The Unauthorized, Unofficial WYNTK tips for selling on e-bay

[EZ_E]

Let's keep this serious and to the point.

 

Please, offer tips you have found successful while selling (or buying) on e-bay.

 

e.g. description technique; starting bid, return policy, sniping, etc.

 

Thanks, boardsters!!

[dooly]

I have seen my international sales rise dramatically since i started using "MyStoreMaps" and only $9.95 per year or 1-500 feedbacks Well until eBay kicked me off

[James_OldeTowne]

A trick that has worked well for me in the past is somewhat counter-intuitive.

 

End your auctions at oddball times, not on Sunday evening, as most other sellers do. A particularly good time to target is the lunch hour throughout the weekday. Many office folks eat lunch at their desks and browse eBay while choking down the burger and fries, or sandwich and soup. I am amazed at how many of my coins are bought by office workers who place their bids at lunch hour.

 

Another good idea is to absolutely provide excellent packaging. That is a huge bonus that can overcome other shortcomings (such as a lack of return policy ). Sometimes, when I sell junk coins and get huge, glowing feedback, I think it has to be because the shipping was good. Oh, and of course, ship promptly as much as possible.

 

Looking forward to more suggestions!

[jgrinz]

Ship promptly ...Ship promptly ...Ship promptly ...Ship promptly ...Ship promptly ...

 

OH yeah and did I say Ship promptly !

 

 

[bsshog40]

I mostly purchase, so as a buyer I do a couple things:

 

I bid the maximum that I will/can pay for a coin I want. I don't get caught up in the bidding wars.

I promptly pay, most of the time, as soon as the auction is over.

I always leave a note with my paypal invoice thanking the seller for his auction.

As soon as I receive item and is to my satisfaction, I leave positive feedback.

 

When I do sell, I do the following:

 

I try to list the most accurate information and pictures for the item.

I leave positive feedback as soon as the buyer pays. They did thier part.

I email the buyer when the item is shipped.

Unless I hear from the buyer first, after a week I will email them and ask if they have received item and are they satisfied with item.

 

[Just Bob]

Another good idea is to absolutely provide excellent packaging.

 

As a buyer, this ranks high on my list of reasons to be a repeat customer (or not.) I recently received a shipment of 6 proof coins, all wrapped in plastic together. Not even a piece of paper between them. Needless to say, all were scratched.

 

Oh, and of course, ship promptly as much as possible.

 

This is another deal-breaker, as well.

[pendragon1998]

Something that really bothers me as a buyer is when I get a slab that is poorly packaged, and therefore arrives with a scratched or scuffy viewing window. That makes it much, much more difficult to photograph the coin later. If you're a seller, do everything you can to avoid messing up the slab.

[Dcoin]

If you going to buy... an auction snipping program can be very very useful.

[EZ_E]

If you going to buy... an auction snipping program can be very very useful.

 

That's a no doubter! I use bidnapper.com and it prevents bidding wars from happening. If one is going to shop on ebay, I feel that a sniping program is almost essential!

[stev32k]

I believe one of the most important factors in getting a fair price is good photographs. Most people don't like to buy what they can't see and the better they can see it the more comfortable they become.

 

If you have good sharp photos that really show the coin (warts and all) I believe you will always get a higher price than listings with poor images.

[EZ_E]

Excellent point, Steve!

 

Which brings up the point: What is the best photo-hosting site to display multiple photos?

[MunkyMan95]

Excellent point, Steve!

 

Which brings up the point: What is the best photo-hosting site to display multiple photos?

 

www.photobucket.com hands down for me!

 

I host all of my eBay images there, and with a little HTML knowhow, you can avoid paying that extra 15c or whatever it is to list multiple pictures. This especially comes in handy when you have more than two or three pictures you want to include in the auction.

 

[EZ_E]

Excellent point, Steve!

 

Which brings up the point: What is the best photo-hosting site to display multiple photos?

 

www.photobucket.com hands down for me!

 

I host all of my eBay images there, and with a little HTML knowhow, you can avoid paying that extra 15c or whatever it is to list multiple pictures. This especially comes in handy when you have more than two or three pictures you want to include in the auction.

 

Thanks for the input, Chad. I'll put that bit of trivia to use this weekend. (thumbs u

[Jeffrey Cardona]

Good communication is very important!. It will prevent 99% of the problems and solve the the other 1% that happen to come up in the process of buying and selling.

 

I always follow up with the customer when I sell and let the buyer know I have received his item.

 

I have sold and bought everything from coins....cars....computer games....and household goods on Ebay and never have had a problem!!

[RGT]

I haven't listed anything on ebay in almost a year but I have sold several coins there in the past. As others have said, good pictures are a must. I also use Photobucket. I used to use the web space provided by my ISP but I find Photobucket much easier to use.

 

I like to keep the description short, but complete. That means, don't write a history of the coin or the grading company or the design, etc. Do point out positives and negatives of the coin. Certainly don't stress the negatives but failing to mention them sometimes results in a returned coin. I once listed a raw coin with a significant hit on the obverse that I thought was quite obvious in the photo, so I didn't mention it. The buyer wrote me requesting to return the coin because of the HUGE gash on the coin. Well, if it was so HUGE, why didn't he see it in the photo? I relisted it mentioning the hit and it sold for $2-3 dollars less (on a $60-70 coin). I typically offer a seven day return but I have only ever had two coins returned.

 

I have started a few auctions at the minimum price that I wanted for the coin. About half of these don't sell. I usually start at 99 cents and they always sell (of course). One coin I remember starting at $135 and no one bit. I relisted it with a 99 cent start and it bid up to $187.50. People like auctions with a low starting bid. They think they can get a good deal, and sometimes they do. I have never used a reserve so I can't comment on that other than I usually don't even bother to watch a reserve auction unless it's something I really want that I have trouble finding elsewhere. I rarely win a reserved auction.

 

As far as sniping when selling on ebay I recomend against it. Sniping your own auctions is looked down on.

[EZ_E]

As far as sniping when selling on ebay I recomend against it. Sniping your own auctions is looked down on.

 

Of course, Randy. We were talking about the buyer sniping.

 

You included some great points. Thanks!

[RGT]

As far as sniping when selling on ebay I recomend against it. Sniping your own auctions is looked down on.

 

Of course, Randy. We were talking about the buyer sniping.

 

Well, you can't do anything about that. Maybe you want to put in your terms that you won't sell to anyone who bids in the last 60 seconds?

 

Sniper no sniping!

Sniper no sniping!

Sniper no sniping!

 

Sorry. It's been a while since my daughter watched Dora the Explorer, but I can't forget that line.

 

Or maybe you like sniping and want to put in your terms that you won't sell unless the winning bid was placed less than 10 seconds before the auction end?

 

Seriously, worrying about snipers only makes me a tiny bit anxious. Most of my auctions get to levels that I would be satisfied with long before the end. Snipers are usually just icing on the cake. (thumbs u