[OT] e-bay Auctions

[WSmith]

Question for ebay'ers. Do you think posting a lot or individual items are better?

If Morrus doesn't want a trading forum, maybe me can have a weekly consolodated thread.

Dieter, do you have a picture of that PHB? I have seen some really shabby copies on ebay, it can't be as bad as those. One was UA in I kid you not two pieces, the cover and the inside. We all know about the binding of those but darn!

 

[Dieter]

Argh! I just sold an UA with some minor dents and dings last week.

My digital camera is crapping out on me at the moment, but I can tell you that the PHB is intact, meaning that all the pages and covers are still clinging quite well to the spine. Some areas of the book look like a dog was using it as a chew toy, but remarkably it's still all together. I'll see what I can do about getting a pic for you.

As for listing in lots or individually, I've only listed individually.
It's pretty much hit or miss. I've seen some lots skyrocket in price and I've seen some barely reach double digits. Without giving away too many of my trade secrets that I've come to know, I'd say that you have gauge whether or not you'd get more in the longrun from selling each piece individually or would it be more profitable to sell more for less but make up the loss in volume.

Hopefully Morris or one of the other Mods will see the traffic on this thread and consider some sort of "Trading Post" forum.

 

[KingThorvar]

Question for ebay'ers. Do you think posting a lot or individual items are better?

I practically live on ebay..

I prefer individual items.. then if I win more than one item from a particular seller, we can just combine the shipping.

If you put too large of a lot, some people won't bid because they don't want everything that's in the lot.

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

Question for ebay'ers. Do you think posting a lot or individual items are better?

As a buyer, I generally like separate items. Then I only have to bid for what I want.

If I were selling, however, I would bundle together "hot"* stuff with "less desirable" merchandise. (Assuming I had a mixed-bag of stuff to sell.) Then, someone has to take the common stuff off my hands to get the good stuff.



*not stolen! just stuff that sells well

 

[Doc_Klueless]

Back when I had lots of free time, I used to buy lots and then sell the pieces off seperately. This may sound kind of silly, but I almost always made a profit by doing this.

 

[Dieter]

Also, I'd mention that unless you know the exact amount of postage for an auction item, don't list the shipping costs. I learned this the hard way, having to pay an extra $2.50 for an overweight item.

 

[WSmith]

Which leads me to another question. I would list my auction for actual shipping. But do you have the winner pay first or do you go to post office and get the package weighed first? How do you guys do it.

Also, how do you guys pacakage RPG stuff? Is it is a lone module, do you send it in a Prioity Mail mailier or in a box?

Just curious. I just emptied my closet out. Whew I have lots of stuff to go up.

 

[The Crimster]

Must... have... Egg of Phoenix...!

If any of you try to bid on it, I shall use my fearsome Mind Blast (tm) on you!

The Crimster

 

[Dieter]

Which leads me to another question. I would list my auction for actual shipping. But do you have the winner pay first or do you go to post office and get the package weighed first? How do you guys do it.

Also, how do you guys pacakage RPG stuff? Is it is a lone module, do you send it in a Prioity Mail mailier or in a box?

Just curious. I just emptied my closet out. Whew I have lots of stuff to go up.

There's a spot where you can opt for either listing the shipping cost or just mark it as "I will provide shipping costs later". This is a good segue into how I ship things. I ONLY ship USPS Priority Mail. It's $3.95 for anything you can cram into one of their cardboard envelopes (a 3e PHB is about the maximum thickness/width you can get into one). Anything over that is a flatfee until you get to things weighing over 5lbs. Mind you, a boxed set like (shameless promo) Menzoberranzan will be $6.45 due to the weight and having to ship it in the largest priority mail box. When you start getting into international shipping, that's when the prices get a little crazy. The same boxed set shipped just to the Great White North (Canada for all you non-Canucks) is $18! I don't want to even think about overseas shipping which is why I limit my sales to the US and Canada (despite the fact that they beat the US in hockey).

As for how I package stuff, I generally seal the book in another large envelope (soft, not cardboard) then stick it inside the priority mail pouch. For boxed sets, I pack both ends with newspaper and send it on its way.

A couple other tips:

Offer, but don't demand that the buyer gets a deliver confirmation (40 cents extra) and insurance ($1.10 for up to 50 bucks of value). That's a measely $1.50 extra for a whole lot of assurance.

This way you won't have any sort of guilt when their package arrives (only has happen to me once) is sad state or not at all.

 

[qstor]

I was one of those that gripped last time about sales in the General Forum. I think we'd be better off with a Buy/Sell forum.

Mike