Listing On Ebay - Strategy

modern-who has been a great help to me. I checked out your link to your new listing and have some questions. You started the bidding price at $o.99, why so low. Do you figure the final price will just find it's own level?
I am planning to list my 6 Vol "STAMPS OF WORLD WAR II", and am asking for advice from everyone on what would be the best strategy for the listing.
That would include the title,options,pictures, the whole nine yards.
Any help would be appreciated.


Conn

From experience, I know general collection such as this will attract bidders and definitely sell. More people will be interested in looking at lower prices. If I started at 99 dollars instead of 99 cents, a lot of potential bidders wouldn't even look. Still, it might sell for 99 dollars or more, depending on who is bidding. This one picked up 5 watchers and was bid up to $19.04 overnight.

Your unique, specialty collection is another thing. There is no way to judge how much interest there might be in it. You can take a chance and start low, but a better strategy to be sure you don't end up giving it away would be to start it at the lowest price you are willing to take and see where it goes from there. (It's better to do that than start low and set a reserve since some bidders won't play games bidding against reserve prices.) If your item doesn't sell, you can relist it and try a lower price. I have seen such relistings sometimes sell for more than they were listed for the first time out.

For your text based description, you could show you're familiar with your material by suggesting a certain percentage off in relation to the combined Scott catalog total if you're using a buy it now listing (eg: "Recent 2010 Scott pricing totals this collection at $500. Yours for 75% off at $125"). A quick reference to this in your auction title could help as well.

High resolution pictures are absolutely necessary. I personally don't buy anything for my collection unless I can see a close up, detailed scan or photo of the stamp(s). Make sure all perforations are visible and there's no glare shining back at the camera. 300 dpi resolution scans are better as they avoid camera errors.

Conn,

As someone who buys considerably more than he sells, I can echo Modern-who's advice.

I have seen the sought after key issues that everyone wants and not everyone has (e.g. 1869 Pictorial Issues, Trans-Mississippi, etc.) start at $0.99 and sell at "market" prices.

I'm sure you know that this method isn't for the feint of heart. The serious cash isn't put on the table until the last few minutes -- or seconds -- of a sale. I have seen stamps move hundreds of dollars in a few seconds. Of course there is also the probability that a serious bidder is asleep at the switch and that opens the door for bottom-feeders like me.

A specialized collection such as yours can attract serious collectors but there will be fewer of them. It might be the case that the person who really would enjoy your collection isn't looking at ebay that week.

IMHO start at a price you think is fair with a lot of good quality pictures and see what happens. I, too, have seen relistings go for higher amounts than the original listing price.

Don't set a reserve. As a buyer it's annoying. I personally avoid those offers. I don't buy from people who are coy about their price.

Good Luck!
Dan

Hello Conn....


An option you might want to consider is breaking your collection into sections......a large single item would limit the number of possible bidders......how many people could afford the whole collection ? How many could afford a smaller cohesive section ?

Also, consider selling/auctioning better or specialty items separately......show both sides of single items and small groups. For larger groups, post as many photos as necessary and provide a detailed description of the material.

I have seen a lot of sellers that are just posting a single picture and very little to nothing for descriptions and I pass right by them every time regardless of the material. It seems that some sellers think that the back of stamps or covers has no impact on values.

Before you list material on ebay I (and I'm sure others here) would be very interested in seeing/hearing more about your collection......you might find a few interested in buying.

Breaking the collection into sections as Tom suggests can be a good idea, if it doesn't destroy the integrity of a collection of this kind.

300 DPI as Knudson suggests is good for individual items. But if you are listing a large collection you want to make sure your images load quickly or people will bug out and forget it. Many sellers use huge images to show collections. Knowing who some of these are, I don't even bother to look at what they offer any more. There's always more where collections come from.

Hi I put another post under Main Stamp Collecting Forum.Please check it out. "Pet Album"

Will take a look.

I don't see "Pet Album" but did see Stamps Of WWII, if that is what you mean. Maybe you can work something out with a collector like Sharksfan rather than go the ebay route. As far as ebay, I don't have any more to offer other than what I've said, above.

i like this thread excellent responses.

I also want to thank everyone for the great tips listed here. I have my stamps *almost* organized and hope to start listing them tonight/tomorrow, so this thread has helped me a lot.

I would not break up the collection. It will turn off potential high bidders. I like to buy collections but if they are split up, I will not bid because it is likely you will not get it all. To me, it is all or nothing. Start at .99 and have a friend place a reserve bid for you later. That is what 90% of all ebay sellers do. It also cost less to post on ebay. The key is in the photos. Post as many photos as you can. This is what attracts attention and higher bidders. No one bids high on something they have not seen.

I would not recommend having a 'friend' bid up your listings as this is known as shill bidding and is against ebay policy and if detected you will be suspended (long time / short time?) from ebay.

I think it would be more important to continue to sell honestly rather than risk the loss of a very good venue for selling stamps. And a black mark against one. One's reputation and personal integrity.

Perhaps 'some' do engage in this activity but I would not encourage it.

I have been caught by someone doing this on a listing I was bidding on and it does not make one feel friendly towards the seller or want to continue to shop with them. Rather the opposite.

If anyone has noticed this activity with some sellers than it would benefit the whole ebay and stamp selling community to report it and discourage it.

Friends help other friends usually so it is good to be friendly when selling as people who see you as friendly will buy more from you over time. Simple selling technique.