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I have full intentions on getting rid of some of my accumulated stamping stuff on eBay over the next week or two. We're moving to a smaller place and I really just will not have the room for it all like I have at our current residence.
So I was wondering if you all thought it was best to list stuff individually, or in lots or similar items? (ink pads with ink pads, stamp sets with stamp sets, etc?) I looked over the Bay and saw alot of both done, but couldn't tell which one might be best.
I think it depends partly on what kind of shipping deal you can offer. If you bundle stuff in lots but the shipping looks high, I think it puts some people off. If you can offer combined shipping on individual listings, people often bid more because they want to make sure of getting 'best value' out of the shipping for combined items, IYSWIM.
Have you considered using the Buy/Sell/Trade forum here for anything that's not current SU!- no selling fees that way, just PayPal fees if you're going to take that as a payment method.
One other thing: the exchange rate between US dollars and UK sterling right now makes American purchases very attractive to us Brits so if you can offer international shipping, you might get some good bids from this side of the Atlantic.
depends on what you ...stamp sets I would probably list individually because someone may be looking for a single stamp set...
I usually look at what the average is for a stamp set through the completed sales - I then use the average and throw on $3 and usually offer Free shipping with a BIN price...all mine seem to go pretty fast using BIN....a few times when someone has bid on it (and therefore made the BIN option obsolete) it has gone for higher than the BIN price.
I usually throw in a few things that I know are only going to go for a few bucks but those items help to cover e-bay and paypal fees.
__________________ Jenni -Happy SU Demo - MY GALLERY & MY CHAOTIC LIFE One kid makes you a Parent - Two makes you a Referee
One other thing: the exchange rate between US dollars and UK sterling right now makes American purchases very attractive to us Brits so if you can offer international shipping, you might get some good bids from this side of the Atlantic.
QUOTE]
I was going to say the same thing for Australia and if you don't have the postage up too high then there is a fair chance a few from Australia will have a nibble. Our sets cost more or less twice as much as yours so we're more likely to bid more. Plus it would cost about $7 to post one set within Australia anyway - if would cost about $8-11 from the US. Not that much of a difference to put people off.
I've sold on ebay for a long time....I've been a power seller for 3 year now (although I haven't sold much lately since the continued increased ebay fees). Anyway...what I usually do is sell the more valuable stamp sets individually- they will sell for more that way. Then I take my remaining sets and I group them together as a 'lot'. You'll want to make sure your 'lots' are a reasonable size and value....most bidders will bid on lots up to around $100. You will make out much better by selling everything individually, but it is a lot more work.
Some helpful tips I would suggest are: be clear about your shipping costs- more people are likely to bid if you use the shipping calculator rather than a flat rate shipping fee. Try to be fair about your shipping costs...$10 to ship one stamp set is outrageous and I would never bid on an auction with really high shipping fees.
I never offer free shipping. You are paying fees on your final sale price and you do not pay final value fees on your shipping charges. This is why you will sometimes see an auction for $1 buy it now, but like $20 shipping- note...this is not allowed on ebay, but sellers do it anyway.
Pricing is another matter of personal preference. You can start your auctions at a low starting price, you can add a buy it now, or you can do a fixed price listing. I've done my auctions all different ways just be careful when someone makes you an offer because the stamp set may be worth a lot more than the offer. I usually search completed items to see what the average selling price of that particular stamp set was and I go from there. In most of my auctions people will bid and that bid will remove the buy it now price...even if my buy it now price was only like $1 more than my opening bid, and sometimes my auction will end up going for even more than my buy it now price.
7 day listings are the best way to go. 3 day listing are too short and 10 day listing are too long.
I never put 'immediate payment required' on my listings, because I think what if the bidder does not know how to use paypal. I've already had bidders tell me that they will send payment through paypal, but they had to have their son or husband do it for them.
Be very careful about making any deals outside of ebay....although I never ship anything until payment is received, sales outside of ebay can be a risky move.
Have you considered using the Buy/Sell/Trade forum here for anything that's not current SU!- no selling fees that way, just PayPal fees if you're going to take that as a payment method.
Yeah....most of it is current, else I would have done that! Ink pads and the likes don't go out unless SU retires a color.
I have had pretty good luck on ebay. I just use the priority shipping. It costs 4.60 for a flat rate envelope(you can fit one set), if you print the shipping labels through paypal, they include the delivery confirmation. I am considering upping to to 5.60 to cover the paypal fees. There were a few sets that I basically gave away, but I wanted them out of the house, and a few dollars in my paypal account was better than nothing. I have not done international shipping but I have shipped some other packages to Canada and it just takes a few minutes for the customs form.
Good luck!
