| Author |
 Replies: 25 / Views: 4,071 |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
968 Posts |
I've decided to try my luck and see if I can make some money on the side by selling coins on ebay. Do any of you that sell on ebay have any useful advice for someone just starting out? My plan is to start by selling duplicates from my collection, or things I've inherited that I don't really want (like some Encased Cent tokens). The real heart of my "business" will be finding undervalued coins and trying to resell them for a profit (things like uncommon varieties of common coins where the seller didn't know what he had). I realize how important good photos are so I'm teaching myself to take good images. I've discovered that I can put as many images as I want in the listing by putting it in the descriptions section. What I'm not sure of is if I should pay the fee for a second photo to put both the obverse and reverse at the top. Are people smart enough to scroll down to the description after just seeing an obverse picture up top? Or do I need to idiot proof things? I've figured out that sending it First Class Package is probably the cheapest way to go. I'll probably charge $2.99 for shipping, enough to cover my costs without being greedy. Does that seem reasonable? What return policy do you recommend? I'm torn between "No Returns" to minimize the number of people that simply decide they don't want it (i.e. not my fault). On the other hand a 7-day return policy might be more inviting to bidders. What else should I know before I dive into this? By the way, I definitely plan to list anything good here first! Thanks! |
|
|
|
Moderator
 United States
16679 Posts |
Make sure your title and description has as much info as possible to attract potential bidders when they are searching. Depends what I sell but my s/h ranges from Free to $3. Make sure to state that if insurance is not purchased, you are not responsible for lost or stolen packages. I used to get burned before I started putting that, no more. Package your coins securely. Your buyer will appreciate it and you will more than likely get repeat bidders and nice feedback. I use 000 envelopes on most coins. I have been selling on ebay for some time now, and offer a 14 day no questions asked return as long as coin remains in its original untampered holder. I have only had one coin returned to me. swcoin.ecrater.com
Edited by vermontensium
10/11/2011 11:39 pm
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
7840 Posts |
 I start my auctions off at 0.99 and let the good times roll! Take good, clear pictures, and be very specific in your descriptions. I only charge what is required to actually ship the item to the buyer. I don't like the NO RETURNS policy, therefore I don't use it, and have not had anything returned as of today (600+ transactions). But that is the sellers call. Vermontensium made some EXCELLENT points, especially on the insurance policy (Make sure to state that if insurance is not purchased, you are not responsible for lost or stolen packages), which I am going to start doing!  Don't get bummed out if you do not receive the bids that you think that your item(s) are worth. The bidders will decide that. There are several "snipers" who like to wait until the last possible minute/second to try and get a good deal out of your item(s).  Most importantly...have fun! Edited by oih82w8
10/11/2011 11:49 pm
|
|
Pillar of the Community
 United States
968 Posts |
Thanks! The insurance thing is a great idea. I can cover my butt, and if they want it they pay for it so I'm not out anything. I was estimating my shipping costs at just under $3, although I found out just today that delivery confirmation is much cheaper if I print a label through ebay, so I might be able to lower that amount. You are also putting me at ease as I've read so many "I hate ebay!" threads here that I was worried. But having 1 return between the two of you is pretty darn good. I am very familiar with snipers. Heck, that is my strategy most of the time. I'm still in shock losing out to a sniper on a dateless 1916 SLQ earlier today that the seller didn't recognize! I'm learning to base my resale price on completed ebay auctions, not things like the RedBook (not doing that hurt me slightly on a couple of my first purchases). I figure the best guide to prices on ebay is other auctions on ebay. So hopefully my expected sales price will come in close to the actual one. |
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
Sellers are most definitely repsonsible for items arriving safely to buyers, stating otherwise is against ebay rules. Insurance is protection for the seller, not the buyer. Quote:
Do not include disclaimers that say you are not responsible for either item delivery or ensuring that the item is delivered as described. For instance, stating "I am not responsible for the item once it leaves my hands" is not permitted. Sellers are responsible for ensuring buyers receive their items in the condition they were promised. http://pages.ebay.com/sellerinforma...ingdsrs.htmlEdited by biokemist6
10/12/2011 12:45 am
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1080 Posts |
You are correct about delivery confirmation being cheaper when you print your postage via ebay. My advice is take advantage of ebay's seller tools -- printing the postage in ebay automatically updates everyone about the package's shipping date and tracking number. It makes a big difference to me that a seller ships quickly. I get irked at sellers who only go to the post office once a week or once every other week. Play around with the days and times that your auctions end. You'll find the sweet spot. When I was selling electronics, the best auctions ended about 8:00 central time, and as I recall, ending on Friday night was no good. (You want to cater to those last-minute bids... the auction should end at a time when people are surfing ebay.) |
|
Moderator
United States
16679 Posts |
I find myself also doing more .99 start auctions lately with Free s/h. Unless it's a pretty expensive coin.
