Buyers-Have Fun! Sellers-Beware!
Written: Apr 10 '01
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The Bottom Line
My Final recommendation is: Be aware that there are other auction sites out there. Do some research.
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Good ol' E-bay. A very recognizable name when it comes to internet auction sites.
If you are looking to bid - have fun! The site has a very extensive listing of items in all categories. You are sure to find something of interest. From movie and sports memorabila to figurines and cookware. It's all there.
E-bay has incorporated ease of use in their site. I give much credit to the programmers and designers. Navigation and payment setup is easy enough for the first time visitor.
I am a large scale sports card and memorabilia collector and seller. I have posted several items on E-bay in the past. And this is where my major concern lies.
For posting an item, E-bay charges a listing fee. This is payable by you no matter if your item sells or not.
And on top of that, the seller is charged a transaction fee on top of it, if the item does sell. The site has in depth charts for sellers explaining all fees. I reccomend spending some time reviewing it if you are interested in selling items. I also reccomend checking out some of the other leading auction sites to compare fees and listing rules.
MSN auction site, which is my favorite, does not charge a
fee unless your item sells. I feel that this is a much more fair way to do business. With all respects, a site needs to make money to keep it up and running. But give a guy a break. If the site doesn't sell an item, I don't feel they should reap the rewards.
Listing fees can be quite expensive, if for say you list
30 different items such as sports cards. And, only two of them sell. You are charged for the 28 items that didn't sell. Take that away from the profit you made on the two that did. And you might come out even if you're lucky.
Additional fees can be racked up if you're intersted in more exposure for your items on the front page. Or if you display your listing in bold type. Most auction sites offer these listing upgrades with an appropriate cost.
I'm not saying to stay away from E-bay if you're selling, although I have. But beware. Do some research. E-bay does attract many visitors, which is definitly a plus when trying to sell an item.
Selling tips:
Posting an item with a photo will receive much more attention and most likely sell before the same item without a photo. Buyers like to see what they would be getting in result of a win.
Describe your item with as much detail and information as you can. How old is it? Where did it come from? Any defects?
Cast numbers, serial numbers, etc. . .
This will help your item sell.
Do some research on items posted that are similur to your own. This will give you a better idea as to pricing your sale. This could be a deciding matter of how much you can profit from your sale. Basically, I'm saying don't sell yours for a buck when others are getting ten for the same.
Well Good Luck, Have fun.
Make sure you choose the right auction site for you.
Recommended:
Yes
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About the Author
Member: Randy Marcellis
Location: Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Reviews written: 21
Trusted by: 3 members
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