__________________ Pia 2024 Scrapbook goals April 16/10 layouts YTD 91/120 Check out my gallery
I have had pretty good luck on ebay. I just use the priority shipping. It costs 4.60 for a flat rate envelope(you can fit one set), if you print the shipping labels through paypal, they include the delivery confirmation. I am considering upping to to 5.60 to cover the paypal fees. There were a few sets that I basically gave away, but I wanted them out of the house, and a few dollars in my paypal account was better than nothing. I have not done international shipping but I have shipped some other packages to Canada and it just takes a few minutes for the customs form.
Good luck!
I didn't think that any fees were supposed to be recovered through shipping charges other than shipping charges. I've always included any other fees in my starting bid price.
I have had pretty good luck on ebay. I just use the priority shipping. It costs 4.60 for a flat rate envelope(you can fit one set), if you print the shipping labels through paypal, they include the delivery confirmation. I am considering upping to to 5.60 to cover the paypal fees. There were a few sets that I basically gave away, but I wanted them out of the house, and a few dollars in my paypal account was better than nothing. I have not done international shipping but I have shipped some other packages to Canada and it just takes a few minutes for the customs form.
Good luck!
Just FYI~ the flat rate boxes are not $4.60. That is what Priority starts at...the flat rate boxes are $8.95, up to 20 pounds for domestic mail.
As I just posted on another thread, I buy most of my SU sets from ebay. (And, a lot of my other stamps as well!)
I rarely look at "lots"- there are always stamps I already have or would not want, and unless the price is ridiculously low, I am not interested in paying for things I don't want.
As a regular ebay stamp buyer I am looking for:
a good price
fair shipping costs
GOOD pictures and descriptions
I do both bidding and BIN- but only when the BIN is not ridiculous- like the folks who put the full retail as their BIN!
And yes, I am much more likely to click on "see buyer's other items" if there is a combined shipping discount offered.
I think that's everything I think about when buying at ebay.
stamping supplies are hard to sell on ebay, there are a ton of sales of stamps, so rare stamps I would sell individually, ones that have multiple listings on ebay ALREADY will be hard to sell unless they are really cheap.
I've had good luck with some stamping magazines, by listing what the magazine consists of, ink pads sell well, and SU cardstock-in my experience
i find selling starting my sale on the weekend, and going 7 days so it ends on the weekend, produces more sellers
and combine shipping when possible
__________________ Carolyn
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Last edited by stampencamper; 04-13-2008 at 02:21 PM..
I didn't think that any fees were supposed to be recovered through shipping charges other than shipping charges. I've always included any other fees in my starting bid price.
I didn't know that. I guess if you have to buy the envelopes, etc. you could include them but if you are using the stuff free from the post office you can't! THanks for letting me know.
__________________ Pia 2024 Scrapbook goals April 16/10 layouts YTD 91/120 Check out my gallery
Just FYI~ the flat rate boxes are not $4.60. That is what Priority starts at...the flat rate boxes are $8.95, up to 20 pounds for domestic mail.
International is a bit more expensive.
I just thought I'd let you know that the priority mail flat rate box weight limit it 70 pounds for domestic mail. The 20 pound weight limit is for flat rate boxes that are mailed internationally.
I didn't know that. I guess if you have to buy the envelopes, etc. you could include them but if you are using the stuff free from the post office you can't! THanks for letting me know.
Some sellers will add a few extra dollars to the shipping cost to cover ebay fees, paypal fees, and packaging supplies. They do this because the seller pays a final value fee on the sale price of their item. Sellers do not pay final fees on their shipping costs. It saves a little bit of money for them, but then you run the risk of having high shipping costs which can turn buyers away. When I ship my items on ebay I use priority mail boxes (which are free) and click-n-ship (I don't even have to leave my house to mail my packages. The mailman picks them up at my front door).
It is perfectly legal to include handling (shipping and handling) as part of your shipping costs. I consider Ebay/Paypal fees as part of that. I add in an extra dollar for international shipping because I have to physically go to the Post Office to mail those packages and that costs me extra time/gas to get the package out. I have occasionally had a set sell for so little that I literally paid for the privilege of sending the set out. I learned from that to include Ebay/Paypal fees as part of my shipping.
__________________ Jennifer - member 8504
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Right now, I have a bunch of stuff on ebay and most of it is two or three things together...and those are the ones with higher prices.
That has been my personal experience. I get more if I list items as a group. Sometimes it's just retired stamp sets. Once I listed a group of retired stamps sets, tools, & in-color ink pads & cs.... made a lot of $ on that one.
I would go through completed items by highest price and see what people are getting. Large lots get higher prices, but when you break it down per set, often it is less than $5 each. I just sold a pkg of retired CS, one pad and 4 reinkers separately and made over $40 - twice what I paid for them. I doubt I would have received that much as a lot. And I was able to start all my listings at 99cents without too much risk, which only costs 15cents each and gets you more watchers. An exception would be when you sell items that go together - I did really well when I sold Looks Like Spring together with the matching punch.
