ListForge's pricing is grounded in real market data — specifically, comparable sales (comps). Understanding how comps work and how to interpret pricing strategies will help you make better selling decisions.
What Are Comparable Sales?
Comps are other listings for the same or very similar products. ListForge gathers two types:
Sold Comparables
Items that have actually sold. These show what real buyers paid and are the strongest pricing signal. Each sold comp includes:
- Sale price
- Condition of the item
- When it sold
- Shipping cost (if applicable)
- A link to the original listing
Active Comparables
Items currently listed for sale. These show what other sellers are asking but haven't necessarily found a buyer yet. Active comps are useful for understanding the competitive landscape, but asking prices don't always reflect what buyers will pay.
Sold comps are worth more than active comps for pricing. An item with 10 sold comps at $50 is a much stronger signal than 10 active listings at $75 with no sales.
Conviction Levels
Each pricing recommendation comes with a conviction level:
| Level | What It Means |
|---|---|
| High | Many recent sold comps, clear market price, high confidence |
| Medium | Some comps found, reasonable confidence, may have some ambiguity |
| Low | Few comps, older data, or comps may not be exact matches |
| None | Insufficient data — treat the price as a rough estimate |
When conviction is low or none, you should rely more on your own knowledge of the market.
The Three Pricing Strategies
ListForge doesn't give you a single price — it gives you three strategies so you can choose based on your business goals:
Aggressive
- Priced at or below the lower end of comparable sales
- Optimized for speed — sell within days, not weeks
- Best for: commodity items, inventory you need to move, cash flow optimization
- Trade-off: lower margin per item
Balanced
- Priced at the market median for comparable condition
- Optimized for overall returns — fair price, reasonable sell-through time
- Best for: most items, bread-and-butter inventory
- Trade-off: may take 1–3 weeks to sell
Premium
- Priced above typical market rate
- Optimized for margin — highest possible return, willing to wait
- Best for: rare items, excellent condition, collectibles, items with limited supply
- Trade-off: may take weeks to months; price drops may be needed eventually
Choosing the Right Strategy
There's no universally "best" strategy. Consider:
- How quickly do you need the money? Aggressive if soon, Premium if you can wait.
- How common is the item? Common items should be Aggressive or Balanced — there's no premium for commodity goods.
- What's the condition? Mint/sealed items justify Premium. Well-used items should be Aggressive.
- What's your storage capacity? Limited space favors Aggressive. Ample storage allows Premium patience.
You can change an item's pricing strategy at any time. Start Premium and drop to Balanced after a few weeks if it hasn't sold. This is a common and effective approach.
Overriding AI Pricing
The AI's pricing is a recommendation, not a mandate. You always have final say. If you know the market better than the comps suggest — maybe you know demand is about to spike for seasonal items, or a comparable just sold at auction for an unusually high price — override the suggestion.
You can edit the price directly on any item or listing without affecting the underlying research data.