others.
Right now, people are concentrating on holiday shopping, and at other times of the year, some people simply have deeper pockets than others. Some people may not have incubator space or broodies available at the time of an auction - right now, many may not want to chance shipping or have stopped hatching for the year altogether, because the weather is getting colder. I would think the best time for selling/shipping eggs is in spring or early summer - no holidays, warmer weather, tax refunds, etc.... To me, eggs of ANY type ain't worth squat right now, simply because I'd have to house the chicks inside all winter - but my feeling on that will definitely change in the spring, when I can house chicks outdoors.
I've seen auctions here on BYC for 1 dozen eggs start at $1, and the final bid was over $150 (and probably would have gone higher if the time hadn't run out) - so at that time, someone was willing to break the bank and get those eggs at any cost. But I've also seen the same auctions by the same sellers at other times of the year start at $1 and top out at like $30 - so the people at that time didn't think they were worth so much, or just didn't have as much money to spend on eggs, or didn't have any way to hatch them.
But again, to me, as a seller, whether my eggs sold for $150 or for $30, I've got plenty more where they came from, so its no big deal if I don't get top dollar every time. But at least they SOLD, and I have a few bucks to put towards more feed - if I ATE them purely because I wasn't getting top dollar, I'd only be spiting myself!
JMHO, of course.