That has been my personal experience. I get more if I list items as a group. Sometimes it's just retired stamp sets. Once I listed a group of retired stamps sets, tools, & in-color ink pads & cs.... made a lot of $ on that one.
I just had an auction end yesterday where I grouped together two stamp sets (Lovely as a Tree and Noble Deer) and I was delighted at what the final selling price was.
Already lots of great advice here, so I will just add my two cents from my experience. (Sorry this is long). I have been both an ebay buyer and seller.
When I buy, I rarely look at the lots of stamp sets. There might be one or two sets in the group I'm interested in, but I don't want to pay for all the others included. There was one time I made an exception because the one set was hard to come by. I got a really good deal on all the sets, then as soon as I got them, I kept the one set I wanted and listed all the sets I didn't want. I actually ended up getting back much more than I paid originally, but that's an exception. I agree with a previous poster. Yes, you may get $100 for a lot of stamp sets. But how many sets were included? What is the average price per set? Probably less than if they sold individually, even including fees.
When selling, the only time I would group something is if it went together. Like a retired pack of cardstock, a reinker, pad and marker of the same color. Or a stamp set and matching punch. Or the occasional two stamp sets that actually coordinate.
I will not look at any item, regardless of what it is, if the shipping is outrageous. I understand the convenience of priority mail, but when I am buying a small set or a single stamp, I can't see spending more on the shipping than I paid for the item. I also look for combined shipping. I'm much more likely to purchase more items from a seller if I know I can get a good deal.
I ship first class (much less expensive than priority) unless the item weighs more than 13 oz. For magazines, I offer media mail rate but write in the description that this may take more time (up to two weeks) and offer another option for those that want their item more quickly. I think lower shipping rates get more people looking and they tend to bid a little higher than they might with a higher shipping charge. I weigh my items before I list them and figure the price for the shipping, plus the cost of my envelope, label and packing tape - which is usually minimal - then I round up to the nearest 25�. I know my time is worth something, and if this was my business, I might add that in. But I'm just doing this to clear stuff out so I don't add handling fees. As far as the trip to the PO, I go by there on my way to work anyway, so I don't add in a gas/travel fee.
I do ship to Canada, but I have a disclaimer that Canadian buyers must pay through paypal. I used to offer money orders as an option, but I got burned by someone who sent one - in US dollars - but my bank charged a $15 fee to cash it. The money order was only for $12! So if you do ship internationally, make sure to accept paypal only.
To determine a price, I look at the completed listings for that item and see how well it will do. Some sets, because there are just so many of them available, don't go for much. In fact, some go for so little that they may not be worth listing at all after you figure in fees. These I might give to my niece or throw in as a freebie for someone who bought a lot of stuff. Or trade with a friend. One thing to remember though even if your set doesn't sell for much... at least it's not cluttering up your craft room anymore, its going to someone who really wants it, and (hopefully) you got some use and enjoyment out of it which is worth something. I figure if I have a $15 set that sells for only $10, that I got $5 worth of use from it so it was worth it.
I do think that buy it now is a very good option for more valuable sets. Again, check out the completed listings to see if your set falls into that category.
I think its very important to write a good description for each item you list and include the condition of the item for stamp sets (like closely trimmed, center mounted, no staining). Also, include a photo of the rubber side of the stamps. I have been disappointed in the past a couple of times when I got a stamp set that was mounted poorly or badly stained and that was not in the description. Now I don't buy without all the info I want. Sometimes I may have time to contact the seller and ask questions about the item. But often, I am seeing an item on sale for the first time shortly before the auction ends and there is no time for the seller to get back to me. Don't leave your bidders guessing. You can get higher prices if you take just an extra minute to describe things. And remember, unless your set is rare, there are lots more available so if someone doesn't see what they want in your auction, they will just go to the next one.
Take good photos. Even if someone knows what is included in the set, they still want to see a clear photo to make sure everything is there and in good shape. Blurry photos make people look to another auction.
I usually start my auctions on Monday night to end the next Monday. I have had better success this way because lookers have all weekend (just before the auction ends) to view the items. But I really think that any day of the week is good. Just don't start your auctions to end during the day when lots of people are at work.
There are other things I know I wanted to add but can't think of them now.
I highly recommend the book that got me started, Ebay for Dummies by Marcia Collier. You can get this at your library. It has great advice for both buying and selling on ebay and is an easy read.
