How Does HipStamp Compare With Ebay For Modestly Priced Stamps?

Truth !
I've had little luck with auctions on Hip. I keep all of my auction listings on ebay. If they don't sell there, they go into my Hip store as BIN items (usually at my auction starting price) where they often sell, albeit over time. Many I'll also keep on ebay as BIN items as well (one just needs to be careful on double site listings that if an item sells on one site to be sure to delete it from the other). Low value items automatically go into the Hip store as BIN lots (for obvious reasons).

dcaraz - the rough guide price used by auctioneers here is 10-20% of Gibbons's CVs. For GB, there will also be a calculation of the face value of the decimal stamps, which won't boost the price in the US.

A very interesting thread. I am not a dealer but at some point (when I'm more organized) I will have surplus material to sell, primarily for the purpose of providing funds to purchase material I need or want (and also not wanting stamps to go to waste that someone else might want or need). I'll need to figure these things out at that time.

I don't think to regularly check Hipstamp, for several reasons perhaps:

• It hasn't become a habit yet, ebay is a habit, perhaps too much of one sometimes


• I am frequently also looking for used books, which Hipstamps doesn't have


• For larger lots in particular I prefer auctions (the farm kid in me I think), and ebay has more auctions. I confess that I am happy to find a bargain. This will more likely happen with an auction, though as often as not I am outbid.

I am also a "penny stock" equivalent stamp buyer. It is rare for me to spend over 50% Scott CV for a single stamp (including shipping) unless I REALLY want it or it is hard to find. Therefore I like sellers who have a large number of lots listed. When I see something I like I put it on my watch list and then go see what other material they have I might want, so shipping can be combined.

Just a random followup comment - on every item I sell on ebay, I either include free shipping or charge less than it ends up costing me to ship, so I end up losing a few bucks every time, given how carefully I package the item and post it, When I charge for shipping, it is only a buck or so for small items and for larger (non-philatelic items) a bit more but still less than actual shipping cost. Despite this, my rating for shipping charges is less than perfect, so some folks are apparently marking me down for having high shipping charges. I swear I have never met so many cheapskates until I started selling on ebay.

As an opposing view, as a purchaser,
I recently visited Hipstamp to look at French Revenues.

Outrageous prices and postage to boot

I swear I have never met so many sharks until I revisited Hipstamp
(same with ebay)

Apart from the odd $10 purchase here and there, I have not
bought anything of substance in the last 3 years.

Swapping stamps has been my most enjoyable pursuit

As for swapping, for decent packages 500 stamp+
Stamp pages, literature, decent stiffeners etc
It is not unusual to pay $40 to $100 for postage

Compare that to a bog standard French Dimension revenue
asking £4-5 and postage £4

Just happened upon this thread. I started selling on HS about 20 months ago. It was a slow start, but I now have almost 1000 items for sales, and have experienced modest growth throughout. I primarily offer Canada and the Provinces, but have a smattering of WW, especially BC. I try to offer many mint stamps in F-VF+ condition. My prices range from a few dollars to low hundreds. I have several repeat buyers, and find most the buyers to be quite knowledgable. ebay does offer a ton of stamps (I've bought a few, but mainly break up lots from auction houses), But, for Canada, I find too many are way overpriced and often described inaccurately (I've returned a few) and overzealously graded. I have tried auctions on HS, but it seems to end up a giveaway program, so I just stick to "Buy It Now", and invite reasonable offers. Those are my thoughts.

Same here - almost mirrors my overall experience as a seller!

John

I recently signed up to hipstamp to buy a couple of items. They've both been received so I'm in the process of closing the account as I have no need for it now. That said, I have no complaints.

When I see sales on ebay asking plain stupid shipping fees I don't bother. Life is too short.