Yes, clear pictures a must!
swcoin.ecrater.com
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1353 Posts |
specksynder-How do you print the ebay label to fit on a 000 mailer? Additonally I also have a .99 start with free shipping/handling on inexpensive coins |
|
Rest in Peace
United States
9104 Posts |
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
968 Posts |
Thanks again! biggfred, I'll check out those links. I have another ebay question. Has ebay changed the completed auction listings? In the last few days it has gone from showing the listing like normal to showing it only with a thumbnail image and a bunch of (unwanted) suggestions of other auctions. At the moment I'm unable to check what the coins actually looked like, making it much harder to used completed auction data. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2207 Posts |
Above all, SHOW BEAUTIFUL PICTURES! Remember that most coin collectors are male, and males are visual creatures. We get turned on by beauty. When I am looking for type coins on ebay, I simply scroll through all the photos until I see a beautiful one, and I then check it out. I ignore all the others. Too bad, because I do see very nice-looking coins that have terrible photos. By all means, have a return policy! If I see that a seller does not have one, it makes me feel like they do not care if I would be happy or not with the sale. Imagine if you tried to return something to a store and they wouldn't let you? You'd feel ripped off. And you should let them return it even if it's because they decided they just didn't want it. If you don't, you end up with an angry customer who is now angry EX-customer, who may feel compelled to warn the on-line world to stay away from you. If it's a comfort, remember that to return a coin is just as much of a pain for them as it is for you. It's for this reason that most people don't return stuff, even if they're not completely happy with it. One thing I just learned is that if you're selling a certified coin, you must include both front and reverse photos of the coin with the complete holder visible. I recently put up an SLB quarter for auction with close-ups of the obverse and reverse, and then a photo of the slab--but only the obverse. After three days, they took it down because I neglected to have a reverse view of the slab. Edited by jpsned
10/15/2011 3:36 pm
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2589 Posts |
I would advise you to not ship items overseas especially with USPS because they do not offer tracking overseas. If your package is lost or stolen paypal will find you liable and sieze the funds from your account. The package can even be delivered safely to the buyer, and if he is unscrupulous tell paypal it never arrived. They would still find you liable for the supposed lost package and take your money.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1745 Posts |
Always show good pictures of front and back.
I always leave feedback as soon as buyer pays. Other than pay quickly, there really isn't anything else they need to do. Don't hold feedback hostage.
Have a generous return policy. If you pictures are good, descriptions are accurate, you won't have any returns.
If you using stock photos, make sure you state that.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
968 Posts |
Thanks again!
Xavier, Do you include Canada in your "no overseas" shipping policy?
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2589 Posts |
On ebay I generally only allow canadian bidders when I am selling canadian coins since the premiums are much much higher when canadians bid on them and I feel its worth the risk to do so. The basic problem is still there though, since the usps wont allow tracking past usa borders and palau. I do sell to Europe, Australia, Canada, and other countries here on the forum since this is a much more close nit enviornment than ebay and I've never had a problem arise selling here on the forum. I have heard some other members here say that they will only sell overseas on ebay if the buyer agrees to special restrictions so that if an issue did arise paypal would be more likely to find it in the sellers favor (such as making the buyer post postive feedback before shipping, allowing international shipments only through fedex or other forms of registered mail). Another unrelated issue I saw hasnt been mentioned yet is that if you do allow returns, there is the risk that someone could try to replace the coin they purchased with a lesser grade example and scam you via the return. Its not a frequent occurance, but I have seen a couple threads appear on the forum regarding instances when its happened on ebay to sellers before. -XoG -XoG |
|
Formerly nancyc
Australia
5385 Posts |
Just a note on Packaging coins: As a frequent buyer on ebay, I often receive coins that are initially packed quite well, but the seller has decided to protect them even more by covering the entire package with Sellotape. It makes opening the package very hazardous to say the least. Trying to cut around the edge with scissors or a craft knife to gain access to what's inside without damaging what's inside when you can't see the contents is a real nightmare! If you must use Sellotape, please leave spaces on each edge so the buyer can open the package without too much anxiety. I've only ever 'nicked' one coin and as it was low condition and cost, I didn't tear my hair out over it. Sellotape applied directly to 2x2's, when removed always removes the surface layer of the 2x2 while Sellotape applied to plastic flips will leave most of the adhesive attached to the flip. I feel the latter problem with flips is bought about by mail being left in a hot environment for hours, the adhesive starts to melt and the flip is then ruined. If flips are taped closed, I always cut them open to get my coins out, at least I can see the coin. There is one type of tape that does not leave it's adhesive behind, it's the type you can easily write on, magic tape I think. Sorry to ramble on, but it's one of my pet dislikes.  life is a mystery to be lived not a problem to be solved
|
| |
Replies: 25 / Views: 4,071 |
Posted 10/11/2011 11:43 pm