There are a lot of good points here. I did notice something that hasn't been said. As a seller, do NOT end your auctions on a Sunday. Auctions that end on a Sunday are great for the buyer but not for the seller. I have been selling on ebay for a few years and I have seen sets that end on Sunday sell for less (sometimes a lot less) than the same set that ended on a different day. Unless I do a buy it now I always start my bids at .99. I also end my auctions at at least 9-10pm by their time. I am EST and if you don't watch the time zones and know the time difference then you could be ending your auctions at like 5pm and make a little less money. Good luck!
Jada,
What days do you think are the best to end an auction? I thought Sundays (like afternoon or early evening) and Saturdays were good days. I haven't tried selling much on Ebay and what I did try didn't get very good prices, except one item....and that was great!
Wow, you girls are on top of things. Thanks for sharing all of the advice. Would any of you share your ebay names so we can shop with you? That would be great!
There are a lot of good points here. I did notice something that hasn't been said. As a seller, do NOT end your auctions on a Sunday. Auctions that end on a Sunday are great for the buyer but not for the seller. I have been selling on ebay for a few years and I have seen sets that end on Sunday sell for less (sometimes a lot less) than the same set that ended on a different day. Unless I do a buy it now I always start my bids at .99. I also end my auctions at at least 9-10pm by their time. I am EST and if you don't watch the time zones and know the time difference then you could be ending your auctions at like 5pm and make a little less money. Good luck!
I had heard just the opposite -- that items sell for MORE if they end on a Sunday. Anyone else care to chime in on this one?
Thanks,
Yapha
__________________ Yapha I help people who are sick and tired regain their energy and improve their gut health so they can stop feeling exhausted every day and get back to feeling their best.
Just an FYI...I have finally stopped buying SU Sets on eBay that are only shipped in the flat rate envelopes, because the Clamshell Storage Boxes always seem to arrive crushed, if not sent in BOXES. I require they be mailed to me in BOXES, and I now only ship sets I sell in BOXES. LM :-)
Quote:
Originally Posted by PMR
The flat rate envelopes which hold one set are $4.60.
Just an FYI...I have finally stopped buying SU Sets on eBay that are only shipped in the flat rate envelopes, because the Clamshell Storage Boxes always seem to arrive crushed, if not sent in BOXES. I require they be mailed to me in BOXES, and I now only ship sets I sell in BOXES. LM :-)
I totally agree with you. It really bugs me when I buy a stamp set on ebay and it's just thrown in a bubble mailer and the box arrives crushed and damaged. I never thought about requesting my stamp set be shipped in a box....especially if I am paying for priority mail....those boxes are free.
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I've always ended my auctions on Sunday 8pm EST. I've gotten some great prices for some of my stamps, but then again, I've given some away. It could be the stamp set, it could be the timing. Not sure.
Maybe this next time I'll do both and see how each one does. I'm trying to get some ready for a Sunday listing this week. SO, if you don't close on a Sunday, what is the next best day????
I buy on ebay more than I should at times - I've had a few things sent in boxes but the majority of the time the stamp sets I’ve bought are sent in envelopes or mailers and I haven't had an issue with any of the cases being damaged... yet (knock on wood ;) )
Personally, I tend to look for single stamp sets rather than the big lots. Smaller lots (such as 3 sets or so) I'll look at and have bid on, but the huge lots I usually pass right by.
Ink I look for lots usually - so I'd personally list the ink in lots.
I have a huge stash, so i very rarely look at "lots".
because, there will be duplicates or thing i just plain don't need the hassle of getting rid of in the group.
so, I figure i am wasting a little money buying stamps and sets individually on shipping costs over time but, I am not cluttering up my space with things i don't need or want either. I also look for things that are ending at the time most people are driving to work, sometimes you can get really good deals at that time of the day... lol...
As a seller i think i tend to do better on evenings, say tuesday and thursday evenings. those are days of the week we tend to be at home in my family. Sundays go either way for me, some ok some so so. I don't have any auctions end during the day while most people are at work.
I live in pacific standard time zone and it seems to me no matter what i sell it almost always needs shipped to the east coast, so I tend to have my auctions end between 5 pm (pst) 8pm est and 7 pm pst. (10 pm est)
I do very rarely offer flat rate shipping, its almost always calculated. If i am selling something breakable i require the buyer to purchase shipping insurance. if its not break able, its optional and i list that I am not responsible for it after shipping if they don't choose to buy it.
If you choose to accept checks and money orders, do not ship it until the money clears, ( I write in the listing if they mail me a check it takes my bank 10 days to clear out of state checks) and i will not be mailing it until the next business day after that. ( I don't ship on saturdays)
if you receive a money order from Canada if its an International one you can cash it at the post office. ( and not have to hassle with your bank) my bank does not accept anything from Canada.
It's way easier to accept Pay-Pal. and people are happier if they receive it faster too. but, the fees are just really crazy now. so, I have not had anything listed for a while.
eBay tips
