posted on August 26, 2003 10:07:47 PM new
Jack,
You owe me a new keyboard. I had a mouth full of ice tea when I started to read your last post. On second thought , never mind, it needed cleaning anyway. Layaway plan??? And you said I was the one who should be locked up?
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
posted on August 27, 2003 12:07:44 AM new
Records only sell well if you know what is in demand. Garage records do well and off the wall types do well. Back when I started I could sell all of mine individually. Unfortunately, I kept them till last because I really love my record collection.
Now, unless they are mint or truly rare you can't give them away in singles. I list 5 to 12 of the same artist and start the bidding at $9.95. Sometimes I will get a couple of people interested and they will run up to $30 but usually sell for $9.95 or $15.00. I couldn't pick them up at local garage sales and make any money. But, I have had these for many many years and don't mind letting them go cheaply as I get them grouped for sale.
The used record stores are alllllll over Ebay. They have mint and sealed (watch the sealed, many people just buy shrink wrap, and if they don't have those original little round circles with songs, etc on them, then they are usually not the original sealed records). I can't believe how many people fall for that one. But, back to the used record dealers. They have the market cornered unless what you find looks like it just came out of the store. Or, like I said, it is rare. Those are out there but they take lots of looking.
I am just lucky that I was a packrat all my 57 years. I have literally thousands of lps, 45's and 78's so as long as I get that $9.95 per sale and keep the sales up to at least 40% sell through I am happy.
I'm not trying to talk you out of giving it a try. But, if I were going to go out and actually buy records for resale I would study the categories and see what people are looking for very carefully before doing so. Some of the garage or off the wall labels go for pretty good sums. Unfortunately, I have the popular stuff and it is just too common.
I have a huge Elvis and Beatles collection and wouldn't even think about listing it. You can't give them away either. Well, actually, you can give them away. But, I'm not going to
Hubby has threatened to just leave them all here when we retire back to Texas in a few years. Those things are heavy! That was actually why I started on Ebay in the first place. Trying to downsize before retirement. If I didn't live in an apartment I would just have a giant garage sale and be done with lots of it since I have two 10 x 10 storage buildings full of stuff I brought here from Texas 15 years ago.
BTW, record buyers are the worst deadbeats I have come across. I think all my no-pays have come from that category. But, with the thousands I still have, I will keep plugging along.
[ edited by lindajean on Aug 27, 2003 12:13 AM ]
posted on August 27, 2003 04:53:21 AM new
Hi Sparkz, funny you asked about caskets. I have bought and sold 2 of them with skeletons. One about 30 years ago and the other about 5 years ago. One went to a big time antique auction, they put a sign on it that said "this is what we do to people that bounce checks" the other went to a medical school.
Lindajean, thanks a lot for your advice. You saved me a lot of work. It sure doesn't look like I want to start messing with records. Your post made a lot of sense to me. Thanks Again.
Thefamilybuz, thanks for posting your record even though you look fairly new to Ebay business. That shows me you are a serious up and comer and winner. If I can ever help you in the future I will be glad to.
I think we are all starting to see some of the not serious inexperienced people that give a lot of advice on this board without very much to back their advice up. A bunch of BLAH BLAH doesn't cut it with me SORRY. How about the little groups or clicks some people are trying to form. HA very funny.
posted on August 27, 2003 12:51:22 PM new
Hi ... interesting thread.
I'm grateful for advice received on these boards. Experience still is a good teacher.
thanks
posted on August 27, 2003 01:37:20 PM new
I am a teensy-weentsy seller, with 109 feedbacks, 99 from individuals, 100% pos.
You wouldn't think people would need more than one magic wand, would you?
I sell more from my website than on ebay, and lots and lots more at fairs and shows.
I have a second ID with 10 pos fb on it for buying and yardsale stuff. with the yardsales I've seen lately, that id might get a workout now!
"And All Shall be Well, and All Shall be Well, and All Manner of Things Shall be Well"
posted on August 27, 2003 04:23:40 PM new
Ebay seller since Oct 1998
1300 or so positives 675 individual. 1 old neg; 3 neutrals. Sell mostly philatelic stuff with occasional delves in other areas. Only one ID ever.
Ebay is a business not a social club to me. I will try to help someone if I know the answer (Usually do) and if I think they really need and want help. Otherwise I read and move on. Some times use my name... David
posted on August 27, 2003 05:24:54 PM new
I'm extremely new to selling on ebay. My feedback number is only 40 and probably half of that was from buying. I sell antiques and collectibles. I've learned a lot from this board. But I will still try to help others if a question comes up that I can answer.
Big Peepa, it's an interesting question you pose. There are some posters here who's advice I am skeptical of. But, as some others have suggested, I don't believe feedback alone is enough to tell whose advice you can trust. What would really be interesting is to know various sellers sell-thru rates and how much money (profit - not just sales) they are making. But I don't expect people to offer up that info.
Now, if I would just spend less time on this board and more time listing - I might actually make some money here myself.
posted on August 28, 2003 11:37:33 AM new
I've been an Ebay member since 4/2000.
Feedback Summary 3799 positives. 3243 are from unique users.
9 neutrals.
11 negatives. 10 are from unique users.
I sell mostly clothing, skiwear (in the winter) and books.
I have found the advice on this board sound and valuable. I have learned a lot just reading advice given here. I always find the garage sale find threads the most informative.
